JAPANESSE

frase: sov watashi ga ringo o tabemashita

i an apple ate

where is the bathroom

toire wa doko desu ka

#1 Konnichiwa (こんにちは) – Hello
•#2 Ohayou gozaimasu (おはようございます) – Good morning

•#3 Konbanwa (こんばんは) – Good evening

•#4 Moshi moshi (もしもし) – Hello (but only if you’re on the phone
or something like Skype)

•#5 Ogenki desu ka? (お元気ですか) – How are you?

•#6 Genki desu (元気です) – I’m good/I’ve been doing well, thanks

•#7 Ohisashiburi desu ne (お久しぶりですね) – Long time no see

•#8 _______–san mo? (______-さんも？) – And you? (Hint: fill in the

blank with your friend’s name. This is a great response to things
like “How are you?” because you can say, “I’m good! And you?”)

After you’ve greeted your new conversation partner, it’s likely

that you’ll need to know more about them. Keep it rolling—you’ve
got this.

•#9 Namae wa nan desu ka? (名前は何ですか) – What’s your name?

•#10 Watashi no namae wa _____ desu (私の名前は＿＿です) – My
name is ______

•#11 Doko kara kimashita ka? (どこから来ましたか) – Where are you

from?

•#12 Watashi wa ______ kara kimashita (私は＿＿から来ました) – I’m

from __________.

•#13 Sou desu ka? (そうですか) – Is that so?/Really?/I see (Hint: this
is a great thing to say after learning where someone is from, what
they do, or other facts about their life.)

If you want to keep the conversation going and need some more
expressions to help you out, check out these 28 Japanese
conversation starters.

You’ve done great so far. You’ve introduced yourself, learned your

friend’s name and maybe where they’re from. And now you’re
ready to move on to other topics.

But first, try out some of these basic Japanese phrases to be

polite so you can apologise, show off your good manners, and be
polite at a restaurant before you tuck into a meal.

•#14 Arigatou gozaimasu (ありがとうございます) – Thank you

•#15 Douitashimashite (どういたしまして) – You’re welcome

•#16 Sumimasen (すみません) – I’m sorry/excuse me (Hint: you can

use this for anything from apologising for stumbling into someone
on the train to asking for help or asking for people to move out of
your way.)

•#17 Gomen nasai (ごめんなさい) – I’m sorry (Hint: didn’t we already

cover “I’m sorry”? Gomen nasai is less “excuse me” and more
“I’m truly sorry from the bottom of my heart.” Use it if you
knocked something over and broke it, not if you interrupted
someone’s stroll to ask for directions.)

•#18 Yoroshiku onegaishimasu (よろしくおねがいします) – I’m in your

debt! (Hint: this one isn’t used in its literal sense most of the
time; it’s a way to say “thank you” to someone you are counting
on or indebted to. For example, if you're starting out at a new job
in Japan, you might introduce yourself and then add this at the
end. You might also use it if you’ve asked someone a favour, such
as to show you around or give you directions.)

•#19 Itadakimasu (いただきます) – Let’s dig in (Hint: say this before

meals as a way to politely say you’re going to begin enjoying
your food.)

•#20 Gochisousama deshita (ごちそうさまでした) – That was delicious

(Hint: say this after meals as a way to say thank you.)
For more on Japanese culture, customs and politeness check
out this post.

You’ve been puttering along in a conversation for a while now!

But what happens if everything you feared takes place and you
get confused? First, remember not to panic.

Even in your native language, you probably have to ask people

for clarification or to repeat themselves. You won’t offend anyone
if you do the same in a foreign language. Memorise these basic
Japanese phrases and just take it slow, one sentence at a time.

•#21 Eigo te iu no wa… (英語ていうのは) – And in English, that’s…?

•#22 Wakarimasen (わかりません) – I don’t understand

•#23 Shirimasen (知りません) – I don’t know

•#24 Wasuremashita (忘れました) – I forgot

•#25 Motto yukkuri kudasai (もっとゆっくり下さい) – Please go a little

slower

•#26 Mou ichido kudasai (もう一度下さい) – Could you say that one
more time?
•#27 Nihongo de perapera de wa nai desu (日本語でペラペラではないです)
– I’m not very fluent in Japanese (Hint: you’re speaking Japanese
already! So you can’t say “I don’t know Japanese at all,” right?)

•#28 ___ te iu no imi wa nan desu ka? (＿＿ていうの意味は何ですか) –

What does _____ mean?

•#29 Tetsudatte kuremasen ka? (手伝ってくれませんか) – Can you help

me?

Japanese is one of the easiest languages to ask questions in—so

ask away! In order to make a question in Japanese, just add ka to
the end of any sentence.

On top of that, though, there are a few question words that will
make your conversations go a lot smoother. Plus knowing how to
ask questions is essential for travellers in Japan if you need to
find your way or get help.

