How to say "I am as + adjective + as you" in Japanese?

Question:

for example,
I am as tall as you
I am as fast as you

etc...

Thanks!

Answer:

You could use ... のように ... (no youni)
私はあなたのように速く watashi wa(ha) anata no youni hayaku
I am as fast as you

If you want to same "the same", you would use ... と同じ (to onaji)
彼はあなたと同じ kare wa(ha) anata to onaji
He is the same as you

If you want to say that someone does something like someone else, you would use ...とみたいに (to mitai ni)
スポーンジボブとみたいに笑う suponjibobu to mitai ni warau
(subject) laughs like spongebob <--- haha I love spongebob :) <3

When speaking Japanese, it is not necessary to include subjects unless you are being formal so I showed that by not using the subject in the last example.

Hope this helps! (≧∇≦)/

How to hang a teru teru bozu? (It goes horizontal or upside-down).?

Question:

I usually attach the string to the rubber band (neck). How do I make it hang upright? Thanks (:

Answer:

Just hang it this way.
http://plaza.rakuten.co.jp/yanncyaru/dia…

To people living in Japan, which flip phone has the best style: docomo, kddi by au or softbank?

Question:

I'm not talking about phone services, I'm talking about the phone design and I'm only referring to flip phones. Which among the three has the most beautiful style?

Answer:

They are just carriers. Those who are producing phones are different companies like Sharp. And each of those 3 have many phones. There is no answer as to which one of those 3 has the best phone.

Can you work in japan if your a foreigner?

Question:

As a pastry chef would i be able to work like in a pastry shop where they sell cakes etc. in japan or or just work in japan

Answer:

You have heard the four year degree and all that stuff. The language i believe is the most important (if you can't count the change in Japanese you are screwed). It will be extremely difficult to start a career there as it is not a shortage area and the Japanese make good pastry and have good pastry chefs for that. Say you had lot's of experience, had a shop or chain of shops in your country and are quite popular in the media. You can easily set up a branch in Japan. Do you watch the TV series "Cake Boss"? the guy is quite famous and could easily set up a branch in Japan with no problems. You on the other hand are not so like i said early on, highly unlikely. Try to set up a business at your end and see how it goes ok?

How can European telecom engineer in Mexico find an job in japan?

Question:

Hi

I am working for an WISP provider today and i am fascinated by the life and strive for perfection and i like to try the life in Japan for an year or 2 in my area of work or in technology area in general and i like to get in contact with people that can help, provide my SKYPE id if needed ...

Mat

Answer:

The first thing is can you speak/write Japanese? If you can't it is very difficult to work in Japan unless it is a MNC and they don't require people who can understand Japanese. Moreover the working culture/environment is very different in Japan versus Mexico/europe so that is another factor you need to take into consideration.

I would suggest that you perhaps can study a short stint to study japanese to understand the japanese culture better before you decided to take on a job there. Many foreigners i know work as english teacher so that is another vocation you can consider.

Can I teach English in Japan with a Master of Arts in English Literature?

Question:

I'm from the U.K. and getting my degree from the University of Edinburgh

Answer:

As long as your mother tongue is english, it is very likely that you can teach english even if you don't have a master of arts in english literature. Of course i am referring to english language schools like Nova. If you are talking about lecturing in higher institutes like high schools or university i would suggest you touch base with the relevant schools to check their requirement.

Alternatively you can join the JET program.

Hanasu and Shaberu, what's the difference?

Question:

So in Japan in the Yamanashi prefecture while I was up in Minami alps people used hanasu/hanashite but while I was in Kofu and Yamanashi city people used shaberu/shabette.

I thought shaberu was more of to chat while hanasu to talk but in Yamanashi-shi and Kofu everyone used shaberu instead of hanasu. Is it a dialect thing? I wasn't even aware of the word shaberu until I went to Japan because my sensei only taught our class hanasu.

Answer:

No big difference, but...:

Hanasu is more like to talk or speak.
Shaberu is more like to chat for fun.

