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Your favorite expressions/words in Japanese?

Susu
Now, whether you know very well Japanese or just have a very limited vocabulary picked up from dramas (like I do) I'd like to know what are your favorite expressions or words in Japanese? (Proper names not allowed, mind you!)

Let's say you can list one to five (1-5) expressions/words.
If you can think of some reasons as why you like them, please write them down as well.
Please include the translation if you think that everyone won't understand.

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I'll start, then. (I apologise if my romanization isn't correct.)

1. Tadaima/Okaeri. (I'm back/welcome home) I just love the sound and meaning of these expressions. They seem to be very fixed , used and ordinary expressions, still conveying so much - acknowledging other person's existence.

2. Sou ka. ("I see", "Really?" etc.) I like the way it can be a response to almost anything and mean almost anything. And I prefer this shorter version without "desu" because it is cute and short and just sounds nicer to my ear. :)

3. Yoshi. ("All right!" "Okay!" etc.) You hear this a lot and maybe that's why I've picked it up in my active vocabulary and I use it all the time - especially when I'm talking to myself. :P It just gives me energy! :) "Yosh! Let's wash the dishes!"

4. Kakkoii. ("cool"). Among the first ten words I learned when I started to watch Japanese series. "Kakkoii" seems to be the highest compliment for boys and for girls it's "kawaii". Although sometimes the girls are quite "kakkoii" as well. :)

5. Daijoubu desu. ("It's alright", "I'm okay" etc.) Once again an expression you can use in various situations. I also like the way it sounds: it's round and soft. :)

Oh, this was more difficult than I thought - and there are so many other lovely words and expressions I could have chosen for this list!
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jenna
mine are:

yoroshiku - i just like it
umai/oishii and itadakimasu - 'cuz i like food : DD
and there're more but i can't remember
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Ashu
My favorite is 'aishiteru' and 'omedetto'. I like the meaning and flow of both of them. n.n
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Rika-chan
Even I have limited Japanese vocabulary. For the words and expressions I'm aware of, the credit goes to anime and J-Dramas :P Anyway, these are my fav...

Watashi wa : I don't know why but I really like it how the Japanese pronounce these two words like in "Watashi wa Rika desu". And they sound even more pleasing to me when the person saying it is stammering or is nervous. "Wa...tashi...wa Rika de...desu." <- Like this. Lol xD

[I]Itedakimasu[I] [Bon appetite/ Let's eat]: For the Japanese this is probably something they have to say it before a meal for the sake of etiquette, but I really like it. I mean, umm, it sounds so cute (?). I sometimes say it while sitting at the dining table before I begin eating and my parents are like "Eh?" xD It sounds cuter when the person stretches the 'ma'- Itedakimaaasu.

[I]Konnichiwa [Hello]: Ah, another very basic word :D Sometimes I have the urge to greet my friends and guests by saying "Konnichiwa" instead of "Hi' or "Hello".

Sankyu [Thank you]: The Japanese version of the English word 'Thank you'. The first time I heard it was in some anime (I don't remember which one though ^^'). At that time I had no idea that that's how the Japanese pronounce 'Thank you'. Later on, a friend online told me and I was like "Oh~ so that is it". Like Konnichiwa, I have the urge to use Sankyu in my daily conversation in real life.

Kawaii [Cute]: This is the first Japanese word I learnt :D And I tend to say it to myself when I see something cute :P Once my neighbor brought her little sis at my home and I almost blurted out "Kawaii~" like those anime girls do ^^'
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akai-kitsune
You already wrote some of the words I like.
Itadakimasu!
Tadaima/Okaeri for example.

Here is one I always liked

Hayaku- hurry up, be faster

I just like the sound of the word.
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Dojemi10 VIPCommunity Manager
Kowai~! = scary
Sugoi~! = awesome/great
Kakkoii~! = cool/awesome
Kawaii~! = cute
Hai, Hai~! = yes
and I also love their expression "...eh?" or "EH?!"
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ladyfaile
Yoshi! i actually say this sometimes to motivate myself to do chores lol. like if i'm sitting here at the computer or watching tv but really need to go clean i'll say it as i drag myself out of my seat lol.

anything that ends in -wa sounds so neat to me. you wouldn't think that -wa could be pronounced any other way than how it is in english but somehow in Japanese it sounds different and i like it. like konnichiwa or konbanwa especially. i catch myself subconsciously repeating it when i hear it in a drama or anime

eto - especially when it's used with a confused expression and headscratching

dai-suki / suki desu - dunno if i need to explain that one but i especially like in drama or anime when a character is super nervous and say it really fast lol



i had another one but i forgot, i'll post it when it comes back to me lol
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Susu
I think it's interesting how you have listed many of the expressions I know and love as well. I guess they are the most frequent ones and also expressions that stand on their own so they are easier to pick up than something in the middle of a long sentence.

