Making A Japanese Phone Call???

[OMGpigtails]

I met my best friend Yuji when he came to the United States as an exchange student. But now he went back to Japan and I've only called him once and that was in the summer. I tried calling last night and got his mom on the phone. It took quite a while for her to tell me it was at school. I asked her whats the best time to call there so I can talk to Yuji (in english) Buuuuuuuuut she couldn't quite get it. *sigh* SO! That's where I need help at. What are the basics of making a japanese phone call? Like common things to say like "What is the best time to call?" "When does Yuji get home from school?" or even "How are you?" Cause I want to get to know her. I feel like I am being rude to the lady when I call. Cause she doesnt realize that I want to ask her how she is doing and all that! So any tips on making a japanese phone call? ...In Japanese?

[mikem]

I'm on vacation in Osaka, so sorry about the sucky answer.

My book, Situational Functional Japanese, covered this subject in great detail. Since speach patterns, intoation, etc. are ten times more important over the phone I'm going to guess that unless you are currently studying Japanese it's going to be a little difficult even if you knew exactly what to say.

One of the things about using the phone is you converse in keigo until you get your friend on the line. I'm sorry I don't remember more, but in the age of cell phones I get no actual practice.

[OMGpigtails]

Ah, have fun in Osaka. :)

I feel really dumb for asking this.. What is Keigo?

[mikem]

Ah, have fun in Osaka. :)

It's 6am and I just got home. ;) Though I am alone tonight so the past couple of nights have been better ... erm, anyway...

I feel really dumb for asking this.. What is Keigo?

It's not a dumb question. It's just a term for the honorific versions of verbs. It is a way of being very polite and very formal when you speak.

[Scott]

I don't know how much this will help, since I don't know how much Japanese you know. In addition to that, my keigo sucks -- this is all relatively polite, though.

moushi moushi (Hello)
Kochira wa [name] desu. (This is [name].)
ogenki desu ka? (Are you well?/How are you?)
Nihongo ga dekimasen kara sumimasen. (I'm sorry, I can't speak Japanese.)
Yuji-kun wa America ni ita toki ni wa tomodachi datta kara hanashitai n desu kedo. (When Yuji was in America, we were friends, so I want to talk to him, but [is he there?}.)
nanji denwa suru no wa yoroshii desu ka? (What time is good to call?)
Arigatou gozaimashita. (Thank you very much for what you have done.)
Shitsurei shimasu. (I'm sorry, forgive my rudeness; ritual expression for ending a telephone conversation.)

[OMGpigtails]

Thanks Scott. Those will help a lot. :)

About "Shitserei Shimasu".. That's like saying Goodbye on the telephone? Why would you have to apologize for that?

I will have to practice that really long phrase a lot so I don't sound stupid when saying it. Haha. But im sure Japanese people expect that, huh. :) She'll be surprised thought when I call one day and I can speak to her fluently.


Oh yes. I have one more question. Are answering machines any different than ones over here? I get their answering machine each time I call.

[Scott]

Keep in mind that there are only five vowels - a i u e o. Just memorizing the phrase doesn't ensure that she'll understand you... you might accent something differently or speak with a different pace, which could make it harder.

I have no clue about the answering machines. keep in mind that Japan is 10 hours ahead of the west coast, 13 ahead of the east coast... so that way you can figure out the times to call, sort of.

[OMGpigtails]

Im pretty good at accenting things. But its the memorizing that gets me. :/ But normally I have to hear something being said before I can get it down at all.

Before calling anywhere out of this country I usually check: http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/ :D

[seiji]

About "Shitserei Shimasu".. That's like saying Goodbye on the telephone? Why would you have to apologize for that?
It's more like "I apologize for having interrupted your day with my phone call" in this case. It's just polite, as is a whole lot of any conversation with a person you don't know very well (such as your friend's mother).

[Scott]

And... it's shitsurei shimasu, OMGpigtails. There's no tse sound in Japanese.

[EIJI]

Scott's example would be work.

I give you another one you could memorize easily.

ゆうじ君と話たいんですけど、何時に電話すればよいですか？
Yuji-kun to hanashi tain desu kedo, nanji ni denwa sureba yoi desuka?
"I would like to speak with Yuji, so what time is convenient for him?"

Side note
"Shitsurei shimasu" means "Good bye" or "Thank you" in this case.

[atnak]

I feel like I am being rude to the lady when I call. Cause she doesnt realize that I want to ask her how she is doing and all that!
I think anyone that hears the international call beep-beep-beep sound will get the idea that the speaker might not be perfect in their language, and that not following strict Japan-centric phone conversation customs isn't an intentional attempt to insult, or sign of illiteracy.

[Scott]

Illiteracy is the inability to read... just as a side note.

[atnak]

Illiteracy is the inability to read... just as a side note.
Sue me. :P You're of course right, but it's also often used synonymously with the word uneducated. (At least in the society in which I grew up.) Just like the way the derogatory equivalent of mute is used in society.