Learn Japanese with me, or help me learn Options

[FrenchVanillaNYC]

Like the "Learn Chinese with me" thread, this thread lets folks learn Japanese along with me. Right now I can share what I've learned through about intermediate level or so, then after that it will be me who will be learning whatever I post.

If you know Japanese, you can help too!
If you see any mistakes, feel free to jump in and correct it.

To begin with, I'll put a pronunciation key to learn. Unlike Chinese, Japanese uses katakana and hiragana to express pronunciations. Likewise will I in this thread.

So...

Hiragana is the Japanese script that spells out native Japanese words or aids people in reading kanji (Chinese characters), which appears as furigana above a character.

Katakana is the Japanese script that spells out foreign words and names or new Japanese words like "ka-ra-o-ke" and "pa-chi-n-ko".

Hiragana = red
Katakana = blue
Romaji = purple

Vowels
あ ア A "Ah" as in "watt"
い イ I "Ee" as in "teeth"
う ウ U "Oo" as in "good"
え エ E "Eh" as in "pet"
お オ O "O" as in "more" (not as "oh" sounding as "toe")

"K" consonants
か カ KA Like the "co" in "cob"
き キ KI Like "key" as in "key"
く ク KU Like the "coo" in "cook" (not as "coo" as the word "coo")
け ケ KE Like the"ca" in "care" (not as "kay" as the in word "came")
こ コ KO Like "co" in "core" (not as "oh" sounding as "cold")

"S" consonants
さ サ SA Like the "so" in "sob"
し シ SHI Like the "she" in "she"
す ス SU Like the"su" in "surprise" (Not as strong as in the word "sue")
せ セ SE Like the "seh" in "second" (not as strong as in the word "say")
そ ソ SO Like "so" in "song" (not as "oh" sounding as the word "so")

"T" consonants
たタTA Like the "to" in "top"
ちチCHI Like "chee" as in "cheese"
つツ TSU Like the"tsu" in "tsunami"
てテTE Like the "te" in "text" (Not as "ay" as in "tape")
とト TO Like "to" in "tomato" (not as "oh" sounding as "toes")

"N" consonants
なナNA Like the "no" in "knob"
にニNI Like "nee" as in "knee"
ぬヌNU Like the "ne" in "nerd" (Not as "oo" as in the word "new")
ねネ NE Like the"ne" in "net" (Not as "ay" as in the word "nay")
のノ NO Like "no" in "nor" (not as "oh" sounding as the word"no")

"H" consonants
はハHA/WA Like "ha" in laughter at the beginning of a sentence, like "wa" when used as a marker
ひヒHI Like the word "he", sometimes sounds like a cross between "he" and "she"
ふフFU Like the "fu" in "full"
へヘ HE Like the "hai" in "hair"/ Tends to sound like えmid-sentence
ほホ HO Like "ho" in "home" (not as "oh" sounding as "hold")

"M" consonants
ま マ MA"Ma" as in "mama"
み ミ MI"Me" as in "me"
む ム MU"Mu" as in "murky" (not as "oo" a "moo)
め メ ME"Meh" as in "mesmerize"
も も ME"Mo" as in "more"

"R" consonants
らラRA Similar to saying "la" in "lalala"
りリRI Similar to the surname "Lee"
るルRU Similar to the "lu" in "lure"
れレ RE Similar to the the"leh" in "let"
ろロ RO Similar to "lo" in "lore" (not as "loh" sounding as "low")

"Y" sounds
や ヤ YA "Yah" as in "yacht"
ゆ ユ YU "Yü" as in Chinese "Yü"
よ ヨ YO "Yo" as in "your" (not as "yo" as English "yo")

*Add a consonant ending with "-i" to combine it with "y" sounds to combine them. Ex: き+や = kya, ち+よ = cho, し+や = sha, じ+ゆ = ju

"W" sounds
わ ワ WA "Wa" as in "water"
を ヲ WO Similar to お

"-N" ending
ん ン -N Nasalized like French "-n", similar to "-n" in "croissant"

