Does anyone speak Japanese?
- Thread starter Gord.T
- Start date
ReelFilmGeek
Well-known member
I took 2 years in high school and remember a little, I might possible be able to help. Worth a try to ask me haha
Andrius Simutis
Veteran
Wow? Wow what? Saying you have a question is not the same as asking a question. How about actually asking a question. Might be able to help, but with something so vague I'm not surprised that you didn't get much traction. If someone asks "Anyone know stuff about cars?" vs "Anyone know how to check air pressure in a car tire?" they're going to get a better answer to the latter, more specific question.
unclebob6958
Well-known member
I know enough in about six languages to get my face slapped - that's about it........
Gord.T
Still "Senior Member"
I just have a question about the word..sounds like "hi" but more stretched out like " hhhiiii". I think it has multiple meanings depending on the context. Let me guess...it's a bit like "yes", " I agree" and "I understand" but not a direct conversion to English.
Is that close?
Is that close?
Gord.T
Still "Senior Member"
Andrius Simutis
Veteran
Hai is exactly like yes, as the word yes can mean everything from I agree, to the dismissive "yes,yes,yes, I'll get to it". The context that you're probably referencing is where you hear it a lot on phone conversations where the person listening will keep saying Hai, …hai,hai,hai, as a way to let you know they're still there and listening to you.
Just to be a touch anal about it - Japanese wouldn’t speak in a dismissive manner in this way. Rest of the information is solid
Noel (Former resident of Tokyo) Evans
Gord if you have any further questions on Nihongo, drop me a message.
Andrius Simutis
Veteran
You're right. Dismissive is a poor choice of wording on my part. I was trying to make the distinction that a lot of the hai, hai, hai, that I overhear daily is simply acknowledgement that you are listening, as opposed to emphatic agreement.
Gord.T
Still "Senior Member"
I joined up with JapanesePod101.com , it's free and I'm starting at absolute beginner level. Its a start and it's free. I know it takes many years. I don't think I'll ever be able to speak it properly BUT, again, for what I want, to understand a conversation basically AND maybe reply, It's a start.
Passing it along.
//edit. Was just speaking with a girl in Cebu, Philippines ,and apparently they have hundreds of dialects. Oh great. Not sure if she was kidding or not. ??? Jeeeez. Looking at some basic Tagalog too but probably not now. WOW. Language is complicated.
Passing it along.
//edit. Was just speaking with a girl in Cebu, Philippines ,and apparently they have hundreds of dialects. Oh great. Not sure if she was kidding or not. ??? Jeeeez. Looking at some basic Tagalog too but probably not now. WOW. Language is complicated.
Last edited:
Ted Ramasola
Veteran
She is right. I'm from Bohol, it's right next to Cebu and I attended College at on of the Universities in Cebu, Cebu and Bohol speaks Visayan,
while Leyte, right next to Bohol and Cebu ( its the island hit badly by the typhoon) speaks Waray, in Bohol, we have 50 municipalities and each one has a slightly unique way of pronouncing the dialect.
The capital, Manila, speaks Tagalog, and I remember back in the 80's Cebu banned it as a form of protest.
Just wondering, were you calling some sort of tech support that's why you were talking to a girl in Cebu?
Cebu is a major call center hub and its handling a lot of outsourced work with accounts for Sony, Dell, American Airlines?, Time Warner, JP Morgan, etc. etc.
Last edited:
