It does of course mean “I’m sorry” but not the “I’m sorry” of “I’m sorry you’ve been sick” – well, not unless your bad cooking was to blame for it. What she meant was “I’m sorry you are sick”.īut what moushi-wake arimasen literally means is something like “there is no excuse I can humbly say”. Which the dictionaries often translate as “I’m sorry”. You use this on more formal occasions, like meeting your Japanese boss for the first time.Īnother common place we find the moushi of moshi-moshi is in the expression : By using moushi-masu instead of ii-masu you are turning it into something like “humble little me is said Mary”. What this literally means is “(I am) said Mary” – a bit like the French je m’appelle Mary (I call myself Mary). Other places we often find the mousu of moshi moshi are in phrases like The pronunciation of moshi moshi varies somewhat, so it can come out sounding like Kind of like saying “Is anyone home?” when someone doesn’t seem to be listening. It can also be used to call someone’s attention in person. Moshi moshi is not only used on the telephone. So “ moshi moshi ” is really a polite, humble way of saying “speaking, speaking” or “I say, I say”. Casual phone calls are a great way to practice your phone conversation skills since your Japanese friends will likely try to help you out and communicate more effectively. It is actually a contraction/doubling of the word 申す mousu, which is the humble form of 言う iu – “say”. The common follow-up is, Yes, this is (your name). However, that isn’t where the phrase comes from. There is a legend that kitsune (shape-shifting fox-spirits) cannot say “ moshi moshi ” , so if someone answers with that phrase, you know she must be a real human being – or at least not a kitsune. It only suits social use, and even Japanese people won’t use it for professional communications.Everyone knows that “ moshi moshi ” is what Japanese people say when they answer the telephone. Moshi moshi would be a term of endearment between friends when speaking on the phone. You could also use the phrase in online chatrooms before you start spamming the thread or talking to other people. Before introducing yourself and saying your name, you can use the expression. It’s a way of greeting someone and letting them know they’re speaking to you and not your answering machine. You can use the expression “moshi moshi” when answering the phone. Since “moshi moshi” is a Japanese phrase, most people outside of Japan will not understand what you’re saying when you answer the phone with “moshi moshi.” Some people that are Manga fans might get it, but the vast majority of English-speaking people won’t have a clue as to what you’re saying to them. Ways People May Say Moshi Moshi Incorrectly However, the first telephones were of poor quality, and the operator would repeat the greeting “moshi moshi” to make sure the other person knew they were on the line with them.ĭespite the change in technology, Japanese people still double up on the greeting when answering the phone today. This expression means “to say” in Japanese, and operators use it with callers in a privileged position in society. The female operators used a polite and humble tone on the phone, with the greeting “moushimasu” (申します/もうします). The saying has roots in the verb “mousu” (申す/もうす), meaning “to say.” The expression first appears in the Japanese language in the 1980s after the arrival of personal telephonic communications at home. Language experts believe there are several explanations for the origin of “moshi moshi” (もしもし) as a greeting. You use the phrase to let people know that you’re speaking on the phone ad you want to know what the other person wants or why they called. It’s a way of answering the phone at home or on personal calls. The expression “moshi moshi” originates from the Japanese language. I’m practicing my Japanese introductions this week on the phone.” Oh, it’s you! Great, I wanted to ask you something about the book club meeting this week, but I forgot what it was.” You can come through whenever you’re ready.” Just keep following the balloons until you find the place.” Yes, we’re around the block from the statue. Oh, you want to speak to my father? That’s no problem. I was just thinking about calling you now.” “Moshi moshi, Kelly desu, how have you been, girl? “It’s been ages since we spoke. You’ll likely hear the character use it on the phone, followed by their name and the word “ desu.” There are hundreds of internet manga and anime memes of the phrase online. The phrase is common in Manga and anime content. Many people think it translates to “ hello,” but it is akin to “ I speak, I speak.” Japanese people, especially young women, use it when answering the phone at home. The expression “ moshi moshi” (もしもし) is a common phrase in the Japanese language. Are you calling a Japanese person? Don’t be surprised if they pick up the phone and say, “ moshi moshi.” This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this telephonic expression.
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