The last post was an April Fool’s Day post. I have traveled to Okinawa in the past, but we are not moving there. Also, don’t try to use the listed Japanese phrases. They are not correct translations—not even close.
In one day, that post shot up to my most viewed post so far on this blog site.
Here are the actual approximate translations of the phrases (These are meant in the spirit of April Fool’s Day—telling jokes—I tried to pick some things that might be funny when you mean to say one thing and actually say another, or are purposely being told to say the wrong thing. One way or another, this has happened to all of us trying to use another language in another culture. Yes, I have also been told to say the wrong thing by people as a joke that they were making on each other. These are not intended in any way to be disrespectful or insensitive):
- The meeting is in one hour.
- 本日の会議はすべてキャンセルされました。
- Honjitsu no kaigi wa subete kyanseru sa remashita.
- “All of today’s meetings have been canceled.”
- You have a nice place.
- 家に上陸した巨大なニワトリのようです。
- Ie ni jōriku shita kyodaina niwatori no yōdesu.
- “It’s like a giant chicken landed on your house.”
- How can I get transportation to the store?
- 今さっき、あなたの車にぶつかっていった人がいました。
- Ima sakki, anata no kuruma ni butsukatte itta hito ga imashita.
- “Just now, someone ran into your car.”
- You need to rest.
- 猫の手を借りる必要はありません。それは簡単です。
- Neko no te o kariru hitsuyō wa arimasen. Sore wa kantandesu.
- “You don’t have to borrow a cat’s paw. It’s easy.” (I tried to work in a need to “borrow a cat’s paw”, which is a Japanese idiom for being very busy. I asked a Japanese native speaker about this saying. He said it was usually only used by older people, and he thought it referred to how cats appear to be lazy and lay around during the day, so they should be available to help.)
- Which restaurant do you recommend?
- あなたの車がレッカーで移動されていくのを見ました。
- Anata no kuruma ga rekkā de idō sa rete iku no o mimashita.
- “I saw your car being towed away.”
- That meal was very good.
- 私のお腹は生きたウナギが戦っているような気がします。
- Watashi no onaka wa ikita unagi ga tatakatte iru yōna ki ga shimasu.
- “My stomach feels like live eels are fighting.”
- I am confident I can do this.
- 私はまな板の上の鯉です。
- Watashi wa manaitanouenokoidesu.
- “I am a carp on a cutting board.” (Another Japanese idiom, to be doomed to one’s fate.)
- I need to mail this letter. Can you help?
- 昨日はラブレターありがとうございました。私もあなたのことを考えています。
- Kinō wa raburetā arigatōgozaimashita. Watashi mo anata no koto o kangaete imasu.
- “Thank you for your love letter yesterday. I’m thinking of you too.”
- I am from the United States.
- 無料ギフトカードは建物の前で配られます。急がなければなりません。
- Muryō gifutokādo wa tatemono no mae de kubara remasu. Isoganakereba narimasen.
- “Free gift cards are being handed out in front of the building. We must hurry.”
- I don’t understand; can you repeat?
- しなすびらきゃひり。
- Sina subira kwa hili.
- This is not Japanese. It is Swahili for “I have no patience for this”.
- This will be fun.
- 私ヘビを見つめるカエルのような気分。
- Watashi hebi o mitsumeru kaeru no yōna kibun.
- “I feel like a frog staring at a snake.” (From a Japanese idiom of a snake glaring at a frog, to be frozen with fear.)
- Thank you for your help. My family really appreciates your efforts.
- 申し訳ありません。あなたのお気に入りのメガネを壊してしまいました。
- Mōshiwake arimasen. Anata no okiniiri no megane o kowashite shimaimashita.
- “I am very sorry. I broke your favorite glasses.”
- Can you help me practice Japanese?
- 誰かがあなたを探しています。彼らが何を言ったか忘れました。
- Darekaga anata o sagashiteimasu. Karera ga nani o itta ka wasuremashita.
- “Someone is looking for you. I forgot what they said.”
I also need to point out that Okinawa has its own language (linked below). When I was in Okinawa, I tried to use a few Okinawan phrases, and it was much appreciated.
Actually, little joke sayings have helped me learn languages. When I was trying to learn German, I made up several silly phrases that often rhymed, or almost rhymed, and were easier to remember. Like, “Die nackt Schnecke ist nicht lecker”, “the slug is not tasty” (“nackt Schnecke” is literally “naked snail”, which means slug).
Links
Media (for the last post)
- https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bus_120_Kadena_to_Onna_7.jpg
- https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_Flying_fox,Geelong,_Victoria_Australia.jpg
- https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%E6%B2%96%E7%B8%84%E7%94%A3%E3%82%82%E3%81%9A%E3%81%8F.jpg
- Some of the jokes were inspired by a list on this page, https://www.japanesepod101.com/blog/2018/03/19/how-to-celebrate-april-fools-day-in-japanese/
- I found some Japanese idioms here, https://matadornetwork.com/notebook/20-funniest-japanese-expressions-use/
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