Japanese for English speakers House · Lesson 1

Nice to meet you

Introduce family in Japanese — 兄 (ani, my older brother) vs お兄さん (your older brother) — and the universal greeting よろしくお願いします for first meetings.

Conversation

  1. Pishi Pishi

    これは兄のカッシャンです

    kore wa ani no kasshandesu

    This is my older brother Cassian

    Tip: <kore> = this <ani> = my brother (not your / his / her)

  2. PX296 PX296

    よろしく

    yoroshiku

    Nice to meet you

  3. Pishi Pishi

    これは父のボリンです

    kore wa chichi no Borin desu

    This is my dad Bolin

    Tip: <[role] + no + [name]> = structure used when introducing people <[name] + no + [role]> = structure used when expressing possession

  4. PX296 PX296

    どうぞよろしく

    dōzo yoroshiku

    Very nice to meet you

    Tip: When meeting, bowing 45° while facing each other

Common questions

Quick answers about this lesson's grammar and vocabulary.

Why are there two words for 'older brother'?

Japanese uses humble terms for your own family and polite terms for others'. 兄 = my brother; お兄さん = your/his/her brother. Same for father (父/お父さん), etc.

What does よろしくお願いします mean?

Literally 'please be kind to me' — a versatile greeting used at first meetings, when asking favours, or starting work together.

What does これは mean in introductions?

Literally 'this is ...' — Japanese uses これは for introducing people present: これは妹のミーラです = 'This is my younger sister Meera'.

Test yourself

Pick the English translation for each line from this lesson. Wrong answers are pulled from other Japanese lessons.

4 quick questions on what you just heard.

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