Expat Japan Network

Jed D`Lagged · Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 8:44 pm Post subject: アホな外人

I'm not going to pretend I know a lot about Japan, despite moving here. That was the point, to move somewhere completely different, and see what happens. So here I am, most assuredly lacking in common knowledge, armed with enough Japanese to get me weird looks.

So I'm making this thread as my "What happened here?", "Did I say this right?" or "What are they trying to say?" thread, 'cause I know there's going to be a lot of times I'll be left going WTF.

Last night I walked into a random street side restaurant for dinner. After ordering, I said to a waiter "失礼ですが、この店の名前はどういえますか。", which he told me (but I've forgotten, however I finally found out how you spell gyoza in kanji). However, today I was in another restaurant at the top of Yodobashi Akiba, ording some grape sour drink but I didn't know how you pronounced the kanji for grape. So I pointed at it and asked "あのう、これ、どういえますか。" which got me a "え、何？" look, so I said "これ。この漢字どういえますか。" which got me a "どうって．．．"

So I'm pretty sure I'm asking it wrong. Should I be saying "どう読みますか。" or something along those lines?

Ewok · Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 9:15 pm Post subject:

なんと（何と）　or なにと (same kanji) would be better. Dou is what they teach you but you sound like a git.

"Excuse me good chap, I would just like to enquirer as to how you would pronounce this fine character here, pippip jolly good" etc

It is one of my main gripes about what they teach in Australia - it gets you halfway there, but at the same time cripples you a bit by setting you up to sound rather silly. I still use "watashi" and get all sorts of shit from Saori Sad

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myhomeuphere · Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 5:29 am Post subject:

Although I have only just really worked it out...Unlike ourselves, who are bought up listening to people butcher our language and we are used to hearing it, the Japanese are yet to come to grips with this, so if something isn't said just right, they can' quite grasp it...
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"My problem lies in reconciling my gross habits with my net income."

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Dust · Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 7:48 am Post subject:

Jed D`Lagged · Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 8:57 am Post subject:

myhomeuphere · Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 9:35 am Post subject:

Jed D`Lagged · Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 7:45 pm Post subject:

What I feel comfortable with hmm? I think I'll stick with 俺 in that case.

What's the best way to ask if someone can speak english?

英語を話せますか。

英語を話せることできますか。

I have a feeling it's the top one, as the bottom one is one learned from a book.

Supermarket Dogfood · Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 8:15 pm Post subject:

Oira is the best way of expressing first person singular IHOMO.
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'Just wait till kids come. Bovine excrement will hit the percolator then.' P Haughty

imlost · Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 12:20 am Post subject:

Jed D`Lagged · Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 11:04 am Post subject:

yanpa · Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 11:46 am Post subject:

myhomeuphere · Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 11:56 am Post subject:

Supermarket Dogfood · Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 9:08 pm Post subject:

Doesn't take much to keep you happy there MHUH! Laughing

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'Just wait till kids come. Bovine excrement will hit the percolator then.' P Haughty

Jed D`Lagged · Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 3:39 pm Post subject:

Everytime I pay via credit card, they ask "一回？"

One time for what? Can you swipe multiple times? Or pay with seperate credit cards?

sucks · Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 4:09 pm Post subject:

Ah no, it's one of the odd ways of using a credit card, pay in installments.

1 time is best, unless your J-issued cc has a 'bonus' (ie BNPL).
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