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In the context of my actually being in Hiroshima, I think I could say

すごいすごい。初めてです、広島は。

to mean "This is my first time in Hiroshima".

  • Is this correct?
  • Is that natural Japanese?
  • Do the gratuitous "すごい"s enhance the context?

Somehow helps clarify what I'm trying to say?

But, this would not sound ok at all?

花粉症が酷くて、暑くて、初めてです、Floridaは

addendum
I'm now thinking that my assertion is groundless. My speaking is somewhat modeled after キキ in 魔女の宅急便. She is always so positive. Being negative when you visit a place just sounds unnatural to me. In any event, who am I to say what "sounds natural"...

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  • Spoken, your first example would be understood, if not grammatically incorrect (Wow, wow. Hiroshima, my first time). Try 広島は初めてです。 Your last example would not make sense as your subject has changed. (My hayfever is bad [my hayfever is] hot, this is the first time [I have ever had hayfever], Florida.) Try: Floridaは初めてですが、暑くて、花粉症が酷くなっています。 Nov 20, 2015 at 2:14
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    @TheWanderingCoder I'd like to accept your answer. But, I was not really thinking about grammar, but rather how I'd talk were I to meet a friend in the bullet train station in Hiroshima. I'd just thought I could say that quickly and confidently, and sound natural. guess not; I make tons of mistakes.
    – david.t
    Nov 20, 2015 at 2:36
  • I didn't intend to pick out the grammar, but the second phrase you had, really doesn't mean what (I assume) you intended to say. Further, the use of すごいすごい (in your first phrase) actually seems more like a form of sarcasm. A:Wow this shop is great! It sells everything. B: Yeah, wonderful, wonderful. (When can we leave). Nov 20, 2015 at 2:43
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    I suppose a somewhat more confident thing to say to your friend would be... 広島は始めてです。すごいところですね! Nov 20, 2015 at 2:44
  • What do you intend to say by 「花粉症が酷くて、暑くて、初めてです、Floridaは」?
    – chocolate
    Nov 20, 2015 at 8:02

1 Answer 1

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「すごいすごい。[初]{はじ}めてです、[広島]{ひろ・しま}は。」 is not wrong, but if you are a man, it's a little strange, because 「すごいすごい」 is a phrase that a girl says, usually (if it has a positive nuance). If you want to emphasize すごい, すっごい would be more natural to use than すごいすごい. すっごい is commonly used by both men and women.

「すっごい初めてです!」

is naturally said in casual conversations by some young people. It means "This is my very first time!"

「めっちゃ初めてです!」

has the same meaning, and used by many people.

です is keigo, so 「すっごい初めてです」 and 「めっちゃ初めてです」 are nice ways to say, but they sound somewhat casual.

「まったく初めてです。」

is polite and more common, so this can be used in more various situations.

If you feel 「初めてです」 is too simple,

「初めてなんです。」

may fit your needs. This なん confirms the meaning of 初めてです. It's like saying "This is definitely my first time."

The は of 広島は is not necessary.

「初めてです、広島。」 or 「初めてなんです、広島。」

sounds natural.

When some distinction is needed to express, は is useful. For example,

「初めてなんです、広島。[大阪]{おお・さか}は[二三度]{に・さん・ど}[行]{い}ったことあるんですけど。」 (This is definitely my first time in Hiroshima. I've visited Osaka a couple of times, though.)

If you want to say something positive about the place but don't want to specify what, 「すごいところですね。」 is a nice way to say as mentioned in the comment by The Wandering Coderさん. Or,

「いろいろすごいです。」 or 「ほんと、すごいです。」

would work well. In this case, saying a 初めてです sentence first would sound more natural. For example,

「初めてなんです、広島。いろいろほんと、すごいです。」

About the Florida sentence, the following example would sound more natural and relatively understandable for native Japanese speakers.

「ここ[来]{き}て[突然]{とつ・ぜん}[花粉症]{か・ふん・しょう}が[酷]{ひど}くなっちゃうし、もうとにかく[暑]{あつ}くて。しかも、初めてなんです、[フロリダ]{ふ・ろ・り・だ}。」

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