
Responding to Death in Japanese
Responding to Death in Japanese
I was wondering, how do the Japanese respond when talking to someone whom they find out has recently lost someone close to them? For example, in English, it's common to say something along the lines of "I'm sorry to hear about that." I don't think gomen nasai/sumimasen really cover that particular variety of "I'm sorry", and I realize it might be something entirely different anyways. Thanks for any input. 

Last edited by queuebert on Tue 09.18.2007 3:58 am, edited 1 time in total.
RE: Responding to Death in Japanese
I think gomen nasai etc. are more general apologies. English 'sorry' has double meaning. I'm pretty sure the Japanese one doesn't.
- Harisenbon
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RE: Responding to Death in Japanese
ご愁傷様です
ごしゅうしょうさまです
Is the standard phrase of condolence.
ごめんなさい is said for something that YOU have done personally to upset/hurt someone. So if you killed someone's cat, then you say ごめんなさい. If their mother died, you say ご愁傷様です.
ですcan also be replaced by でございます.
ごしゅうしょうさまです
Is the standard phrase of condolence.
ごめんなさい is said for something that YOU have done personally to upset/hurt someone. So if you killed someone's cat, then you say ごめんなさい. If their mother died, you say ご愁傷様です.
ですcan also be replaced by でございます.
RE: Responding to Death in Japanese
Thanks much; that sounds exactly what I was looking for.
- Hatori
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RE: Responding to Death in Japanese
Would you want to know what people would ever to for funerals and stuff like that?
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RE: Responding to Death in Japanese
I think I heard more with でございます than です, but I imagine it depends on the persons involved and their positions to each other.Harisenbon wrote:
ご愁傷様です
ごしゅうしょうさまです
ですcan also be replaced by でございます.
- Dehitay
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RE: Responding to Death in Japanese
Could お気の毒 apply to this situation as well? Or is that for less severe situations?
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- chikara
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RE: Responding to Death in Japanese
ご愁傷様でございます is specifically "condolences" but it would appear that お気の毒に, "my sympathies" can also be used;Dehitay wrote:
Could お気の毒 apply to this situation as well? Or is that for less severe situations?
(人)のご逝去の由誠にお気の毒に存じます。
I'm very sorry to hear of the death of ( )
Don't complain to me that people kick you when you're down. It's your own fault for lying there
- AJBryant
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RE: Responding to Death in Japanese
Good God, no!
気の毒に sounds almost sarcastic when talking about death!!
Tony
気の毒に sounds almost sarcastic when talking about death!!
Tony
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RE: Responding to Death in Japanese
So much for using the examples on alc.co.jp as a guide.AJBryant wrote:
Good God, no!
気の毒に sounds almost sarcastic when talking about death!!
An obvious attempt by the Japanese to mislead gaijin like me

Don't complain to me that people kick you when you're down. It's your own fault for lying there