Any fluent Japanese speakers out there ? I need help !?

Question

Umm...I would like some help about a few Japanese vocabulary that I don't quite understand...
What are the differences between "Domo Arigato", "Arigato Gozaimasu", and "Arigato Gazaimashita"?
Also, when do you use "desu" and "arimasu"? What are the differences between the two?
And I think that "Onegaishimasu" (or just Onegai) means "please", or am I mistaken?
And if "Onegaishimasu" means "please", then what does "Kudasai" mean?
And when asking one if they speak English, do you just say, "(Kimi Wa) Eigo Ga Hanasemasuka?" or can you add a "desu ka" at the end? Or is the "desu ka" not needed/implied?
And, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and...Ahhh!!!!
Arigato =D

Answer 1

Ok my son says:
Domo Arigato is Thank you but Arigato Gozaimuasu is the very polite way to say it, as in to someone you don't know well or is your senior.
Arimasu is for non-living things (like a book, shoe, etc.)
Desu, is how you end a sentance.
Onegaishimasu does mean please.
Kudasia is "the action" word like kitti kudasai means to sit down please.
You end a question in desu ka.

I hope this helps.

Answer 2

If you are trying to learn Japanese, I suggest learning Hiragana and Katakana first. It is an important step and not so many can make it over that hurdle.

In regards to your questions:

Doumo Arigatou = "Thank you very much"

Arigatou Gozaimasu-More polite and literally can mean: "I am/exist thanking you"

you could also say

Doumo Arigatou Gozaimasu- This is even more honorific as it combines both it means " I am/exist thanking you very much"

Now as far as "desu" goes, in proper grammar this word is called a "copula" in Japanese there really is not a "to be" verb so they use this verb to replace it. It also serves the function of being honorific.

Arimasu = "It exists"

This word is for things that are not alive they can be thoughts or just inanimate objects.

Onegaishimasu = "I am asking you the/a favor"

Kudasai = " please"

Both of those words mean please but onegaishimasu puts you a little farther away from the people you are speaking.

You can say "eigo ga hanasemasu ka" if you want. It is good grammar. I would not suggest using "kimi wa" though, pronouns are usually avoided in Japanese if you can. (Kimi also means "buddy" so people don't use it so much with strangers....)

When you have a verb conjugated to the "masu" form, (When you see "masu" at the end of a sentence) it is not correct grammar to add "desu" afterwords.

Also,

Since you have "hanasemasu ka" already written, you do not need to say "ka" again.

Again, I suggest studying the writting then the phrases. And so on to particles, vocab and more grammar....... if you want to learn the language that is

Hope that helped!

Answer 3

Domo, arigatou, domo arigatou, arigatou gozaimasu, domo arigatou gozaimasu, domo arigatou gozaimashita, etc are all thankyous of varying degrees of respect to the listener.

The same applies to please:

When ordering somethinhg at a shop etc, you can use either Kudasai or onegaishimasu, but as a please on it's own as we sometimes say, like," Can I borrow your car? Please please pleeeeease!!!" Onegai only is used, like, "Onegaaaaaaaaaai!"

"Desu" is more for stating a fact, like, " Boku wa Nihonjin desu!"
and arimasu is more for stating the something exists or is there.
"Ano machi ni koen ga aru no? " "Is there a park in that town?"
"Hai, arimasu!" "Yes!"

If the question ends in a noun, you can use "desu ka" , but if it ends in a verb, you use whatever verb form is necessary plus, "ka"
Get yourself a book called,"Japanese grammar dictionary" It will be very useful to you for learning the rules of grammar.

One thing, I don't recommend that you always put "desu" or "masu" on the end of every sentence, it's a common misconception among foreigners that they need to sound polite all the time, when in fact it comes off as stiff, formal and very unnatural. It is much more friendly and natural to use the "-ru" forms in many instances, because it has more of a familiar family feeling.

Answer 4

The Japanese language is all about respect, honor, and humbility and, once you've mastered the language, you speak differently to certain people depending on the "circle" they are in for you.

Doumo, arigatou, doumo arigatou, arigatou gozaimasu/mashita, doumo arigatou gozaimasu/mashita are the varying levels on how to give your thanks to others. As a foreigner, you should just stick to "doumo arigatou, arigatou gozaimasu/mashita, doumo arigatou gozaimasu/mashita" and not try to experiment in anything else yet.

Japanese isn't a language you can necessarily just purely translate. A dictionary might say it is "please", but there are other ways to say "please" as well depending on what is going on around you. You can't just learn the word, you have to learn how to use the word in the correct context. Onegai / onegasi shimasu/mashita and kudasai both mean please.

Do not use kimi. If you *must* use "you", use "anata". But it's always best to either use the person's name or exclude it completely.

Desu is used when you cannot use masu. Masu is for verb endings whereas desu. As a beginning, you should always make sure your sentences end in either desu or masu because it makes them humble.
You do *not* combine the two together.
It's either "neko ga imasu ka?" or "anata no pen desu ka?", never "neko ga imasu desu ka?" or "anata no pen arimasu desu ka?"
You already have one ending needed, you do not add on another one. It would just make you seem like a *really* stupid foreigner. (Or a huge fan of Babelfish's crappy translations.)

Answer 5

Just very quickly and incompletely...
"Domo Arigato", = informal "thanks!"
"Arigato Gozaimasu", = more formal "Thank you!"
and "Arigato Gozaimashita" = past tense "Thank you for what you did for me / gave to me."

"Onegaishimasu" = the equivalent of "Please will you do this for me"
"Kudasai" = "please can I have..."

If something ends in '...masu' you don't need a 'desu' after it.

Answer 6

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