Hanasu puts more focus on its contents.
Shaberu puts more focus on its way of speaking.

Help with Japanese Captcha?

Question:

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h268/k… im not good with japanese, its asking a question? o:

Answer:

its asking how many stars and circles there are in total.

I'm not sure if you count both types of stars, or if you can just count the star that looks like the one in the question though...it doesn't specify.

Good souvenirs to take to Japan?

Question:

I realise this is probably a question that has been answered before and I tried to look it up but couldn't really find anything totally relevant. Feel free to post a link to an older question though if you think that answers it.

I will be moving to Japan in July for work and have been encouraged to bring some souvenirs with me. I'm not sure exactly how many I should take but I will try and enquire some more to get an idea. I spoke to my Japanese tutor and recommended for small gifts (like for co-workers) just some chocolate and tea in a small gift bag. But she recommended chocolate like Lindt and tea such as Dilma because they are expensive right now in Japan. Are these really good gift ideas? I'm from Australia so I thought it should be something local (which those items are not). I know, or at least have been told, that Japanese like food items as souvenirs but.....I guess we don't have anything that unique. The only thing would be Macadamia nuts but my teacher said she thinks the American ones are better and most Japanese don't realise macadamias are from Australia and not America any way so they wouldn't see it as a local gift.

She also discouraged me from buying Australian grown tea as a gift (understandable, I don't drink it myself)....but then I'm not sure I see the point in buying tea as a gift if it's not going to be Australian?

I know I'm going on a bit, but I'd like to take gifts that people will appreciate, even the small gifts. Also, for my supervisor and boss I was going to take a good bottle of Australian wine. My teacher thought this was a good idea as long as it's not a brand already available in Japan, but since I'm asking here I thought I might as well get opinions on this as well?

Any suggestions?

Answer:

Tea and chocolates are a good idea because they get used up and don't take a lot of space in small homes. (Don't bring TimTams, we can get them over here!) Small soaps are okay, and the idea about bringing keychains is good...I have so many keychains I've got over the years! Also good are things like pens, pencils with Australian things on them, note paper might be okay. Any local food that's okay to bring and yummy is good too.

Even if the tea isn't grown in Australia, it'll be packaged for Australians and probably blended specially too. It'll likely be different than what we get here, and even if it isn't, it would be appreciated!

When I go to Canada and buy souvenirs for my students (mostly adults) I bring handmade soaps and tea from a Canadian store. They've been gratefully received. I sometimes bring candy or chocolate too, but some kinds aren't as good as Japanese chocolate!

Can't help you much on the wine...just you'd have to be careful if you need to transfer planes in Japan due to the liquids on board the plane rules. I think you have to put them in your suitcase if you are transferring...maybe another poster can comment.

How long does it take to be fluent in japanese?

Question:

I know it varies but like how many years is the average time?

Answer:

It really does vary a lot and it depends on how much you study and relies on your continued study through out your life. Because even if you do get to a level where you're fluent, if you stop using it you will start to go backwards and it'll take time to get back up to that level.

Other factors depend on things such as age. Unfortunately, the older you are the less chance you have of becoming fluent no matter how hard you study. That being said, you can still reach a very high level. And then there are individuals who just have a nack for it and individuals who may have the passion and interest in a language but seem to struggle no matter what. Doing the language while at university will really help, you'll be graded at a much higher level, they will be much stricter in perfecting your speaking fluencing and handwritting than normal evening classes and you will attend class much more regularly and have assessment items to keep you studying outside of that. That being said, I know someone who majoured in japanese at university as a four year degree and while she considers her level as being very advanced, she doesn't consider herself a fluent speaker. In addition, living in Japan and being forced to use it would help you improve a lot faster.

Realistically, if you're studing in casual evening classes outside of university you could study for 10 or 20 years and never reach fluency.

However, giving a definitive answer to your question is impossible because as you can see it depends on so many factors.

What would be the best way to volunteer in Japan?

