千里 せんりの道 みちも一歩いっぽから (Senri no michi mo ippo kara)

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

Lao Tzu

Instructor’s Directions

The following sentences are for in-class use by the teacher to provide students with directions.
Students do not need to be able to use these; just learn what action is expected.

The goal is to avoid using English in the classroom from the very beginning of the course.

1. Kiite kudasai. 聞きいてください。 1. Please listen.

2. Itte kudasai. 言ってください。 2. Please say it.

3. Kotaete kudasai. 答こたえてください。 3. Please answer.

4. Mou ichido onegai-shimasu.もう一度いちどお願ねがいします 4. One more time, please.

5. X-san ni itte kudasai. Ｘさんに言いってください。 5. Please say it to Mr/s. X.

Greetings and Ritual Expressions

Common daily greetings and ritual expressions are introduced here. The dialogues below provide

sample contexts. A vocabulary list follows each dialogue with some notes.

It is recommended that rather than memorizing words in isolation, you learn them through the

dialogue along with appropriate body language. First listen to an audio and practice each line aloud.

Add on one line at a time. Practice alternatives for different contexts.

A. Greetings

A：Ohayou. おはよう。 Good morning.

B：Ohayou gozaimasu. おはようございます。 Good morning.

1. Ohayou おはよう Good morning

2. Ohayou gozaimasu おはようございます Good morning (polite)

3. Konnichiwa こんにちは Hello

4. Konbanwa こんばんは Good evening

Gozaimasu indicates politeness and formality. People who know each other well (family members,

good friends) can use the short form. You should never use the short form with your superiors

(teacher, boss, supervisor). Konnichiwa and konbanwa cover both formal and informal situations.

B. Offering and Accepting, Thanking

A: Douzo どうぞ。 Go ahead. (Please take it)

B: Aa, doumo. ああ、どうも。 Oh, thanks.

5. douzo どうぞ go ahead, by all means

6. a(a) あ（あ） oh, ah

7. doumo どうも thank you, I’m sorry

8. arigatou ありがとう thank you

9. arigatou gozaimasu ありがとうございます thank you (polite)

10. arigatou gozaimashita. ありがとうございました thank you for what you’ve done

Douzo is used to offer things or invite people to go ahead.

Arigatou (gozaimasu) expresses thanks in general. You should never use the short form with your

superiors (teacher, boss, supervisor).

Doumo expresses gratitude or apology. It can also be combined with arigatou gozaimasu (Thank
you very much) or sumimasen (I’m very sorry).

Gozaimashita indicates past and is used when the act is completed.

C. Addressing Someone

Ａ：Honda-san. 本田 ほんださん。 Mr/s. Honda.

Ｂ：Hai. はい。 Yes.

11. ~san ~さん Mr/s. X

12. hai はい yes (that’s right), here you go

13. ~sensei X先生せんせい Prof./Dr. X

~san is a title that can be attached to a given name, a family name, and even some roles. Don’t

attach it to your own name or the names of people in your group when talking to outsiders.

~sensei is a title that can be attached to teachers, professors, doctors, etc. You should not use

~san to refer to your teacher.

Hai means ‘that’s right,’ ‘present’ (in roll call), or ‘here you are’ (handing something over).

D. Apologizing

Ａ：A, sumimasen. あ、すみません！ Oh, sorry!

Ｂ：Ie, ie. いえ、いえ。 No, no.

14. sumimasen すみません thank you, I’m sorry

15. ie, iie (formal), iya (casual) いいえ／いえ／いや no, that’s wrong

16. sumimasen deshita すみませんでした thank you, I’m sorry for what’s done

17. gomen ごめん sorry, excuse me (casual)

18. gomen nasai ごめんなさい sorry, excuse me (casual, gentle)

19. dou itashimashite どういたしまして you’re welcome, not at all

Sumimasen expresses apology or gratitude when you are about to trouble or have troubled
someone.

Sumimasen deshita expresses apology or gratitude when you have troubled someone.

E. Starting and Ending Eating/Drinking

Ａ：Douzo. どうぞ。 Please (have some.)

Ｂ：Jaa, itadakimasu. じゃあ、いただきます。 Well, then I’ll have some.

Gochisou sama deshita. ごちそうさまでした。 Thank you (That was delicious).

