Basic Conversation Practice for Beginners

[Cynergy]

Okies I've wanted to make a thread like this for a while. I've dallied a little in speaking Japanese on these boards. But I don't want to go in the middle of a conversation, and find I’ve translated it wrong, or I"m using completely improper sentence structure.

So this thread is for the most basic conversations, in order to better learn 1. The japanese characters. 2. Better understand the sentence structure. 3. Have one place where suggestions and tutoring is made by more advanced members, for easy look up. 4. Build confidence in typing and reading Japanese.

For this thread I'm hoping to have the japanese text, followed by an english translation at the bottom. Perhaps whited out so you can translate the text, then check what is written to make sure you are correct.

こんにちは。
Cyn です。ひらがなもカタカナタイプましょうか。かんじよません。

Now I know I got things wrong with that sentence. But that's what this is all about. Does anyone have a better translation for it?

Translation:
Hello
I'm Cyn. Shall we type in Hiragana and Katakana? I cannot read Kanji.

[Elizabeth]

ひらがなとカタカナでタイプをしましょうか。　かんじ がよめません。　

[Renkinjutsu]

こんいちわ。
はじめまして。
わたしのなまえはマーテｲンです。
おげんきですか。

hello, pleased to meet you, my name is martin. how are you ?

[Lost Kosmonaut]

こんちわみんあ！げんきですが、あなたたちはどうです か。りゅうがくせいですよ。いまにほんいすんでいます ！

とにかく、にほんごはむずかしくので、べんきょうをし ましょう！はじめましょう！



Hello everybody! I'm fine, how are you (guys/people)? I'm a foreign exchange student you know. I'm in Japan right now!

Anyway, Japanese is hard, so lets study! Okay ("lets start")!

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

こんばんは、
今夜（こんや）の福岡（ふくおか）は、とっても寒（さむ）いです。
最近（さいきん）寒（さむ）さが続（つづ）いたおかけで
山（やま）の紅葉（こうよう）が進（すす）み、山々（やまやま）はとても綺麗（きれい）です。

先月（せんげつ）、四国（しこく）の香川（かがわ）まで讃岐（さぬき）うどんを食（た）べに行（い）きまし た。
とっても美味（おい）しかったので、三件（けんけん）もうどん屋（や）を梯子（はしご）しました。:rel ief:
午後（）は、祖谷温泉（いやおんせん）に入（はい）りながら祖谷渓谷（いやけいこく）の
紅葉（こうよう）を楽（たの）しみました。

[epigene]

こんにちは、epigene です。

東京（とうきょう）にすんでいます。

１２月（がつ）になり、さくむくなってきました。

あなたの国（くに）では、いかがですか？

日本では、１２月を「年の瀬（としのせ）」といいます 。忙（いそが）しい時期（じき）です。クリスマスがあ りますし、お正月の準備（じゅんび）もしなくてはなり ません。忘年会（ぼうねんかい）もあります。忙しい、 忙しい・・・

永島（ながしま）さんは、グルメですね！本物（ほんも の）の讃岐（さぬき）うどんを食（た）べに行（い）ったなんて 、素敵（すてき）ですね。

私（わたし）も仕事（しごと）が一段落（いちだんらく ）したら、行ってみたいな。

[Damicci]

こんにちは、私はデーミアンと申（もう）しますけど私（わたし）にダーミッチと言（いい）って下（くだ）さ い。　笑（わら）
今（いま）アリゾナに住（す）んでいます。　すごい暑（あつ）いと思（おも）います。　そして、ようこそと 言（い）うが欲（ほ）しいです。

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

Originally Posted by epigene

永島（ながしま）さんは、グルメですね！本物（ほんも の）の讃岐（さぬき）うどんを食（た）べに行（い）ったなんて 、素敵（すてき）ですね。

私（わたし）も仕事（しごと）が一段落（いちだんらく ）したら、行ってみたいな。

はい、車(くるま)で出(で)かけました。
朝(あさ)五時(ごじ)に出(で)て夜中(よなか)の0時(じ)� �(ごろ)に帰(かえ)ってきました。
１杯(いっぱい)１００円の「うどん」を食(た)べる(た) 為に往復(おうふく)1,000キロを
駆(か)け抜(ぬ)けました。
交通費(こうつうひ)は約３万円(やくさんまんえん)・・ ・

しかし、今年(ことし)は長野(ながの)や山形(やまがた) に「そば」を食(た)べに行(い)っていません！
辛(つら)いです。

沖縄(おきなわ)の「ソーキそば」が食(た)べたい。今日(きょう)この頃(ごろ)で す。
http://infoseek.amikai.com/amiweb/br...&c_id=infoseek

[epigene]

Seems the thread had stopped.

