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sandiest box

File:Japanesebowing.jpg

Japanese Girl Bowing

About

Japan is well know for its extraordinary humble greetings and respect. Many of these greetings (あいさつ・挨拶）and farewells（さよなら）can be ordered according to the politeness level they resemble. This depends on social status and age. Bowing is a traditional custom in Japan, which can be separated according to the inclination implying the level of respect. A slight bow usually contains 15°, while a salute contains 30° and a respectful bow consists of a 45° inclination.

Pronunciation

Japanese is not like Chinese or Korean. Though it is quite easy to pronounce. But it consists of some consonants missing in English. When it comes to pronunciation all the syllables are pronounced at equal length except for long vowels which take the length of two syllables. Vowels slide in words like kya(きゃ), kyu(きゅ), kyo(きょ). etc but treated as one syllable.

Vowels

Japanese Language consists of only five basic vowels. But the difference between short and long vowels must be identified clearly. Below are romanized [Japanese letter ・ hiragana ・ katakana] in order.

Short Vowels:

a・あ・ア - sounds like a in "bark"

i・い・イ - sounds like ee in "been"

u・う・ウ - sounds like oo in "room"

e・絵・エ - sounds like ay in "bay"

o・お・オ - sounds like o in "boat"

Long Vowels:

ā・ああ・アー - sounds like a in "garden"

Rōmanji*	Pronunciation	Rōmanji	Pronunciation	Rōmanji	Pronunciation	Rōmanji	Pronunciation	Rōmanji	Pronunciation
a	aah	i	ee	u	oo	e	ay	o	oh
ka	kah	k	kee	ku	koo	ke	kay	ko	koh
sa	sah	si/shi	shee	su**	soo	se	say	so	soh
ta	tah	chi	chee	tsu	tsoo	te	tay	to	toh
na	nah	ni	nee	nu	noo	ne	nay	no	noh
ha	hah	hi	hee	hu	hoo	he	hay	ho	hoh
ma	mah	mi	mee	mu	moo	me	may	mo	moh
ya	yah			yu	yoo			yo	yoh
ra	rah	ri	ree	ru	roo	re	ray	ro	roh
wa	wah							wo	w
								n	n***
ga	gah	gi	gee	gu	goo	ge	gay	go	goh
za	zah	ji	jee	zu	zoo	ze	zay	zo	zoh
da	dah	di	dee	dsu	dsoo	de	day	do	doh
ba	bah	bi	bee	bu	boo	be	bay	bo	boh
pa	pah	pi	pee	pu	poo	pe	pay	po	poh
kya	kyah			kyu	kyoo			kyo	kyoh
sha	shah			shu	shoo			sho	shoh
cha	chah			chu	choo			cho	choh
nya	nyah			nyu	nyoo			nyo	nyoh
hya	hyah			hyu	hyoo			hyo	hyoh
mya	myah			myu	myoo			myo	myoh
rya	ryah			ryu	ryoo			ryo	ryoh
gya	gyah			gyu	gyuh			gyo	gyoh
ja	jah			ju	joo			jo	joh
bya	byah			byu	byoo			byo	byoh
pya	pyah			pyu	pyoo			pyo	pyoh

* (romanized Japanese)

** (weak at end of sentences)

*** (tongue touches your upper palate)

Phrases

Japanese	Rōmaji	English
ありがと。	Arigatō	Thank you (casual, polite)
どうも。	Dōmo	Thank you (casual)
どうもありがと。	Dōmo Arigatō	Thank you (casual, politer)
どうもありがとございます。	Dōmo Arigatō Gozaimasu	Thank you (very polite)
どうもありがとございますた。	Dōmo Arigatō Gozaimashita	Thank you (very polite, past tense)
どいたしました。	Dō itashimashita	You're Welcome
さようなら。	Sayōnara	Good bye
おやすみなさい。	Oyasuminasai	Good night
こんばんわ。	Konbanwa	Good evening
ただいま。	Tadaima	I'm home (when you return home)
しつれいします。	Shitsureishimasu	Excuse
おだいじに。	Odaizini	Take care
はじめまして。	Hajimemashite	Nice to meet you ( in the first meeting)
こんにちわ。	Konnichiwa	Hello, Welcome
おかえりなさい。	Okaerinasai	Welcome back (when someone returns back home)
お早うございます。	Ohayō gozaimasu. .	Good morning (until 10 am)
おはよう。	Ohayō	Good morning (casual)
すみません。	Sumimasen	I am sorry, Excuse
ごめんなさい。	Gomennsai	I am sorry (severe mistake, irreplaceable)
みせてください。	Misete kudasai	Please show
おはいりください。	Ohairi kudasai	Come in please
こんばんは。	Konbanwa	Good evening
どぞよろしく。	Dōzo yoroshiku	Please favor me (in a meeting)
ええ。	Ee	Yes (agreement)
はじめまして。	Hai	Yes (acknowledgement)
どれ。	Dore	Which?
どこ。	Doko	Where?
どうして。	Dōshite	Why?, How?
いつ	Itsu	When?
いらついませ。	Irasshaimase	Welcome, Come in
たすけて。	Tasukete	Please help!
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