Farewell speech

Hi all,

I am leaving my job as an ALT in a couple of weeks, and I have to give a goodbye speech in front of the whole school (three schools, actually!).

I will say some sentences using basic English, but I would also like to say a few simple Japanese sentences as well, so I would really appreciate it if you could help to translate the following into Japanese:

Today is my last day at this school.
Thank you for the last two years.
I really enjoyed being your ALT.
Everybody was very friendly and welcoming.
Please look forward to a new ALT coming next semester.

Thank you so much, really appreciate it :)

Why not use google-translate?

https://translate.google.com/

Kyou ga, kono gakkou de no, watashi no saigo no hi ni narimasu. (Today is my last day at this school.)

Kono ni-nenkan, o-sewa ni narimashita. Arigatou gozaimasu. (You have been kind to me for the two years. Thank you very much.)

Kono gakkou de ALT ga dekite, hontou ni tanoshikatta desu. (It has been very enjoyable being the ALT at this school.)

Mina-san shinsetsu de, watashi wo ukeirete kudasai mashita. (Everybody has been kind, and has accepted me/taken me in.)

Tsugi no gakki ni wa, atarashii ALT ga kuru to omoimasu node, sono hito ga kuru no wo, tanoshimi ni shite kudasai. Soshite, watashi to onaji you ni kangei shite agete kudasai. (In the next term/semester, I believe a new ALT will come, so, please look forward to that person arriving. And please welcome him/her the same way you did to me.)

Hontou ni arigatou gozaimashita. (I thank you very much.)

AK - thanks so much for your help in translating!

I have decided to simplify things (both English and Japanese) so that a) I can remember it all, and b) it is aimed at elementary aged children. And I am not allowed to mention the next ALT for some reason!

So how about the following:

Minna-san, ohayo gozaimasu.
Good morning.

Today is my last day.
Kyou ga saigo desu.

Thank you for the last two years.
Kono ni-nenkan, o-sewa ni narimashita. Arigatou gozaimasu.

I really enjoyed being your ALT!
Kono gakkou de ALT ga dekite hontou ni tanoshii katta desu.

Please continue studying English next semester!
??? Tsugi no gakki de eigo no benkyou ganbatte kudasai!


Not sure about this last sentence. The elementary students aren't really 'studying' English, so I would prefer to say "Please keep on enjoying English in the future" or something.

Again, all help is appreciated! Thanks!

Oh, if it is for elementary school kids, I might rephrase a few things :) I would not have suggested the phrase "o-sewa ni narimashita..." had I known if it was for kids that young.

1) (Fine but Please note the spelling for "mina-san," not "minna-san." )

2) Kyou de, mina-san to au no wa saigo ni narimasu. (With today, it will be the last time I meet you.)

3) Kono ni-nenkan, arigatou gozaimashita. (Thank you for the last two years.)

4) (Fine, but please note it is "tanoshikatta desu," note the single "i.")

5) Kore kara mo, eigo wo tanoshinde kudasai. (Please enjoy English going forward as well.)

Arigatou gozaimashita.

Thanks again AK.

Actually I did my first speech today and said "osewa ni narimashita" - does that sound strange saying it to young kids? I'm sure I've heard previous teachers use that phrase when leaving at the end of the school year. Anyway, I won't say that again for my other schools (I go to seven schools in total).

"Kore kara mo, eigo wo tanoshinde kudasai." - I really like this phrase to close my speech, so thank you again :)

Well, three elementary schools, but seven in total.

I think you can keep that "o-sewa ni ..." phrase in, nothing is "wrong" with saying it There will be other teachers as well? (It is just that it is a very commonly used phrases in workplaces - meaning grownups only, business environment, that I wouldn't have thought of it had I known from the first moment that it was for elementary schools.) Other teachers will appreciate that you know the proper work place phrases in Japanese.

Anyway, that sounds like a lot of classes to say bye to! :)

Last question!

At the elementary schools, I want to finish my speech on a positive and have a last game of janken with the whole school! Is it ok to say:

"Saigo desu, eigo no janken shimasho!" "Rock, scissors, paper.......etc"

Thanks again, and wish me luck as I will give my second speech tomorrow to 700 students!

Yes, that would go - you could also say:

- Saigo ni,
or
- Saigo desu ga,...
(the rest is fine) but they would get the sentence you've got there. Best wishes!