And I like Rita-chan's pick: "Sankyu". I absolutely adore the Japanese pronunciation of some English words and I find myself always repeating them after I hear them. Like "grobaru reveru" (global level) or "douburu deto" (double date).

It's also nice to know that other people have the urge to use the expressions they've learnt all the time. I often find that my first reaction to something might actually be some Japanese expression I've heard a hundred times like "kawaii", "kowai", "yoshi" and "eh?" for instance. Sometimes I just need to check myself when I'm talking with people who have no understanding what so ever towards this fever. :P
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ladyfaile
ooh i remember..

"HAAAAAAHHH????!!!"
if you don't what this is watch Hotaru no Hikari :D
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boutux
mine are
1. itai =ow/ ouch/ it hurts (i actually started saying itai more than ow/ouch nowadays unconsciously)
2. dai-suki-desu= i like/love
3. kawaii=cute (that word is so cliche, i use it alot too. i think i need a japanese synonym for cute now)
4. kowai=scary
5. Mendokusai= troublesome/annoying/pain in the ass.
6. sou-desuka/ =is that so? /really?. i also like sou-desu and so desu-ne. i see/yes/ that's right
7. wakatta/ wakarimasu= i understand/ i get it/ i see
8. janai= not (it just doesn't sound like a negative term. i was so surprised when i found out it meant not)
9. eh! (i just love the way they say this. in much the same way as we whhhhaaattt! exaggeratedly in english)
10.baka= stupid/fool/ idiot and any other synonym. (i also like the way is stretched when making fun of someone in japanese)
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ladyfaile
CandyMan wrote:
10.baka= stupid/fool/ idiot and any other synonym. (i also like the way is stretched when making fun of someone in japanese)


i love that too "baaaakaaa!" like in buzzer beat <3
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Susu
wrote: HAAAAAAHHH????!!!"
if you don't what this is watch Hotaru no Hikari


I got that! =D

wrote: itai =ow/ ouch/ it hurts (i actually started saying itai more than ow/ouch nowadays unconsciously)
eh! (i just love the way they say this. in much the same way as we whhhhaaattt! exaggeratedly in english)


I know! :) I've noticed I use also "eh!?" sometimes almost without realizing it...

wrote: Mendokusai= troublesome/annoying/pain in the ass.


This was actually a first new word to me, I'm going to learn it now. :)
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ladyfaile
i use "mm" a lot actually
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Aya
Mine would be:

1. Baka - Stupid. The first word I learned ever in the Japanese language.

2. Aishiteru - I love you. I heard this one in Bokura Ga Ita(The anime). It got stuck in my head for quite some time until now xD

3. Kawaii - Cute. I just love the way I say this with a high-pitched voice ;P

4. Kirei - Pretty/Beautiful. I use this at least once a day... lol xD

5. Omoshiroi - Interesting. Some of the word I pretty much use when I converse with JP people xD

6. Tsuyoku - Stronger. My mom used to say this to me when I'm down. It makes my day.

8. Urusai - Shut up. Oh! I just love using this xD

9. Hanasanaide - Don't let go. Just... sweet xD

10. Ganbatte! - Good luck. Just some common word I use xD
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ladyfaile
all the mentions of "baka" reminds me of a funny story you guys might appreciate

my brother in law, Al is living in Tokyo. he gets Japanese lessons through work, and one day they were practicing writing with a brush.. they would write a specific word in Kanji and then sign their names in Katakana on each sheet. when he came home to visit he brought all his practice sheets to show off and his mom wanted to keep them. when he was gone back to tokyo she framed the one that she thought looked the nicest and hung it on the wall.
next time he came his Japanese girlfriend came too and this was her first impression upon walking into the house: seeing "Baka Aru" ("Idiot Al") framed and hung on the wall. she just busted out laughing and we didn't know why cause nobody knew what the thing said. she even took a picture to show her Japanese friends back home so they could laugh at us. bahahaha baka gaijin.
she also took one of the sheets where he wrote Tokyo and had it printed onto tshirts for us as christmas gifts, so our whole family has matching tshirts that say "Tokyo Aru" lol
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