Now this is interesting. Once again, I've been researching the vocabulary we'll need when dining out in Tokyo and what do I find?
fork = fooku
knife = naifu
spoon= supuun
napkin = napukin
cup = kappu
glass = gurasu, koppu
a bottle of wine = wain
koohii to miruku = coffee with milk
soup = suupu
butter = bataa
cheese = chiizu
pork = pooku
beef = biifu
steak = suteeki
juice = jyuusu
pie = pai
ice cream = aisu kuriimu
tip = chippu
Since you don't pronounce, or hardly pronounce the single "u"s, those words sound (in romaji spellings) remarkably familiar. I assume, then, that all the concepts listed above must have seemed outlandish to the Japanese until they felt obliged to accommodate English-speakers in their country. Vegetarian is listed as "begitarian." In any case, as in other parts of the world, it may be considered trendy to have anglicised one's vocabulary.
However, I mustn't let this lull me into a false sense of security. The phrases I'll need day to day are still very different from what I'm used to.
please = onegai shimasu
thank you = arigatoo gozaimasu
excuse me = sumimasen
Chikatetsu no rosenzu o kudasai.= May I have a map of the subway, please?
Nihongo wa amari joozu ja arimasen. = I don't speak Japanese very well.
Wakari masen. = I don't understand.
Eigo o hanashimasu ka? = Do you speak English?
Doozo yoroshiku onegai shimasu.= Nice to meet you.
I studied my map of Tokyo yesterday and got some ideas from it, and a sense of where our hotel is located. I love maps.
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