International Greetings
Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2006 15:23
So it's less than an hour away from the end of Christmas here, I realise, which makes this thread probably too late for its own good, but I thought it was a good idea to have this here eventually anyway, so here we go~! A collection of greetings for certain occassions.
I'll start with Japanese, though I'll probably eventually add some Chinese greetings as well. By the by, other speakers are more than welcome to contribute to this thread by adding their greetings in whatever language.
メリークリスマス merii kurisumasu
Merry Christmas, obviously.
よいお年を yoi otoshi o
Happy New Year, although, to be specific, this is only said in the run up from the end of December till New Year's Eve. On New Year's day itself something else is said (see below).
Also note that this is a contraction: the full greeting is:
よいお年をお迎えください yoi otoshi o omukae kudasai
The more literal translation of this greeting (as opposed to simply Happy New Year) is something like "Please go to meet a good new year ahead"
明けましておめでとうございます akemashite omedetou gozaimasu
Happy New Year. Said on the New Year itself, i.e. January 1st. You can also omit the gozaimasu part if you want to be less formal. Or, if you want to be even more formal, the following phrase is often said immediately after:
今年もよろしくお願いします kotoshi mo yoroshiku onegai shimasu
This literally means something like "Please treat me with kindness in the coming year as well".
誕生日おめでとうございます tanjoubi omedetou gozaimasu
Happy Birthday! If it isn't obvious yet, omedetou gozaimasu is basically Congratulations. In this case tanjoubi is the noun for birthday, so it almost literally IS happy birthday.
I guess that's enough for starters, I'm sure you guys get the idea, go to it.
I'll start with Japanese, though I'll probably eventually add some Chinese greetings as well. By the by, other speakers are more than welcome to contribute to this thread by adding their greetings in whatever language.
メリークリスマス merii kurisumasu
Merry Christmas, obviously.
よいお年を yoi otoshi o
Happy New Year, although, to be specific, this is only said in the run up from the end of December till New Year's Eve. On New Year's day itself something else is said (see below).
Also note that this is a contraction: the full greeting is:
よいお年をお迎えください yoi otoshi o omukae kudasai
The more literal translation of this greeting (as opposed to simply Happy New Year) is something like "Please go to meet a good new year ahead"
明けましておめでとうございます akemashite omedetou gozaimasu
Happy New Year. Said on the New Year itself, i.e. January 1st. You can also omit the gozaimasu part if you want to be less formal. Or, if you want to be even more formal, the following phrase is often said immediately after:
今年もよろしくお願いします kotoshi mo yoroshiku onegai shimasu
This literally means something like "Please treat me with kindness in the coming year as well".
誕生日おめでとうございます tanjoubi omedetou gozaimasu
Happy Birthday! If it isn't obvious yet, omedetou gozaimasu is basically Congratulations. In this case tanjoubi is the noun for birthday, so it almost literally IS happy birthday.
I guess that's enough for starters, I'm sure you guys get the idea, go to it.