2017/03/28

Welcoming new members in Japanese.




Hi, there!
Sorry for not updating for such a long time.
I can't believe one month has passed since the last post.

By the way, have you already started communicating in a Japanese speaking group on Facebook or any other SNS as I wrote in my previous posts?
Then, it's YOUR turn to welcome a new member to your community.
That's the main topic for today's lesson.

For beginners

If you are a beginner learner of Japanese language, remember just one new word.
It's ようこそ (Youkoso) which means "Welcome".
But this is too short as a warm welcome, so, it will be much better if you add your self-introduction. If you don't remember how to introduce yourself in social media, please refer my past article on this topic. "ようこそ" and your self-introduction will be a perfect welcoming message for a beginner.

Now, the problem for beginners is that it is not easy to find self-introduction among thousands of posts.
In this case, you can visit "The Nihongo Learning Community" again, and find the list of self-introductions by native Japanese speakers.
日本語話者の自己紹介まとめ List of self-introductions by native Japanese speakers

In this group, of course you can see lots of non Japanese speakers introducing themselves in Japanese, too. If you would like to welcome them in Japanese, you can refer this list.
学習者・非母語話者自己紹介まとめ List of self-introductions by learners and non Japanese native speakers

For A2 level learners

If you feel above-mentioned welcoming message is not challenging, then, you can add some questions. For example, when the new member is a student, you can ask his or her major, something like this.

ご専攻は何ですか?
Go-senkou wa nandesuka?
What do you major in?

If he or she is already working, then you can ask like this.

お仕事は何ですか?
O-shigoto wa nandesuka?
What do you do for a living?

As a closing, you can add this pattern.

ここで一緒に〜ましょう!
Kokode isshoni ~ mashou!
Let's do ~ here together!

What you do together must be something related to the group you belong to.
For example, If you are in the "The Japanese Learning Community", You can tell him or her to learn Japanese together as following.

ここで一緒に日本語を勉強しましょう!
Kokode isshoni nihongo-wo benkyou shimashou!
Let's learn Japanese here together!

For B1 level or higher

One of the more powerful ways to welcome new members is finding something you have in common with them. Just look at the profile and find something you like, or somewhere you have been.

If you find something you like in their profile whether it's about books sports, or anything, then you can add these expressions.

新海誠の映画がお好きなんですか? 私もです。」
"Shinkai makotono eigaga o-sukinandesuka? Watashimo desu."
"Do you like the films by Shinkai Makoto? Me, too."

If you find a common place that you've also been to, then you can add these expression.

「私もブダペストに行ったことがあるんですよ」
"Watashimo Budapesutoni itta kotoga arundesuyo."
"I have been to Budapest, too."

Even if you can't find anything in common, it's OK. If you have heard about their birth place or where they live, you can tell them this way.
「~ご出身なんですね。行ってみたいです。」
"~ go-shussin-nandesune. Itte mitaidesu."
"You are from ~. I would like to visit there."

This "〜てみたい" is very convenient expression when you have nothing in common with them.
Literally, it means "I would like to try ~ing."
So, if somebody is sharing a picture of any food, you can say "食べてみたいです" (I want to try eating it.) . Or "聞いてみたいです"(I want to try listening to it.) for any post on a certain piece of music.

Example

Suppose you were a Canadian and welcoming a Japanese whose name is Makie from Hokkaido, where you have never been to, to a Shinkai Makoto's  fans group. Then your welcoming message would be like this.

ようこそ、まきえさん!
日本語を勉強中のカナダ人です。
「君の名は。」の奥寺先輩にハマってます。
北海道ご出身なんですね。行ってみたいです。
ここで一緒に新海さんのアニメについて話しましょう!
Welcome, Makie!
I'm a Canadian learning Japanese.
I like the character Ms.Okudera in the film "Your name."
You are from Hokkaido, right? I want to visit there someday.
Let's talk about Anime by Mr.Shinkai in this group!


This is the end of the lesson today.
I hope you found it helpful.

But as I always remind you, please don't stop here. Before you turn your TV on, open the links I shared in this article, and start to communicate in Japanese. Just one post will change your day.

In the next post, I will write how to add short captions to your photos. If you have an account on Instagram, you can't miss it!