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REQUEST: Need help with Japanese email to a friend in Japan


Simplexity

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Hi guys, I'm in a little bit of a predicament because I've not yet fully learnt everything I absolutely need to know about the Japanese language and my lack of knowledge has reared its ugly head as I've promised to write back an email in Japanese only to find its proving quite difficult. So if anyone here with a moderately good grasp of the Japanese language could possibly help in some way, I'd be really grateful.

Here's what I want to say:

Specifically, I'm having trouble saying:

I have received your letter from Japan.

context goes like this: I have received your letter from Japan.The photos and messages are great/good (whatever the most apt word would be...). Thank you very much!

Also, this is my first ever email (in Japanese) so it would be great if someone could proofread and check it over so that I don't send something riddled with mistakes (Which I'm nervous I'll end up doing).

Help would be much much appreciated. :)

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  • 2 weeks later...
CorruptDictatorNumber2

How close are you to this friend? What is his/her age compared to yours? If he/she is more than a bit older than you, or you are more like good acquaintances than friends, I would recommend お手紙を頂きました。 If you're better pals than that (i.e. on the level of pen pals), you could say 手紙をもらいました。 If you're regular good friends (i.e. the same sort of relationship you have with your American (?) friends your age), 手紙をもらった。will do.

That's focusing literally on the "I received" meaning. You could also choose to use something like 手紙が届きました。("Your letter arrived.")

I personally would be inclined to toss all of these, though, and go straight for 手紙をありがとう。(Or てがみをありがとうございます if your friend falls into either of the first two categories.) But I guess you want to stretch out the message by putting that at the end. This is a technique I have used myself.

Although this next bit of advice may seem to go at cross-purposes to what I've just written--which I admit is an unnecessarily detailed answer--it is more important: Don't worry about doing things wrong. It might sound cynical, but 95% of Japanese people are convinced their language is nigh impossible for foreigners to learn, and will be tickled that you even tried. (And might I add that when I receive little notes in badly misspelled English, it just makes me go "Dawwww!") Of course, if this is a future employer you're trying to impress, it's a different story...

One more thing I just thought of. Did you receive an actual letter, or did you receive an email? If it was an email, you should say メール instead of 手紙.

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CorruptDictatorNumber2 is correct, but this might be more to your copy&paste preference :wink:

Hey mate-, Got your letter/mail. The pics were cool! Thanks (for sending them).

じゃ mate、

手紙/メールを貰った。写真が凄かったよ。送ったありがとう。

(tegami/me-ru wo moratta. shashin ga sogokatta. okutta arigatou)

Hello Friend, I recieved your letter/mail. The pictures were really interesting. Thank you for sending them to me.

Friendさんへ

手紙/メールを貰いました。写真はほんとに面白かったです。送ってありがとうございます。

(tegami/me-ru wo miraimashita. shashin wa honntoni omoshirokatta desu. okutte arigatogozaimasu.)

Dear Sir. I have received your letter/mail. The pictures were well taken and interesting. I thank you for taking the time to send them to me (well, straight translation as something along the lines of 'until next time, if you would be so kind as to indulge me' but the meanings don't match).

Sir様へ

お手紙/メールを貰いました、ありがとございました。写真をよく取って面白かったです。またお願いします。

(otegami/me-ru wo moraimashita. arigatogozaimashita. shashin wo yoku totte omosirokattadesu. mata onegaishimasu)

My Japanese isn't great but it's not bad. I may have the odd missing っ here and there, but it'll be understandable and impressive to any Japanese person you mail. Hell, people who have lived beside me here in Japan for three years are surprised when I can look something up in the phone-book!

It's actually quite insulting how low the impression of foreigners ability to learn Japanese is in Japan.

D.

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CorruptDictatorNumber2

I just composed a nitpicky response correcting various aspects of Dajara's post, but it made me sound like the biggest jackass in the world, so I've deleted it. I will, however, mention what I think were probably the two most significant points:

- I would always follow okuru with a giving verb, as that sounds more natural. "Okutte kurete arigatou," or "okutte kudasatte arigatou gozaimasu."

- If you're writing to someone above your level, you ought to use "itadaku" instead of "morau."

Yeah, the worst is when people compliment your chopstick skill. I know they're trying to be nice, but it really feels like they're praising you like a dog that's just performed a trick.

Wait, what part of Japan are you in? Are you an English teacher, or are you doing other work? (Just curious. Don't feel pressured to answer if you don't feel comfortable doing so.)

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