Watching Taiwanese and Japanese (OK, fine, Korean) dramas made me pick up a few phrases here and there. They can be useful in breaking the ice but nothing more than that.

I wish I could really focus on learning Nihongo or Putonghua but you need constant practice in learning a language. I have been a resident of the Land of Smiles for seven years now but I can’t carry a decent conversation in Thai. Just last week, I sat in a meeting of my boss with the Chinese embassy’s minister counselor who spoke fluent Thai. Needless to say, I was impressed and depressed.

Anyway, one of Japan’s favorite commercials last year was Aisatsu no Mahou of AC Japan. Its lyrics are pretty straightforward and can even be a lesson in Nihongo.

There are several posts about it on tumblr with different versions.

The commercial was voted #1 favorite CM for the first half of last year.

If you want to sing along, here are the lyrics.

こんにちは
Konnichiwa
こんにちワン
Konnichi-wan!
ありがとう
Arigatou
ありがとウサギ
Arigato-usagi!
こんばんは
Konbanwa
こんばんワニ
Konban-wani!
さようなら
Sayounara
さよなライオン
Sayona-raion!
まほうのことばで
Mahou no kotoba de
たのしいなかまが
Tanoshii nakama ga
ポポポポ～ン
Popopopo~n!

おはよう
Ohayou
おはよウナギ
Ohayo-unagi!
いただきます
Itadakimasu
いただきマウス
Itadaki-mausu!
いってきます
Ittekimasu
いってきまスカンク
Ittekima-skanku!
ただいま
Tadaima
ただいマンボウ
Tadaimanbou!
ごちそうさま
Gochisousama
ごちそうさマウス
Gochisousa-mausu!
おやすみなさい
Oyasuminasai
おやすみなサイ (sai = rhino)
Oyasumina-sai!
すてきなことばで
Suteki na kotoba de
ゆかいななかまが
Yukai na nakama ga
ポポポポ～ン
Popopopo~n!

こんにちは
Konnichiwa
こんにちワン
Konnichi-wan!
ありがとう
Arigatou
ありがとウサギ
Arigato-usagi!
あいさつするたび ともだちふえるね
Aisatsu suru tabi, tomodachi fueru ne

Konichiwa…oyasuminasai.

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