Every Day Saturday #8 Dasai

Today's everyday Saturday word is　ダサイ － Dasai.

ダサイ means uncool, unfashionable or unsophisticated. It is actually an appreviation of the phrase:

だって、埼玉の。。。
だってさいたまの。。。
Datte Saitama no...
But, That's from Saitama...

In Tokyo, Saitama is seen has a place were the people are uncool or whatever comes out of the outer suburb of Saitama is unfashionable.

彼はダサいですよ！－　かれはダサいですよ！
kare wa dasai desu yo! - He is uncool!

彼の服装いつもダサい。　－　かれのふくそういつもダサい。
Kare no fukusou itsumo dasai. - His clothes are unfashionable (His clothes are always out of style)

Kanji Breakdown:

埼玉 = Saitama

服装 = Fukusou = Clothes

彼 = Kare = He

埼 = Cape, Spit, Promontory
ON Reading: Ki
KUN Reading: Saki, Sai, Misaki

玉 = Jewel, Ball
ON Reading: Gyoku
KUN Reading: Tama, Dama

服 = Clothing, Admit, Obey, Discharge
ON Reading: Fuku
KUN Reading: Hatsu, Hara

装 = Attire, Dress, Pretend, Disguise, Profess
ON Reading: Sou, Shou
KUN Reading: Yosou-u, Yosou-ui

Saitama

Every Day Saturday #7 Okaerinasai.

In the last everyday Saturday we learnt that when we return home we say:
Tadaima　－　ただいま　－　I'm Back
The reply to tadaima is:
Okaerinasai　－　お帰りなさい　－　おかえりなさい　－　Welcome home

A simple sentence:

関口さん:　"ただいま"
Mr Sekiguchi: "Tadaima"
関口さん:　"お帰りなさい"
Mrs Sekiguchi: "Okaerinasai"

Every Day Saturday #6 - Tadaima

Tadaima ただいま is a word you will often hear being said in Japan when some one has returned home.

ただいま。　－　Tadaima.　－　I'm Back!

ただいま、お母さん。　－　Tadaima, okasaan.　－　I'm home mum / mother.

Try and remember to use it when you return to your Japanese friends house. They will appreciate it. Would you like to know how to reply to tadaima? That will be covered in the next Every Day Saturday, lesson.

Kanji Break Down:

母 = Mother, Mum.
ON Reading: Bo.
KUN Reading: Haha, Mo.

Every Day Saturday # 5 World Cup Special.

On June the 11th The World Cup finally kicked off after 4 years of waiting. So to celebrate that, let's look at some Japanese World Cup related words:

South Africa　南アフリカ　Minami Afurika

Host Nation　招請国　Shouseikoku　

National Team　ナショナルチーム　Nashonaru Chiimu

World Cup　ワールドカップ　Waarudo kappu

Football　フットボール　Futtobooru

Tournament　トーナメント　Toonamento

Goal　ゴール　Gooru

Goalkeeper　ゴールキ－パー　Goorukiipaa

Penalty　ペナルテイー　Penarutei-

Off side　オフサイド　Ofu saido

Pass　パス　Pasu

Foul　ファウル　Fauru

Yellow card　イエローカード　Ieroo kaado

Red card　レッドカード　Reddo kaado

Free Kick　フリーキック　Furii kikku

Kick　蹴る　Keru

Trophy　トロフィー　Torofii

England　イングランド　Ingurando

Kanji Break Down:

南 = South.
ON Reading: Nan, Na.
KUN Reading: Minami.

招 = Beckon, Invite, Summon, Engage.
ON Reading: Shou.
KUN Reading: Maneku.

請 = Solicit, Invite, Ask.
ON Reading: Sei, Shin, Shou.
KUN Reading: Kou, Ukeru.

国 = Country.
ON Reading: Koku.
KUN Reading: Kuni.

蹴 = Kick.
ON Reading: Shuku, Shuu.
KUN Reading: Keru.

Every Day Saturday #4. How to say you don't like the taste of something in a polite way.

There are going to be times when you are given something to eat which you are not too keen on. After all a lot of Japanese food is not to Western taste and it will take time to aquire a taste for some foods, such has Natto. So the following two, every day phrases may help:

不思議な味だね。　－　ふしぎなあじだね。　－　Fushigi na aji dane.　－　It's an unusual taste.

