Learn Japanese quickly! There are times when you need to apologize. It’s hard enough to say sorry, but not knowing if doing it in formal or informal Japanese can make the situation worse. Depending on whether you are at work or talking to a close friend, you will use Japanese very differently. This Japanese beginner item is very important! It will help you master formal and informal Japanese with real-world examples like how to apologize the right way. In addition to the easy-to-use graphics to help you understand formal and informal Japanese, you will learn essential Japanese vocabulary words such as kaimono (“shopping”). This is a great Japanese item that you are sure to love!

Vocabulary: In this article, you will learn the following words and phrases:

Shuppatsu – “departure, departure”

jikan – “weather”

basu – “bus”

noru – “mount, carry, climb” (verb 1)

wasuremono – “something forgotten, item lost”

miyage – “souvenir, present”

kaimono – “shopping”

takusan – “many, much, much”

shit – “question”

Mooshiwake arimasen. – “Sorry.”

Grammar: In this article, you will learn the following words and phrases:

Useful phrases and vocabulary

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wasuremono – “forgotten object”

kaimono – “shopping”

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Both of them wasuremono and kaimono become verbs when followed by -o suru gold -surú.

For instance:

1. wasuremono (or) suru
   “forget something” (literally, “make a lost item”)
2. kaimono ( or ) suru
   “go shopping” (literally, “go shopping”)

Examples of sentences:

1. Wasuremono or shimashita. “I forgot something.”
2. O-miyage-ya from kaimono or shimashita. “I did some shopping at a souvenir shop.”

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noru – “ride, climb, carry”

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We mark the transport that is taken with the particle or. The opposite word is Oriru. However, we mark the transport that is being taken up with the particle. or.

For more information, see article 19 of the Nihongo Doojoo Beginner Series.

Transport / Particle / Noru goldOriru

Basu / or / noru (norimasu)

Densha / or / noru (norimasu)

Chikatestu / or / noru (norimasu)

Takushii / or / noru (norimasu)

Rickshaw / or / noru (norimasu)

Basu / or / Oriru (orimasu)

Densha / or / Oriru (orimasu)

Chikatestu / or / Oriru (orimasu)

Takushii / or / Oriru (orimasu)

Rickshaw / or / Oriru (orimasu)

For instance:

1. Tookyoo-eki ni notte kudasai from Yamanote-sen.
   “Take the Yamanote Line at Tokyo Station.”
2. Tookyoo-eki from Yamanote-sen or orite kudasai.
   “Get off the Yamanote Line at Tokyo Station.”

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Mooshiwake arimasen. – “My apologies.”

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The literal meaning of mooshiwake arimasen it is “no place for excuses”. By saying this phrase, the speaker is technically admitting one’s guilt for something. In more formal situations, we use enjoy (“does not exist”) instead of arimasen. Gozaimasen is a humble way of arimasen.

* Expressing apologies

For more information, see article 10 of the Nihongo Doojoo Newbie Welcome to Style You series.

See the following to review the formality.

1. Mooshiwake gozaimasen.
   Very formal. We use this phrase to express apologies in a business situation.
2. Mooshiwake arimasen.
   Formal. We use this to express apologies in a business situation, but it is less formal than Mooshiwake enjoy.
3. Mooshiwake nai desu.
   Less formal than Mooshiwake arimasen, but it is still a formal expression.
4. Mooshiwake nai.
   Informal. We cannot use this in a formal situation.

Grammar review

In this article, we will learn more about formal and informal speech by reviewing the past negative form of a verb.

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“I have no time.”

Formal: Jikan ga arimasen deshita.

Informal: Jikan ga nakatta.

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How to create the negative past formal of a verb:

1. Change the verb to its corresponding –masu form.
2. Release –masu and add –masen deshita.

For more information, see Nihongo Doojoo Newbie Series Style You and Beyond Article 23

Verb conjugation of formal forms:

Dictionary form / Not past (-masu form) / No negative past / Last / Negative past

kau / kaimasu / kaimasen / kaimashita / kaimasendeshita

aru / arimasu / arimasen / arimashita / arimasendeshita

How to create the negative form in the informal past of a verb:

1. Change the verb to its corresponding –nai form.
2. Release -I and add -katta.

Verb conjugation of informal forms

Class 1 verbs:

Not past (dictionary form) / No negative past / Last (-your form) / Negative past

kau / kawanai / Katta / kawanakatta

iku / ikanai / itta / ikanakatta

kaku / kakanai / kaita / kakanakatta

hanasu / hanasanai / hanashita / hanasanakatta

Class 2 verbs:

Not past (dictionary form) / No negative past / Last (-your form) / Negative past

taberu / tabenai / tabeta / tabenakatta

neru / baby / net / nenakatta

Class 3 verbs:

Not past (dictionary form) / No negative past / Last (-your form) / Negative past

suru / shinai / shita / shinakatta

kuru / konai / kita / konakatta

Exception!!!

Aru means “to exist”. However, the informal negative non-past form is not aranai, objective nai.Not past (dictionary form) / No negative past / Last (-your form) / Negative past

aru / nai / attack / nakatta

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Practice 1

Fill in the blanks and fill in the informal verb conjugation table.

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“English” / Not past (dictionary form) / No negative past / Last (-your form) / Negative past

“expect” / matsu / matanai / ___ / ___

“To die” / shinu / ___ / shinda / ___

“to call” / I bu / ___ / ___ / ___

“to ride” / ___ / noranai / ___ / ___

“eat” / ___ / ___ / tabeta / ___

“look” / miru / ___ / ___ / minakatta

“do” / ___ / ___ / ___ / ___

“come” / ___ / ___ / ___ / ___

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Practice 2

Rewrite the sentences informally.

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1. Watashi wa hiru-gohan or tabemasendeshita.
   _____________________________________________________________________
2. O-miyage or kaimasen deshita.
   _____________________________________________________________________
3. Wakarimasen dehsita.
   _____________________________________________________________________
4. O-kane ga arimasen deshita.
   _____________________________________________________________________

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Rewrite the sentences formally.

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1. Kamakura ni ikanakatta.
   _____________________________________________________________________
2. Kankoo shinakatta.
   _____________________________________________________________________
3. Densha ni noranakatta.
   _____________________________________________________________________