"Lori Lee" > wrote in message
...
> Some one very recently mentioned the Japanese phrase "shitzurei
> shimasu" (pardon). I have been taking a local Japanese language for
> beginners course and this brings up my great dilemma. Is the last
> letter 'u' not pronounced? My sensei says 'shimas', leaving off the
> 'u', and yet it is written. Also with a phrase like "desu ka?", she
> says 'des ka'. Is it like French where you just drop the end of a
> word? A silent 'u'? Please clarify (Musashi?), Thank you.
>

Lori,
I am sure you already know or have learned that the Japanese language is
essentially based on the vowels
a-i-u-e-o and the same thing but with consanants in front of them.
So the correct pronunciation and of course the only way to write it is with
the full vowel sound at the end.
Hower, in actual practice, particularly when spoken quickly, it does seem to
end with the consanant.

Correct/Written how it comes out/how it sounds
meaning

shitsurei shimasu shitsurei shimas
pardon me
itadakimasu itadakimas
(what is said before eating)
hamachi desu ka? hamachi des ka?
is it hamachi (yellowtail)?
sou desu sou des
yes that's right
sono sakana wa nani desu ka? sono sakana wa nan des ka? what
is that fish?

I don't think it is a rule, as in the example of French. But something that
does happen in actual use
and nobody pays much attention to it.
M