Speak Like Natives! -Vol.8 Cheering up your friends-

Learn Japanese from natives!  

For those of you who are tired of studying Japanese from your minna no nihongo, and willing to speak more natural Japanese like natives, you clicked on the right page!

We post natives’ casual conversation skits for you to show how Japanese people talk in real life.There are useful key phrases you can try just from tomorrow. Enjoy!

Vol. 8 Cheering up your friends!

Situation

Aya’s talking with her cousin, who is now a university student.
She’s worried about her exam week coming up.

Let’s learn five useful phrases to cheer up your friends by looking at their conversation!

Conversation

Aya

もうすぐテスト期間（きかん）だね。準備（じゅんび）はできた？

Aya’s cousin

ううん…。今年（ことし）は授業（じゅぎょう）もオンラインが多（おお）かったし、やる気（き）がでない…。
そろそろ始（はじ）めなきゃ！

Aya

がんばって！どの教科（きょうか）が一番（いちばん）苦手（にがて）なの？

Aya’s cousin

数学（すうがく）かなぁ…。
でも英語（えいご）も…歴史（れきし）も…ヤバイ。

Aya

元気（げんき）出（だ）して。きっと大丈夫（だいじょうぶ）だよ。

Aya’s cousin

毎日（まいにち）、徹夜（てつや）でやらないとダメかも…。

Aya

無理（むり）しないでね。応援（おうえん）してるよ！

Key Phrases

1. 準備（じゅんび）はできた？

Junbi wa dekita?- Are you ready for it?

2. やる気（き）がでない…。

Yaruki ga denai – I’m not motivated…

When you are not feeling like doing something, or you are too lazy to start working on something, you can use this phrase.
In opposite, we say “Yaruki ga aru”,meaning I am motivated, I am ready. 

3. がんばって！

Ganbatte- You can do it! Hang in there! Good luck!

It is a very useful phrase in Japanese, we like to use it all the time.

Depending on a situation, It can be translated in various ways in English.
The main message of the phrase is to give someone encouragement to keep on trying.
In the conversation above, Aya is saying the phrase to make her cousin feel better and positive about the exam.

4. 元気（げんき）出（だ）して。

Genki dashite – Cheer up! 

“Genki” can refer to one’s well-being both physically and mentally. 

You can use this phrase to someone who’s feeling down, to make his/her chin up.

5. 大丈夫（だいじょうぶ）だよ。

Daijoubu dayo – You will be fine. 

This is a very useful phrase which can also be translated as “It’s OK”, “It will be alright” etc. 

6. 無理（むり）しないでね。

Muri shinaidene – Don’t be so harsh on yourself. Take it easy.

When your friend is putting too much pressure on her/himself, trying too hard…etc, you can tell them to slow down a bit with this phrase.

7. 応援（おうえん）してるよ！

Ouen shiteruyo – I’m always with you!

Literally, it means “I support you”. You can show how you are supportive with the person, and always be on his/her side.