Exercise 6: Thanking Once Again

In this exercise, you will hear some sample dialogues in which speakers give a follow-up thank you for a favor they had received some time before. In some cultures, this may not be a common practice, but in Japanese, you may be expected to do so depending on the nature and magnitude of the favor you have received.

Imagine that you live in Tokyo as an exchange student, but travel to Kyoto for a week. Your host father’s brother, Toshio, lives in Kyoto. He is a retired man and is kind enough to host you, feed you, and show you around during your entire stay. As you leave, you would probably give thanks to Toshio.

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A month later, Toshio comes to Tokyo for a family reunion. You are now greeting him as he comes to your host family’s house. Listen to a sample dialogue to see how you might thank him again for his previous kindness.

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Notice that this type of thanking often occurs at the beginning of a conversation. Frequently used expressions include:

• この間はありがとうございました。 Kono aidawa arigatou gozaimashita.
• その節はお世話になりました。 Sono setsuwa osewani narimashita.
• この間はすっかりお世話になりまして、すみませんでした。本当に楽しかったです。
  Kono aidawa sukkari osewani narimashite, sumimasen deshita. Hontouni tanoshikatta desu.

Now, here is your turn to give it a try! Read the situation below and practice giving sincere thanks.

You are at school. There is a typhoon coming and the rain is pouring down already. You usually bike home, but you have no umbrella with you today, and would be soaking wet in this rain if you biked or walked. Your classmate, Saki, walks by and offers you a ride home in her car.