Details from known phrases

Konnichiwa ! There are phrases in Japanese that we learn here at first as they are. For example: Arigato gozaimasu (polite thanks) or gomen nasai to express apology. "Shite" and "shimasu" are also used in different phrases, and in the first lessons, we learn them as giving continuity to sentances. These two seem to have the same base: "SHI" and are followed by different suffixes. Same with Gozaimasu...it's gozai + masu/mashita. Now my question is: What do: shite, shimasu, gozaimasu and nasai actually mean ? I am asking this because I've heard them in spoken Japanese on TV and in anime and they were used both in the phrases mentioned above, but also in other structures (for example: Machi Nasai ! - Wait ! <<the only one I remember right now>> )...so I was curious what do they actually mean. Another question is about the word: "watashi". I've also heard it numerous times spelled: "wataKUsi". Why ? Thanks in Advance, コッド

Hi there, sorry you haven't got a reply sooner, Shite して　is the -te form of suruする, "to do". Shimasuします is the polite present tense of suruする, "to do". Gozaimasu ございますis from gozairuございる, which is a very polite verb meaning "to be". Eg. "Ohayou gozaimasu", literally "HONORIFIC-Early IS(polite)" ("hayou" is from "hayai", meaning "early") Eg 2. "Arigatou gozaimasu", literally "Thank you-IS(polite)". Nasaiなさい is the imperative form of nasaruなさる, a very polite verb meaning "to do". It is used as a auxiliary after the -masu base of verbs. Eg. In "Machi nasai!"　まちなさい！The -masu base of "matsu", "to wait", is まちますーー＞まち。 nasaiなさい is then added as an imperative auxiliary adjective, adding that assertive tone,"Wait!". It is quite polite.　You could also say "matte!", and "matte kudasai!" to mean the same thing. Watakushi わたくしis simply a formal version of watashiわたし. If there are any errors, someone please correct me. Hope this helps!

Pascal-san, arigato gozaimashita ! Now everything fits the puzzle. I'm more of a detective type, I have a tendency to take in consideration even the smallest of details even though we learn phrases more than words here :). Thanks again ! コッド

You're welcome. I agree, I think it does help If you know the literal transaltions of things.

Konnichiwa! Just a minor revision... Gozaimasu ございますis from gozaruござる,and not ございる

ah, thanks for the correction ! I got through the ultra-formal introductions part where the verb was explained, but I somehow didn't notice about it :).

Sayaka got the major correction I wanted to make, but the other point I wanted to bring up is that while yes, ございます does come from ござる. You will almost never use ござる in present day Japanese. As a matter of fact the only time I've seen it used is in historical movies on Japan. As in those awesome samurai movies that have stories set in like the Edo period. So yeah,　ござる carries a bit of archaism with it.

thanks for the mini-culture lesson :D