
Learn how to speak on the phone in Japanese with expert Japanese language tips in this free online foreign language video clip.
All Videos In The Series, "Learn Japanese Greetings & Questions"
"We have a special greeting for phone conversations. Moshi moshi. Repeat after me, moshi moshi. It sounds a little bit strange. Moshi used to be a word for Japanese to say "speak". So when a Japanese person gets on the phone, a long time ago, people would say moshi, moshi, I'm speaking, I'm speaking. That's where it comes from. So moshi, moshi twice. So now we've touched this one before onegai shimas, means please give me. So now we can use this to ask for someone or somewhere you want to speak to. For example, I want to talk to Mike. I would say moshi moshi, Mike, onegai shimas. Sounds simple right? Another example would be, I want to talk to Hilton hotel. moshi moshi, Hilton hotel, omega shimas. Lets practice. Think of a word, who you want to speak to. Repeat after me. Moshi moshi, (who you want to speak to omega shimas. Sounds perfect!"
Expert Village: Yuu Asakura
Video Series: Culture & Society
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Comments
Sachi said
on 4/23/2008 When the person answers and says "Moshi Moshi" would you reply "Moshi Moshi"? Or could you say Konbanwa or something else?