•#30 Doko desu ka? (どこですか) – Where is it?

•#31 Itsu desu ka? (いつですか) – When is it?

•#32 Doushite? (どうして) – Why?

•#33 Dochira desu ka? (どちらですか) – Which one is it?

•#34 Nan desu ka? (何ですか) – What is it?

•#35 Dare desu ka? (だれですか) – Who is it?

Perfect! You’ve been talking with someone for a few minutes now,
introducing yourself and asking any questions you need to know.
Maybe you’ve found out your speaking partner’s name and you’re
walking to a coffee shop together.Now’s the perfect time to find
out more about each other and maybe become friends. Try out
some of these basic Japanese phrases to open up a whole new
avenue of conversation!

•#36 Ima nanji desu ka? (今何時ですか) – What time is it right now?

•#37 Ima (今) – Now

•#38 Ato de (後で) – Later

•#39 Kyou (今日) – Today

•#40 Kinou (昨日) – Yesterday

•#41 Ashita (明日) – Tomorrow

•#42 Mainichi (毎日) – Everyday

•#43 Nansai desu ka? (何歳ですか) – How old are you?

•#44 Doko ni sundeimasu ka? (どこに住んでいますか) – Where do you

live?

•#45 Kyoudai ga imasu ka? (兄弟がいますか) – Do you have siblings?

•#46 Ikura desu ka? (いくらですか) – How much does that cost?

•#47 Kore wa nan desu ka? (これはなんですか) – What is this?

•#48 Sore wa nan desu ka? (それはなんですか) – What is that?

•#49 Are we nan desu ka? (あれはなんですか) – What is that? (Hint:

Use “kore” when something is close to you, “sore” when
something is away from you but close to the person you’re
speaking to, and “are” when something is far away from both of
you.)

•#50 Toire wa doko desu ka? (トイレはどこですか) – Where’s the toilet?

11 Answers To Common
Japanese Questions

You’ve been learning a lot about your new friend, but now the
tables have turned—they’re the one asking you questions! How
should you respond to many of the most common questions
Japanese native speakers might ask you? Try these answers out.

•#51 Hai (はい) – Yes

•#52 Iie (いいえ) – No

•#53 Mada mada (まだまだ) – Not yet

•#54 Kamoshiremasen (かもしれません) – Maybe/I’m not sure

•#55 Tokidoki (時々) – Sometimes

•#56 Zenzen (全然) – Never

•#57 Itsumo (いつも) – Always

•#58 Taitei (たいてい) – Usually

•#59 Watashi wa _____ desu (私は＿＿です) – I’m a _______ (Hint: you
can fill this blank with anything you feel describes you. That
might be a “student” (gakusei), “tourist” (kankoukyaku), or even
“doctor” (isha)!

•#60 Daijoubu desu (大丈夫です) – That’s okay

•#61 Ii desu (いいです) – That’s good

A special note on the difference between daijoubu and ii. If

someone is asking you if something is “all right,” daijobu is what
fits there (think “We don’t sell that here; can I get you X instead?”
to which you’d respond with “yes, that’s all right, I suppose”).

If you approve of something or find it nice, that’s the time

for ii (think of your friend saying “Hey, we should go to that sushi
place!” and you’re really excited to go there. If your friend
suggested sushi but you really wanted ramen instead, that would
be a case for just using daijoubu.)

What if you’ve found yourself speaking to a native Japanese

person for the first time because you decided to go to a
celebration or special event, like a birthday or festival? Here are a
few useful basic Japanese phrases for almost any situation you
might find yourself in.
•#62 Ki o tsukete (気を付けて) – Be careful (Hint: you might say this
to someone going on a trip.)

•#63 Yoku dekimashita (よくできました) – Great job

•#64 Omedetou gozaimasu (おめでとうございます) – Congratulations

•#65 Tanjoubi omedetou (誕生日おめでとう) – Happy birthday

•#66 Kanpai (乾杯) – Cheers (Hint: you should really only go for
this one if you actually have a drink of some sort in your hand.)

4 Types Of Japanese Goodbye

You’ve had a lot to talk about, but now the time has come to
finish your Japanese conversation. How do you wrap things up?

•#67 Ja (じゃ) – Well (Hint: used in the sense of “well, I guess I’d
better get going.”)

•#68 Sayounara (さようなら) – Goodbye (Hint: use only if you don’t

plan on seeing them again. This is a more final “goodbye.”)

•#69 Ja, mata (じゃまた) – Well, see you (Hint: this is the much more
common “goodbye.”)
•#70 Oyasumi nasai (おやすみなさい) – Good night

By the way, if you're based in Tokyo or elsewhere in Japan, but

you're still looking for someone to speak to here are my 4 tips
for finding a language partner in Japan.

