Should I Use Boku or Ore?

Approximately 91 words
(not including derivations)

Special thanks to Miko-kumicho for fixing all of my definitions and going out on a limb to translate the untranslatable... Doomo arigatou! Most of the info on this page is either hers originally or was checked for accuracy by her. Any mistakes are ones I made that she hasn't had a chance to fix yet.

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Pronunciation Guide Personal Pronouns Suffixes Polite Words Impolite Words Question Words Greetings and Goodbyes Set Phrases Yes, No, Maybe But, And, Therefore, Because...

One day I was talking to Miko-kumicho, and one or the other of us said we really should put up a dictionary for common words in anime. Then we let it drop. That was at least 6 months ago.

Then I found I had nothing to put on my anime page, and I got and idea- why not put up that dictionary we had talked about? The "why not" became apparent very soon- I don't know enough of the subtleties of the language to do this well. But fortune was on my side- Miko was procrastinating. And so my definitions were fixed and I could put them up on the web. All hail Kumicho!

Pronunciation is not hard. Consonents are almost the same as English. "g" is always hard, as in "game", "tsu" is the same sound as "tsitsi fly", and "r" is farther forward in the mouth, where it sounds like a cross between an "r", an "l", and sometimes a "d". Double consonents, except for double "n", imply a kind of glottal stop before the consonant is said, thus extending the syllable. But these are minor points, and shouldn't be important to your overall understanding.

Vowels:

• "a" is "ah" as in "father"
• "i" is "ee" as in "beet"
• "u" is "oo" as in "lute"
• "e" is "e" as in "egg"
• "o" is "oh" as in "both", but without the common "w" ending sound, and the mouth is more rounded.
• "y" is never a vowel

All of the vowels are slightly shorter than in English, but that is a minor point. Vowels are strung together to get dipthongs such as the long "i" of "bride", which would be "ai", or "ah-ee" ("Bride" actually comes out sounding like "buraaeedo", or "Buraido" using the romanization on this page.

A comment on romanization (writing Japanese words in Roman, or English, letters): because of some common rules in Japanese, vowel combinations may not be as simple as the above example. Specifically, "ei" does not mean "e-i". It means "e-e" (drawl out the "e" sound as though you were a Southerner saying "egg"). Also, "ou" does not mean "o-u". It means "o-o" (not "oo" as in "hoot"!), as if you just understood this example and you were saying "oooooh, I get it!"

Add the ending "-tachi" after any pronoun or proper name to get the plural, e.g., "Watashi-tachi" means "we" or "us".

In a general descending order from most polite to least, here is a list of the first person pronouns that I have heard in anime so far (correspond to "I" and "me"):

• Sessha (used by samurai, extremely polite)
• Watakushi (very polite, usually feminine)
• Watashi (standard/polite)
• Oira (used by monks)
• Atashi (female casual)
• Boku (mostly young male, also the poetic first person)
• Ore (almost exclusively male, somewhat rude, male "cool")

Here are the second person pronouns (correspond to "you"):

• Anata (standard polite, also women use toward their husbands)
• Kimi (casual polite, sometimes used by friends, poetic second person)
• Omae (slightly rude, used by someone superior in rank towards someone inferior in rank, such as father to daughter, and also commonly used by men in general)
• Temae (rude, male, usually implies confrontation)
• Kisama (extremely rude, usually male, often used towards an enemy)

And here is the third person (these are not incredibly polite- you would not use them about someone of appreciably higher rank than yourself):

• Kare (he or him)
• Kanojo (she or her)
• Koitsu (this guy, this gal, usually used by young men)
• Soitsu (that guy, that gal, the one nearer to you)
• Aitsu (that guy, that gal, over there)

Suffixes take on a variety of forms and functions, so one should be careful about their use. On the other hand, they are quite handy given that the second person pronoun is not used that frequently in Japanese. Here are some of the many possible suffixes:

• -sama (highest level of honorific, used for gods, the nobility, and also in popular culture in reference to someone you might admire or idolize)
• -ue (honorific, polite, usually used by someone with some social rank in refering to members of the family who are older than they)
• -dono (honorific, used by samurai and the nobility, similar to 'esquire', 'master', 'mister', or 'miss')
• -sensei (honorific, for teachers and doctors)
• -san (honorific, standard, polite)
• -kun (suffix, usually for male names, also used sometimes for female names by someone of superior rank, such as one's boss)
• -chan (suffix, usually for female names and small children, usually only used by friends and relatives)

Additionally, various titles can also be used as suffixes, depending on the circumstance. For example, either okashira means "boss" or "leader" and kumicho can be added to mean roughly the equivalent of "captain", as in a Bakumatsu era fighting group ^_^;

This is for Tim ^_^.

