“PHAROS, Can You Teach Me Japanese?” We said, “はい, はい”

“PHAROS, Can You Teach Me Japanese?” We said, “はい, はい” 남혜승 기자 2024-11-15 01:38:09

Language has enormous power. Through language, people all around the world can be connected, and also people can share culture and express our own desires, intentions, and thoughts. Every language is worth learning, but this time Pharos will introduce some useful and interesting Japanese slang that our readers can use in real life, from a Japanese international reporter!

How Much Do You Know About Japanese ‘Slang’?

『Yabai (やばい)』

The most used slang word in Japan is yabai. Yabai can be used in a variety of ways, not only when faced with a bad situation but also when something good happens. The meaning is similar to OMG.

-A sentence example-

A：‌‌英語のレポートの提出期限って明日の‌ 何時までだっけ？

B：‌‌え？明日じゃなくて今日だよ？‌ あと1時間後に締め切られるよ！

A：‌‌嘘！やばい!! すぐ書いて提出しなくちゃ。

A: What time do we have to submit our report tomorrow?

B: What? It's today, not tomorrow. It's due in an hour!

A: Oh no! I have to write it down and submit it right away!

『Emoi (エモい)』

Recently, slang tends to be created by a fusion of Japanese and other languages, especially English, for example, emoi. Emoi is created by a fusion of the English word “emotional” with an added “い(i)” to the end to make it an adjective. Emoi refers to something or a situation that is very retro and fashionable.

-A sentence example-

A：見て！おばあちゃんの昔の写真見つけた。

B：すごい！白黒写真じゃん！

A：おじいちゃんも映ってる！なんかエモいね～

A: Look! I found an old picture of my grandma.

B: Wow! It's a black-and-white photo!

A: My grandpa is in it too! That's so nostalgic!

『Gachi (がち)』

Lastly, there is an expression, gachi, which has the same meaning and usage as “seriously” or “for real.”

-A sentence example-

A：今空港に着いたんだけど航空券を家に置いてきたかもしれない。

B：がちで？ちゃんと探した？