I can’t wrap up a list of some of the most important phrases in

Japanese without making sure you know a few of the words that
could come in very handy. If you find yourself in serious trouble,
use these basic Japanese phrases to call for help.

•#71 Tasukete! (助けて) – Help me!

•#72 Keisatsu o yonde kudasai! (警察を呼んで下さい) – Please call the

police!

•#73 Kyuu kyuusha o yonde kudasai! (救急車を呼んで下さい) – Please

call an ambulance!

Hopefully you never have to use these last three. But it’s always
a good thing to remember them in case you need them.
#1 Konnichiwa (こんにちは) – Hello
#2 Ohayou gozaimasu (おはようございます) – Good morning
#3 Konbanwa (こんばんは) – Good evening
#4 Moshi moshi (もしもし) – Hello (but only if you’re on the phone or
something like Skype)
#5 Ogenki desu ka? (お元気ですか) – How are you?
#6 Genki desu (元気です) – I’m good/I’ve been doing well, thanks
#7 Ohisashiburi desu ne (お久しぶりですね) – Long time no see
#8 _______–san mo? (______-さんも？) – And you?
#9 Namae wa nan desu ka? (名前は何ですか) – What’s your name?
#10 Watashi no namae wa _____ desu (私の名前は＿＿です) – My name is
______
#11 Doko kara kimashita ka? (どこから来ましたか) – Where are you from?
#12 Watashi wa ______ kara kimashita (私は＿＿から来ました) – I’m from
__________.
#13 Sou desu ka? (そうですか) – Is that so?/Really?/I see
#14 Arigatou gozaimasu (ありがとうございます) – Thank you
#15 Douitashimashite (どういたしまして) – You’re welcome
#16 Sumimasen (すみません) – I’m sorry/excuse me
#17 Gomen nasai (ごめんなさい) – I’m sorry
#18 Yoroshiku onegaishimasu (よろしくおねがいします) – I’m in your debt!
#19 Itadakimasu (いただきます) – Let’s eat
#20 Gochisousama deshita (ごちそうさまでした) – That was delicious
#21 Eigo te iu no wa… (英語ていうのは) – And in English, that’s…?
#22 Wakarimasen (わかりません) – I don’t understand
#23 Shirimasen (知りません) – I don’t know
#24 Wasuremashita (忘れました) – I forgot
#25 Motto yukkuri kudasai (もっとゆっくり下さい) – Please go a little
slower
#26 Mou ichido kudasai (もう一度下さい) – Could you say that one more
time?
#27 Nihongo de perapera de wa nai desu (日本語でペラペラではないです) – I’m
not very fluent in Japanese
#28 ___ te iu no imi wa nan desu ka? (＿＿ていうの意味は何ですか) – What
does _____ mean?
#29 Tetsudatte kuremasen ka? (手伝ってくれませんか) – Can you help me?
#30 Doko desu ka? (どこですか) – Where is it?
#31 Itsu desu ka? (いつですか) – When is it?
#32 Doushite? (どうして) – Why?
#33 Dochira desu ka? (どちらですか) – Which one is it?
#34 Nan desu ka? (何ですか) – What is it?
#35 Dare desu ka? (だれですか) – Who is it?
#36 Ima nanji desu ka? (今何時ですか) – What time is it right now?
#37 Ima (今) – Now
#38 Ato de (後で) – Later
#39 Kyou (今日) – Today
#40 Kinou (昨日) – Yesterday
#41 Ashita (明日) – Tomorrow
#42 Mainichi (毎日) – Everyday
#43 Nansai desu ka? (何歳ですか) – How old are you?
#44 Doko ni sundeimasu ka? (どこに住んでいますか) – Where do you live?
#45 Kyoudai ga imasu ka? (兄弟がいますか) – Do you have siblings?
#46 Ikura desu ka? (いくらですか) – How much does that cost?
#47 Kore wa nan desu ka? (これはなんですか) – What is this?
#48 Sore wa nan desu ka? (それはなんですか) – What is that?
#49 Are we nan desu ka? (あれはなんですか) – What is that?
#50 Toire wa doko desu ka? (トイレはどこですか) – Where’s the toilet?
#51 Hai (はい) – Yes
#52 Iie (いいえ) – No
#53 Mada mada (まだまだ) – Not yet
#54 Kamoshiremasen (かもしれません) – Maybe/I’m not sure
#55 Tokidoki (時々) – Sometimes
#56 Zenzen (全然) – Never
#57 Itsumo (いつも) – Always
#58 Taitei (たいてい) – Usually
#59 Watashi wa _____ desu (私は＿＿です) – I’m a _______
#60 Daijoubu desu (大丈夫です) – That’s okay
#61 Ii desu (いいです) – That’s good
#62 Ki o tsukete (気を付けて) – Be careful
#63 Yoku dekimashita (よくできました) – Great job
#64 Omedetou gozaimasu (おめでとうございます) – Congratulations
#65 Tanjoubi omedetou (誕生日おめでとう) – Happy birthday
#66 Kanpai (乾杯) – Cheers
#67 Ja (じゃ) – Well
#68 Sayounara (さようなら) – Goodbye
#69 Ja, mata (じゃまた) – Well, see you
#70 Oyasumi nasai (おやすみなさい) – Good night
#71 Tasukete! (助けて) – Help me!
#72 Keisatsu o yonde kudasai! (警察を呼んで下さい) – Please call the
police!
#73 Kyuu kyuusha o yonde kudasai! (救急車を呼んで下さい) – Please call
an ambulance!
#74 Suki desu yo (好きですよ) – I like this
#75 Daisuki desu yo (大好きですよ) – I love this
#76 Kirai desu (きらいです) – I dislike this
#77 Daikirai desu (大嫌いです) – I hate this
#78 Suki demo kirai demo nai (好きでも嫌いでもない) – I don’t like or
dislike this
#79 Maamaa (まあまあ) – It’s okay/so-so
#80 Dame desu yo (だめですよ) – That’s bad/don’t do that
#81 Mondai nai (問題ない) – It’s not a problem
#82 Iroiro (色々) – Various/many
#83 Mata sugu ni kimasu yo (またすぐに来ますよ) – We’ll meet up soon
#84 Mada tabeteimasen (まだ食べています) – I haven’t eaten yet
#85 Tabete mitai (食べてみたい) – I want to try this [food]
#86 ____ ga taberaremasen (＿＿が食べられません) – I can’t eat that
#87 Arerugi ga arimasu (アレルギーがあります) – I have an allergy
#88 Betsu betsu onegaishimasu (別々お願いします) – Split the check,
please
#89 Kurejitto kaado ii (クレジットカードいい？) – Is credit card okay?
#90 Iie, kekko desu (いいえ、けっこです) – No, that’s all right
#91 Fukuro ni iremasu ka (袋に入れますか) – Do you need a bag?
#92 Yattaa (やったあ) – Yay!
#93 Yabai (やばい) – That’s bad
#94 Maji de (まじで) – Really?
#95 Yappari (やっぱり) – Of course/as I thought
#96 Omochikaeri de (お持ち帰りで) – Takeout
#97 Nani (何) – What
#98 Yoiko (良い子) – Good boy/girl (in the sense of praising a dog)
#99 Okawari (おかわり) – Another serving
#100 Irasshaimase (いらっしゃいませ) – Welcome

