So you’re on your way to the World Yo-Yo Contest in Tokyo, Japan. It’s never too late to try learning a few phrases in the local language! We’ve compiled a list of some of the things you might want to be able to say when talking with your new friends in Japan, as well as some useful phrases to get you through your time in the land of the rising sun.<\/p>\n
English Phrase<\/strong> Ex. Good morning!<\/strong> Ex. May I have your autograph?<\/strong> Hello.<\/strong> __ please<\/strong> (give me \/ to use when you’re ordering in a restaurant<\/em>). Thank you (very much).<\/strong> Excuse me.<\/strong> (I’m) sorry.<\/strong> How much is it?<\/strong> Where is the bathroom\/toilet?<\/strong> Can you speak English?<\/strong> I can’t speak Japanese.<\/strong> See you later!<\/strong> [A phrase said when you begin eating–something like “I humbly take this food.”]<\/strong> Thank you for the food. [Said at the end of the meal.]<\/strong> Cheers!<\/strong> Nice to meet you.<\/strong> My name is __.<\/strong> Long time no see!<\/strong> How are you doing?<\/strong> I\u2019m a big fan of yours!<\/strong> I like your (__) freestyle \/ trick \/ style.<\/strong> I\u2019m looking forward to your freestyle!<\/strong> Good luck!<\/strong> May I take a picture with you?<\/strong> May I have your autograph?<\/strong> May I take a video?<\/strong> May I post this online?<\/strong> What (yo-yo\/string\/pad) are you using?<\/strong> Can you teach me that trick?<\/strong> What music did you use for your freestyle?<\/strong> -I used __.<\/strong> Do you have a (Facebook \/ Instagram \/ Twitter \/ etc.) account?<\/strong> How do you practice?<\/strong> Can you tell me how to get to __(official hotel, Belle Salle [the contest venue])?<\/strong> Do you want to go to (lunch \/ dinner \/ bar \/ karaoke \/ etc.) with me?<\/strong> What do you want to eat?<\/strong> What do you recommend?<\/strong> Do you want to try (SUSHI\/YAKINIKU\/UDON etc)?<\/strong> Where is your hotel?<\/strong> When do you leave Tokyo?<\/strong> How long are you staying in Tokyo?<\/strong> What do you do?<\/strong> What do you do when you\u2019re not playing yo-yo?<\/strong> What are your plans for the future?<\/strong> How was __?<\/strong> What did you get (buy)?<\/strong> Is this seat free? Can I sit here?<\/strong> Do you want to sit here?<\/strong> Do you want to sit with me (us)?<\/strong> Do you have any different colors?<\/strong> Do you have a sample I can try?<\/strong> Can I try this?<\/strong> Do you have a sample of this yo-yo?<\/strong> How much is this?<\/strong> What do you recommend?<\/strong> Which do you like better __ or __ ?<\/strong> So how was it? We know it’s a lot to take in so don’t worry about remembering everything. Why not print this out and use it as a guide while you’re here, or save it on a smartphone or tablet to reference later? Even if you don’t feel confident speaking, just know that most Japanese people will be so happy just to see that you are trying. We’re sure they’ve been practicing their English too, so you can look forward to some fun conversations. Now get out there and make some new friends! See you in Tokyo!!!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" So you’re on your way to the World Yo-Yo Contest in Tokyo, Japan. It’s never too late to try learning a few phrases in the local language! We’ve compiled a list of some of the things you might want to be able to say when talking with your new friends in Japan, as well as […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"swell_btn_cv_data":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4087","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog","category-uncategorized"],"aioseo_notices":[],"views":4697,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p42RfF-13V","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/yoyorewind.