"G" consonants
が = ga、ぎ = gi、 ぐ = gu、 げ = ge、 ご = go (Just like "K", only with accent marks)

"Z" consonants
ざ=za, [b]じ= ji, ず = zu, ぜ = ze, ぞ = zo (Similar to "S", only shi becomes ji)

"D" consonants
だ = da、ぢ = dji、づ = dzu、 で = de、 ど= do (Similar to "T", only chi becomes dji and tsu becomes dzu)

"B" consonants
ば = ba, び = bi, ぶ = bu, べ = be, ぼ = bo (Just like "H", only with accent marks)

"P' consonants
ぱ = pa, ぴ = pi, ぷ = pu, ぺ = pe, ぽ= po (Just like "B" only with circular stress marks)

*A little tsu "っ" before any consonant indicates stress, it is not pronounced. Example: ひっき = hikki (not "hitsuki"), あった = atta (not "atsuta")

This is a good site to learn how to write the Japanese scripts.
Katakana strokes
Hiragana strokes


Edit: Here are some examples of words in Japanese that use strictly katakana or romaji:

Katakana:
ゲーム geemu = game

コンピューター konpyuutaa = computer

シャツ shatsu = shirt

アメリカ Amerika = America

アニータ Aniita = Anita


Romaji:
ぎっちり gitchiri = tightly

あっさりassari = simply

ぎりぎり giri-giri = barely

ぴちぴち pichi-pichi = lively

-っぱなし -ppanashi = keep -ing, have been -ing

This post has been edited by FrenchVanillaNYC: Sep 12 2005, 07:26 PM

[rx7boy]

^_^ I might be off-topic, but can somebody translate what it says about RX-7 on the cover magazine.. Thank you.

[FrenchVanillaNYC]

^_^ I might be off-topic, but can somebody translate what it says about RX-7 on the cover magazine.. Thank you.

Besuto Ka- = Best Car (Name of magazine)
Toppu Shi Dokusou Chuu = Top independently running magazine

Above it: Fan Ka-go Koukeisha Toyota-Rakuteisu Hatsubai!!! = Fan Cargo Successor (pun with "sha" that's usually "person/-er", and "sha" that means "car") Toyota (Rakuteisu..not sure how to romanize it) on sale!

Underneath: Shinsha Kinkyuu Kenkyuutai Shutsudou New Car Emergency Research Team Marching Out!

Senritsuno Nissan GT-R Konseputo - Hair-raising Nissan (literally "Japanese made" ) GT-R Concept

Boudou Kaikin - Ban on reporting lifted

TOKYOU MO-TA- SHO- URUTORA DAI TOKUSHUU - Tokyo Motor Show Ultra Grand Feature Story

Dai Kyou Kyou Kakujitsu!! Nihonsha, Gaisha Shutsupin Kuruma 85 Tai Shuuroku Great Interest and Pride Guaranteed! Japanese Cars, Foreign Cars, and Exhibit Cars 85 recordings

Nissan - Tsumetai Kuruma Renpatsu Nissan - A Cold Car Series

Nissan - Shirubia Kouzoku Supo-tsuka - Nissan - Silvia New Model Sportscar

Honda - 2 Spo-tsu 4WD - Honda Sports 4WD

Majida - RX7 Konseputoka- Mazda RX7 Concept Car

San (something...too blurry) - Ran Ebo X Lan Ebo X...?

Taihashi - Kopen Koukei Supo-tsu Taihashi - Copen New Model Sportscar

Toyota New Estima - Nissan (Erugurando) Concept - Lexus LF-A

3 nen ato no $hitadori wo oshieru Telling about part exchanges 3 years later

Rekusasu 57% hoshou Lexus 57% guarantee

Sore wo uwamawaru kuruma ha nantai aru no? What kind of tires does a car that exceeds this have?

BC Wide - Something about a GT and a catalog





$15 please.



j/k