How to Say ‘I learned a lot from talking with you.’ in Japanese
お話、とても勉強になりました。
o hanashi totemo benkyou ni nari mashi ta
[oh ha-na-shee totemo ben-KYOH Ni Nari mah-shee tah]
🇯🇵 In Japan: This is a go-to thank-you in follow-up messages, especially to someone senior. It flatters the other person by framing them as a source of insight, which lands well in Japanese business culture.
Phrase Breakdown
お話、
o hanashi
your talk
話 (hanashi) means 'talk'. The polite prefix お shows respect for the speaker.
お話、楽しかったです。
Your talk was enjoyable.
Words in this phrase
お
o
[oh]
honorific prefix
お adds politeness to certain words and expressions.
チケットを二枚お願いします。
Two tickets, please.
話
hanashi
[ha-na-shee]
talk; story
話 means talk, speech, or story depending on context.
先生の話をよく聞いて。
Listen carefully to the teacher's talk.
とても
totemo
[totemo]
very
An adverb meaning very or greatly, used to strengthen adjectives and verbs.
この本はとても面白いです。
This book is very interesting.
勉強になりました。
benkyou ni nari mashi ta
I learned a lot
A polite set phrase used to thank someone for sharing knowledge.
セミナーは勉強になりました。
I learned a lot at the seminar.
Words in this phrase
勉強
benkyou
[ben-KYOH]
study; learning
Noun/する-verb. 勉強する = to study. In self-introductions, it’s a standard way to say what you’re studying.
大学で勉強をしています。
I do my studying at university.
に
ni
[Ni]
to
Indicates direction or destination.
駅に行きます。
I am going to the station.
なり
nari
[Nari]
to become
Indicates change into a different state.
彼は医者になります。
He will become a doctor.
まし
mashi
[mah-shee]
polite past stem
Part of the polite past ending in a verb phrase.
昨日は多くのことを学びました。
I learned many things yesterday.
た
ta
[tah]
past tense ending
This ending completes the polite past tense form.
空席がございまし た。
There were vacant seats.
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