Polite words are very important in Japanese culture. Their use pervades speach between strangers and to superiors, especially in the speach of women. So learn these words well, and don't forget that there are different levels of politeness for different situations!

We'll start with "please":

• Onegai shimasu (Please. Polite, can stand on its own. Especially 'please do this for me'.)
• Onegai (Please. More casual.)
• -Kudasai (Add after a verb in the gerund tense. As in 'kite-kudasai'= 'please come')
• -Kudasaimasen ka (Add after a verb as above. More polite, more like 'Won't you please do this for me?')

And now for thank-you:

• Doumo (Thanks. Especially when someone offers you a chair or holds open the door, or when they say 'douzo')
• Arigatou gozaimasu (formal thank you.)
• Arigatou (more casual thank you.)
• Doumo arigatou (Thanks a lot. Slightly casual.)
• Doumo arigatou gozaimasu (Thank you very much. Polite, formal.)
• Katajikenai (Old-fashioned, formal. Thank you very much.)
• Osewa ni narimashita (formal and polite. I am indebted to you.)
• Osewa ni natta (More casual, but still polite. I owe you one.)

You're welcome:

• Dou itashimashite (You're welcome. Polite.)
• Iie (It was nothing, don't think about it. Casual.)

Excuse me and I'm sorry:

• Gomen nasai (I'm sorry. Somewhat polite)
• Gomen (Sorry. Casual.)
• Sumimasen (Excuse me, forgive me, etc. Polite.)
• Sumanai/suman (Sorry, or 'scuse. Casual version of sumimasen, usually male.)
• Sumanu (Another casual version of sumimasen, but much older in form and uncommon today.)
• Shitsurei shimasu (Excuse me. Very polite. Said when entering or leaving the presence of superiors, etc.)
• Shitsurei ('Scuse me. Polite, but not extremely so.)
• Mooshiwake arimasen (I have no excuses. Very polite. Often used in business or military settings.)
• Mooshiwake nai (Casual version of Mooshiwake arimasen. Still somewhat polite.)

And other polite words that don't fit in the above categories

• Douzo (Go ahead. Especially for giving chairs and opening doors, etc.)
• Chotto... (This word has a multitude of meanings, but if you are offered food or something else, it can mean "no thank you". Literally, it means "a little bit", but it seems to be the remnant of a phrase that probably meant "it's a little bit of a problem" or something like that.)

Since Miko went ahead and did these, here is "How to start a fight in Japanese".

• Shimatta (shoot, augh, dammit, etc. Doesn't mean quite any of those, but somewhere in between. Can be used by itself or immediately after a verb.)
• Shimaimashita (more formal version of the latter. Actually usable in somewhat polite company after verbs, rather than as an excalmation.)
• Baka (pretty standard, means stupid, blockhead)
• Bakayarou (worse than just "baka"... "yarou" can mean "guy" in a rough way... also has connotations of "bastard")
• Ahou (our moto Shinsengumi Sanbantai Kumichou's favourite derogatory phrase, means imbecile, moron)
• Temae (Usually turns into "temeee" when used by fighter-guys such as Sano- of Rurouni Kenshin, technically means "you", but has that "you bastard" connotation)
• Kisama (Also technically means "you", but more like "You *&$#ing bastard!!!!" in bold ^_^;)
• Chi (Uttered under your breath. Small, subdued curse when something goes wrong.)
• Onore (Damn. Used mostly by guys.)
• Kusou (Shit. Means exactly that. Shit. Usually yelled.)
• Chikushou (More severe than "shit"'. Also usually yelled. Technically means "animal" or "beast")
• Bu+verb (Means "*&^%ing + verb" E.g.: "bukkorosu" would be "*&^%ing kill"; "Kisama wo bukkorosu" would be "I'll *&^%ing kill you bastard!!!" ^_^; (Oh, "wo" is a particle))

