ちょっと…（ = chotto) + あいまい表現 ( = Aimai hyougen) ambiguous expressions

「マギー先生、ちょっと質問があるんですが..」

= Maggie sensei, chotto shitsumon ga arun desu ga…

Ms. Maggie, I have a little question to ask…

:maggie-small: 「う〜ん…今、ちょっと…」

= Uun… ima chotto…

= Umm …. now??

Today’s key word is ちょっと  ( = chotto)!!

You might say “I know that! It is eeeeasy!!”

Note :  ちょっとした  ( = chotto shita) ：adjective

Ex. ちょっとしたことだけど、すごく嬉しい。

= Chotto shita koto dakedo sugoku ureshii

= It’s a small (minor)  thing but I am very happy!

Ex. 私の父はちょっとした会社の社長だ。

= Watashi no chichi wa chotto shita kaisha no shachou da

= My father is a president of a quite big/well-known company.

(It hints that the company is big or famous.)

Ex. 彼の作品ってちょっとしたもんだね。

= Kare no sakuhin tte chotto shita monda ne.

=  His work is not bad at all!

(もん ( = mon) is a casual way of saying 物 = もの ( = mono) things.

ちょっとした物 ( = Chotto shita mono) could be a small something as its literal meaning but sometimes we use it as “pretty good“)

•「う〜ん…今、ちょっと…」

= Uun…ima chotto…

= Umm…. now???

•「明日、暇？」( = Ashita hima?)  Are you free tomorrow?

X「明日は暇だけどあなたとつきあいたくはありません。」

= Ashita wa hima dakedo anata to tsukiaitaku wa arimasen.

= I am free tomorrow, but I don’t want to go out with you!

(This answer is too straight! )

• 明日は用事があるのでだめです。

= Ashita wa youji ga aru node dame desu.

= I have plans tomorrow, so I can’t go out with you.

(We do say this but it sounds still a bit too straight.)

:u:

•「明日はちょっと用事があって…」

= Ashita wa chotto youji ga atte

= I have something to do tomorrow so….

•「明日はちょっと忙しくって…」

= Ashita wa chotto isogashikutte.

= I am busy tomorrow so….

•「明日はちょっと都合が悪くって…」

= Ashita wa chotto tsugou ga warukutte .

= I am not available tomorrow so….

:u:

「明日はちょっと…」

= Ashita wa chotto

=  Tomorrow is….(not convenient)

We don’t finish the sentence to make it sound softer. We have to read between the lines which is expressed with  “…”   = 点点点  or てんてんてん ( = ten ten ten)  dot dot dot part.

•「週末、引っ越しの手伝いしてくれる？」

 = Shuumatsu hikkoshi no tetsudai shite kureru?  

= Can you help me move this weekend?

•「週末は忙しいから手伝えません。」

= Shuumatsu wa isogashii kara tetsudaemasen.

= I am busy this weekend, so I can’t help you. (too direct.)

:u:

•「週末はちょっと忙しいです。」

= Shuumatsu wa chotto isogashii desu.

= I am a bit busy this weekend.

:u:

•「ごめんなさい。週末はちょっと…」

= Gomennasai. Shuumatsu wa chotto

= I am sorry but this weekend is…(→not good for me.)

「彼と付き合ってみない？」

= Kare to tsukiatte minai?
= Why don’t you  go out with him?

「付き合いたくありません。」

= tsukiaitaku arimasen.

= I don’t want to go out with him!  (too straight.)

Instead you can say

•「う〜ん、ちょっと遠慮しておく。」

= Uun chotto enryo shite oku.

= No, thank you!  / I would pass… (casual)

•「ちょっとタイプと違うから…。」

= Chotto taipu to wa chigau kara….

= He is not my type so…

:u:

•「う〜ん、ちょっと…」

= Uun chotto…

=  I am sorry but…

Note : Of course, there are girls who are very straight forward!

•「ムリ！ムリ！！」(colloquial) 

=muri! muri!!