Sorry if Nagashima-san and I got carried away...

The OP proposed basic practice, so why not make it a relay conversation? Like:
(1) Say something about yourself or things in general, then
(2) Ask a question for the next poster to answer.

All interesting suggestions welcome!

[Elizabeth]

The OP proposed basic practice, so why not make it a relay conversation? Like:
(1) Say something about yourself or things in general, then
(2) Ask a question for the next poster to answer.

All interesting suggestions welcome!

それはいい かんがえね.
本語を勉強し始めたばかりのメンバーからお先に。。。

[Elizabeth]

また、日本語の初心者は皆さんなくなったそうです。

または、「スブ-フォーラム」にあるスレを忘れやすいというわけでしょうかな ？

誰もこんな自己紹介のゲームをしたくないの？

[epigene]

エリサベスさん、
Elizabeth,

もしかしたら、日本語だけで書いているので、ほかの人が怖がって書かないんじゃないでしょうか ？
We might be scaring off people because we are writing in Japanese only?

大変かもしれませんが、二ヶ国語で書いたら、このサブフォーラムにも参加者が出るんじゃないで しょうか？
It might be troublesome, but we might be able to encourage others to post in this subforum if we write in both Japanese and English?

日本語だけでも、英語だけでもいいので参加お願いいたします！
Please participate. Writing in Japanese only, English only or both are welcome!

[GoldCoinLover]

This thread is great!

I must leran kanji and particles better!
日本語下手ですが日本人でス

I think this says "I am a [humble] japanese person."
I swera, you think you know what it says but then its totally different. I hate that, it really drives me to learning the language better


こんにちは、一人残らず ！
私はケビンです。
日本語が勉強［べんきょう］にです。


I will try on this! Heh.

Hello everyone!
My name is kevin.
(The last one I'm sure is wrong)
I like to study japanese.(I shouldn't use desu at the end..because it means is/are)

Benkyou is study and 'ga' is the subject marker
'ni' can be direction..

[GoldCoinLover]

外国の方ですか？

I know this one

Bsaically this means 'person of foreign country is?'

I must learn from ths, hehe

First, foreign country, then it says "no" or 'of' then person "person of foreign country" desu (is/are) ka..(are you)?

Are you a forigner?

[Elizabeth]

Originally Posted by GoldCoinLover

This thread is great!

I must leran kanji and particles better!
日本語下手ですが日本人でス

I think this says "I am a [humble] japanese person."
I swera, you think you know what it says but then its totally different. I hate that, it really drives me to learning the language better

日本語 (Japanese language) 下手 (not skillful or good) ですが (although it is...)
日本人でス (Japanese person).

こんにちは、一人残らず ！
私はケビンです。
日本語が勉強［べんきょう］にです。


I will try on this! Heh.

Hello everyone!
My name is kevin.
(The last one I'm sure is wrong)
I like to study japanese.(I shouldn't use desu at the end..because it means is/are)

Benkyou is study and 'ga' is the subject marker
'ni' can be direction..

I can't explain why, jt_san needs to return for that, all I know is that

"Nihongo no benkyou ga suki desu" is a fine way of saying it.

人残らず (Everyone is "minasan"). The rest is great !

Tokorode (By the way), Kevinsan nande video games ga suki desuka?
(Why do you like video games?). Desu always follows "suki" in polite speech.

Mainichi, nanjikan gurai video games wo shite imasuka?
How many hours a day do you play video games ? Nihongo ni kurabete....
(Compared with Japanese of course).

[GoldCoinLover]

Thank you, I am getting a japanese book soon. In the meantime, I am trying to learn the particles.

ウエブにある翻訳機早くにたたん!!
Web(World wide web) ni (direction) aru (translation machine) (too early) ni tatan..

Perhaps it is "You are using translation software too early.."? Hmm

[Elizabeth]

Originally Posted by GoldCoinLover

Thank you, I am getting a japanese book soon. In the meantime, I am trying to learn the particles.

ウエブにある翻訳機早くにたたん!!
Web(World wide web) ni (direction) aru (translation machine) (too early) ni tatan..

Perhaps it is "You are using translation software too early.."? Hmm

That sentence is also a little advanced for you. Why don't you answer my questions above (even in English) and get a real person to help with the translation ??? Please....onegai....

[Elizabeth]

Originally Posted by GoldCoinLover

Thank you, I am getting a japanese book soon.

You might want to know that even if your library doesn't have a beginner text, if you have the title of a book you're interested in, a librarian can probably get it from another library. Of course knowing which one before seeing it is half the problem....

