Learn Japanese fast! Formal introductions might not be fun, but they are a fact of life. Depending on who you're talking to, the way you present yourself can be drastically different. One of the most critical skills you'll learn when speaking Japanese is the ability to confidently use formal and informal speech. A big part of that is knowing how to act in varying social situations. This Newbie Japanese article is all about introducing yourself formally in Japanese and when to do it. By the end of this article, you'll be a pro at using to mooshimasu to present your name in a formal manner. This dynamic Japanese article also contains a review of some pertinent information you learned in earlier lessons. For example, you'll find a comprehensive review of the Japanese word arimasu and a user-friendly practice chart.

Vocabulary: In this article, you'll learn the following words and phrases:

kangoshi - "nurse"

yoyaku - "reservation, appointment"

mooshimasu (humble form) - "to be called, to say" (-masu form)

hajimete - "for the first time"

hokenshoo- "insurance card"

byooin- "hospital"

sakki - "some time ago"

Grammar: In this article, you'll learn the following words and phrases:

Useful Vocabulary and Phrases

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Rorii to mooshimasu

"I'm Lori."

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___ to mooshimasu is a formal way to introduce your name. To is a particle that marks a quotation. Mooshimasu is a humble expression meaning, "to say."

For Example:

Hajimemashite. Watashi wa Mizuki Kazuo to mooshimasu. "It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Kazuo Mizuki."

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hajimete

"for the first time"

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Observe the usage in the following sentences.

For Example:

Tookyoo wa hajimete desu ka. "Is this your first time visiting Tokyo?"
Hajimete, soba o tabemashita. "I had buckwheat noodles for the first time."
Hajimete, Nagano ni ikimashita. "I went to Nagano for the first time."

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Grammar Review

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In this article, we are going to review the usage of arimasu and the past form of the masu form of a verb. We covered both grammar points in Newbie Series Season 4 Article 25.

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Yoyaku wa arimasu ka.

"Do you have a reservation?"

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yoyaku - "reservation"

wa - topic marker

arimasu - "to exist, to have"

ka - question marker

Arimasu is the masu form of the verb aru, which indicates the existence of a non-animated object. In an affirmative sentence, the particle ga marks the object. However, in a negative or yes-no question, we can mark the object with either ga or wa.

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"There is a ___" / "There are ___"

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Byooin ga arimasu. "There's a hospital."
Chikaku ni toire ga arimasu ka. "Are there restrooms near here?"

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"I have ___" / "Someone has ___"

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The sentence pattern "[person] wa [noun] ga arimasu" corresponds with "[person] has [noun]" in English.

For Example:

Watashi wa yotei ga arimasu. "I have plans."
(Rorii-san wa ) hoken-shoo ga arimasu ka. "Do you have an insurance card, Lori?"

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Sakki, denwa o shimashita.

"I made a phone call some time ago."

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sakki - "some time ago"

denwa - "telephone"

o - object marker

shimashita - past tense of the verb shimasu ("to do")

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Masu Form of a Verb

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Negative Form: Change -masu to -masen Example: shi masu becomes shi masen
Past Form: Change -masu to -mashita Example: shi masu becomes shi mashita
Negative Past Form: Change -masu to -masen deshita Example: shi masu becomes shi masen deshita

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Practice

Fill in the blanks.

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"English" / Non-Past Affirmative / Non-Past Negative / Past Affirmative / Past Negative

"to go" / ikimasu / ikimasen / ___ / ___

"to eat" / tabemasu / ___ / tabemashita / ___

"to look" / mimasu / ___ / ___ / mimasendeshita

"to come" / ___ / ___ / kimashita / ___

"___" / ___ / shimasen / ___ / ___

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