Japanese Listening Practice With A Story #2 | Visit to Japan [Beginner Level 2]

Summary

This video introduces key phrases for initiating conversations in Japanese, focusing on polite and modest expressions. The story highlights a casual interaction where a person from abroad meets a Martian character and shares their excitement about Japan, their love for anime, and the purpose of their visit for studying abroad. The script teaches various phrases, including greetings, expressing interest in subjects, and giving gifts. Viewers will also learn how to introduce themselves in different situations, such as when meeting new colleagues or hosts for the first time.

Takeaways

• 😀 Greetings and introductions can start with casual questions like 'What brings you here?' and 'Are you a Martian?'
• 😀 '失礼ですが' (Excuse me, but...) is a polite way to ask or say something that may make the listener uncomfortable.
• 😀 'I'm interested in the universe' can be expressed as '私は宇宙に興味があります'.
• 😀 '〜に興味があります' means 'I'm interested in something', e.g., '日本の文化に興味があります' (I'm interested in Japanese culture).
• 😀 The phrase '日本のアニメと漫画が大好きです' means 'I love Japanese anime and manga'.
• 😀 'どうして日本に来たんですか?' (What brings you to Japan?) is a common phrase for asking about someone's purpose for visiting.
• 😀 '留学のために来ました' (I came here for study abroad) is a phrase to explain the purpose of a trip to Japan.
• 😀 'これ、ほんの気持ちです' is a modest phrase used when giving a gift, meaning 'This is a little something for you'.
• 😀 'これからお世話になります' means 'I appreciate the help you'll be giving me from now on' and is used to express gratitude when meeting someone.
• 😀 'ホームステイが楽しみです' expresses excitement and means 'I'm looking forward to a homestay'.
• 😀 '〜が楽しみです' is a useful expression for saying you're looking forward to something, such as '週末が楽しみです' (I'm looking forward to the weekend).

Q & A

What is the purpose of the phrase '失礼ですが' in Japanese?

'失礼ですが' (shitsurei desu ga) is a polite way to preface a question or statement that may make the listener uncomfortable. It translates to 'Excuse me, but...' and is often used before asking for personal information or requesting something that could be seen as rude.

How do you express being interested in something in Japanese?

To express being interested in something, you use the phrase '〜に興味があります' (〜ni kyōmi ga arimasu), which translates to 'I'm interested in ~'. For example, '日本の文化に興味があります' means 'I'm interested in Japanese culture.'

What does the particle 'と' do in the sentence '日本のアニメと漫画が大好きです'?

In the sentence '日本のアニメと漫画が大好きです' (I love Japanese anime and manga), the particle 'と' means 'and'. It is used to connect two nouns, in this case, 'アニメ' (anime) and '漫画' (manga).

What is the difference between '〜んですか?' and '〜のために' in Japanese?

'〜んですか?' is used to ask for an explanation or reason behind an action, like 'どうして日本に来たんですか?' ('What brings you to Japan?'). On the other hand, '〜のために' is used to express purpose, like '留学のために来ました' ('I came here for study abroad').

How do you say 'I'm looking forward to something' in Japanese?

To say 'I'm looking forward to something' in Japanese, you can use the phrase '〜が楽しみです' (〜ga tanoshimi desu). For example, 'ホームステイが楽しみです' means 'I'm looking forward to the homestay.'

What does 'ほんの気持ちです' mean and when is it used?

'ほんの気持ちです' (hon no kimochi desu) means 'a mere token of my gratitude'. It is used when offering a gift or a small token of appreciation, often as a modest expression when giving something to someone.

What is the meaning of 'これからお世話になります' in Japanese?

'これからお世話になります' (kore kara osewa ni narimasu) means 'I appreciate the help you'll be giving me from now on.' This phrase is commonly used when introducing oneself to new colleagues, a host family, or clients.

What does '留学' mean, and how is it used?

'留学' (ryūgaku) means 'study abroad'. It refers to the act of going to another country for educational purposes. For example, '留学のために来ました' means 'I came here for study abroad.'

How do you ask someone why they came to Japan in Japanese?

To ask why someone came to Japan, you can say 'どうして日本に来たんですか?' (Dōshite Nihon ni kitan desu ka?), which means 'What brings you to Japan?'

How do you politely respond when someone gives you a gift in Japan?

When someone gives you a gift in Japan, you can respond with 'ありがとう' (Arigatou) meaning 'Thank you!', or 'お世話になります' (Osewa ni narimasu) when expressing gratitude for future help.