If one is offered a leaflet you don't want, or some food you don't want, or if you are asked to do something you don't want to do...what phrases are best to use in Japanese?
The two Ive heard of are...
Chotto Chigaimasu
Kekko desu
Any others or better ones?
2006-09-20 04:10:20 · 6 answers · asked by GLOWlad 2 in Travel ➔ Asia Pacific ➔ Japan
chotto chigaimasu, means "that is different". and shouldn't be used in this situation.
kekko desu is good for stopping someone giving you something on the street.
But if someone you are with offers you something you don't want to eat or asks you to do something you don't want to do say...
mmmm sore wa chotto......
Its the politest way to decline, it literally means, mmmm that's a little bit......
but Japanese people will take that to mean that you don't want to do something. If you can tilt your head to the side while saying it, it should have the perfect effect.
You can change the "sore" for different things. e.g.
"ima wa chotto..." - Now isn't a good time.
"ashita wa chotto...." - I'm busy tomorrow.
"natto wa chotto...." - I don't really like natto.
"osake wa chotto...." - I don't drink alcohol.
etc etc.
2006-09-20 16:44:58 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
"Kekkou desu" is perfectly polite and literally means "I'm quite". The usual response to that is "'Quite' what?" "Quite" as in you've had quite enough sushi, coffee, tea, or what have you.
If someone were suggesting that you go out and have sushi with them ("Osushi o tabemasen ka?"), you could say, "Osushi wa chotto..." which literally means "Sushi is a little bit..."
Saying that anything is "a little bit" sounds unusual to English speakers, but remember that the Japanese do not like to say "No" directly. They are the masters of things left unsaid, and this is as close as you can get without giving a direct or abrupt "No".
There are other ways to express refusal for food and activities, but these are polite enough to get you by without crossing into the realm of "casual" speech (which, depending on who you're around can either be good or bad).
2006-09-20 16:47:02 · answer #2 · answered by Tokyo Mokyo 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Kekko desu seems a bit too sharp to me, it might be fine for refusing the flyer on the street, you could also say "domo, kyoumi ga arimasen" (I'm not interested, thank you.) but in polite company or when offered food, i'd probably lie and say I was full. (manpuku desu.)
2006-09-20 04:25:44 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Like the above, I think kekko desu does sound a bit shaor and harsh.
I often just say gomen nasai - "I'm sorry "to the massage girls who harras me to partake in their massuese skills
2006-09-20 16:22:36 · answer #4 · answered by samurai_dave 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
gomen demo iranai desu
sorry but i dont need it
2006-09-20 09:03:46 · answer #5 · answered by vyne 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
saying "iie, kekko desu" is the best....
2006-09-20 04:24:27 · answer #6 · answered by Japan_is_home 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