Learn Japanese fast! There are times when you need to apologize. It’s hard enough to say you’re sorry, but not knowing whether to say it in formal or informal Japanese can make a difficult situation even worse! Depending on whether you are at work or talking to a close friend, you will use Japanese very differently. This Japanese for Beginners article is very important! It will help you master informal and formal Japanese with real-world examples, such as how to apologize the right way. In addition to easy-to-use charts to help you understand formal and informal Japanese, you’ll learn essential Japanese vocabulary words such as kaimono (“purchases”). This is a great Japanese item that you are sure to love!

Vocabulary: In this article, you will learn the following words and phrases:

Shuppatsu – “go out”

jikan – “time”

basu – “bus”

noru – “mount, take, go up” (verb 1)

wasuremono – “something forgotten, item lost”

mixing – “memory, present”

kaimono – “purchases”

takusan – “a lot a lot a lot”

shit – “Question”

mooshiwake arimasen. – “I’m sorry.”

Grammar: In this article, you will learn the following words and phrases:

Vocabulary and useful phrases

————————————————– ——————————–

wasuremono – “forgotten object”

kaimono – “purchases”

————————————————– ——————————–

Both of them wasuremono Y kaimono become verbs when followed by -or sure Prayed -sure.

For example:

1. wasuremono (either) sure
   “to forget something” (lit. “to make lost item”)
2. kaimono ( oh ) sure
   “go shopping” (literally, “to shop”)

Examples of Sentences:

1. wasuremono or shimashita. “I forgot something.”
2. O-miyage-ya by kaimono or shimashita. “I did some shopping at a souvenir shop.”

————————————————– ——————————-

noru – “ride, climb, take”

————————————————– ——————————-

We mark the transport that is done with the particle neither. The opposite word is oriru. However, we mark the transport one is taking with the particle oh.

For more information, see Nihongo Doojoo Beginner Series Article 19.

Transportation / particle / noru Prayedoriru

basu / neither / noru (norimasu)

densha / neither / noru (norimasu)

chikatestu / neither / noru (norimasu)

takushI / neither / noru (norimasu)

Rickshaw / neither / noru (norimasu)

basu / oh / oriru (orimasu)

densha / oh / oriru (orimasu)

chikatestu / oh / oriru (orimasu)

Takushii / oh / oriru (orimasu)

Rickshaw / oh / oriru (orimasu)

For example:

1. Tookyoo-eki from Yamanote-sen ni notte kudasai.
   “Take the Yamanote Line at Tokyo Station.”
2. Tookyoo-eki of Yamanote-sen or orite kudasai.
   “Get off the Yamanote Line at Tokyo Station.”

————————————————– ——————————–

Mooshiwake arimasen. – “My apologies.”

————————————————– ——————————–

The literal meaning of mooshiwake arimasen is “there is no room for excuse”. By saying this sentence, the speaker technically admits one’s guilt for something. In more formal situations, we use gozaimasen (“does not exist”) instead of arimasen. Gozaimasen is a humble way of arimasen.

* Express apologies

For more information, please refer to Nihongo Doojoo’s Newbie Series, Welcome to Style You, Item 10.

See the following to review the formality.

1. mooshiwake gozaimasen.
   Very formal. We use this phrase to express apologies in a business situation.
2. mooshiwake arimasen.
   Formal. We use this to express an apology in a business situation, but it’s less formal than mooshiwake gozaimasen.
3. mooshiwake no desu.
   less formal than mooshiwake arimasenbut it is still a formal expression.
4. mooshiwake Was born.
   informal. We cannot use this in a formal situation.

Grammar review

In this article, we are going to learn more about formal and informal speech by reviewing the past negative form of a verb.

————————————————– ——————————–

“I have no time”.

Formal: Jikan ga arimasen deshita.

informal: Jikan ga nakatta.

————————————————– ——————————–

How to create the negative form of the past formal of a verb:

1. Change the verb to its corresponding –masu form.
2. Release –masu and add –masen deshita.

For more information, please refer to Nihongo Doojoo Newbie Series Style You and Beyond Article 23

Verb conjugation of formal forms:

dictionary form / Not Past (-masu form) / Not past negative / Last / negative past

kau / kaimasu / kaimasen / kaimashita / kaimasendeshita

aru / arimasu / arimasen / arimashita / arimasendeshita

How to create the negative form of the informal past of a verb:

1. Change the verb to its corresponding –Was born form.
2. release -Yo and add -katta.

Verb conjugation of informal forms

Class 1 verbs:

Not past (dictionary form) / no negative past / Last (-your form) / negative past

kau / kawanai / kata / kawanakatta

iku / ikanai / itta / ikanakatta

kaku / kakanai / kaita / kakanakatta

hanasoo / hanasanai / hanashita / hanasanakatta

class 2 verbs:

Not past (dictionary form) / no negative past / Last (-your form) / negative past

taberu / tabenai / tabeta / tabenakatta

neru / babe / grid / nenakatta

Class 3 verbs:

Not past (dictionary form) / no negative past / Last (-your form) / negative past

sure / Shinai / shit / shinakatta

kuru / konai / Kita / konakatta

Exception!!!

aru means “exists”. However, the non-past informal negative form is not aranaitarget Was born.Not past (dictionary form) / no negative past / Last (-your form) / negative past

aru / Was born / attack / nakatta

————————————————– ——————————–

Practice 1

Fill in the blanks and complete the informal Verb conjugation table.

————————————————– ——————————–

“English” / Not past (dictionary form) / No Past Negative / Last (-your form) / negative past

“expect” / matsu / Matanai / ___ / ___

“To die” / shinu /___/ shinda / ___

“to call” / I bu / ___ / ___ / ___

“to ride” /___/ noranai / ___ / ___

“eat” /___/___/ tabeta / ___

“watch” / miru /___/___/ minakatta

“to do” / ___ / ___ / ___ / ___

“to come” / ___ / ___ / ___ / ___

————————————————– ——————————–

practice 2

Rewrite the awards informally.

————————————————– ——————————–

1. Watashi wa hiru-gohan or tabemasendeshita.
   ______________________________________________________________________
2. O-miyage or kaimasen deshita.
   ______________________________________________________________________
3. Wakarimasen dehsita.
   ______________________________________________________________________
4. O-kane ga arimasen deshita.
   ______________________________________________________________________

————————————————– ——————————–

Rewrite the awards in formal form.

————————————————– ——————————–

1. Kamakura ni ikanakatta.
   ______________________________________________________________________
2. Kankoo Shinakatta.
   ______________________________________________________________________
3. Densha ni noranakatta.
   ______________________________________________________________________