Some useful japanese for the dojo classes

[utsutsu]

Hello fellows,

I'm doing kendo, but i can't right now because i've broken 2 bones from my right foot doing fumicomi :S, i have two months without going the dojo i'm think.

Now my question it's some correct japanese words for using at my dojo, i have two japanese senseis (they're rule) and i think it's cool and respectful to use some japanese in my practices...

so i know some, the normal ones

- Domo arigato gozimashita
- Onegai shimazu
- Domo

And thats all.

I would like to know the correct ones for this:

- Excuse me, sensei i have a question or - Excuse me, sensei.
- am i doing well?
- I need to practice more.
- How can i do [men-uchi] well? (replacing brackets for other words)
- What is ....?

Thanks for all and if you want to contribute with some other useful words, nice!

[Twobitmage]

Excuse me is sumimasen

Im not sure if this applies, but to say but "mada heta" (iirc) means "im not so good but i'm trying". Might wanna add watashi/boku wa before it

Alot of ways to say "what is", but I guess you would say "kore wa, nandesuka?

[Hotei]

<gassho>

Sorry to hear about the boo-boo. I hope that I can provide a little assistance with this post. Please keep in mind that every dojo will have it's differences. All I can tell you is what I've learned from those at which I've studied. Others will have had different experience.

Also, I'll write phonetically, as Japanese has a lot of silent letters.

- Domo arigato gozimas "Thank you" (for something happening, or about to happen. i.e. performing rei at the beginning of class)

- Arigato gozimashtah "Thank you" (after the fact - i.e. performing rei at the end of class)

- Onegai-shimas "Please / Assistance" Used before perfoming any action in class that requires an additional person. You say it to your partner, before you start, as you bow.

- Domo Arigato Not during class. Saying thanks is what the rei at the beginning and end of class is for. If you're being given assistance or asked a question, you say HAI!! Say HAI-HAI!! if given a command by a senior.

-HAI!! literally means "yes", but as with most Japanese, it can mean much more according to the situation. Japanese don't like to waste time talking during class. Class is short, and you've got a lot to do. In this context HAI!! means "I understand fully, please continue" And you had better understand, as you will be asked to perform or repeat the action in question. If you don't, just raise your hand.

- Excuse me, sensei. Just raise your hand.

- am i doing well? You won't need this. Your Sensei will tell you if you need to change anything.

- I need to practice more. Again, it will be obvious to your Sensei.

Actually, you might be better served to learn the names of all of the commands and equipment (http://www.miamivalleykendo.com/terms.html), as the converstional Japanese above will be repeated numerous times in every glass. Learn the different parts of the shinai and the bogu and how to understand "left" and "right". Learn the names of the two players in the kata, and what the different suburi terms and stances are. The link I gave you is a very short list, but it's pretty good. I'm sure there are 500 other (possibly better) links that folks will offer; read them all.

Anyway, I hope this was helpful in some way. Good luck, and take your recovery slooooow. :wink:

[webjunkie401]

"Excuse me, sensei i have a question" -

Sumimasen (sensei's name)sensei, shitsumonn ga arimasu.

"I need to practice more."

Boku wa (or watashi wa) moto rennshuwanakuchaikemasen.

[Neil Gendzwill]

The link I gave you is a very short list, but it's pretty good.
Actually there are a number of errors in that list. This one (http://www.jccckendo.com/kendo/aboutkendo/abterms.html) has what you need to know for class. This one (http://www.rain.org/~galvan/glossary.txt) has a bunch of terms used in shiai.

[Hotei]

Wow. . . That's a *much* better list. Thanks Neil-san! (I just grabbed the url from a dojo site)