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4087","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/yoyorewind.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/yoyorewind.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yoyorewind.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yoyorewind.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4087"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/yoyorewind.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4087\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4118,"href":"https:\/\/yoyorewind.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4087\/revisions\/4118"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/yoyorewind.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4087"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yoyorewind.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4087"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yoyorewind.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4087"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nJapanese Phrase in Japanese text (Japanese Phrase in roman letters)<\/p>\n
\n\u304a\u306f\u3088\u3046\uff08\u3054\u3056\u3044\u307e\u3059\uff09\uff01 (O-hayo [goza-i-masu]!) <—[the letters are hyphenated and spaced to help you pronounce them more easily]<\/span><\/p>\n
\n\u30b5\u30a4\u30f3\u3092\u304f\u3060\u3055\u3044\u3002(SIGN<\/span> o kuda-sai.) <—[the word in ALL CAPS is an English word and you should pronounce it the same as in English]<\/span><\/p>\nBasic\/survival phrases:<\/h2>\n
\n\u3053\u3093\u306b\u3061\u306f\u3002 (Kon-nichi-wa.)<\/p>\n
\n\u25cb\u25cb<\/strong>\u3092\u4e0b\u3055\u3044\u3002 (__[the thing you want\/to order<\/em>] o kuda-sai.)<\/p>\n
\n\u3042\u308a\u304c\u3068\u3046\uff08\u3054\u3056\u3044\u307e\u3059\uff09\u3002 (Ari-gato [goza-i-masu].) <—[Just “Ari-gato” is fine, but if you want to be extra polite, add the “goza-i-masu” at the end. :)]<\/span><\/p>\n
\n\u3059\u307f\u307e\u305b\u3093\u3002 (Sumi-masen.)<\/p>\n
\n\u3054\u3081\u3093\u306a\u3055\u3044\u3002(Gomen-nasai.)<\/p>\n
\n\u3044\u304f\u3089\u3067\u3059\u304b\uff1f (Iku-ra desu ka?)<\/p>\n
\n\u30c8\u30a4\u30ec\u306f\u4f55\u51e6\u3067\u3059\u304b\uff1f (To-i-re wa doko desu ka?)<\/p>\n
\n\u82f1\u8a9e\u3092\u8a71\u305b\u307e\u3059\u304b\uff1f (ENGLISH o hana-se masu ka?)<\/p>\n
\n\u65e5\u672c\u8a9e\u3067\u304d\u307e\u305b\u3093\u3002 (Ni-hon-go deki-masen.)<\/p>\n
\n\u307e\u305f\u306d\uff01 (Mata ne!)<\/p>\n
\n\u3044\u305f\u3060\u304d\u307e\u3059\uff01(Ita-daki masu!)<\/p>\n
\n\u3054\u3061\u305d\u3046\u3055\u307e\u3067\u3057\u305f\u3002 (Gochi-so-sama deshita.)<\/p>\n
\n\u304b\u3093\u3071\u3044\uff01 (Kan-pai!)<\/p>\nSelf-Introduction:<\/h2>\n
\n\u306f\u3058\u3081\u307e\u3057\u3066\u3002(Haji-me mash-ite.)<\/p>\n
\n\u79c1\u306e\u540d\u524d\u306f\u25cb\u25cb\u3067\u3059\u3002(Wa-tashi no nama-e wa __ desu.)<\/p>\n
\n\u4e45\u3057\u3076\u308a\uff01(Hisa-shi-buri!)<\/p>\n
\n\u8abf\u5b50\u306f\u3069\u3046\u3067\u3059\u304b\uff1f(Cho-shi wa dou?)<\/p>\n
\n\u79c1\u306f\u3042\u306a\u305f\u306e\u5927\u30d5\u30a1\u30f3\u3067\u3059\uff01(Wa-tashi wa anata no dai FAN desu!)<\/p>\n
\n\u79c1\u306f\u3042\u306a\u305f\u306e\u3000(__\u306e)\u3000\u30d5\u30ea\u30fc\u30b9\u30bf\u30a4\u30eb\/\u30c8\u30ea\u30c3\u30af\/\u30d7\u30ec\u30a4\u30b9\u30bf\u30a4\u30eb\u3000\u304c\u597d\u304d\u3067\u3059\u3002
\n(Wa-tashi wa anata no [__ no] FREESTYLE\/TRICK\/STYLE ga suki desu.)
