Foreign Words

Foreign Words, originally uploaded by ~g~.

My brother passed this on to me a while ago. Don't know where he got it but I've kept it safe in case I needed it =). This is a book of phrases really, from small talk "Where to you come from?", to swearing "sh*t", to what they call 'lover's language' such as "I'm crazy about you" or even 'break up' terms such as "I don't love you anymore". I bet you won't find these terms in travel books or dictionaries!

So here is a short Japanese lesson:

Haven't seen you around for a while. [Hisashiburi-dane]

Really? [Honto?]

I'm hungry. [Onaka-ga suita]

I like it alot. [Daisuki]

Stupid. [Baka]

Sh*t. [Kuso]

I'll always think of you. [Female would say:Itsumo anata-o ommotteru-wa
Male would say:Itsumo kimi-o ommotteru-yo]

My fascination with the japanese probably began when I was really young via their cartoons or ultraman shows. Then it was their cars, music, food, culture, cameras etc. My parents would say, "Things made in Japan are good quality", I guess that phrase stuck. I studied Japanese in my uni days, it was hard work with 6 hours of tutorials every week. I even visited a club where you would converse with japanese students or other students learning japanese. Alas I've forgotten most of what I've learn't since I haven't had much opportunity to practice.

Let's hope I say the right words to the right people. With my luck I'd probably unintentionally say something unkind about one's mother to a member of the yakuza (when all I wanted to ask was directions to the nearest toilet) and end up running for my life through the streets of Tokyo ...