= No way! Impossible!  

•「ムリだから！」(colloquial) 

 = Muri dakara!

= No way! That’s not happening! 

•ムリ= 無理 = impossible

•〜（だ）から ( =~dakara)   very colloquial

•「来週の金曜日に合コンやるんだけど、どう？」

=Raishuu no kinyoubi ni goukon yarundakedo dou?

= ”We are going to have a matchmaking party. Do you wanna come?”

:u:

その日は、( = Sono hiwa)  that day (is)

→ 忙しいです。( =isogashii desu.)  to be busy

→都合が悪いです。(=tsugou ga warui desu.) not convenient

→難しいです。( = muzukashii desu.) to be difficult

:u:

•「その日は、ちょっと」

= Sono hi wa chotto…

= That day is … → (I am not available on that day…)

•「残念ながらその日は、ちょっと…」

= Zannen nagara sono hi wa chotto…

= Unfortunately that day is…→I am sorry, but I am not available on that day.

「ごめんなさい、その日は、ちょっと…」

= Gomennasai sono hi wa chotto…

=  I am sorry but I am not available on that day…

「その日は、ちょっと無理！」

= Sono hi wa chotto muri

= I can’t make it that day!

Note : ちょっと ( = chotto) a bit + 無理 ( = muri) impossible might sound strange. Although it isn’t grammatically correct we do hear this phrase often.

•「飲み会がありますが、来ませんか？」

 = Nomikai ga arimasu ga kimasen ka?

= Would like to join us for drinks?

(飲み会 =  nomikai =  a drinking party) 

•「行きたくありません。」

= Ikitaku arimasen.

= I don’t want to go.

•「都合が悪いです。」

= tsugou ga warui desu.

= I am not available.

:u:

•「今回はちょっと遠慮しておきます。」

= Konkai wa chotto enryo shite okimasu.

= I’m sorry, but I ‘m going to have to pass this time.

•「今回はちょっと遠慮させて下さい。」

= Konkai wa chotto enryo sasete kudasai.

= I’m sorry, but let me a pass this time.

:u:

•「今回はちょっと遠慮しておくよ。」(male/casual) 

= Konkai wa chotto enryo shite okuyo) for men 

= I’ll pass this time.

Note : The ending with ~おくよ (~okuyo) is for man. The ending with  ~しておくわ ( = ~shite okuwa) is for women.

•「ごめん！今回はちょっと勘弁して！」 (casual) 

= Gomen! Konkai wa chotto kanben shite!

=  I’ll pass this time. Let me pass this time. 

And you apologize,

•ごめんなさい。( = gomennasai) I am sorry

•すみません。( = sumimasen)  I am sorry

•ごめん！( = gomen) Sorry! (casual)

Then you can follow up :

•「またの機会にお願いします。」

=Mata no kikai ni onegai shimasu.

= Please ask me again, Next time, Give me a rain check!

•「またの機会に！」

=Mata no kikai ni!

= Next time! / Some other time. 

•「また誘って下さい。」

= Mata sasotte kudasai.

= Please invite me again.

•「また誘って！」(casual) 

= Mata sasotte!

= Invite me again!

This is the typical “procedure” of declining someone’s invitation.

:ee: <How to receive annoying phone call for sales.>

•「今、ちょっと手が離せないので…」

= Ima chotto te ga hanasenai node.

= I am tied up right now so…

:n: Extra Information : In a romantic situation

When you ask a girl for a date :

•「日曜日、ドライブにいかない？」

= Nichiyoubi doraibu ni ikanai?

= Do you want to take a drive this Sunday?

•「今度の休み、どこか遊びに行かない？」

= Kondo no yasumi dokoka asobini ikanai?

= Do you wanna go out with me next holiday?

and if she says

•「皆と一緒だったら…」

=Minna to issho dattara…

= If it is in a group…(→I prefer to go out in a group.)

