Oshaberi (おしゃべり) comes from the verb shaberu (しゃべる), which means to talk or to speak in Japanese. The word oshaberi can either refer to chatting, or a person who is talkative.
In Japan, people often think of foreigners as being very talkative. This image does ring true to some extent, since in many Western countries, there is a culture of small talk. Even when lining up at a grocery store, or buying a coffee from Starbucks, it is very common to start up a casual conversation with other people in line, or even with the cashier.
This is not common in Japan. If you try to start up a conversation with strangers, people will often think you are weird, or possibly even shy away. Thus, in Japan, chatting, be it casual bantering, or more serious conversations, mostly happen amongst friends or people who know each other.
Let’s remember the following useful sentences before going to Japan!
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●Kare wa oshaberi na hito desune.
(彼はおしゃべりな人ですね。)
> He is a talkative person isn't he.
●Tomodachi to no oshaberi ga suki.
(友達とのおしゃべりが好き。)
> I enjoy talking with my friends.
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Now all that’s left is to go out there and try using them in Japan!
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