Watashi wa nihon-go ga hanase masen.
Didn't understand anything, right? The sentence above is written in Japanese and means “I don't speak Japanese” in a more formal way. This is a very different language from our Portuguese, especially as it originates from a mixture of ancient Russian languages and from other regions of Central Asia. That's why it causes so much strangeness, because it seems incomprehensible.
But the Japanese language is not that mysterious. In the year we celebrate 100 years of Japanese immigration to Brazil, how about getting to know the language of these people better? After all, the Japanese colony in Brazil is the largest in the world (outside of Japan). Therefore, it is common to find people with slanted eyes and Japanese features in supermarkets, bank lines or waiting rooms. Not to mention the surnames we are used to living with: Sato, Tanaka, Ota, and so on. So why not extend your vocabulary beyond “arigato” (thank you)?
Phrases
As well as Portuguese or English, Nihongo, the name that the Japanese gave to their own language, also has its grammatical peculiarities. The way to build a sentence, for example, is in the following order:
SUBJECT - OBJECT - VERB
E.g.: Anata wa kawaii desu. ("You are cute", or You are cute.)
Where: “Anata wa” = subject pronoun “You”
"kawaii" = adjective "cute"
“desu” = verb “is”
Pronouns
For each type of pronoun, whether to designate subject, object or possession, small particles are added after the word. Each type of pronoun has a specific particle (wa/ga, o, no and ni).
Ex: "Kanojo wa/ga" = Subject pronoun "She"
“Kanojo no” = Possessive pronoun “Your/Sua; Yours/Yours”
Verbs
Nihongo verbs do not inflect on number, degree or gender. They can be conjugated in just two tenses: present and past, where a verb in the present tense can indicate a habitual or future action and a past tense verb corresponds to our past tense Perfect.
nouns
Nor do they inflect on number, degree or gender. The plural of certain words is made by adding suffixes. Example: “Watashitachi” (us). As "Watashi" means "I", adding the suffix "tachi", the word goes to the plural "We".
The adjectives also don't inflect for gender and number, which means that it doesn't change the way of qualifying someone female or male.
Pronunciation
Most Japanese words are read as written. But some letters and syllables have a different way of being pronounced. Folded letters in the middle of a word can be read with a pause, as in “matte”, reads “ma-te”.
Other pronunciation examples:
Chi: you
Chu: Chu
Wa: wow
ja: jya
Ju: jyu
Ge: who
ha: ha
laugh: laugh
Zu: dzu
N: m, almost "a".
Language
The suffix “chan”, very common in the Japanese language, can be used to designate affection or even a diminutive, but affectionately, as “obaa-chan” (grandma). The suffix “san” is used as a treatment in spoken language (person's name + san) and “sama” for written language, as in letters (person's name + sama).
A curiosity: in Japan people are commonly called by their surname (the family name) and not by their first name. It is common even in schools for students to be called by their surname plus the suffix “san”.
Vocabulary
Currently, many words in the Japanese vocabulary (mainly those used by young people) have been “orientalized”, that is, adapted from Western languages (especially English) into Nihongo. Examples: “Biru” (beer) comes from the English “Beer” (beer); “Toire” (bathroom) comes from the French “Toilette” (bathroom) or from the English “Toilet” (toilet or toilet paper).
Some Japanese vocabulary words:
Relatives:
Grandmother: obaasan or sobo
Grandmother: ojiisan or sofu
Daughter: musume san
Son: Musuko San
Sons: kodomo san
Sister: ane or oneesan
Brother: ani or onisan
Mom: okaasan or haha
Dad: otoosan or pee
Here's how to say some greetings:
Hi: Doom.
All right?: Ogenki?/Do sesu ka?
What is your name?: Onamae wa?
Hi, I'm John: Hai, watashi wa John desu.
Hello?: Moshi moshi?
Goodbye: Shitsurei Shimasu.
Congratulations!: Omedetoo enjoyimasu!
Happy Birthday!: Tanjoobi omedetoo!
Merry Christmas!: Christmas omedetoo!
Some popular sayings (common in both Japan and Brazil):
Seeing is believing: Hyakubun wa ikken ni shikazu.
Better safe than sorry: Korobanu saki no tsue.
Those who wait always reach: Ishi no ue nimo san nen.
Love is blind: Ai wa moomoku.
Don't make a storm in a glass of water: Shin shoo boo dai.
Out of sight, near heart: Toozaru hodo, omoi ga tsunoru.
These are just some notions of this very different language. Of course, learning to speak (and understand) Japanese requires years of study. But understanding a little of how this language works can be a way of showing respect to the Japanese and the “nikkei” (descendants), who for 100 years have contributed to the growth of Brazil.
By Camila Mitye
Brazil School Team
Japan Trivia - Japan - Brazil School
Source: Brazil School - https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/japao/nihongo-caracteristicas-idioma-dos-japoneses.htm