Casual Patterns & Slang

Vocabulary

何(なに)なに・なんwhat

するirregularto do

言(い)うい・うu-verbto say

いいi-adjgood

好(す)きす・きna-adjlike

すごいi-adjamazing

やばいi-adjdangerous, crazy

うまいi-adjdelicious, skilled

遅刻(ちこく)ち・こくbeing late

優(やさ)しいやさ・しいi-adjkind, gentle

Spoken Japanese involves a lot of slurring and contractions.

Contractions

～ている → ～てる

何(なに)してる？What are you doing?

食(た)べてる？Are you eating?

見(み)てる。I'm watching.

～ておく → ～とく

やっとく。I'll do it (in advance).

買(か)っとく。I'll buy it (in advance).

言(い)っとくね。I'll tell them (beforehand).

～という → ～って

何(なに)て言(い)った？What did you say?

それって本当(ほんとう)？Is that true?

彼女(かのじょ)って優(やさ)しいね。She's kind, isn't she?

Sentence Enders

じゃん (Short for じゃない)

Means “Isn’t it?” or “Right?”

いいじゃん。That's fine, isn't it?

かわいいじゃん。That's cute!

できるじゃん。You can do it!

っけ (Recall particle)

“What was it again?”

あれは何(なに)だっけ？What was that again?

名前(なまえ)は何(なに)だっけ？What was the name again?

もん (Cutesy/childish reason marker)

だって好(す)きだもん。Because I like it!

知(し)らないもん。I don't know! (childish)

Guys’ Slang

すげー / すげ

—Awesome (from すごい)

やべー / やべ

—Crazy/Bad (from やばい)

うめー

—Delicious (from うまい)

すげー！Awesome!

やべー、遅刻(ちこく)した。Crap, I'm late.

これ、うめー！This is delicious!