[GoldCoinLover]

Originally Posted by Elizabeth

日本語 (Japanese language) 下手 (not skillful or good) ですが (although it is...)
日本人でス (Japanese person).



I can't explain why, jt_san needs to return for that, all I know is that

"Nihongo no benkyou ga suki desu" is a fine way of saying it.

人残らず (Everyone is "minasan"). The rest is great !

Tokorode (By the way), Kevinsan nande video games ga suki desuka?
(Why do you like video games?). Desu always follows "suki" in polite speech.

Mainichi, nanjikan gurai video games wo shite imasuka?
How many hours a day do you play video games ? Nihongo ni kurabete....
(Compared with Japanese of course).

I don't play video games anymore. I like video games because they are fun. I'd appreciate it if you would at least try to explain the sentence.

[Elizabeth]

Originally Posted by GoldCoinLover

I don't play video games anymore. I like video games because they are fun. I'd appreciate it if you would at least try to explain the sentence.

You mean the study Japanese one ? Yeah, I'm at work now so time is a premium...but when I get home....

[Damicci]

こんにちは皆
えっと、
日本語だけと思いませんが、多い（私も）人々はたくさ ん漢字を読むが出来ません。
I don't think it's just the Japanese but many people (including me) are not able to read alot of kanji.
　私は、誰も何と言うのか知ると思いません。　少し文 を読んでましたが、私にはまだ難しいと思います。
I don't think anyone knows what to say. I can read a few sentences but it is still difficult for me.

Originally Posted by Elizabeth

That sentence is also a little advanced for you. Why don't you answer my questions above (even in English) and get a real person to help with the translation ??? Please....onegai....

Also he asked me about that sentence and I had no clue what is was asking.

[Elizabeth]

Originally Posted by Damicci

こんにちは皆
えっと、
日本語だけと思いませんが、多い（私も）人々はたくさ ん漢字を読むが出来ません。
I don't think it's just the Japanese but many people (including me) are not able to read alot of kanji.
　私は、誰も何と言うのか知ると思いません。　少し文 を読んでましたが、私にはまだ難しいと思います。
I don't think anyone knows what to say. I can read a few sentences but it is still difficult for me.

漢字はよく分からないといえば、らひらがなで会話しよ うか？
I was going to ask about something that doesn't require a lot of kanji knowledge ...like the weather in Arizona again.
アリゾナでは、冬でさえ　（even in winter)　暖かいですか？

インディアナの北部に住んでいるので、暖冬を想像する ことができませんよ。
もっともっとうらやましい。。。。

Because I live in north Indiana, I can't even imagine mild winters. I'm getting more and more jealous of Damicci...

[Elizabeth]

Originally Posted by GoldCoinLover

I don't play video games anymore. I like video games because they are fun. I'd appreciate it if you would at least try to explain the sentence.

Also, GCL please remember that "Also, I'd appreciate it if you would please try to explain the sentence." is expected from someone asking for as much help as you.

日本語の勉強　translates literally as "Japanese studies or "Study of Japanese."
　が is used to mark it as the subject。You'll have to let me know more specifically where the confusion lies. 好きです is like saying "It is liked." 　　

[Damicci]

うらやましくないで下さい。夜でアリゾナの冬は寒くなると思いますが、多い雪が降っていません 。
Please do not be jealous. Arizona's Winter can be come cold at night but, it does not snow alot.
私はPennsylvaniaに生まれましたから、雪が好きです。
I was born in Pennsylvania so I like snow.
ここで冬は雪がありませんので、冬があまり好きじゃない。
Because the Winters here do not have snow, I am not very fond of Winter.
でも、山はここの近くがあります、そして、時々そこで多い雪が降っています。
But, There are mountains around here and sometimes it snows alot there.
市には、雪が降るより雨が降ります。　ために、インディアナは多い雪があるのと聞きました、本 当ですか？
As for the city, it rains more than it snows. By the way, I heard Indiana is getting alot of snow. Is this true?

[McCrutch67]

こんにちは、みなさん
Hello everyone

わたし　は　さいきん　はなしませんでした(maybe a better way to say this...I'm trying to use words I know)
I haven't spoken lately

GCLさん、きにしません(で?)。　れんしゅう　して。　 れんしゅう　します(の?)　だけ　から　じょうず　に なります。
GCL, don't worry. Practice. Only from practicing will you get good.

この　[thread] (スレード?) は　いい　かんがえ　と　おもいます。
I think this thread is a good idea.

えいご　と　にほんご　で　かきます　こと　が　いい 　です。 (??)
Writing in english and japanese (is/will be) good.

EDIT: I went through and changed it all to ます form. I'm too lazy with that....