Tourist in Japan

sgt. Pepper · Jul 29, 2004, 10:32

Is it easy to get by ok in Japan only speaking english? Will the people that needs to understand understand?

DragonChan · Jul 29, 2004, 13:36

Depends where you're going. If you stick to the hotels, airports, and general tourist areas you should be able to find, if not people that speak english, a few signs in English. But like any country you can't expect everybody to speak your native language. At the very least, keep a phrasebook nearby with a few of the basics (IE: "Where is the washroom?") just in case.

Mike Cash · Jul 29, 2004, 18:19

Some people get by here for decades with only English

sgt. Pepper · Jul 30, 2004, 00:31

Ok, thanks.

"But like any country you can't expect everybody to speak your native language"

well, i won't expect them to speak Swedish.

TwistedMac · Jul 30, 2004, 00:37

take me with you and i promise i'll have learned the entire language by the time we depart!.. see you in one week!

motivation, motivation, motivation ;)

**playaa** · Jul 30, 2004, 00:51

It is not as hard as one may seem, keep a clear head, open mind, and pay close attention to what your looking for and what someone is saying even if you dont understand them. For instance on trains that don't have english spoken listen for a train station name, then match it with your stop. (Good time to listen) everything else is easy. Study a bit on how to use the rail systems also if you don't know how.

Apollo · Aug 4, 2004, 00:29

However, you should be surprised that many elder Japanese people can speak English when you least expect it.

It of course depends on where in Japan it is though..
In my opnion, there are more older Japanese who can speak English to a satisfactory (understandable) level than many people might tend to believe...the fact that they are very good with romaji is a very nice thing!! My older Japanese familymembers, who are very old, can speak simple English and write romaji perfectly....compared to e.g. some elderly Chinese, who are very new to Latin letters, and cannot write English well...For example, I was surprised when I went to China (Shanghai) and most taxi drivers did not understand a word of English, and addresses on the destination points written down with Latin letters did not help...

With help from helpful people, I eventually got to the destination point....This, I didn't expect from a large city in China....Maybe I was unlucky....

PopCulturePooka · Aug 4, 2004, 09:48

Lived here over a year with NO Japanese ability beyond one word sentences.

**Glenn** · Aug 4, 2004, 09:50

FirstHousePooka, how on earth are you managing that?

Arch · Aug 4, 2004, 17:41

I went with out knowing just about anything. I got through fine, and even if they done understand a word of english you usuall can get by with gestures.
Its one of the great things about going to japan.

PopCulturePooka · Aug 4, 2004, 21:27

Originally Posted by Glenn

FirstHousePooka, how on earth are you managing that?

Maybe chotto exagerattion.

I can form the most basic of sentences...

I think the stock of it is AnatawaXXXdesu(ka) or WatashiwasXXXdesu.

I can text message in Japanese but get toungue tied speaking it.

Get by on a lot of pointing and stuff. Its all very possible.

Jul 29, 2004, 10:32	#1
sgt. Pepper Regular Member Join Date: Jul 29, 2004 Location: Sweden Age: 21 Posts: 123	Tourist in Japan Is it easy to get by ok in Japan only speaking english? Will the people that needs to understand understand?

Jul 30, 2004, 00:37	#5
TwistedMac 夜露死苦! Join Date: Mar 4, 2004 Location: orz.eu Age: 27 Posts: 2,044	take me with you and i promise i'll have learned the entire language by the time we depart!.. see you in one week! motivation, motivation, motivation ;) __________________ 夜露死苦! www.orz.eu I find affence at your post as I ware eyeglass and have lmited site. Sankyuu~! http://japan.orz.eu - A site for my trip to Japan.

Jul 30, 2004, 00:51	#6
playaa Dog Youkai Join Date: Jan 15, 2004 Location: Clovis, CA Age: 25 Posts: 774	It is not as hard as one may seem, keep a clear head, open mind, and pay close attention to what your looking for and what someone is saying even if you dont understand them. For instance on trains that don't have english spoken listen for a train station name, then match it with your stop. (Good time to listen) everything else is easy. Study a bit on how to use the rail systems also if you don't know how. __________________ "Kanpeki to chau, jinsei no shuushi Puramai zero da nanteba honto ka na? Shinu made ni tsukaikiru, un no kazu Semete, jibun de dashiire wo sasete "

Aug 4, 2004, 00:29	#7
Apollo Cat lover Join Date: Mar 28, 2004 Location: Copenhagen, Denmark Age: 30 Posts: 1,593	However, you should be surprised that many elder Japanese people can speak English when you least expect it. It of course depends on where in Japan it is though.. In my opnion, there are more older Japanese who can speak English to a satisfactory (understandable) level than many people might tend to believe...the fact that they are very good with romaji is a very nice thing!! My older Japanese familymembers, who are very old, can speak simple English and write romaji perfectly....compared to e.g. some elderly Chinese, who are very new to Latin letters, and cannot write English well...For example, I was surprised when I went to China (Shanghai) and most taxi drivers did not understand a word of English, and addresses on the destination points written down with Latin letters did not help... With help from helpful people, I eventually got to the destination point....This, I didn't expect from a large city in China....Maybe I was unlucky.... __________________

Aug 4, 2004, 09:48	#8
PopCulturePooka Go to shopping Join Date: Jul 8, 2004 Age: 28 Posts: 652	Lived here over a year with NO Japanese ability beyond one word sentences. __________________ Do you know stuff?

Jul 29, 2004, 13:36	#2
DragonChan sleep deprived Join Date: Jul 21, 2004 Location: Japan Age: 21 Posts: 142	Depends where you're going. If you stick to the hotels, airports, and general tourist areas you should be able to find, if not people that speak english, a few signs in English. But like any country you can't expect everybody to speak your native language. At the very least, keep a phrasebook nearby with a few of the basics (IE: "Where is the washroom?") just in case.

Jul 29, 2004, 18:19	#3
Mike Cash Delusions of Adequacy Join Date: Mar 15, 2002 Location: Japan Posts: 5,417	Some people get by here for decades with only English

Jul 30, 2004, 00:31	#4
sgt. Pepper Regular Member Join Date: Jul 29, 2004 Location: Sweden Age: 21 Posts: 123	Ok, thanks. "But like any country you can't expect everybody to speak your native language" well, i won't expect them to speak Swedish.

Aug 4, 2004, 09:50	#9
Glenn 考え中 Join Date: Jan 8, 2004 Posts: 5,544	FirstHousePooka, how on earth are you managing that? __________________ Avoid Mojibake! -- 文字化けを避ける！ Dictionary at Goo - English-Japanese, Japanese-English, Japanese Language Teach Yourself Japanese and Teach Yourself Japanese Message Board Jim Breen's online dictionary and kanji lookup

Aug 4, 2004, 17:41	#10
Arch Recall Join Date: Jul 28, 2003 Location: Germany Age: 22 Posts: 447	I went with out knowing just about anything. I got through fine, and even if they done understand a word of english you usuall can get by with gestures. Its one of the great things about going to japan.

Aug 4, 2004, 21:27	#11
PopCulturePooka Go to shopping Join Date: Jul 8, 2004 Age: 28 Posts: 652	Originally Posted by Glenn FirstHousePooka, how on earth are you managing that? Maybe chotto exagerattion. I can form the most basic of sentences... I think the stock of it is AnatawaXXXdesu(ka) or WatashiwasXXXdesu. I can text message in Japanese but get toungue tied speaking it. Get by on a lot of pointing and stuff. Its all very possible.

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