That means she is not comfortable being alone with you, and there is less chance for a romantic relationship (yet).

Also when you ask her for a second date and she says

•「今度は皆で行きましょ！」

=Kondo wa minna de ikimasho!

= Why don’t we go out in a group next time!

Again, this probably means the romantic outlook is… not sunny. Sorry! ;-)

:i: <How to avoid giving people your personal information>

When you don’t want to say anything personal you can also use ちょっと ( = chotto)

•「どちらへお出かけですか？」

=Dochira e odekake desu ka?

= 

Where are you going?

「ちょっとそこまで」

= Chotto soko made

= I will just go somewhere around here.

Note : You don’t have to specify the place you are going.

•「どうかしたの？」

= Dou ka shita no?

= What is wrong?

「ちょっといろいろあって…」

= Chotto iroiro atte

= Many things happened so…. / I had some problems so.. / for many reasons

「ちょっとごたごたしていて」

= Chotto gotagota shite ite.

= I have been busy for many things so…. / I have been having some problems so..

Also when you don’t want to ask all the personal details,

:u:

• いろいろ大変でしたね。

= Iroiro taihen deshita ne.

= I feel sorry that you have been through many things

Please go check 労るレッスン ( = Itawaru ressun)

In the lesson, I mentioned a line which you can say to a person who has just lost their family

• (この度は、)ご愁傷様でした。

 = goshuushou sama deshita.

= Sorry for your loss. My condolences.

You could also just say,

•この度は…（ = kono tabi wa…)

Note : この度 ( = konotabi) means “this time“

Because Japanese language is 曖昧 ( = aimai) ambiguous and we use 遠回しな言い方 ( = toomawashi na iikata ) round about expressions, sometimes it causes misunderstanding with people who are not familiar with this custom.

For example, you made some business proposal to a company and they say :

• 考えておきます。

= kangaete okimasu

= We’ll think about it.

• 少し考えさせて下さい。

= Sukoshi kangae sasete kudasai.

= Let me(us) think a little. Give us some time to think about it.

• 検討させて下さい。

= Kentou sasete kudasai.

= Let us review/go over this.

As many of language resources might say, it doesn’t always mean they actually think about it, and it could be indirect way of saying “No!” or at least that there is not much of a chance.

We try to avoid saying “No!” to people immediately face to face and tell them we will think about it.

But there are cases when we actually need time to take matters into consideration and say these quotes. So it depends on the situation. I guess we have to observe the speaker’s facial expressions and everything.

Note : Sometimes we add  前向きに ( = maemukini)  positively to add more possibility.

• 前向きに検討いたします。

 = Maemuki ni kentou itashimasu.

= We will think about this (and see if we can make this work out).

We also hear the followings in a business situation:

• 善処致します。

=Zensho itashimasu.

= We’ll see what we can do./We will try to deal with the matter in an appropriate manner.

• 努力致します。

=Doryoku itashimasu.

= We will do our best.

• 努力したいと思います。

= Doryoku shitai to omoimasu.

= We will try to do our best.

OK, after buying some time to decline, finally they may say,

• いろいろ検討したのですが、…

= Iroiro kentou shita nodesu ga…

= After reviewing ..

• 考えさせて頂いたのですが、…

= Kangaesasete itadaita no desu ga…

= We thought about this but..

• 考えたんだけど 

= Kangaetan dake do

= I thought about this but… (casual)

They might say things s little bit more clearly,

• やはり今回は難しいという結論に至りました。

= Yahari konkai wa muzukashii toiu ketsuron ni itarimashita.

= As we had expected, we came to a conclusion that it would be very hard to do/accept this time.

(This means “NO!“)

You can also finish in the middle of the sentence ;

• 大変申し上げにくいのですが、...

= Taihen moushiagenikui no desu ga..

= It is very difficult to tell you but…  (=It means “NO!“)

:jjj: <How to response when you disagree>

It is all matter of intonation.

•そうですねえ…

= Soudesunee…

= Well….