-Miko

So what are they asking now? And what does the girl mean when she shouts "doo shite" at her beau when he's being obnoxious? Here's how to ask any question you like- good luck understanding the answers:

• Nani? (What? Before certain consonants, becomes "nan".)
• Doko? (Where? When asking where one is at the moment, one will often use "koko wa?" instead, meaning "This place is...?")
• Dare? (Who?)
• Itsu? (When? Do you see a theme here?)
• Dou shite? (Why?)
• Naze? (Another "why?")
• Dou? (How, usually as in "how are you?" "how is it?", etc.)
• Ikutsu? (How much? money, space, etc.)
• ka? (A particle, tacked on to the end of a sentence- usually- making the sentence a question.)

Here are the various ways to say hello:

• Ohayou gozaimasu (Good morning, polite, said at the beginning of school)
• Ohayou (Shorter version of good morning, somewhat casual)
• Konnichiwa (Good day, standard)
• Konbanwa (Good evening, standard)
• Hisashiburi desu (Good to see you again, literally "It's been a while")
• Hisashiburi ne? (Casual version of Hisashiburi desu ne. Feminine, because of the "ne?" ending. Changing "ne?" to "da naa..." makes it masculine.)
• Yahhoo (Hi- casual.)
• Oi (Hey, as in "Hey, you!". Usually masculine. Completely casual. Often used from a distance, so "o" sound can be extended, as in "oooi".)
• Gokigenyou (A very polite, feminine greeting, used by Michiru of Sailor Moon. Rare.)
• Moshimoshi (Hello on the telephone. Accent on the first syllable! Falling intonation! Americans often pronounce this one incorrectly.)

And here's how to say goodbye:

• Sayounara (Goodbye. Standard. Said when you don't expect to see the person again soon.)
• Mata ashita (See you tomorrow. Casual.)
• Mata ne (Later. Feminine. The masculine would be "Mata" or "Mata naa".)
• Jaa, mata (See you later. Casual.)
• Jaa (See ya. Very casual casual.)
• De wa (Slightly more formal than "jaa", which is a contraction of "de wa". Also written instead of "jaa".)
• Oyasumi-nasai (Good night, I'm going to bed, etc. Reasonably polite. Also used when someone else goes to bed.)
• Oyasumi (G'night. More casual.)

Japanese is full of set phrases (idioms that are regularly used in certain situations). Anime characters will often use them with little twists, or in unusual circumstances, to convey meaning that is lost in translation to English.

For example, there is a very moving scene early in Evangelion where Misato runs to the train station to find Shinji, who she thinks has left. Seeing that she really cares about him, Shinji stutters out "tadaima", and she smiles and replies "okaeri". Not knowing the Japanese, you might think he was saying "I'm home" and she was saying "Welcome home". But it has more connotations than that.

Here are the phrases for leaving and returning home:

• Itte kimasu (I'm leaving now, literally "I'm leaving and returning")
• Chotto itte kuru (Casual version of "itte kimasu". Usually means "I'm stepping out for a minute" or leaving suddenly.)
• Itte (i)rashai (See when you get back, literally "Please go and return")
• Tadaima (I'm home, I've returned, I'm back. If used in a non-home situation, implies an emotional or spiritual "coming home")
• Okaeri-nasai (Welcome home, welcome back. Used in response to "tadaima" in other contexts.)
• Okaeri (Casual version of "okaeri-nasai".)

The phrases for eating are not usually said to anyone in specific, just to the general group of people with whom one is eating:

• Itadakimasu (Phrase said just before beginning the meal. Kind of a "thank-you", but not always. Literally "I receive/I will receive".)
• Gochisousama deshita (Thank you, Literally "It was a great feast". Said immediately after eating.)
• Gochisousama (Thanks for the meal, Casual variant of the above.)