Question:

I am a Japanese-American that can speak fluent Japanese. I am currently in Saitama-Ken helping out family friends with their own business. I also have plans to head south to Kochi-Ken to meet some family. Is there anyway I can volunteer if my work schedule ends July 15, even for a couple days then hop on a bullet train back to Kochi? Once I get to Kochi I plan on spending a few days before I hop on a flight back to Haneda airport, and depart Japan on July 24 back to America.

Answer:

You want to volunteer in disaster hit areas? There are many volunteer openings for those areas. If you really can read Japanese, you can search for it on Japanese webs.

Please translate Japanese to English (no online translators)?

Question:

番組後半では視聴者からのリクエストに
応えてさまざまなアーティストのビデオクリップを放送。

Answer:

In the latter half of the program,
we will take your requests and broadcast video clips from various kinds of artists.

I’m Japanese.

I am looking into a visit to Japan after crossing the Trans-Siberian Railway. I was hoping to stay approx. two?

Question:

months in Japan in order to successfully employ my language skills and to enjoy the new environment. However, I have heard that one month is probably a more reasonable period of time to spend. I am not very interested in staying with a hosting family considering my independent nature. However, I am curious, how many U.S. dollars should I save up before planning such a trip? Are there houses for rent to foreigners on an extended stay? How does one go about getting a visa and where is a good place to stay? I would prefer a place out in the country, but I know that travel to the bigger cities will then be quite expensive. Thanks a bunch. :)

Answer:

>how many U.S. dollars should I save up before planning such a trip?

Hotel: Usually, you need $120 per night if you want to stay at a hotel.
If you want to save money, you need to stay at a hostel which will cost $40-60 per night.
If you want to stay at a luxury hotel, you need $250-300 or more.

Food, transportation and others: You need $60-120 or so per day. If you want to enjoy shopping, you need more.

So you need $120 for hotel and $90 for others per day. If you want to stay in Japan for 4 weeks, the total cost will be $5880.


>Are there houses for rent to foreigners on an extended stay?

We have something called service apartment. I think it's something like that.

>How does one go about getting a visa

It depends on your citizenship.

>and where is a good place to stay?

It's all up to your needs.

Japanese captcha help please?

Question:

http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/927/54018556.gif I would like to type this in but I can't. Can someone please tell me it so I can copy/paste it? Thanks in advance!

Answer:

くいさをひし

Do the Japanese resent foreigners learning their language?

Question:

I was once interested in learning Japanese because I was curious about Japan and its culture, and in fact I got as far as learning Katakana and Hiragana, but I stopped learning the language because someone told me that the Japanese have a particular contempt for foreigners who take a strong interest in their language and culture. I was told that they find it invasive and creepy.

Please don't think me selfish, but I see little purpose in learning a language if all the native speakers of it will only feel contempt towards me for my effort. If I am going to go to the trouble of learning a language, I would at least expect indifference. Possibly even a bit of admiration. But contempt? That is a response I do not understand.

The reason I want to verify this fact is because an online friend of mine who is half-Japanese wants me to resume learning the language, and I'm having a hard time getting him to understand why I think it's a bad idea despite my interest in Japanese culture.

You see, if the Japanese actually DO feel contempt/discomfort towards people who attempt to learn their language, then I feel I should respect their boundaries and avoid learning any more about them, even if I am interested.

At this point, if I ever went to visit Japan, I would feel obligated to limit myself to the tourist areas, following a guide, buying souvenirs, and avoid showing any interest in Japanese people themselves, in order to avoid causing them discomfort.

Am I correct in assuming that this is how the Japanese would prefer me to behave? Or not?

Answer:

Yes and no.

The Japanese feel that a foreigner who learns their language is genuinely interested in their culture. They think it a compliment.

The problem is if you learn it TOO WELL, then some Japanese may feel uncomfortable (not contempt) with you. It's almost as if you invaded their personal space. I will share a big secret with you when it comes to the Japanese - deep down they are very insecure about others knowing them too well. This applies to not just foreigners but fellow Japanese, too. When a non-Japanese is too fluent, some Japanese may feel that they are an open book.

