Greetings! If you’re interested in learning how to say different languages in Japanese, you’ve come to the right place. In this guide, we will provide you with formal and informal ways to express various languages in Japanese. We’ll also include helpful tips, examples, and regional variations where necessary. Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
Formal Expressions for Saying Different Languages
When discussing languages formally in Japanese, it is important to use the appropriate honorific language. Here are some examples:
- English: Eigo (えいご)
- Spanish: Supeingo (スペイン語)
- French: Furansugo (フランス語)
- Chinese: Chuugokugo (中国語)
- German: Doitsu-go (ドイツ語)
A useful phrase you can use when asking about a particular language is:
“Language name” wa “what” to iimasu ka?
For instance, you can ask:
Itariano wa Nihongo de nan to iimasu ka? (イタリア語は日本語で何と言いますか？)
This sentence translates to “How do you say Italian in Japanese?”
Informal Expressions for Saying Different Languages
When talking informally about languages in Japanese, you can use less formal expressions. Here are some examples:
- English: Eigo (えいご)
- Spanish: Supein-go (スペイン語)
- French: Furans-go (フランス語)
- Chinese: Chūn-gok-go (中國語)
- German: Doitsu-go (ドイツ語)
You can use the same question structure as in formal expressions, just with a more casual tone. For example:
“Language name” wa “what” tte iu no?
Let’s consider the previous example:
Itariano wa Nihongo de nan tte iu no? (イタリア語は日本語で何って言うの？)
This sentence has the same meaning but in a more informal tone.
Regional Variations
Japan has some regional variations in expressing different languages. Here are a few examples:
- English: Eikoku-go (英国語) OR Igirisu-go (イギリス語)
- Spanish: Supeingo (スペイン語) OR Esupanyōru-go (エスパニョール語)
- French: Furansu-go (フランス語) OR Futsu-go (仏語)
- Chinese: Chūkō-go (中華語) OR Chugoku-go (中国語)
- German: Doitsu-go (ドイツ語) OR Teikoku-go (帝国語)
Remember, these regional variations are not necessary to know unless you specifically plan to use them or encounter speakers from these regions.
Additional Tips
Here are a few additional tips to help you with language-related conversations in Japanese:
- When in doubt, it’s always best to use the formal expressions we provided earlier, especially when speaking with individuals you don’t know well.
- If you’d like to say “I speak X language,” you can use the phrase “Watashi wa X-go ga hanasemasu” (私はX語が話せます), where X represents the specific language.
- Don’t worry too much about regional variations. Most Japanese speakers will understand the standard expressions we provided earlier.
- Keep in mind that Japanese language itself has several dialects and honorific variations, so always be open to adjusting your language choices based on the situation.
We hope this guide has been helpful in teaching you how to say different languages in Japanese. Remember to practice speaking with native Japanese speakers to improve your pronunciation and fluency. Enjoy your language-learning journey!
