Oh, My Gosh!

I have heard Japanese adults and children say, "Oh, my God!" in a a very light manner. This phrase should be used with care. There are some persons who might me offended by this phrase. （日本人がこれを言うと、不愉快に感じる人がいる。）

Here are some safe alternatives:

• Oh, my gosh!
  
• Oh, boy!

• 信じられない！・ まあ！・ あれ！・ えっ！・ しまった！・ 困った！・ 何てことだ！・ ヒャー！

duster vs 雑巾

• duster: a kind of long coat worn by cowboys during bad weather (The J. Peterman Company still sells dusters at this website.)

(Click on the image for a larger view.)

• 雑巾： dustcloth; rag
  

a few vs a couple of

• a few: two or three of something
• a few hours 二三時間
• a few hours 数時間 | 二三時間
• a few words 一言所感
• a few words 2言3言
• Please wait for a few minutes. (少々お待ち下さい。)
  
• a couple of: two of something, but sometimes two or three of something
• a couple of days 二、三日・ 数日
  
• a couple of hours 2～3時間・ 2時間｛じかん｝で
• a couple of weeks 2～3週間
• in a couple of months 2～3カ月して
• 
  

a few vs several

• several: more than two or three of something but not many　いくつか(の)(*a few より多いが, many ではない), それぞれの, 別々の
• for the first time in several years 数年ぶりに
• over several times 数回にわたって
• the project has been underway at Carnegie Mellon for several years このプロジェクトはカーネギーメロン大学で数年来進められてきた
• I have been there several times. （私は数回そこへ行ったことがあります。）
  

1,500 vs 1,523

• 1,500: one-thousand five-hundred / fifteen hundred
• 1,523: one-thousand, five-hundred twenty-three / Do not say "fifteen hundred twenty-three"
  

Other numbers:

• 5,000 = five grand / five thousand / fifty hundred
• 50,000 = fifty grand / fifty thousand
  

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References:

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