What are basic Japanese sentences?

Some basic Japanese sentences that everyone should know are:

元気ですか？Genki desu ka? How are you?/Are you well?

いくらですか？Ikura desu ka? How much does this cost?

私の名前は＿＿＿です。Watashi no namae wa _____desu. My name is

_______.

What are 10 Japanese words?

Ten of the most common Japanese words are:

1. ありがとう(arigatou – thank you)
2. すみません (sumimasen – excuse me/I’m sorry)
3. こんにちは (konnichiwa – hello)
4. はい (hai – yes)
5. いいえ (iie – no)
6. ―さん (-san – attached to the end of anyone’s name to show
respect)
7. 失礼します (shitsurei shimasu – excuse my rudeness [when entering
or leaving a person’s space, like a home or office])
8. いってきます (ittekimasu – I’m leaving)
9. ただいま (tadaima – I’m home)
10. おやすみ (oyasumi – good night)

What is a popular Japanese phrase?

The most popular Japanese phrase is ありがとうございます [arigatou

gozaimasu], which means “thank you.”

Your Next Steps In Japanese

So there you have it: all of the basic Japanese phrases you need
to help you discover and start using the Japanese language.
With these basic Japanese phrases in your back pocket, you'll
soon find yourself having your first basic conversations with
native speakers and getting excited about developing your
conversational Japanese.

So now that you’ve learned the basics, are you ready to take the
next step in your Japanese adventure?

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The Key To Stress-Free
Japanese Conversations

If you’ve mastered even a small number of the basic Japanese

phrases in this article, you’ll be well on your way to holding a
solid conversation with any native speaker you might happen to
encounter at home or when you travel.
In language learning, you don't need to re-invent the wheel each
time you speak to someone new. Nor do you have to come up
with all your answers on the spot.

Try thinking about your answers to some native speaker

questions beforehand so you can find the right words (like your
age, occupation, and country or language name) to describe
yourself! Use these basic Japanese phrases to help you.

When you know what to expect, and you've prepared in advance,

you'll find that conversations with native speakers go much more
smoothly. And most importantly, you'll feel more confident about
speaking in Japanese.