う：うそ（嘘）　(u:uso)

uso

*マギーが世界で一番可愛いよ！

Maggie ga sekai de ichiban kawaiiyo!

Maggie is the cutest in the world!

*嘘!

Uso!

Liar! / No way! / You must be kidding!

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Today’s word is 嘘 ＝ Uso.

It means “lie”.

(Please check the sound file below!)

:w: verb : 嘘をつく uso wo tsuku. =to lie

Ex. 私に嘘をつかないで（+下さい。）

Watashi ni uso wo tsukanai de (+kudasai).

(kudasai : more formal, watashi ni = to me.)

= Don’t lie to me!


:k: a liar = 嘘つき usotsuki

Ex. 彼は嘘つきだ。／です。 Kare wa usotsuki da./ desu. (“desu” is more formal than “da” ) =He is a liar!


Japanese often use “Uso!” when they are surprised, like ”Really?” “Are you sure?” “No kidding!” No way!” or when they hear something unbelievable or unexpected.

Ex. 「マギーがミスユニバースで優勝したよ！」Maggie ga misu yunibaasu de yuushou shitayo.

=Maggie won the “Miss Universe” contest! (優勝する= yuushou suru : to win　優勝した＝yuushou shita. past tense.)

「うっそ〜！」 “ Ussoo“

=”No way!” （うっそ〜= ” Ussoo” is more colloquial.)

:rrrr:  (Note : 「ありえない！」arienai （it can’t be true!) can be used in this situation!)

They often combine Uso and Hontou (=本当　the truth)

Ex.

A : 「昨日、街でヴィクターに会ったよ！」 Kinou machi de bikutaa ni atta yo. I saw Victor on the street yesterday.

B : 「えっ？うそ！本当？」 E? Uso? Honto(u)? No way, really?

As you can see “うそ！”＝“uso！” is used very casually in daily conversation and doesn’t always mean “lie”.

( Note : 本当? hontou? Really? could be replaced by “マジ（で）？” Maji（de)? “Are you serious?” in colloquial Japanese.)

Ex.

A : 「 明日雨だって！」“Ashita ame datte!” (They said / I heard it would rain tomorrow.)

B:　「うそ~！ 」 “Usoo!” （No,kidding! / I didn’t expect it would rain tomorrow.)

:jjj: Added Sound file for the above phrases. :)

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.


frenchbulldog From Maggie :

でも、本当は私は自分のことを世界で一番可愛いと信じています。 ;-)

Demo hontou wa watashi wa jibun no koto wo sekai de ichiban kawaii to shinjite imasu.

But the truth is that I do believe I’m the cutest girl in the world!

4 Responses to “う：うそ（嘘）　(u:uso)”

  1. Maggie  on May 17th, 2010

    めっちゃマットさん

    Yes! 嘘つき！can be used alone.
    Your example sentences are perfect. (Except the fact I did win the contest, ehen!) But if you say 嘘つき！It means “You are a liar”.
    嘘！(嘘っ！ウソッ！) is like a reaction word which is used when you are very surprised.
    嘘つけ！means “You are lying!” but is sounds stronger like “No shit!”
    嘘つけ！or 嘘だろ！are not that colloquial expressions but mainly used by men. As long as you know it is a bit rough but comfortable to use it with your close friends, it is OK to use.
    Maggie先生は劇可愛っ！→ウソ！！

  2. めっちゃマット  on May 17th, 2010

    I know of 嘘つき + [something] like 嘘つきあなた but can 嘘つき be used alone? Say, like:

    「マギーがミスユニバースで優勝したよ！」
    「うそつき！」

    Also, since for this situation I quite often heard うそつけ instead, I’d like to know if it is true that it’s a bit more colloquial than うそつき ? I heard it several times said by a MC in Harajuku, so I guess it may not be a form to avoid, but I’d prefer to be sure it’s not kind of vulgar. (some colloquial and slang terms can be used quite carelessly but there are words that should really be avoided, this is why I ask)

    ありがとうございます！Maggie先生は劇可愛っ！

  3. Maggie  on August 22nd, 2009

    Harrihaffi-san

    Konnichiwa! Upon your request, I have just added a new audio file so please check it. Although we write “uso wo tsukanai de” in romaji to distinguish “を” and “お”, the pronunciation is the same. So as you said “usoo tsukanaide” would be more natural Japanese sound.
    マジ is not a word from other country. It is a slang.
    It came from 真面目に？（＝majime ni? seriously?) We tend to abbreviate the word.
    Young people love to use it. I will introduce you some other expressions using MAJI

    マジに〜する（majini ~ suru) to do something seriously
    マジ本気（maji honki) Seriously
    マジギレ(する）majigire suru. =To be snapped (seriously)
    超マジ　（chou maji) = Very seriously.
    They are not bad words but please be careful not to use these term in business situation!

  4. Harrihaffi  on August 22nd, 2009

    “Watashi ni uso wo tsukanai de kudasai” is a great sentense that I would like to learn… but do you pronounce it like: “Watashi ni uso o tsukanai de kudasai or Watashi ni usoo tsukanai de kudasai? love to see a audio file to the sentense!

    and Maji is spelled with katakana is it imported from a other country or just a really fresh word?

    MVHH


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