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When's the Party? by Molly Hakes

If the first enkai you attend is a party in your honor, you may not have to pay. In order to be polite, you should definitely attend a second time (so that you can help pay for the guest of honor) whenever the occasion arises. If you have a schedule conflict with the night of the enkai, you can politely decline the invitation:

Sumimasen, sono hi ni yotei ga haitte imasu no de, ikemasen. Mata kondo yoroshiku onegai shimasu.

Sorry, I have plans on that day. Please ask me again next time.

If this is a party being held in your honor, it is best to attend. Most places will do you the courtesy of coordinating the party with your schedule before setting up a date. Here's a sample dialogue for setting up an enkai date.

58

<tgroup cols="2"> <colspec colname="col1" colnum="1" colwidth="50%" colsep="0" rowsep="0" align="left"/> <colspec colname="col2" colnum="2" colwidth="50%" colsep="0" rowsep="0" align="left"/> <tbody> <tr> <td><p><B>Supervisor:</B></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Pottaa-san, sumimasen, raishuu no kin-yoobi no yuugata ni yotei wa arimasu ka</emphasis>.</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><para/></td> <td><p>Excuse me, Mr. Potter, are you free next Friday evening?</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><B>Potter:</B></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Raishuu no kin-yoobi desu ka. Nanimo nai to omoimasu</emphasis>.</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><para/></td> <td><p>Next Friday? I don't think I have anything planned.</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><B>Supervisor:</B></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Yokatta. Pottaa-san no uerukamu paatei o yaritai to omoimasu</emphasis>.</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><para/></td> <td><p>Good. We would like to have a welcome party for you.</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><B>Potter:</B></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Hontoo ni? Arigatoo gozaimasu</emphasis>.</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><para/></td> <td><p>Really? Thank you!</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><B>Supervisor:</B></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Biiru wa daijoobu desu ka</emphasis>.</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><para/></td> <td><p>Are you able to drink beer?</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><B>Potter:</B></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Hai, daijoobu desu</emphasis>.</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><para/></td> <td><p>Yes, I can drink beer.</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><B>Supervisor:</B></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Jaa, mukae ni ikimasu. Sore nara ippai nomemasu</emphasis>.</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><para/></td> <td><p>Alright, then I'll pick you up. That way, you can drink a lot.</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><B>Potter:</B></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Sumimasen. Nan-ji gurai ni kite moraemasu ka</emphasis>.</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><para/></td> <td><p>That is very kind of you. What time can I expect you?</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><B>Supervisor:</B></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Go-ji han de yorishii desu ka</emphasis>.</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><para/></td> <td><p>How does 5:30 sound?</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><B>Potter:</B></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>O-machi shite orimasu</emphasis>.</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><para/></td> <td><p>I'll be waiting.</p></td> </tr> </tbody> </tgroup> </table> <h2>New Vocabulary</h2> <p>There are a few new terms used in this dialogue. The use of the word <emphasis>daijoobu</emphasis>, which means “okay,” is a good example of the indirectness of the Japanese language. Instead of directly asking Potter-san if he drinks beer, the supervisor asks if beer is okay (“Do you like to drink?” is the implied question).</p> <p>Another new phrase is <emphasis>to omoimasu</emphasis>. The verb <emphasis>omoo</emphasis> has several different definitions, including “to think,” “to hope,” and “to fear,” or “to be afraid.”<emphasis>Omoo</emphasis> is used to state beliefs, considerations, wants, expectations, and intentions.</p> <p>You will hear this phrase often in professional situations. It serves as a way to soften a personal statement or opinion.</p> <p>In the previous dialogue, the polite from of the verb, <emphasis>omoimasu</emphasis>, is preceded by the word <emphasis>to</emphasis>. These two are rarely apart. <emphasis>To</emphasis> functions somewhat like the word “that” in the English phrase “I think that,” except that the order of “think” and “that” is reversed in Japanese: <emphasis>to omoimasu</emphasis>.</p> <h2>Setting Dates</h2> <p>When discussing schedules and setting up party times, it is essential to know the following words and phrases. Days of the week are represented by basic <emphasis>kanji</emphasis> characters whose meanings may serve as a mnemonic device. You can remember, for example, that <emphasis>nichiyoobi</emphasis> is “the day of the sun,” and that <emphasis>getsuyoobi</emphasis> is “the day of the moon.”