20. jaa, ja じゃあ／じゃ well then, if so

21. itadakimasu いただきます ritual expression before eating

22. gochisou-sama ごちそうさま ritual expression after eating

23. gochisou-sama deshita ごちそうさまでした formal version of gochisou-sama

Ja is used to follow up on what has been said, to switch topic, etc.

Itadakimasu literally means ‘I’ll humbly accept it’ and is used before eating or receiving a gift.

Gochisousama (deshita) shows gratitude for the food or drink one has been offered. Even when

alone Japanese people tend to whisper itadakimasu and gochisousama to start and end

eating.

F. Requesting

Ａ：Sumimasen. すみません。 Excuse me.

Onegaishimasu. お願ねがいします。 Can you give that to me.

Ｂ：Hai, douzo. はい、どうぞ。 Sure, here you go.

24. Onegai-shimasu お願ねがいします please help me, do me a favor

G. Entering a Room (Knock on the door TWICE)

Ａ：Shitsurei-shimasu. 失礼します。 Excuse me.

Ｂ：Hai, douzo. はい、どうぞ。 Yes, come in.

25. shitsurei-shimasu 失礼/しつれいします excuse me

26. shitsurei-shimashita 失礼/しつれいしました excuse me for what I’ve done

Shitsurei-shimasu literally means ‘I’m going to do something rude’ and is used when entering a
room, interrupting, or leaving.

Shitsurei-shimashita is used for what you’ve done.

H. Leaving and Coming Back to Home /Office

Ａ：Itte kimasu. いってきます。 See you later.

Ｂ：Itte rasshai. いってらっしゃい。 See you later.

Ａ：Tadaima. ただいま。 I’m home.

Ｂ：Okaerinasai. おかえりなさい。 Welcome back.

27. itte kimasu いってきます ritual expression when leaving home

 28. itte rasshai いってらっしゃい ritual response to Itte kimasu

29. tadaima ただいま ritual expression upon coming home

30. okaerinasai お帰かえりなさい ritual response to Tadaima

Itte kimasu is used when leaving home or stepping out the office for an errand. It implies that you
are coming back.

I. Meeting People for the First Time

Ａ：Hajimemashite. はじめまして。 How do you do.

Honda desu. 本田ほんだです。 I’m Honda.

Ｂ：Honda-san desu ka. 本田ほんださんですか。 You’re Mr. Honda?

Sumisu desu. スミスです。 I’m Smith.

Douzo yoroshiku. どうぞよろしく。 Nice to meet you.

31. Hajimemashite はじめまして How do you do?

32. ~desu X です it is/I’m/you’re/they are X, etc.

33. ~desu ka X ですか is it/am I/are you/are they X? etc.

34. yoroshiku よろしく ritual expression when meeting

someone, when needing a favor

35. yoroshiku onegai-shimasu よろしくお願ねがいします please treat me favorably,

Thank you in advance

Hajimemashite literally means ‘for the first time.’ It is a ritual expression used in first meeting

people. You can respond with your own hajimemashite or douzo yoroshiku onegai-

shimasu. Make sure you bow. After a person tells you his/her name, confirm it by asking X-

san desu ka. Repetition may seem unnecessary, but it’s customary to do so during

introductions.
J. Taking Leave

Ａ：Ja, shitsurei-shimasu. じゃ、失礼しつれいします。 Well then, I’ll go (excuse me).

Ｂ：Aa, otsukare-sama deshita. ああ、お疲つかれさまでした. Ah, thanks for the good work.

36. otuskare(-sama) おつかれ（さま） thanks for your work, you must be tired

37. otsukare-sama desu おつかれさまです (formal) (on going)

38. otuskare-sama deshita おつかれさまでした (the work is over)

The above are common greetings between co-workers. They are also used to thank service personnel

or acknowledge anyone’s hard work.

K. Parting

Ａ：Ja, mata. じゃ、また。 Well, see you.

Ｂ：Sayonara. さよなら。 Good-by.

39. ja, mata じゃ、また see you later (informal)

40. sayonara/sayounara さよなら／さようなら good-bye

L. Retiring at Night

Ａ：Ja, oyasumi. じゃ、おやすみ。 Well, then good night.

Ｂ：Aa, oyasuminasai. ああ、おやすみなさい。 Oh, good night.

41. oyasumi おやすみ good night (casual)

42. oyasumi nasai おやすみなさい good night (formal)