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How to say I hope I didn't scare you? 2014/8/23 00:25
How ould one say something like "I hope I didn't scare you" in Japanese?
Using Google Translate I have

私はあなたを怖がらなかったね!

And I don't think it sounds quite right. Can anybody shed light on this?
by AKB007 (guest)  

Re: How to say I hope I didn't scare you? 2014/8/23 10:24
what situation are you gonna use this phrase in?
by moka (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: How to say I hope I didn't scare you? 2014/8/23 15:01
Well I asked someone if they'd like to meet, and I think it may have been too fast, so I wanted to say this.
by AKB007 (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: How to say I hope I didn't scare you? 2014/8/23 16:15
scare: 怖がらせる(not 怖がる)
fear: 怖がる

So the original translation is totally wrong, I think. It is opposite meaning.
by frog1954 rate this post as useful

Re: How to say I hope I didn't scare you? 2014/8/23 23:52
How's this?

私はあなたを怖がらせるかったね!
by AKB007 (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: How to say I hope I didn't scare you? 2014/8/23 23:55
Asking someone if they'd like to "meet" shouldn't really "scare" anyone... isn't it just "surprise" someone? The word "kowagaraseru" would be serious :) I would use a phrase like "bikkuri saseru" (to surprise someone, to make someone jump).

びっくりさせてないよね?(I didn't surprise you, right?)
とつぜん あおう なんて 言って、びっくりさせてないよね? (By saying abruptly let's meet up, I didn't surprise you, right?)
by AK rate this post as useful

Re: How to say I hope I didn't scare you? 2014/8/24 13:22
Still the context is not spelled out. Who are "they"?
Business colleagues, clients, friends, male, female, what circumstances? There are many ways to say\.
"odorokaseru" is another way instead of "scare"
Also, direct translation of "I hope" maybe too formal.
by ay (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: How to say I hope I didn't scare you? 2014/8/24 17:57
Firstly I hope you're not using あなた to address the other person.

Then "being afraid" would be 怖い (it's the most common) and you can use the causative form 怖れさせる meaning "causing fear, uneasiness". Unless you want to be very formal I would go with the 〜たい construction since it's more common tro express intent.

So maybe something like 怖れさせたくなかった or just apologising for making her afraid (over apologising is very Japanese so it might be even more normal) 怖れさせたごめんなさい。
by meneldal rate this post as useful

Re: How to say I hope I didn't scare you? 2014/8/24 22:33
What's wrong with 'あなた'?
by AKB007 (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: How to say I hope I didn't scare you? 2014/8/24 23:35
Well a native speaker could probably explain it better but using a pronoun to refer to a person is usually considered impolite so while it may be ok to do it with friends it's usually bad to do so with other people especially in formal situations.

I think OP knows her name so there's no reason not to use it (with -san of course).
by meneldal rate this post as useful

Re: How to say I hope I didn't scare you? 2014/8/25 11:34
In Japanese we don't use pronouns, as long as the context makes it clear who it is you are referring to. And we tend to use the name (plus appropriate suffix such as -san or -kun) instead of "anata."

Also, those words mentioned "kowagaraseru" or "osoresaseru" to say "to scare" are very strong words, as if monsters came up, or you fear of potential (serious) harm.

Please do provide the context - are you saying this, for example, to a female? male? friend you encountered online, and asked to meet?
by AK rate this post as useful

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