No.74 [LANGUAGE] Let’s nihonGO!

Hello there! This column will include useful Japanese phrases that cover a variety of topics.

Mina-san, konnichiwa! (Hello, everyone!) On the 20th of this month, the Rugby World Cup 2019 will at last begin! I’m sure that there will be lots of days where we are unable to tear our eyes from the live matches.

Because sport is everywhere right now, let’s learn Japanese numbers while moving your body around and having fun. If you look at the illustrations, you’ll see that we have matched numbers with english words and accompanying gestures that sound similar to the Japanese. Because of these sound-and-gesture sets, you definitely won’t forget how to count in Japanese. Now here’s a quiz for everyone who has memorised how to count from 1 to 10: how do you say 11 or 20 in Japanese? Here’s a hint: 11 is 10+1 and 20 is 2×10. If you remember this hint, you can count all the way up to 99 in Japanese. It’s really systematic, right?

By the way, speaking of moving your body around, do you know about ラジオ体操 rajio taisoo (radio exercises)? everyone in Japan, old or young, knows about it. since I was in nursery school I had to do rajio taisoo hundreds and thousands of times, and now I couldn’t forget the exercises even if I tried because the music and movements have lodged themselves in my heart. You all should try rajio taisoo – but don’t forget to count in Japanese at the same time!

 

 

Sayoonara, Jaa mata!

さようなら、じゃあまた！
(goodbye, see you!)

MARIKA.H / MIRIAM.S