ゆっくり話してください Please speak slowly.

Tam is eating lunch at her university's cafeteria. Another student, a Japanese woman, comes over and starts talking to her.

#7
Scripts
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隣、いい?
Tonari, ii?
May I sit next to you?
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え? はい。
E? Hai.
Oh. Yes.
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ありがとう。留学生なの?
Arigatoo. Ryuugakusee na no?
Thank you. Are you a foreign student?
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すみません。よくわかりません。
Sumimasen. Yoku wakarimasen.
I’m sorry. I don’t quite understand.
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ゆっくり話してください。
Yukkuri hanashite kudasai.
Please speak slowly.
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あ、ごめん、ごめん。
A, gomen, gomen.
Oh, sorry, sorry.
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あなたはりゅうがくせいですか。
Anata wa ryuugakusee desu ka.
Are you a foreign student?
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わたしはあやかです。
Watashi wa A-YA-KA desu.
I’m Ayaka.
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よろしくね。
Yoroshiku ne.
Nice to meet you.
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はい。私はタムです。
Hai. Watashi wa Tamu desu.
Yes. I’m Tam.
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よろしくお願いします。
Yoroshiku onegai-shimasu.
Nice to meet you too.
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Vocabulary (16)
Basic phrase
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Asking someone to speak more slowly
ゆっくり話してください。
Yukkuri hanashite kudasai.
Please speak slowly.
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To make a request, use "[the TE-form of a verb] + kudasai." The TE-form is a conjugated verb that ends with "te" or "de." "Hanashite" is the TE-form of "hanasu" or "speak." Japanese verbs are categorized into three groups. Conjugation of the TE-form varies by group. How to make the TE-form: With Group 1 verbs, if the dictionary form ends with "‐(w)u," "‐t(s)u," or "-ru," change the ending to "-tte." For those ending with "-bu" or "-mu," change the ending to "-nde." Verbs that end with "-ku" or "-gu," are changed to "-ite" or "-ide." "Iku" meaning "to go" is an exception. Its ending becomes "itte." For verbs ending with "-su," change the "-su" to "-shite." With Group 2 verbs, change the ending of the dictionary form from "-ru" to "-te." As for Group 3's irregular verbs, "kuru" meaning "to come" becomes "kite." "Suru" meaning "to do" becomes "shite."

Use It!
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すみません。もう一度言ってください。
Sumimasen. Moo ichi-do itte kudasai.
I’m sorry. Please say it again.
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あ、はい。
A, hai.
Oh, OK.
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Try It Out!
1
Which of these three choices is the correct way to say this sentence in Japanese?
I’m sorry. Please speak in English.
英語で言う(→言って)
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Eego de iu (→itte)
speak in English
I’m sorry. Please speak in English.
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1. Sumimasen. Eego de itte kudasai.
2. Sumimasen. Eego de iu kudasai.
3. Sumimasen. Eego kudasai.
2
Say the sentence in Japanese, using the following word(s).
I’m sorry. Please XXX. すみません。~てください。 Sumimasen. ~te kudasai.
ローマ字で書く(→書いて)
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Roomaji de kaku (→kaite)
write in the alphabet
I’m sorry. Please XXX. すみません。~てください。 Sumimasen. ~te kudasai.
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Show answer すみません。ローマ字で書いてください。
3
Say the sentence in Japanese, using the following word(s).
I’m sorry. Please XXX. すみません。~てください。 Sumimasen. ~te kudasai.
読み方を教える(→教えて)
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yomikata o oshieru (→oshiete)
teach how to read
I’m sorry. Please XXX. すみません。~てください。 Sumimasen. ~te kudasai.
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Show answer すみません。読み方を教えてください。

Bonus phrase
すみません。よくわかりません。
Sumimasen. Yoku wakarimasen.
I’m sorry. I don’t quite understand.

Use this when you can't understand what the speaker said to you. Putting "yoku" before "wakarimasen" or "don't understand" makes it more polite.


Culture
Japanese news
Kaito Is Your Food Guide!
Japanese Dishes

Popular Japanese dishes include nigirizushi, slices of raw fish on top of vinegared rice, and sukiyaki seasoned with soy sauce and sugar.

Rice is the staple food in Japan. People usually eat steamed rice with fish, meat, and vegetables. Miso soup or some other kind of soup often comes with the meal. Western dishes, such as spaghetti and stew, can be found everywhere.