Japanese word

外国語

Pronunciation

Romajigaikokugo

Meaning

  • nounforeign language

Example

私は外国語を毎日勉強します。watashi wa gai koku go o mai nichi ben kyō shi ma su

I study a foreign language every day.

Illustration for 外国語 (foreign language)

More examples

外国語のニュースを聞くと、新しい表現を覚えられます。gai koku go no nyū su o ki ku to atara shi i hyō gen o obo e ra re ma su

Listening to news in a foreign language helps you learn new expressions.

Core concept

Marks a language as external to the speaker's familiar national or linguistic setting.

Common phrases

  • 外国語を勉強するgai koku go o ben kyō su ru

    study a foreign language

  • 外国語を話すgai koku go o hana su

    speak a foreign language

  • 外国語を学ぶgai koku go o mana bu

    learn a foreign language

  • 外国語を使うgai koku go o tsuka u

    use a foreign language

  • 外国語の授業gai koku go no ju gyō

    foreign language class

Similar words

外語gaigo: A language that is not the speaker's native language.
他国語takokugo: A language used in a country other than the speaker's own.

Definition in Japanese

自分が属する国や言語共同体の外にある言語。ji bun ga zoku su ru kuni ya gen go kyō dō tai no soto ni a ru gen go

Word origin

外国語 (gaikokugo) combines 外国 (gaikoku, "foreign country") and 語 (go, "language"), with both parts using Sino-Japanese readings.

Usage tips

  • A language can remain a foreign language for an English speaker even after years of study, because foreign describes its relation to the speaker rather than the length of study.

Opposites

  • 母語bogonative languagenoun

Word lists with this word