Conversation Dialogue 2: Asking How to Say X in Japanese
 

 

One of the most useful expressions is to ask how to say something in Japanese. You can accomplish this by using the verb いいます "say" as shown below.

 

Japanese House
A: table」は にほんごで なんて いいますか。
B: 「テーブル」って いいます。
A: それは おもしろい テーブルですねえ。
B: あ、これは こたつです。

 

key voc
1. by means of, in, with [ marks means or instruments]
2. (っ)て [casual quotation marker]
3. [formal quotation marker]
4. いいます to say [Xって いいます "(We) call it X"]
5. おもしろい [-Adj] interesting [←→ つまらない "boring"]
6. ねえ [sentence particle to seek or express agreement]
7. こたつ table equipped with a heater

Key Vocabulary -Adjectives

1. たかい tall
expensive
vs.[ひくい]
vs.やすい
low
cheap
2. やさしい easy vs.むずかしい difficult
3. おもしろい interesting vs.つまらない boring
4. やさしい kind, gentle vs.きびしい strict
5. あかるい bright, cheerful

vs.[くらい]

dark, gloomy
6. おいしい tasty vs.[まずい] bad tasting
7. いい good    
8. いそがしい busy    
9. かわいい cute    
10. [かっこいい] cool, stylish    
English
A: How do you say "table" in Japanese?
B: We say "teeburu."
A: That's an interesting table.
B: Oh, this is "kotatsu."
bunka
1. kotatsu こたつ is a low table with a heater attached under the top with a futon draped over. It is a traditional heating device in winter.