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Book1_2

    Japanese Communication Expressions

    Expressions When You Don’t Understand Japanese

    When learning Japanese or living in Japan, it’s common to face situations where you don’t understand what someone is saying. Here are polite and useful expressions to help you handle those situations

    1. よく わかりません (Yoku wakarimasen) – “I don’t really understand”
    Used when you don’t understand what someone said or don’t know what they are referring to.

    Example

    If someone asks, “ざいりゅうカード、ありますか？” (“Do you have your residence card”), and you don’t understand the word or question, you can respond with

    よく わかりません
    2. もう いちど、おねがいします (Mou ichido, onegai shimasu) – “Please say it again”
    Used when you couldn’t catch what was said and need the person to repeat it.
    You can also use this when you want someone to repeat an action, not just words.
    3. もう すこし、ゆっくり いってください (Mou sukoshi, yukkuri itte kudasai) – “Please speak a little more slowly”
    Use this when the speaker is talking too fast and you can’t follow.
    A polite way to ask them to slow down so you can understand better.

    Key Points

    • These expressions are very useful for beginners or when living in Japan.
    • Don’t be afraid to use them—Japanese people are usually happy to help if you ask politely.

    Asking and Answering “Can You Speak Japanese (or Other Languages)?”

    In Japanese, there are simple and polite ways to ask if someone can understand or speak a language, and to respond depending on your ability.

    Asking Questions

    1. わかりますか？ (Wakarimasu ka?) – “Do you understand?”
    Used to ask if someone knows or understands something.
    2. できますか？ (Dekimasu ka?) – “Can you do it?”
    Used to ask if someone is able to do something (including speaking a language).

    Add a language name before these expressions to ask about language ability:

    えいご、わかりますか？ – “Do you understand English?”

    にほんご、できますか？ – “Can you speak Japanese?”

    Answering the Questions

    If you can understand or do it:

    はい、わかります – “Yes, I understand.”

    はい、できます – “Yes, I can.”

    Tip: Match the verb form to the question. If asked “わかりますか？”, respond with “わかります”.

    If you cannot:

    すみません、わかりません – “Sorry, I don’t understand.”

    すみません、できません – “Sorry, I can’t.”

    Adding “すみません” makes your response more polite.

    If you understand a little:

    すこし、わかります – “I understand a little.”

    すこし、できます – “I can (speak/do) a little.”

    Key Points:

    • Use わかりますか？ to ask about understanding.
    • Use できますか？ to ask about ability.
    • Be polite when saying no by using すみません.
    • Use すこし if your ability is limited but not zero.

    How to Ask “How Do You Say This in Japanese?”

    When you don’t know how to say something in Japanese, there are polite and easy ways to ask. This is especially useful for beginners in daily life or in class.

    When the object is nearby:

    1. これは、にほんごで なんですか？ – “What is this in Japanese?”
    2. これは、にほんごで なんと いいますか？ – “How do you say this in Japanese?”

    Use これ (kore) to refer to something close to you.

    Pointing while saying これは helps the listener understand what you’re asking about.

    When the object is not nearby or is named in English:

    You can use the English name (or another language) and ask:

    3. ～は、にほんごで なんですか？ – “What is ～ in Japanese?”
    4. ～は、にほんごで なんと いいますか？ – “How do you say ～ in Japanese?”
    Replace “～” with the item or word you want to know.

    Example:

    Eraser は、にほんごで なんですか？ → 「けしゴム」です (“It’s keshigomu.”)

    Grammar Tip:

    • The particle “は” is written as “ha” but pronounced “wa”.
    • It marks the topic of the sentence.
    • You’ll learn more about this in later lessons.

    Key Points:

    • Use これ when pointing to nearby things.
    • Use the item’s name when asking about something not visible.
    • Use polite forms like なんと いいますか and です when speaking with someone you don’t know well.
    • Answering with the format “～です” is polite and natural.