Learning Japanese: Useful Phrases

The first Japanese phrase I learned was: 'O-shi, o-shi des'. 'Delicious - this is delicious' : it's the phrase I use most. The second phrase I learned was 'Sumi-ma-sen' - 'Excuse me' - as in 'I'm sorry' or 'May I have your attention' - I use it all the time as I push and rock my way onto, in and off crowded trains and buses - big awkward Gaijin. I heard 'Su-goy!!' exclaimed with an exact exuberance at a gay bar - I got the message that it means 'Super!' and I try to use it as often as I can. There seem to be quite distinct dialects - in Kyoto I heard locals say 'o-okini' instead of 'arigato' for 'thank you' - when I used it I got a delighted and enthusiastic response - laughter and loads and loads of bows - I found ways to use it avidly.

My phrasebook is intimidating - it was compiled by a person much more assertive and acerbic than I am. Besides the fact that I'm not even sure if I should commit much time of the few months I have here in learning the language, the suggested list of useful phrases require quite a stretch in my personal behaviour. For instance there are 4 phrases listed under 'Hairdressing': the first says I would like: a blow wave (bu-ro) colour (ka-ra-rin-gu) haircut (hair-kat-to) shave (she-bin-gu) trim (to-ri-min-gu) : so far so reassuringly borrowed words from Eng-rish-u. Then I'm offered: 'Don't cut it too short'; 'Please use a new blade'; and 'I should never have let you near me!' Don't they know I need to know - 'Thanks very much that is lovely' as I wince at the mirror, (just before I leave a tip, and put on a hat once out of view of the salon, the hat I'll wear for a fortnight).

The section on 'Romance' reads like the headlines of a soap opera and the narrative has a satisfying trajectory: beginning with 'Asking Someone Out', running through 'Pick-up Lines' (sexy is sek-shi - I should be able to remember that) on to 'Rejections' (lots and lots of phrases offered) 'Getting Closer', followed by 'Sex' (another long section) then 'Love' (smallest section) and ending with 'Problems' and, finally, 'Leaving'. Whatever about reaching out of bed to find the phrasebook to announce: 'Don't worry, I'll do it myself', (dai-jo-bu, ji-bun de ya-ru ka-ra -for your future reference), or 'That's great!' (su-ba-ra-shi!) or 'Easy Tiger!' (chot-to mat-te), I can't imagine a relationship where someone would need to consult a phrasebook to ask: Will you marry me? (kek-kon shi ma-sen ka?). Maybe I place too much emphasis on conversation.