Living your life based on the idiosyncrasies of a few people you may or may not ever meet is silly. Learn Japanese to the best of your abilities and let the chips fall where they may.

Do people in japan go by there first or last name ? Confused !!!!!?

Question:

So i was wondering do people in Japan go by there first or last name ? Umm is it something like : the couples call each other by their first name ? Im soooo confused . I Desided to ask this because i was watching an Anime series , and one of the characters was really suprised when another character called her her name . Im not sure if i was first or last ......Please Help ! : )

Answer:

Well, not everything is anime is true - no matter how much you love anime T_T. But using someone's first name in Japan usually means you're closer to them. Many people in Japan use honorifics (san, chan, sensei, senpai, etc) and call people by their surname/ last name/ family name.

Is it true in Japan and other Asians countries describe your personality by your Blood type.?

Question:

I keep hearing that Asians describe your personality by your blood type? In American we go by the Zodiac signs. I'm Black Female AB+

Answer:

My individual opinion, lots of Japanese like fortune telling and profiling, and Blood type is one of those methods. Zodiac signs (Horoscope) are also loved by Japanese very much.
Of course not all Japanese believe blindly Blood type or Zodiac signs, many TV show and news papers, magazines report daily, weekly, monthly fortune telling.

Indeed many Japanese are worried with relationship in their company, school, community that how to be associated with others.
So people need a guidepost to describe others to find something in common with each other, in my opinion, Blood type is one of such guidepost.

I individually prefer Zodiac signs, and ascendant , even what sign the moon is in if I could hear from somebody than blood type.

How is Japan doing now?

Question:

I really love Japanese people and things and I want to know why they disappeared from the media and how they are doing now. (^-^)/

Answer:

There are still problems with the nuke plants in Fukushima. They have'nt told us how serious it is since day one. NHK is NOT a good source of information. They have a bad habit of with-holding bad news. An alternative news service like www.rense.com is more honest. In some areas kids are not allowed to play outside at break times.

How is Japan doing these days?

Question:

I really haven't heard anything lately? How are they recovering?

Answer:

There's been little progress in Fukushima Plant matter. It's still unstable and there is no end in sight.

Other areas are being restored. I think non-Japanese medias are not covering Japanese matter so much because they are not interested in Japan as much as Japanese medias are.

Anything I should know about hosting a Japanese exchange student?

Question:

In about a month, I will be hosting an exchange student from Osaka, Japan. She's 16, and will be staying for two and a half weeks. Is there anything I should know before she comes? Any American customes that would seem rude to her, or vice-versa? Is there anything I could do to make her feel at home? Also, I want to give her a gift upon arrival, but I have NO idea what to get... any ideas?

Answer:

Well Japanese customs do differ from American ones, but I can't think of one that would insult her. I know some underage kids in Japan drink because it's the norm there but I'm most certain she won't be drinking in front of you or behind your back. No worries :)

I'm sure she is going to be really shy and that's a given considering she will be living with strangers. I think it's best just to be really understanding, patient, and kind and try to explain a few things as you show her around your house.

To make her feel at home, I say just try to include her on a lot of different activities whether they're family oriented or friend oriented. Like show her around your town and try to do fun activities. Shopping is always a great pastime too :) Some examples of things to do: miniature golfing, bowling, amusement parks, go-karting, kayaking (throwing it in there lol), or even just checking out some historical sites or parks if you have them in your area would all sound fun. :) Try to find out what she likes to do. I think it would be really cool if you guys did like a music swap or something. That way you could both bond over that. :)

As a gift it can be something as simple as candy. I know they don't have a lot of candy in Japan that we have such as Snickers, Baby Ruth's, Starbursts, Skittles, Reese's, Rice Krispie Treats, ect.

Pilot pens are made in japan! radiation?

Question:

Pilot pens are made in japan!! Anyone scared of radiation contamination? Would you buy a pilot pen after knowing they are made in japan??? Also, I called the company and the representative said she didn't know exactly where in japan the pens were made.. Ummmm ok ?