•おっしゃることはわかるのですが…

= Ossharu koto wa wakaru no desuga…

= I know what you mean but…

If you really want to say it is really difficult to achieve, you can say,

•それはちょっと厳しいですねえ。

= Sore wa chotto kibishii desunee…

= It seems a bit difficult/tight.

:s: < Other   曖昧  +   ぼかし表現   ( = aimai +bokashi hyougen) +  Ambiguous + obscure expressions>

There are many more words that make our statements purposely ambiguous. I will teach you some of them here and include very slangy expressions.

*こちら／そちら／あちら ( = kochira / sochira / achira) I, we, our side/you, they/they

We sometimes omit pronouns and substitute them with こちら ( = kochira)  / こっち ( = kocchi) I, we, our side, more casual, そちら  ( = sochira)／そっち  ( = socchi) you, they, more casual, and あちら ( = achira)  /  あっち  (  =  acchi) they more casual

 

 

 

• あちらさんもいろいろ大変みたいですね。

 

= Achira san mo iroiro taihen mitai desune.

 

= They seem to have a lots of problems…

 

• こちらもちょっと忙しくって…。

 

= Kochiramo chotto isogashikutte….

 

= We(I) have been a bit busy as well and…

 

• こっちはいいけどそっちはどうなのよ？

 

= Kocchi wa iikedo socchi wa dounano?

 

= We (My side is/I am ) are OK but how about you(them)?

*〜程   ( ~ = hodo) Even if you know the precise number, you add  程  ( = hodo) and make it sound vague.

• 一週間旅行に行きました。

= ishuukan ryokou ni ikimashita.

一週間程旅行に行ってきました。

 = isshukan hodo ryokou ni itte kimashita.

= I went traveling for a week.

*〜でも（ = ~demo)

• お茶を一緒に飲まない？ 

= Ocha wo issho ni nomanai?

= Do you want to have a cup of tea with me? (=Do you want to go to a coffee shop or something?)

お茶でもどう？ 

= Ocha demo dou?

= How about having a cup of tea?

• 映画に一緒に行きませんか？ 

= Eiga ni issho ni ikimasenka?

=  Do you wan to go see a movie with me?

映画でもどう？

=Eiga demo dou?

=  How about going to see a movie?

〜でも（ = ~demo)  makes your suggestion sound very light.

:h: More colloquial expressions :

The following expressions are very colloquial and many of them are all grammatically wrong but you will hear these often in daily conversation especially among young people.

:u:

*〜とか  ( = ~toka)  (colloquial)

•彼とデートした？

= Kare to deito shita?

= Did you go out with him?

 彼とデートとかした？

= Kare to deito toka shita?

= So? Did you go out with him or something?

•ドライブに行きませんか？

=Doraibu ni ikimasen ka?

= Do you want to take a drive somewhere?

ドライブとか行く？

=Doraibu toka iku?

= How about taking a drive somewhere?

•明日は暇ですか？ 

= Ashita wa hima desuka?

= Are you free tomorrow?

明日とか暇？

= Ashita toka hima?

= Are you free tomorrow or…?

Usually 〜とか   ( = ~toka)  means “etc.”. We use this to make it sound like there are other choices.

You can also use it when you suggest something.

•この方法でやってみるとか (したら？）…

=Kono houhou de yatte miru toka(shitara)…

= How about giving this (way) a try..?

or tell someone what you have assumed.

•この時間は銀行やっていないとか…

= Kono jikan wa ginkou yatteinai toka…

=  I have a feeling that the banks are closed around this time…

Check とか ( = toka) lesson for more details.

*〜の方/ほう ( = ~no hou)  (colloquial)

You can hear this at a convenience store or restaurant as well as their way of “formal” Japanese.

• お料理はもうお持ちしてもいいですか？

= Oryouri wa mou omochi shitemo ii desu ka? 