You'd be surprised how many different version there are, but the difference is mostly a matter of politeness.

Here's yes:

• Hai (Yes. Standard and versatile. Use as default in any confusing situation.)
• Haa (Yes sir. Extremely formal.)
• Ee (Yeah. More casual, but still quite acceptable.)
• Nn (Mm hmm. Falling inflection. Casual, also used during conversation to indicate one is listening to the other speaker.)
• Ryoukai (Roger. Okay. I got it. You'll get this in war or military anime.)

And no:

• Ie (also Iie) (No. Standard. Also a way of politely refusing a compliment or thanks. Offers should usually be refused with "chotto". See Polite Words.)
• Nhn (I don't know how to write this one. Meaning of uh-uh with a different inflection- rising, then falling. Casual.)
• Nai (None. There is none. It doesn't exist.)
• Betsu ni (Nothing. Usually used in response to "Nani?".)

Maybe:

• Maa (Sort of. Qualified agreement.)
• Saa (Well... Non-confrontational, with an "I've go to think about that one" connotation.)

Of course

• Naruhodo (Of course, that makes perfect sense, I should have realized, etc.)
• Mochiron (Naturally. Same connotation as "mais d'accord" and "but of course." Self-assured.)
• Muron (Casual version of the above, mostly male?)
• Yahari (Ah, it's as I thought.)
• Yappari (More common spoken version of "yahari".)

Is/isn't that so?

• Hontou desu ka? (Really? Polite. Can be incredulous, enlightened, or suspicious. It all depends tone of voice.)
• Hontou? (Casual version of the former.)
• Sou ka? (Is that so? Casual. Can also be used with a period inflection to indicate new understanding, or with a "..." inflection to indicate musing.)
• Sou desu ka? (formal version of the former.)
• Sou da naa... (Oh, yes, that's true, isn't it. Mostly male. Casual.)
• Sou desu nee... (Formal version of the former. Also "Sou desu ne." or "Sou desu ne!".)
• Sou nee or Sou ne. (Feminine casual version of the above.)

Wow, there are so many of these little phrase particles. Some of them are used by themselves, or at the beginning of sentences, while others are buried inside them. These are really useful for figuring out casual conversations- formal ones are more likely to skip lightly over them.

Lots of words for "but" (and Miko loves them all):

• De mo (But... Often used at the beginning of a sentence. Somewhat casual.)
• Kedo (Standard. Often used between the stated clause and the conditional one "I'm going to the store kedo, not until tomorrow." Frequently follows "da" or "desu")
• Keredo (A more formal version of "kedo".)
• Keredomo (An even more formal version.)
• Shikashi (An extremely formal phrase. Sometimes begins sentences, sometimes lands in the "kedo" position.)
• Ga (Interchangeable with "kedo" inside sentences. Does not normally begin them. Slightly more formal than "kedo".)
• Da ga (May occasionally begin sentences, but usually this is just a slightly more formal (or older) variant on "da kedo".)

Variations on "and" often have very different meanings:

• to (And. Between nouns, and only between nouns. "Watashi to tomodachi".)
• mo (Also. Can also mean "Even". "Samui yoru mo" can mean "Even on a cold night" or "Also on a cold night". "Mo" comes after a noun or verb.)
• -te (Verb or adjective ending which can imply "And". "Itte Kimasu" is "To go and come," or "To go, then come." A "Yasashikute tsuyoi hito" is a gentle and strong person.)
• Sore kara (After that, and then. This is used between sentences to link them.)

Therefore and Because are divided in English by position in a sentence. In Japanese, they are more interchangeable:

• Kara (Because. Standard. Can occur in the same position as "Kedo", or at the beginning of a sentence in more casual speach, but only if preceeded by "Desu" or "Da".)
• Da kara (Same as above. Sometimes begins casual sentences, but usually this only happens when one is responding directly to a question or statement.)
• Sore de (That being the case. Therefore. Often begins sentences, or comes after a comma-length pause between two sentences.)

This page owned by: Meichan
Questions? Comments? Smart Remarks?
Email me at meikundayo@yahoo.com
Last Updated: December 30, 1999

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