\n[ex. 2014 World Yo-Yo Contest Finals]<\/p>\nWhen you want to cheer for someone:<\/h2>\n
\n\u3042\u306a\u305f\u306e\u30d5\u30ea\u30fc\u30b9\u30bf\u30a4\u30eb\u3092\u697d\u3057\u307f\u306b\u3057\u3066\u3044\u307e\u3059\uff01(Anata no FREESTYLE wo tano-shimi ni shi-te-i-masu.)<\/p>\n
\n\u304c\u3093\u3070\u3063\u3066\uff01(Gan-bat-te!)<\/p>\nTo ask for a picture or autograph:<\/h2>\n
\n\u4e00\u7dd2\u306b\u5199\u771f\u3092\u3068\u3063\u3066\u3082\u304f\u308c\u307e\u3059\u304b\uff1f(Issho-ni sha-shin o totte kure-masu ka?)<\/p>\n
\n\u30b5\u30a4\u30f3\u3092\u304f\u3060\u3055\u3044\u3002(SIGN o kuda-sai)<\/p>\n
\n\u52d5\u753b\u3092\u3068\u3063\u3066\u3082\u3044\u3044\u3067\u3059\u304b\uff1f(Douga wo totte-mo ii desu ka?)<\/p>\n
\nSNS\u306b\u30a2\u30c3\u30d7\u30ed\u30fc\u30c9\u3057\u3066\u3082\u3044\u3044\u3067\u3059\u304b\uff1f(SNS ni UPLOAD shi-temo ii desu ka?)<\/p>\nSome questions you may want to ask:<\/h2>\n
\n\u306a\u3093\u306e(\u30e8\u30fc\u30e8\u30fc\/\u30d1\u30c3\u30c9\/\u30b9\u30c8\u30ea\u30f3\u30b0)\u3092\u4f7f\u3063\u3066\u3044\u307e\u3059\u304b\uff1f(Nan no [YO-YO\/STRING\/PAD] o tsu-katte-masu ka?)<\/p>\n
\n\u305d\u306e\u30c8\u30ea\u30c3\u30af\u3092\u6559\u3048\u3066\u4e0b\u3055\u3044\u3002(Sono TRICK wo oshi-e-te kuda-sai.)<\/p>\n
\n\u3042\u306a\u305f\u306e\u30d5\u30ea\u30fc\u30b9\u30bf\u30a4\u30eb\u3067\u4f7f\u7528\u3057\u305f\u66f2\u306f\u4f55\u3067\u3059\u304b\uff1f(Anata no FREESTYLE de tsu-katta MUSIC wa nan desu ka?)<\/p>\n
\n\u2013 \u79c1\u306f__\u3092\u4f7f\u3044\u307e\u3057\u305f\u3002(Wa-tashi wa __ o tsu-ka-i-mash-i-ta.)<\/p>\n
\n(Facebook\/Instagram\/Twitter)\u3000\u306e\u30a2\u30ab\u30a6\u30f3\u30c8\u3092\u6301\u3063\u3066\u3044\u307e\u3059\u304b\uff1f([FACEBOOK\/INSTAGRAM\/TWITTER\/etc.] no ACCOUNT wo motte-i-masu ka?)
\n-Yes, I do. My ID is __. \u2013 \u306f\u3044\u3001\u6301\u3063\u3066\u3044\u307e\u3059\u3002___\u3067\u3059\u3002(Motte-masu. ID wa __ desu.)
\n-No, I don\u2019t.\u00a0 But, I have a __ account. \u2013 \u3044\u3044\u3048\u3001\u6301\u3063\u3066\u3044\u307e\u305b\u3093\u3002\u3057\u304b\u3057__\u306e\u30a2\u30ab\u30a6\u30f3\u30c8\u306a\u3089\u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059\u3002(Motte-masen. Shi-kashi __ no ACCOUNT wo motte-i-masu.)<\/p>\n
\n\u666e\u6bb5\u3069\u306e\u3088\u3046\u306b\u7df4\u7fd2\u3057\u3066\u3044\u307e\u3059\u304b\uff1f(Fudan wa dou-yatte ren-shu shi-te-masu ka?)<\/p>\n
\n(\u30aa\u30d5\u30b7\u30e3\u30eb\u30db\u30c6\u30eb \/ \u30d9\u30eb\u30b5\u30fc\u30eb)\u3000\u306b\u306f\u3069\u3046\u3084\u3063\u3066\u884c\u3051\u3070\u3044\u3044\u3067\u3059\u304b\uff1f([OFFICIAL HOTEL\/BELLE SALLE] ni wa dou-yatte ike-ba ii desu ka?)<\/p>\nRegular conversation:<\/h2>\n
\n\u4e00\u7dd2\u306b (\u304a\u663c\/\u6669\u5fa1\u98ef\/\u30d0\u30fc\/\u30ab\u30e9\u30aa\u30b1\u306a\u3069)\u306b\u3044\u304d\u307e\u305b\u3093\u304b\uff1f(Issho-ni LUNCH\/DINNER\/BAR\/kara-oke\/etc. ni iki-masen ka?)
