2.2: Dialogue 2
- Page ID
- 29023
Michael meets a business associate and exchanges business cards.
Oda : Ajia Ginkou no Oda desu. I’m Oda from Bank of Asia.
アジア銀行 ぎんこう の小田 お だ です。
Hajimemashite. How do you do?
はじめまして。
Michael: Oda-san desu ka. Mr. Oda?
小田 お だ さんですか。
J-Netto no Maikeru Sumisu desu. I’m Michael Smith from J-Net.
J ネットのマイケル・スミスです。
Douzo yoroshiku onegai-shimasu. Nice to meet you.
どうぞ、よろしくお願 ねが いします。 Mrs. Yamamoto introduces Emily at a meeting of the International Club.
Mrs. Y: Minasan, chotto shoukai-shimasu. Everyone, I’d like to introduce someone.
みなさん、ちょっと紹 介 しょうかい します
Ryuugakusei no Emirii-san desu. It’s Emily, an exchange student.
留学生 りゅうがくせい のエミリーさんです。
Emily: Hajimemashite. Emirii Hiru desu. Hello, I’m Emily Hill.
はじめまして。エミリー・ヒルです。
Amerika no Pootorando shuuritsu daigaku, daigakuin no ichi-nensei desu.
アメリカのポートランド州 立 しゅうりつ 大学 だいがく 、大学院 だいがくいん の一年生です。
I’m a first year graduate student at Portland State University, USA. S
enkou wa bijinesu desu. My major is business.
専攻 せんこう はビジネスです。
Douzo yoroshiku onegai-shimasu. Nice to meet you.
どうぞ、よろしくお願 ねが いします。
Vocabulary
Ajia あじあ アジア Asia
ginkou ぎんこう 銀行 bank
Oda おだ 小田 Oda (family name)
J-netto J−ねっと J−ネット J-Net
minasan みなさん 皆さん everyone (polite)
shoukai しょうかい 紹介 introduction
ryuugakusei りゅうがくせい 留学生 study-abroad student
Emirii えみりい エミリー Emily
Hiru ひる ヒル Hill
Amerika あめりか アメリカ USA
Pootorando ぽうとらんど ポートランド Portland
shuuritsu しゅうりつ 州立 state funded
daigaku だいがく 大学 university, college
daigakuin だいがくいん 大学院 graduate school
ichi-nen-sei いちねんせい 一年生 freshman
senkou せんこう 専攻 academic major
bijinesu びじねす ビジネス business
＋dare だれ who
＋doko どこ where
＋nani-jin なにじん 何人 person of what nationality
＋minna みんな everyone, all
＋gakusei がくせい 学生 student
＋daigakusei だいがくせい 大学生 college student
＋tomodachi ともだち 友だち friend
＋kuni くに 国 country
＋ni-nen-sei にねんせい 二年生 sophomore, second grader
＋san-nen-sei さんねんせい 三年生 junior, third grader
＋yo-nen-sei よねんせい 四年生 senior, fourth grader
＋nan-nen-sei なんねんせい 何年生 what grade in school
＋rekishi れきし 歴史 history
＋keizai けいざい 経済 economy
＋seiji せいじ 政治 politics
＋meishi めいし 名刺 business card
Noun no Noun
When one noun describes another in Japanese they are connected together by particle no. /X no Y/ means a kind of Y, which is described by X. Multiple nouns can be connected by particle no, but always the last noun is the main noun. Compare the following:
pasokon no kaisya a computer company
kaisya no pasokon a computer in the company
America no pasokon no kaisya a computer company in the US
America no kaisya no pasokon a computer (made by) an American company
The relationship between the main noun and other noun(s) varies greatly depending on their meaning. The following are some examples.
Location Nihon no daigaku colleges in Japan
Affiliation J-Netto no Maikeru Michael from J-Net
Possession watashi no baggu my bag
Time san-ji no baito work from 3 o’clock
Subgroup Amerika no Pootorando Porltand, US, daigakuin no ichi-nensei First year graduate student
Status ryuugakusei no Hiru-san Mr/s. Hill, an exchange student
Loan Words
Japanese has borrowed words and phrases from other languages. The majority of Japanese loanwords these days come from English. When words are borrowed, they go through some changes. First, their pronunciation changes to fit the Japanese sound system. Make sure you learn how your name is pronounced in Japanese. Second, these words usually become nouns, regardless of what they were in their original language. Third, their meaning in Japanese may be different.
As explained in GN1-4-2, by attaching –simasu, many borrowed words that are verbs in the original language can be used as verbs in Japanese (kopii-shimasu ‘copy’). If the original words/phrases are long, they get abbreviated and become very different words from the original (sumaho for smart phone). It’s common to abbreviate two-word phrases by taking the first two syllables from each and combine them to make four syllable words (pasokon for personal computer).
Introductions and Exchange of Business Cards
It’s customary in business situations to exchange business cards when meeting someone for the first time. Keep your cards ready. As you present your card (with both hands, palms up), bow and turn it so that the other person can read it. As you receive the other person’s card, take a moment to read/acknowledge it. You can place their business cards in front of you during the meeting to refer to.
Self-introductions are very common in Japan, during which a person gets up in front of a group and explains who he/she is. These follow a formula, which starts with hajimemashite, followed by your name (even if it has already been mentioned) and other information, and closes with douzo yoroshiku onegai shimasu.
Remember to bow as you introduce yourself, and nod when others bow. It’s better to be safe and bow more often than sorry by bowing too little. When in doubt, bow!