Quote:
Originally Posted by YuriTokoro
Hi.
Could someone correct my English?
“How to Say Good Night in Japanese.”
“Oyasuminasai（お休みなさい）” is usually translated as Good Night.
If I translate Good Night word for word into Japanese, it’s “ii yoru”. Good is ii, and Night is yoru.
If I translate “oyasuminasai” into English literally, it means “Get rest, please”. It is in imperative form.
Perhaps you would think this expression is said only to a person who is going to bed. However, we say it both to a person who is going to bed, and when we ourselves are going to bed.
This might sound strange to you because we can say it when the listener isn’t going to bed. When you are going to bed, how you can say “Get rest” to other people who are not going to bed?
I’m sorry, I have no idea! 
Thank you! |
Interesting post, Yuri. Not much changes had to be made, mainly to increase smooth reading and presentation of concepts.
"If I translate “oyasuminasai” into English literally,
it means “Get rest, please”. It is in imperative form."
The words "it means" was added to link the expression and the translation more naturally. "This means this".
"
Perhaps you would think this expression is said
only to a person who is going to bed."
The beginning of the sentence was changed to not have the same verb repeated twice, which would be confusing to a reader. "Only" is added to present the reader's possible thinking that the expression is only used in one situation, which transitions to the rest of post showing other ways it is used.
"However, we say
it both
to a person who is going to bed, and when we
ourselves are going to bed."
The phrase "to a person who is going to bed" was moved to create a parallel structure explaining both times the expression is used. "Ourselves" is used to reinforce the individually-centred definition of the expression.
I really have no clear answer to how we can tell someone in English to go to bed, beyond making a suggestion or speaking about how a long night of rest will help the other person start their day.
Hope that is of some help, Yuri.
