Introduction

はじめまして。ベッカです。カールトンだいがくのがくせいです。いませねんせいです。せんもんわれきしです。はたちです。おくにわカナダです。どうぞよろしく。

Introduction Questions:

Onamae wa?                  What is your name?
おくにわ？

Okuni wa?                     What country are you from?

おくにわ？

Senmon wa?                  What is your major?

せんもんわ？

Genki?                           How are you?

げんき？

Dokokara?                     Where are you from?

どこから？

Nannensai?                  What year are you in?

なんねんさい？

Japanese is a language where not everything is given to you. In English, we make a point to say who we are talking to and exactly what we mean. Japanese is vague however. One word can be both your question and answer. For example, when asking someone how they are, you just ask "Genki?" A normal response would be "Hai, genki desu."

Now, he might seem a little repetitive, but I want to let you know that Dan Taichi has the right idea. Learn to make desu your new best friend, because it really is one of the best words ever. Want to answer any of these questions? Take your answer and tag desu on the end. So when I answer those questions, it sounds like this:

Becca desu! Kanada desu! Rekishi desu! Ottawa karadesu! Sannensai desu! Hajimemashite doozoyoroshiku!

Why yes, I DO want to bounce about and say DA-DA-DA-DAAAAAN after listing that off. But I'd much rather say "Becca desu" instead of "Onamae wa Becca desu! Okuni wa Kanada desu!"

Anyone who's listened to Japanese will quickly realize that Japanese is a language of consentration. If you can make it shorter, you do it. Hence the reason we call it Tenimyu, Burimyu, and they're all keen to nickname things. It is everywhere in Japanese. You watch a terebi and shop in a depato. So get used to nicknames or being nicknamed. XD

Okay, so, for those questions... I'm not putting every potential answer. So, if you don't know your answer, comment, and I'll reply with your answers. If you DO know some, or all of the answers, reply anyways for practice! ^__^

Vocabulary
Kanada カナダ                                    Canada
Amerika  アメリカ                              America
ichinensei   いちねんせい                   First year
ninensei  にねんせい                          Second year
sannensei さんねんせい                    Third year
kagaku かがく                                   Science
keizai けいざい                                 Economics
kokusaikankei   こくさいかんけい      International Relations
Seiji せいじ                                        Law / Politics
Bijinesu ビジネス                               Business
Rekishi  れきし                                   History
koukousei こうこうせい                     High school student

okaasan - mother
otousan - father
oneesan - older sister
oniisan - older brother
imooto - younger sister
otooto - younger brother

Random lessons learned:
No matter how girly Fuji looks, he is ONIISAN, not ONEESAN for Yuuta.
Sumason is NOT how you say sorry or excuse me, Shinji is wrong.

Next time I post:
The bane of my existance, numbers. How to ask and give the time and your phone number.
Reposting of the hiragana chart.