In this lesson we'll learn a basic introduction you can use when meeting someone for the first time. As with other aspects of the language, the vocabulary and verb conjugations may vary in terms of formality depending on the situation and who you are speaking to. The example we introduce here is standard polite Japanese, suitable for most circumstances.
| English | Japanese |
|---|---|
| How do you do? / Nice to meet you.When meeting for the first time | はじめまして。hajimemashite. |
| What is (your) name? | お名前 は 何 です か？onamae wa nan desu ka? |
| My name is Jon. | 私 の 名前 は ジョン です。watashi no namae wa jon desu. |
| (I) am from Los Angeles, U.S.A. | アメリカ の ロサンゼルス から 来ました。amerika no rosanzerusu kara kimashita. |
| I'm pleased to meet you. Please treat me well | どうぞ よろしく。douzo yoroshiku. |
| I'm pleased to meet you. Please treat me well | (どうぞ) よろしく お願いします。(douzo) yoroshiku onegaishimasu. |
When asking for someone's name, it is polite to use the honorific お in front of 名前.
よろしくお願いします is more formal than どうぞよろしく, but they mean the same thing. Literally translated they mean something like please treat me well. Though in English this sounds strange, in Japanese this is a normal way to greet someone you've just met.