\n-Sure! \u2013 \u3044\u3044\u3067\u3059\u3088\uff01(Ii desu yo\/OK.)
\n-Sorry, I have other plans. \u2013 \u3054\u3081\u3093\u306a\u3055\u3044\u3001\u5225\u306e\u7528\u4e8b\u304c\u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059\u3002(Gomen-nasai, hoka no yaku-soku ga ari-masu.)<\/p>\n
\n\u4f55\u304b\u98df\u3079\u305f\u3044\u3082\u306e\u306f\u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059\u304b\uff1f(Nani-ka tabe-tai-mono wa ari-masu ka?)<\/p>\n
\n\u304a\u3059\u3059\u3081\u306e\u3082\u306e\u306f\u3042\u308b\uff1f(O-susu-me wa aru?)<\/p>\n
\n(\u5bff\u53f8 \/ \u713c\u304d\u8089 \/ \u3046\u3069\u3093) \u3092\u98df\u3079\u3066\u307f\u308b\uff1f(SUSHI\/YAKINIKU\/UDON o tabete miru?)
\n-Yes. -\u306f\u3044\u3002 (Hai!)
\n-No, I can\u2019t eat __. \u2013 \u3059\u307f\u307e\u305b\u3093\u3001__\u306f\u98df\u3079\u3089\u308c\u307e\u305b\u3093\u3002(Sumi-masen, __ wa tabe-rare-masen.)
\n-I have __ allergy. \u2013 __\u30a2\u30ec\u30eb\u30ae\u30fc\u304c\u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059\u3002(__ are-ru-gi ga ari-masu.)<\/p>\n
\n\u30db\u30c6\u30eb\u306f\u3069\u3053\u3067\u3059\u304b\uff1f(HOTEL wa doko desu ka?)
\n-I\u2019m staying at __ Hotel. It\u2019s in __. It is near __. \u79c1\u306f__\u30db\u30c6\u30eb\u306b\u5bbf\u6cca\u3057\u3066\u3044\u307e\u3059\u3002__\u306b\u3042\u3063\u3066\u3001__\u306b\u8fd1\u3044\u3067\u3059\u3002(__ HOTEL ni to-mat-te i-masu. __ ni atte, __ni chi-kai desu.)
\n-What about you? \u2013 \u3042\u306a\u305f\u306f\uff1f(Anata wa?)<\/p>\n
\n\u3044\u3064\u6771\u4eac\u3092\u96e2\u308c\u307e\u3059\u304b\uff1f(Itsu Tokyo wo hana-re-masu ka?)
\n\u2013 I will leave __ (tonight, Monday night, tomorrow, in one week). \u2013 \uff08\u4eca\u591c\u30fb\u6708\u66dc\u65e5\u306e\u591c\u30fb\u660e\u65e5\u30fb\u4e00\u9031\u9593\u4ee5\u5185\u306b\uff09\u96e2\u308c\u307e\u3059\u3002([Kon-ya\/ge-tsu yo-bi no yoru\/a-shi-ta\/i-shu-kan i-nai ni] hana-re-masu.) <—[It’s hard to account for all of the possibilities you could finish this sentence with, so it may be better to answer in English.]<\/span><\/p>\n
\n\u3044\u3064\u307e\u3067\u6771\u4eac\u306b\u3044\u307e\u3059\u304b\uff1f(Itsu ma-de Tokyo ni ima-su ka?)<\/p>\n
\n\u666e\u6bb5\u4f55\u306e\u4ed5\u4e8b\u3092\u3057\u3066\u3044\u307e\u3059\u304b\uff1f(Nan no shi-goto o shi-te-i-masu ka?)