Answer:

Have you thought about the people selling / making these pens ? I haven't heard of any of them having problems, have you ?
I use a red pilot pen at work, I'm still here.

Are there non-exclusive ALT positions in Japan?

Question:

I haven't received my bachelor's degree yet, but have been doing excessive research on becoming in ALT in Japan. I have passed the level 3 JLPT and plan on taking 2 soon. I also know which jobs pay well, let you choose location, provide accommodation, and/or require a visa sponsorship. But I was wondering if there were any ALT positions are ESL teaching positions that are non-exclusive. Meaning if you work for them, their contract does not state you work for them exclusively. Although I want to be an ALT I'd love to do occasional freelance work on the side, but some contracts say you have to work exclusively for a company or school, or they don't mention anything on the subject at all.

Hopefully someone knows.
Thanks.

Answer:

You need a four year degree to qualify for a work visa. You also need a job offer before you get there. Most contracts are for one year. You'll be working for whatever school hires you. It costs them time and money to sponsor your employment. Few places will let you choose the location you work. Most will give you a list to choose from.
Knowing Japanese isn't an issue as most schools don't want Japanese to be used in the classroom.

The top highest quality of matcha 抹茶 green tea powder?

Question:

Answer:

Who about this?
堀井七茗園 成里乃 Horii shihimeien Narino
http://www.uji-shichimeien.co.jp/B/B01.h…

Narino got 1st prize at a famous contest last year.
Uji is a part of Kyoto and really famous for green tea.

I want to go to college in Japan? Is this realistic?

Question:

Hey, I'm an African-American Girl, almost 5'3 and 16 years old. I am absolutely in love with the Japanese. There culture, their anime, everything! I My Japanese is average, and next year I will take a formal class (Junior Year). I was looking at ICU, Meiji, Sophia, and Temple Universities. I'm trying to get scholarships, as well. Please Answer these questions...

Is my plan to go to Japan reasonable?
Are there others like me who want to go to college there?
How much does college there cost?
Which of the schools I want is the best?
Can you give me some advice on how to reach my goal?

Thanks a million!

Answer:

Yes it is quite possible. But it isn't easy.

I don't go to college in Japan, but I have many friends who do. First formal classes are not enough. I would also take JLPT prep courses because if you want to go to a decent school like Meiji or Sophia having a level JLPT 2 certificate helps, A LOT. Also I know for Sophia you need to have super high SAT scores. So even though you need to study japanese excessively, please be aware that doesn't exclude you from your SATs.

Although Temple is a wonderful school, please know you will not have many if any classes in Japanese. And they have crazy prices. Now I have a friends who go to Sophia and it is a crazy selection process. One friend is American and the other is Japanese. My American friend had almost perfect scores on her SATs, passed JLPT level 1, passes several levels of interviews, and had money. Because honestly many gaikokujin do not get scholarships to Japanese colleges, and if they do they are most likely Chinese or Korean. My Japanese friend said their interview process is SUPER rigorous so be prepared for that, and they do conduct those interviews and exams in Japanese.

Now since your 16 if you push yourself now, it'lll be possible later. Don't slack on grades or SATs and get that JLPT 2 certificate (Level 1 if possible). I recommend Meiji or Sophia or even Waseda. Each college has different tuition and housing fees (because I doubt you'll find an apartment before hand). All that can be found on their websites and just convert it to US dollars.

Also choosing a college depends on what you want to do and learn.

Temple is great if you're lazy about Japanese. They accept students based on English fluency, determination, grades, SATs, and drive. So you can still go to school there if your Japanese is not up to par, but be aware you'll most likely end up being a translator, ESL teacher, or something english related.

Sophia and Meiji look better on resumes and you could actually be something other than an ALT or Eikawa teacher.

Do the Japanese people not easily trust foreigners?

Question:

Answer:

Again depends on the individual person. Does everyone in your country not easily trust foreigners either? It's the same everywhere, some do, some don't.

Whos a popular figure in japan right now?

Question:

i want to do a japan inspired makeup tutorial..whos a popular figure there

Answer:

In what field? singer? actor? athlete?

