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Exercise 10: Responding to Thanks

 

Let’s reverse your role in this exercise and think about how you would respond if somebody is thanking you for what you have done for him/her. We can be strategic in responding to thanks as well as in giving thanks by becoming aware of certain strategies Japanese speakers are likely to use.

Your good friend at work, Kazumi, exclaims, “Oh, no, I have to go to the bank,” as she looks into her wallet. It’s Friday evening, and since there is no convenient ATM for her bank nearby, you offer to loan her some cash. She accepts your offer, takes 2000 yen, and thanks you.

Kazumi: ありがとう。ATM遠いし、ほんとに助かる。月曜日に返すんでいいかな？ Arigatou. Etiemu tooishi, hontoni tasukaru. Getsuyoubini kaesunde iikana?

1. You:

Kazumi: ほんとにありがとね。 Hontoni arigatone.

2. You:

Listen to Sample Dialogue

View Transcript

 

Listen to the following short dialogues taking place in different situations and fill in the chart with the responses to thanks used in the dialogues. Be aware of what strategy each response is using.

Dialogue 1

Dialogue 2

Dialogue 3

Dialogue 4 

Dialogue 5

Dialogue 6


View the transcripts of the dialogues as necessary.

Dialogue 1         Dialogue 2         Dialogue 3

Dialogue 4         Dialogue 5         Dialogue 6

 


Expressions to respond to thanks

Fill in one expression per box below that you hear in the sample dialogues above.

Strategies used Accepting thanks Denying thanks

Offering further help/invitation
Expressions to respond to thanks

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

 

8.

9.

10.

11.

 

Your section (if applicable)/Your last name, Your first name:
Example: (in a box) 010/Smith, John

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