まあまあ　－　Maa-maa.　－　It's okay / So-so.

These two are polite ways of saying you do not really like something, especially if it's something the other person has made. (If they are really proud of it, it's best to say oishii but be less enthusiastic than normal)

Kanji Break Down

不 = Negative, Non-, Bad, Ugly, Clumsy.
ON Reading: Fu, Bu.

思 = Think.
ON Reading: Shi.
KUN Reading: Omou, Omoeraku, Obosu.

議 = Deliberation, Consultation, Debate, Consideration.
ON Reading: Gi.
KUN Reading: Kata, Nori.

味 = Flavour, Taste.
ON Reading: Mi.
KUN Reading: Aji, Ajiwau.

Every Day Saturday #3 Yokatta & Yatta

YOKATTA.
よかった　－　Yokatta.　Comes from the adjective 　良い　－　Yoi　Which means 'good.' It is this adjective's past conjugation. 　良かった。In other words it literally means 'was good'
However in Japanese it is often used to mean something like 'I am so glad' and is also normally written in Hiragana.

東京はとてもよかったです。　－　とうきょうはとてもです。　－　Toukyou wa totemo yokatta desu. 　－　Tokyo was great.

よかったですね。　－　Yokatta desu ne.　I am glad.

YATTA!
やった　－　Yatta　Is actually the shorten form of the word 　やりました　－　Yarimashita, Which translates to ”(I / We) did it." But can also have meanings of "okay!", "ready" "it's done", or "alright"

わたしは勝つです、やった！　－　わたしはかつです、やった！　－　Watashi wa katsu desu, yatta!　－　I won, hooray!

Every Day Saturday #2: Itadakimasu & Gochisousamadeshita.

You have been invited to your friends family home for a meal. They have prepared and cooked a really nice meal for you. There is one thing that you should say before eating and that is:

戴 きます。　－　いただいきます。　－　Itadakimasu.

Almost every Japanese person says this word before a meal. It is an expression of gratitude towards your hosts for the food they have served. It is almost, but not quite, like saying Bon Appetit in French.
Do not hesitate to say Itadakimasu before you eat. Not only will this please your host it may also lead to a compliment on your good manners.

At the end of the meal, when you have finished eating you would say:

ご馳走様でした。　－　ごちそうさまでした。　－　 Gochisousamadeshita.

This literally means 'It was a feast' and is said has a sign of appreciation.

So remember:

いただきます。 Itadakimasu - Before you eat.

ごちそうさまでした。Gochisousamadeshita - After you have eaten. (Or when you are leaving a Restaurant.)

Every Day Saturday #1. Kakkoii, Sugoi, Kawaii.

Today I am going to try and start a series of weekly posts which I will call 'Every Day Saturday' and I will try and post them on a Saturday. In these series I will show you some every day spoken Japanese. Todays lesson is called:

Kakkoii, Sugoi, Kawaii.

かっこいい。　－　Kakkoii　－　Cool.
This is often said by girls about a boy they like. Also boys may say Kakkoiii to refer to a car.

か れはとってもかっこいい。　－　Kore wa tottemo kakkoii.　－　He is very cool.

すごい　－　 Sugoi　－　Awesome / Great / Amazing / Wow!

すごい花火だ！　－　すごいはなびだ！　－　 Sugoi hanabi da!
These fireworks are spectacular!

すごいぞ！　－　 Sugoizo!　－　Terrific!

かわいい。　－　Kawaii　－　Cute.
Kawaii is commonly said by girls.

なんてかわいい子なの。いない、いない、ばー。　－　Nante kawaii ko nano. inai, inai, ba-.
What a cute baby. Peek-a-boo!

この赤ちゃんペンギンとってもか わいい！　－　このあかちゃんペンギンとってもかわいい！　－　Kono akachan pengin tottemo kawaii!
This baby penguin is too cute!

The Kanji for Kawaii is: 可愛い this literallly means 'loveable' or 'adorable.'
Kawaii has become a prominent apsect of Japanese popular culture, entertainment, clothing, food, toys and personal appearance, behaviour and mannerisms.
It is so common to hear a female say something like 'Aah! Kawaii' when they see something they think is cute.
There is most definitely a culture of 'Kawaii' in Japan.