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so, the one slang word I never learned in class, but heard within a minute of listening to a Japanese conversation was "maji de," it's like an American asking "really?" or "is that true?" and the young japanese people I've met say it all the time.

Actually kimi is used by males as well, but it is very familiar and has a love-dovey conotation to it. You hear it a lot in songs, bars full of drunk salary men, and the gay television stars (of which there are lots in Japan). Its kind of fruity but it can be used.

For more unconventional slang, see my posts in "Japanese Words" on the main forum. I'll teach you punks how to talk like a realy Osaka ganster. cool

Having only lived on the mean streets of Tokyo for a few months, I can`t explain all the nuances of kimi aside from the fact that I mostly hear it from the gal friend when she is happy and in J-rock/pop songs (both male and female singers). In Osaka, we often use anta (more like saying "honey/hun") but its pretty common everywhere now days.

The only thing that I usually tell people is avoid using kimi unless its some one you are fairly friendly with or on similar social level. Never use it to superiors unless you want to have a characteristic "silly gaijin" moment

I hear that a lot too. Also, the dialect of where I'm at is called Awa-ben, which is a bit like Kansai-ben. So I hear "honma?" a lot. Even from my professors!

I wish I had taken a picture of the reaction I got from my friends when I first said "honma?" I guess they always expect gaijin to use textbook Japanese, and never pick up the local dialect.