If i want to extent my visitor visa in japan, can i? and how?

Question:

Answer:

If you're American, I don't think you can. You are limited to two 90 day visits in a 12 month period.

How do you say "to get over something" in Japanese?

Question:

As in to no longer be effected by something in the past.
For example, "Do you still feel bad about breaking up with him?"
"No, I got over it."

Answer:

～を乗り越える 　～から立ち直る colloquial　　
「ううん、何とか乗り越えたと思う。」「立ち直ったと思う。」

～を克服する formal written
「いいえ、克服できました。」

What's the most interesting Art Gallery in Tokyo?

Question:

I'm looking to visit an Art Gallery in Tokyo and need some suggestions. I prefer Western Modern Art, but have an open mind.... Whatdya reckon?

Answer:

If you like Western modern art then I would recommend the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo
http://www.momat.go.jp/english/index.htm…

If you prefer contemporary art then the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo
http://www.mot-art-museum.jp/eng/index.h…

Although there are many others such as the National Art Center
http://www.nact.jp/english/index.html

The special exhibition at the Edo Tokyo Museum is excellent (Until July 5) although not western.
http://www.edo-tokyo-museum.or.jp/englis…

The Teien Museum is worth seeing just for its magnificent art nouveau building
http://www.teien-art-museum.ne.jp/index.…

And there are many more
http://gojapan.about.com/cs/tokyosightse…

Which hostel at Taitou-ku, Tokyo, Japan is better?

Question:

I'm deciding to stay at the hostel for 4 days while visiting Tokyo. I cannot decide which one is the best hostel to stay since most of the review on each of them are good enough. There are 4 choices:

1) Palace Japan (http://www.palace-japan.com/english/index.html)
2) Khaosan Tokyo Original (http://www.khaosan-tokyo.com/en/original/)
3) Khaosan Tokyo Kabuki (http://www.khaosan-tokyo.com/en/kabuki/)
4) K's House Tokyo (http://kshouse.jp/tokyo-e/facilities/index.html)

Answer:

K's House Tokyo :)
Stayed here for about a week and the people were really friendly and the bathrooms were clean.
Free drink nights were hilarious!

What measures to be adopted to save people from tsunami in japan?

Question:

Answer:

Nice question. And a typical one for individuals who have just opened a new account. Don't know why this is true, but recent experience has shown an extremely high propensity for a new user to ask this same question, even though it has been asked many, many times before.

Maybe some drills? Get them so that when that siren sounds they can all run at Olympic speeds to higher ground? Surround the entire island with a concrete breakwater about 40 m tall? Make it illegal for anyone to live within sight of the ocean? Superglue the tectonic plates together?

What measures can be adopted to keep new users from asking this same question over and over again?

What make of soy sauce is most popular in Japan?

Question:

Answer:

The only name that comes to my mind is Kikkoman. It is one of the more expensive yet really good quality and best tasting soy sauce.

How do you play the lottery sysytem that is prevalent in Japan?

Question:

There's many booths for playing the lottery here, but I have no idea how! anybody used them?

Answer:

There are different games. Lotto Six is the most straightforward, there are instructions, if you can't read Japanese the nice ladies behind the counter will help you.

Most popular mmorpgs in japan right now?

Question:

what is the most popular mmo in japan right now?

Answer:

Ragnarok Online is the best in term of user number with more than 3M users.

What do Japanese teens and young people think about gays?

Question:

Are they tolerant of their life style? Would you be friends with them? Why or why not? This life style is getting more accepted in society and seen as normal, compared to the past. I'm not gay. I'm just wondering. Thanks :)

Answer:

While homosexuality had never been viewed as a sin in Japanese society and religion, sodomy was restricted by legal prohibition in 1873, but the provision was repealed only seven years later by the Penal Code of 1880 in accordance with the Napoleonic Code.[1] Exposure to Western thought and societal changes during the Meiji period have influenced the way that homosexuality is viewed by both the Japanese government and by the population at large since the end of the 19th century.