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Misunderstanding about "How are you?"


    In our office in the morning.
    "Hi! Genki-desuka ?" said Martha.
    "Genki! Genki!" said Yumi.
    Martha is learning Japanese from Yumi now.
    The conversation is translated to as follows;
    "How are you?" "Fine! Fine!"

    I think that the conversation can not be proper Japanese.
    I may be a grumpy old man. But I can't help feeling there is something strange in the conversation, when spoken in Japanese.
    Reason?
    Because "How are you?" and "Genki?" are not exactly same.
    Sometimes you can not use the sentences, which translate English to Japanese, as real Japanese. Because of the cultural difference these sentences may not be compatible.

    Japanese do not ask each other how the other is every day.
    "Genki?" is used only when people meet after a long while. When I call my mother in Japan, the first thing I ask is "Genki?" But I don't ask friends "Genki?" every day.

    But "How are you?" is used every day. It's not unusual to say it more than once in a day to the same person.
    If you are not accustomed and if you literally take it , you maybe bothered.

    In school I learned that "How are you?" is "Genki?" or "Gokigen Ikaga?"
    But because Japanese ask whether the other is "Genki" or not so often, this translation is to be used only when used as translation.
    And can not be used in the conversation in Japanese.

    "Genki" is much closer to "How have you been?"
    And it seems to be better tome that "How are you?" is translated simply as "Kon-nichi-wa."
    I personally try not to think of the meaning of it so that I can say "How are you?" as smooth as Americans do. And I'm sure my way is the best to learn other languages.

    I know many non-Japanese people use "Genki-desuka?" Especially in a resort area people who work for tourist do. They reminded me I was in abroad and I liked it.
    I have nothing to say to Yumi and Martha. It is very nice that one more American started having interest in Japanese. When Martha will have more interest in the language and Japanese culture, she will notice my point.

    Good luck, Martha and Yumi. "Ganbatte-kudasai!"