</p> <table frame="none" width="100%"> <h2>Days of the Week</h2> <tgroup cols="3"> <colspec colname="col1" colnum="1" colwidth="40%" colsep="0" rowsep="0" align="left"/> <colspec colname="col2" colnum="2" colwidth="30%" colsep="0" rowsep="0" align="left"/> <colspec colname="col3" colnum="3" colwidth="30%" colsep="0" rowsep="0" align="left"/> <thead> <tr> <td><p>Japanese</p></td> <td><p>Kanji Character Meaning</p></td> <td><p>English</p></td> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>nichiyoobi</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>sun, day</p></td> <td><p>Sunday</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>getsuyoobi</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>moon, month</p></td> <td><p>Monday</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>kayoobi</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>fire</p></td> <td><p>Tuesday</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>suiyoobi</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>water</p></td> <td><p>Wednesday</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>mokuyoobi</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>tree</p></td> <td><p>Thursday</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>kinyoobi</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>money, gold</p></td> <td><p>Friday</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>doyoobi</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>soil, path</p></td> <td><p>Saturday</p></td> </tr> </tbody> </tgroup> </table> <p>In the following table, you will notice a certain pattern: <emphasis>kon</emphasis> refers to “this,” or “the present,” <emphasis>rai</emphasis> means “next,” and <emphasis>sen</emphasis> means “last” or “previous.” Note one irregularity: When referring to “this year,” the word <emphasis>toshi</emphasis> is used instead of <emphasis>nen</emphasis>.</p> <table frame="none" width="100%"> <title/> <tgroup cols="2"> <colspec colname="col1" colnum="1" colwidth="50%" colsep="0" rowsep="0" align="left"/> <colspec colname="col2" colnum="2" colwidth="50%" colsep="0" rowsep="0" align="left"/> <thead> <tr> <entry namest="col1" nameend="col2"><p>Time Talk</p></td> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>kyoo</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>today</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>ashita</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>tomorrow</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>kinoo</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>yesterday</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>konshuu</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>this week</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>raishuu</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>next week</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>senshuu</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>last week</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>kongetsu</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>this month</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>raigetsu</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>next month</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>sengetsu</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>last month</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>kotoshi</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>this year</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>rainen</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>next year</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>kyonen</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>last year</p></td> </tr> </tbody> </tgroup> </table> <div class="npsb"> <h2></h2> <p>When referring to the months of the year, the term <emphasis>gatsu</emphasis> follows the number word for each month. January, for example, is <emphasis>ichigatsu</emphasis>, and February is <emphasis>nigatsu</emphasis>. For “last month,” “this month,” and “next month,” use <emphasis>getsu</emphasis> instead of <emphasis>gatsu: sengetsu, kongetsu, raigetsu</emphasis>, respectively.</p> </div> <!--/gc--> <div id="pagination"><ul><li class="prev"><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/japanese/letting-loose-party-dialogues/can-you-drink-nihon-shu.htm" title="Can You Drink Nihon-shu?">Can You Drink Nihon-shu?</a></li><li class="next"><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/japanese/letting-loose-party-dialogues/the-afterparty.htm" title="The Afterparty">The Afterparty</a> </li></ul></div></div> <div id="coda"> <div id="rel"><div class="n5">Related Articles</div><ul> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/japanese/letting-loose-party-dialogues/whens-the-party.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> When's the Party? - Japanese </a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/improve-your-writing/how-to-write-what-you-mean/choosing-action-verbs.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> Choosing Action Verbs - Improve Your Writing </a></li> <li><a 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