お料理の方は、もうお持ちしてもいいですか？

= Oryouri no hou wa mou omochi shite mo ii desu ka?

= May I bring out your dishes now/already?

• お弁当は温めますか？

= Obentou wa atatame masu ka? 

お弁当のほう、温めますか？

= Obentou no hou atatame masu ka?

= Do you want us to warm up your lunch (food)?

(Please check the coffee shop conversation lesson!)

• 結婚生活は上手くいっていますか？

=Kekkon seikatsu wa umaku itte imasuka. 

結婚生活の方は上手くいっていますか？

=Kekkon seikatsu no hou wa umaku itte imasuka?

= How is your married life?

* 的には ( = tekiniwa) very colloquial

•私はそう思います。

=Watashi wa sou omoimasu.

= That’s what I think.

私的にはそう思います。

=Watashi teki niwa sou omoimasu.

= That’s just what I think.

*マギーはどう思うの？ 

= Maggie wa dou omou no?

= What do you think, Maggie?

マギー的にはどう思うの？

= Maggie teki niwa dou omou no?

= What about you, what do you think, Maggie?

You add 的には ( = tekiniwa) to the subject to make it sound softer.

Note: For more details, check 的 ( = teki) lesson.

*っていうか ( = tte iuka) / つーか ( = tsuuka) / てか ( = teka) actually very colloquial

•実際のところマギー先生はいい先生なの？

= Jissai no tokoro maggie sensei wa ii sensei nano?

= Is Ms. Maggie actually a good teacher?

「っていうかさあ、マギー先生はいい先生なの？」

= Tteiuka saaMaggie sensei wa ii sensei nano?)

 = Is Ms.Maggie actually a good teacher? 

(っ)ていうか ( = (t)tteiuka) ／つーか  ( = tsuuka) てか ( = teka) are originally from というか ( = toiuka) or rather / rather to say. We use this when we want to take back our words and rephrase them, add something, or deny what someone has just said.

Also we start a sentence with this when we want to explain something,

“What I mean is..”/ ”I mean..”/ “I know what you mean but..”/ “You know..”

or simply when you change the subject like

それはいいけど ( = Sore wa iikedo) / それはおいといて.. （ =  Sore wa oitoite)

I know what you mean but／be that as it may

Ex. っていうか明日どうすんの？

 = Teiuka ashita dousunno?

= That’s fine, but what are you going to do tomorrow?

Ex. 明日、っていうかこれからどうするの？

= Ashita, tte iuka korekara dousuru no?

= What are you going to do tomorrow, I mean now (that we’ve just talked, etc.)?

*〜みたいな….。( = ~mitaina…) like, I think… very colloquial

 •彼ももうちょっとがんばればよかったのに..、みたいな…。

= Kare mo mouchotto ganbareba yokatta noni..mitaina…?

= I mean like..he should have tried a little harder or something…..

(You say this after you express your opinion or feeling and add 〜みたいな….。( = ~mitaina…)and finish the sentence.)

マギー先生より = Maggie sensei yori = From Maggie-sensei

このレッスンの方、どうでしたか？

= Kono ressun no hou doudeshitaka? 

= How did you like this lesson?

「ちょっと」というテーマでしたが、ちっとも「ちょっと」ではなかったですね。

=”Chotto” toiu teema deshitaga chittomo “chotto” dewa nakatta desune.

= The theme was “Chotto” but it was not “chotto” at all , huh?

私的にはとっても役に立つと思うんだけど…

= Watashi teki niwa tottemo yaku ni tatsu to omoundakedo…

= I personally think it is very useful but…

日本人の話し方の奥深さがわかるみたいな..

= Nihonjin no hanashikata no okufukasa ga wakaru mitainana..

= Like you know..it could help you to understand the depth of the way Japanese people speak..

→自分でも書いていたらちょっとイラっとしてきちゃった...

=Jibun demo kaite itara chotto iratto sihte kichatta..

= Umm…somehow I’m getting annoyed by writing this…

***

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