Watch this video to find out what “Shoganai” means.

Watch the other Street Japanese Videos 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05

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In last week’s video we learned the phrase “dotakyan“. In this week’s Street Japanese video Yoshiko and I teach you what shoganai means and how it is used naturally in daily conversation.

Shoganai means something like, “that’s life” or “it can’t be helped” or even “Oh well then…”

Dialog

A: この間はごめんね！何かごちそうするから、ゆるして。

B: しょうがないなあ。

A: ありがとう！何がいい？

B: じゃあ、スタバのコーヒー

A: 了解！

A: kono aida wa gomen ne. nanika gochisō suru kara yurushite

B: shō ga nai naa

A: arigatō. nani ga ii

B: jaa sutaba no koohii

A: ryōkai

A: Sorry about the other day. I’ll treat you so please forgive me!

B: Oh well, it can’t be helped

A: Thanks. What do you want?

B: A Starbucks coffee

A: Got it!