Help with writing a letter

[whitmore123]

Hi,
I am new to this forum and am hoping for some assistance in translating a message to Japanese to send to my girlfriend's grandmother. She is moving back to Japan this weekend and I have no chance to say goodbye so I am hoping to send her some chocolates and a letter if I am able to get some assistance. She speaks no English and I speak little more than primary school level Japanese. Any help would be tremendously appreciated.

Basically what I was hoping to say is something along with lines:

'I am very sorry I was unable to say goodbye.
It was very nice to have met you.
I wish you a very safe and happy journey to Japan.
I look forward to seeing you again next year.'

I used Google Translate as well as SYSTRANET translator and they gave me the following translations:

'申し訳ありませんが、私は別れを告げることができま� �んでしたね。
それはあなたにめぐり会えてとてもよかったよ。
私は日本に非常に安全で楽しい旅行を願っております。
私は来年またお会いできるのを楽しみにして。'

AND

'私は私がさよならを言ってなかったことを残念です。
会えたことは非常にうれしかったです。
私は日本に非常に安全で、幸せな旅行を望みます。
私はもう一度見ること来年を楽しみにしています。'


If anyone could tell me if either of those are correct or can give me a better translation I would be so so grateful.

Thanks,

Tom

[Sumippi]

Hi　こんにちは,

'I am very sorry I was unable to say goodbye.
It was very nice to have met you.
I wish you a very safe and happy journey to Japan.
I look forward to seeing you again next year.'

あなたに直接お別れを言えなかったことを、大変残念に 思っています。
僕はあなたにお会いできたことを、とても嬉しく思って います。
ご無事に、そして楽しく日本へお帰りになれますよう、 お祈り申し上げます。
来年またお会いできるのを、楽しみにしております。

I think honorific expressions （like 'お'会い、'ご'無事、'お'帰りに'なる'、'お'祈り'申し上� ��ます'、して'おります'...） would be preferred.

[masaegu]

Originally Posted by Sumippi

Hi　こんにちは,

'I am very sorry I was unable to say goodbye.
It was very nice to have met you.
I wish you a very safe and happy journey to Japan.
I look forward to seeing you again next year.'

あなたに直接お別れを言えなかったことを、大変残念に思って います。
僕はあなたにお会いできたことを、とても嬉しく思っています。
ご無事に、そして楽しく日本へお帰りになれますよう、 お祈り申し上げます。
来年またお会いできるのを、楽しみにしております。

I think honorific expressions （like 'お'会い、'ご'無事、'お'帰りに'なる'、'お'祈り'申し上� ��ます'、して'おります'...） would be preferred.

Would someone address his girlfriend's grandma as 「あなた」? At least, I never would. I would use whatever name/title that I always address her with in real life.

[Sumippi]

Originally Posted by masaegu

Would someone address his girlfriend's grandma as 「あなた」? At least, I never would. I would use whatever name/title that I always address her with in real life.

あ、なるほろ・・・
じゃあ、・・・

(name)さんに直接お別れを言えなかったことを、大変残念 に思って います。
僕は(name)さんにお会いできたことを、とても嬉しく思っ ています。
ご無事に、そして楽しく日本へお帰りになれますよう、 お祈り申し上げます。
来年またお会いできるのを、楽しみにしております。

[whitmore123]

Thanks so much guys that's really helpful. I really appreciate the help

[whitmore123]

Sorry just one last thing that would be really helpful.

I was wondering if someone would be able to help me in how I could apologise that my Japanese skills are not very good at the beginning of the letter.

Something along the lines of:

'I am sorry if my Japanese is bad'

This would be really helpful guys, thank you so much for all the help so far

Any other advice or tips concerning the original message would be amazing. Thank you all so much

[Sumippi]

Originally Posted by whitmore123

'I am sorry if my Japanese is bad'

　
How about..

「私/僕の日本語が正しくなかったら、すみません」
watashi (or boku) no nihongo ga tadashiku nakattara, sumimasen)
（正しくないis like 'not correct')

「私/僕の日本語が下手だったら、すみません」
watashi (or boku) no nihongo ga heta dattara, sumimasen)
（下手is like 'not good,' 'poor' or 'bad')

[whitmore123]

Thanks so much Sumippi I really appreciate all the help