A lot of Japanese learners who have learnt Japanese from textbooks feel it difficult to switch their Japanese into the informal way of speaking because this is something most of the textbooks do not cover.
Informal way of speaking is calledタメ語（tamego）.
タメ（tame）means people at the same age.
So タメ語 is mostly used among close friends who are at around the same age or generations, but it also depends on how close you are to your friends, so age is not always important.
Today I’m going to introduce how Japanese people speak informally with their close friends.
I will introduce the expressions both in Tokyo dialect(standard Japanese) and the Kansai dialect. Hope you can enjoy!
To start the conversation or change the topic in the casual conversation, a lot of people use 〜んだけど.
For example,
About our next appointment to meet up, can we change it to Thursday?
Tokyo
今度会う予定なんだけど、木曜日に変更できない？
こんど あう よてい なんだけど、もくようびに へんこうできない？
Kansai
今度会う予定なんやけど、木曜日に変更できひん？
こんど あう よてい なんやけど、もくようびに へんこうできひん？
“Speaking of that” is “それなんだけど”
Oh, speaking of that, I’m also busy this week actually. Can we make it next week?
Tokyoそれなんだけど、私も今週忙しくて。来週でもいい？
Kansaiそれなんやけど、私も今週忙しくて。来週でもええ？
〜じゃん？／〜やん？is used when you want the others to agree with you.
Translation would be like “〜, isn’t it?” or “〜, right?”.
For example,
You know I went to a shopping mall the other day. That mall is always so crowded, right? So….
Tokyo
この間（あいだ）渋谷（しぶや）のモール行ったんだけど。あそこ混（こ）むじゃん？それで…
Kansai
この間なんばのモールいったんやけど。あそこ混むやん？ほんで…
To confirm something or to ask the same question again to somebody, Japanese use 〜だっけ？
For example,
What’s his name again?
Tokyoあの子名前なんだっけ？
Kansaiあの子名前なんやっけ？
or
Sorry, what was it again?(Can you say that again?)
Tokyoごめん、なんだっけ？
Kansaiごめん、なんやっけ？
ぶっちゃけ is “Frankly speaking” or “To be honest with you”.
So this is used when you honestly express your real feelings about something.
Examples are like this;
Tokyo / Kansai
ぶっちゃけ、もうコロナで自粛（じしゅく）とかしんどい。
To be honest, I’m tired of self-quarantine for COVID-19.
To tell you the truth, I’m so fed up with my boss.
Tokyoぶっちゃけ、あの上司（じょうし）超（ちょう）むかつくよね。
Kansaiぶっちゃけ、あの上司めっちゃむかつくよな。
This is used to agree with somebody’s opinion, meaning “I couldn’t agree more”, or “you’re right!”
For example,
A : あの上司むかつく！(The boss is so annoying!)
B: Tokyoほんとそう(I couldn’t agree more!)
Kansaiほんまそれ
To make it even more broken expression, you can just say
それな。
A : あの上司むかつく！
B : Tokyo / Kansaiそれな。
When you are talking about disastrous things that happened to you and you want the others to agree or sympathize, you can use “ありえなくない？”
Translation would be “Can you believe that!?” or “How could this possible!?”
For example,
The other day I was asked by my boss if I was going to get married soon. I just can’t believe he said that.
Tokyo
このまえ上司に「まだ結婚しないのか？」って聞かれてさ！ありえなくない？
Kansai
このまえ上司に「まだ結婚せえへんの？」って聞かれてな！ありえへんくない？
とりあえずis really a popular phrase.
It can mean “for now”, “anyway”, or “to start with” depending on the situation it’s used.
Some examples using とりあえず are like this;
とりあえずあそこのカフェはいろう。寒（さむ）いし。
First, let’s go inside that cafe over there caz it’s too cold.
or
（Looking at your friend who’s almost crying）
What happened!? Anyway, let’s have a seat over there and talk.
Tokyoえ、どうしたの？とりあえず、そこ座って話そう。
Kansaiえ、どうしたん？とりあえず、そこ座って話そう。
or at a restaurant,
A : ご注文はいかがなさいますか？(What can I get for you?)
B : とりあえずビールで。(I’ll just take beer for now.)
まとめ
Have you heard any of the expressions listed above?
I think you will hear one of those expressions a lot when you watch Japanese TV drama or anime.
Making a frank and natural conversation in Japanese is actually very difficult until you get used to it, but I hope this blog will help you understand where to start.
じゃ、またね〜！
