日本語資源 - Nihongoresources.com

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A sample conversation

The following conversation is between Ishida Kenichi, a native Japanese, and Alex Brown, a foreign exchange student. In this first lesson, we'll have them bump into each other by accident, and thusly meet for the first time (no actual Ishidas or Alexes were injured during the creation of this conversation)

Our setting is the hallway of a university in Japan, where Alex Brown has transferred to in a student exchange program. As we check up on Alex, he's being his clumsy self and has just bumped into someone while not paying attention to where he was going

アレックス: あっ、すみません!

石田いしださん: いいえ、いいえ。

アレックス: あのう、ここのかたですか。

石田さん: はい、わたしはここの学生がくせいです。そちらは?

アレックス: 私は留学生りゅうがくせいです。「アレックス・ブラウン」といます。はじめまして、よろしくおねがいします。

石田さん: ぼくは「石田いしだ健一けんいち」ともうします。どうぞよろしく。

アレックス: すみません、教室きょうしつはどこですか。

石田さん: どの教室ですか。

アレックス: 112ごうの教室。

石田さん: ああ、っています。

Ishida explains to Alex where he can find the classroom he is looking for

アレックス: ありがとうございます。

石田さん: いいえ、どういたしまして。

アレックス: じゃあ、失礼しつれいします。

石田さん: *nods*

This conversation has elements from today's lesson, as well as some unknown words and constructions that we will discuss in the next lesson (consider it a teaser of things to come). If you couldn't understand all of the conversation, don't worry about it, the next lesson will explain everything in this conversation in depth, so you will be able to look back at this and smile knowing that you were struggling with it when really it's so simple after the next lessons.

What you should have been able to figure out at least after this lesson, is the rough meaning of this conversation. You can look up words you do not know on the dictionary part of the site, and try to fill in the meaning of the sentences even if you are not sure of some of the grammar used. Part of learning a language is that in the first few years, really, you'll run across constructions you have not seen before, so getting used to it early on is the best way to learn to live with that. Don't give up hope yet, if you made it this far, then I'm sure the rest is also quite doable for you!