Practising

It is nice to be able to practise the new language you learn with real people.

My co-worker, who was new to Japan, had just learned the days of the week. He said them over and over to himself.

After work, we went to a department store's 'restaurant hall'. My co-worker went to look at the menus outside one of the restaurants. A waitress came out and explained the specials in rapid-fire Japanese. She looked at him expectantly. He saw an opportunity for communication.

'Kyou wa doyoubi desu!' he said proudly. ('Today is Saturday!')

She looked at him, opened her mouth, closed it again, and went back inside.