Japan

Say What? Learning the Japanese Language During Tokyo Olympics

If all else fails, you can always rely on your handy translate app on your phone

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The three-time medalist said she understands the language more than she can speak it, but didn’t let that stop her from sending a message to her Hmong-speaking supporters.

“Hajimemashite, watashi no namae wa amanda des.”

That means “Nice to meet you, my name is Amanda” in Japanese. There are a lot of phrases to help you survive in the county during the Tokyo Olympics - here are my top ten.

Let’s start with the basics of Japanese 101. First up, “konichiwa,” which means "hello". Then there’s “arigato gozaimasu,” which means "thank you very much." I say that one a lot.

There’s “sumimasen,” also known as "excuse me." If you want to say please, you can say “onegaishimasu” or “kudasai.”

If you’re looking for the bathroom, you can ask “toire wa doko deska?” To say "good morning", you can bust it out with “ohaiyo gozaimasu.”

Then there’s “ogenki deska,” which means "how are you?" As you’ve seen me enjoying lots of tasty Japanese snacks, you can say “oishi,” which means "delicious."

Now for the last one: “sayonara” or "goodbye!"

If all else fails, you can always rely on your handy translate app on your phone.

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