Discuss the Article : 37 Must-Know Japanese Expressions You Won't Find In Your Textbook
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These phrases below cannot be translated literally or directly in the way we hear or say them. All of them are informal and some are slang. Therefore, it is important to only say them to those who are close to you. The reason I am introducing these casual expressions is because you may not to find them in your textbook, yet they are widely used. I hope this helps answer some of your questions. Have fun!
Someone was asking about a romaji version
So I'm going to translate as best as I can
For your benefit and for my practice
Damn!
くそ!
Kuso!
Gee!
えぇ!へぇ!
Ee! Hee!
I don’t give a shit.
かんけいないね
Kankei nai ne
("It doesn't matter")
I do give a shit!
かんけいあるよ!
Kankei aruyo!
Don’t fuck with me!
ふざけるな
Fuzakeruna
Good luck!
がんばって
Gambatte
Gotta go
行かないと
ika nai to
Have a nice day.
We do not say this in Japanese.
We just say “またね” as in “see you” instead
Mata ne
I envy you.
いいなぁ/うらやましい
iinaa / urayamashii
It’s like...
なんか/ってゆうか
nanka... / -tte yuuka
It’s hard to say but…
言いにくいんだけど…
ii nikuin da kedo...
Like I said...
(いまor さっき or まえに)言ったように
(ima / sakki / mae ni) itta you ni
(now / a little while ago / before)
いってらっしゃい
itte rasshai
See you later / Take care
(When someone is leaving)
<em>(it is more like "bon voyage")</em>
いただきます
itadakimasu
We say this before eating
おかえり
okaeri
Hi
(When someone comes back)
<em>(more llke "welcome back!")</em>
おつかれ
otsukare
Thanks for your hard work (as a greeting)
Good bye
おまたせ
omatase
Thank you for waiting
Sorry to have kept you waiting
ごちそうさま
gochisousama
We say this after eating
しまった!
shimatta
Oh shit! / Damn it!
<em>(more like the "damn it" you would say instead of "oops". not a "damn it, bobby!" kind of thing)</em>
じょうだんだよ
jiyou dandayo
I’m kidding!
ただいま
tadaima
I’m back!
(You can say it when you return from somewhere)
しんどい
shindoi
This is tough!
<em>(more like "this is tiring")</em>
ちょっとね
chotto ne
Yeah, well…you know.
とにかく
tonikaku
Anyway
とりあえず
toriaezu
For now
ね?/でしょ?
ne? / desho?
Isn’t it?
びみょう
bimyou
Subtle / Iffy *
ヤバイ
yabai
Big trouble! / Oh shit!
Take care!
じゃあね / きをつけて *
jyaa ne / ki o tsukete
That sounds good to me.
いいんじゃない?
iin jyanai?
<em>(it is more like "why not?" i.e. as "you wanna go to the mall?" "sure, why not?")</em>
<em>
</em>
There you go again.
はじまった/ でた
hajimatta / deta
You did it!
やったね!
Yatta ne!
<em>(or just straight up "YATTA!" Hiro style)</em>
<em>
</em>
You scared me.
びっくりした
Bikkuri shita
What?
え?/ なに?
E? / Nani?
What’s going on?
なになに?
Nani nani?
What’s new?
さいきんどう?
Saiki n dou?
Wow!
すごい!
Sugoi!
<em>(also means "great!" or "amazing!")</em>
* We do not say きをつけて (ki o tsukete) when writing letters. We say that only the situation on the street when we say “bye”. In letters, we say just じゃあね (jyaa ne) as in “see you” or じゃあまた (jyaa ma ta) as in “see you again”.
これらの言葉をアニメやドラマからとっくに知っています。
すばらしいい!
Doesn't くそ also means shit?