Today’s Topic: Japanese School Lite for the ALT.

By Roisin McGowan

Photo by Colodio

Japanese: 起立、気をつけ、礼
Romaji: Kiritsu, ki o tsuke, rei
Translation: Stand up, prepare, bow

Japanese: 放課後部活動
Romaji: Houkago bukatsudo
Translation: After school activities

Japanese: 授業予定をもらいませんでした、ごめんなさい。
Romaji: Jugyou yotei o moraimasen deshita. Gomen nasai.
Translation: I’m sorry, I didn’t receive a lesson plan.

Japanese: 印刷機械の調子がよくないみたいですよ。
Romaji: Insatsu kikai no choushi ga yokunai mitai desu yo.
Translation: It seems that the photocopying machine is not working properly.

Japanese: お任せします。
Romaji: Omakaseshimasu.
Translation: I leave to you. (As in, “I trust you to do all the work.”)

Japanese: ちゃんと座るよ。英語の授業ですから英語だけ話してください。
Romaji: Chanto suwaryo. Eigo no jugyou desu kara eigo dake hanashite kudasai.
Translation: Sit up straight. It’s English class, so please speak English only.

Japanese: 授業の後、プリントを集めます。
Romaji: Jugyou no ato, purinto o atsumarimasu.
Translation: I’ll collect the worksheets after class.

Japanese: やめなさい・しなさい・座りなさい・立ちなさい
Romaji: Yamenasai / shinasai / suwarinasai / tachinasai
Translation: Stop it. / Do it. / Sit down. / Stand up.
* (Be aware that this form is extremely strict.)

Japanese: 静かにしてね・うるさい・黙れ！
Romaji: Shizukanishitene/ urusai / damare!
Translation: Be quiet. / You are being noisy/irritating. / *Be quiet.
*This phrase is used by teachers, but it basically means “shut up”, which can sound quite rude.

Gail Meadows

Gail, a Hiroshima-ken JET based in Hiroshima city, is Editor of the Wide Island View. Besides managing the Wide Island, she blogs about her various exploits in Japan and contributes regularly to JetWit.