\n-I work at __. \u2013 \u79c1\u306f__\u3067\u50cd\u3044\u3066\u3044\u307e\u3059\u3002(Wa-tashi wa __ de hata-rai-tei-masu.)
\n-I\u2019m a student. \u2013 \u5b66\u751f\u3067\u3059\u3002(Gaku-sei desu.)<\/p>\n
\n\u30e8\u30fc\u30e8\u30fc\u4ee5\u5916\u306e\u8da3\u5473\u306f\uff1f(YO-YO i-gai no shu-mi wa?)
\n-I like to __. \u2013 __\u304c\u597d\u304d\u3067\u3059\u3002(__ ga suki desu.)<\/p>\n
\n\u5c06\u6765\u4f55\u306b\u306a\u308a\u305f\u3044\u3067\u3059\u304b\uff1f(Sho-rai nani ni nari-tai desu ka?)
\n-I want to be a __. \u2013 \u79c1\u306f__\u306b\u306a\u308a\u305f\u3044\u3067\u3059\u3002(__ ni nari-tai desu.)<\/p>\n
\n__\u306f\u3069\u3046\u3067\u3057\u305f\uff1f(__ wa dou deshita?)<\/p>\nAt the contest venue:<\/h2>\n
\n\u4f55\u3092\u8cb7\u3063\u305f\u306e\uff1f(Nani o katta no?)
\n-I got __. \u2013 __\u3092\u8cb7\u3044\u307e\u3057\u305f\uff08\u624b\u306b\u5165\u308c\u307e\u3057\u305f\uff09\u3002(__ o ka-i-mash-i-ta.)<\/p>\n
\n\u3053\u306e\u5e2d\u306f\u7a7a\u3044\u3066\u307e\u3059\u304b\uff1f(Kono seki wa a-i-te masu ka?)
\n-Yes. \u306f\u3044\u3002 (Hai.)
\n-No, sorry, my friend is sitting here. \u2013 \u3044\u3044\u3048\u3001\u3059\u307f\u307e\u305b\u3093\u304c\u79c1\u306e\u53cb\u4eba\u306e\u5e2d\u3067\u3059\u3002(Iie, sumi-masen ga, tomo-dachi no seki desu.)<\/p>\n
\n\u3053\u3053\u306b\u5ea7\u308a\u307e\u3059\u304b\uff1f(Koko ni su-wari masu ka?)<\/p>\n
\n\u4e00\u7dd2\u306b\u5ea7\u308a\u307e\u3059\u304b\uff1f(Issho ni su-wari masu ka?)<\/p>\nAt the sales booths:<\/h2>\n
\n\u9055\u3046\u30ab\u30e9\u30fc\u306f\u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059\u304b\uff1f(Chi-ga-u COLOR wa ari-masu ka?)<\/p>\n
\n\u4f7f\u3063\u3066\u3082\u3044\u3044\u30b5\u30f3\u30d7\u30eb\u306f\u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059\u304b\uff1f(Tsu-katte-mo ii SAMPLE wa ari-masu ka?)<\/p>\n
\n\u3053\u308c\u3092\u4f7f\u3063\u3066\u3082\u3044\u3044\u3067\u3059\u304b\uff1f(Kore o tsu-katte-mo ii desu ka?)<\/p>\n
\n\u3053\u306e\u30e8\u30fc\u30e8\u30fc\u306e\u30b5\u30f3\u30d7\u30eb\u306f\u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059\u304b\uff1f(Kono YO-YO no SAMPLE wa ari-masu ka?)<\/p>\n
\n\u3053\u308c\u306f\u3044\u304f\u3089\u3067\u3059\u304b\uff1f(Kore wa iku-ra desu ka?)<\/p>\n
\n\u304a\u3059\u3059\u3081\u306f\u3069\u308c\u3067\u3059\u304b\uff1f(O-susu-me wa do-re desu ka?)<\/p>\n
\n\uff3f\u3068\uff3f\u3069\u3061\u3089\u304c\u3044\u3044\u3067\u3059\u304b\uff1f(__ to __ wa do-chi-ra ga ii desu ka?)<\/p>\n
\n