Useful Japanese phrases

A collection of useful phrases in Japanese with sound files for some of them.
Click on any of the phrases that are links to hear them spoken. If you can provide
recordings, corrections or additional translations, please contact me.
To see these phrases in many other languages click on the English versions. If you'd
like to see these phrases in any combination of two languages, try the Phrase Finder.
Key to abbreviations: frm = formal, inf = informal, f = said by women, >f = said to
women
English
Welcome
Hello (General greeting)
Hello (General greeting)
How are you?
Reply to 'How are you?'
Long time no see
What's your name?
My name is ...
Where are you from?

I'm from ...

Pleased to meet you

Good morning
(Morning greeting)
Good afternoon
(Afternoon greeting)
Good evening
(Evening greeting)
Good night

(Japanese)
(ykoso)
(konnichiwa)
(ossu) - used between close male friends
(moshi moshi)
(o genki desu ka)
(hai, genki desu. anata
wa?)
(o kagesama de genki desu)
(hisashiburi)
(o hisashiburi desu ne)
? (o-namae wa nan desu ka)
... (... da) (inf)
... (... desu) (frm)

(Shusshin wa doko desu ka?)

(Dochira kara desu ka?) - frm

(... shusshin desu)

(watashi wa ... shusshin desu)

(hajimemashite)

(hajimemashite. dzo yoroshiku) reply

(oaidekite ureshii desu)
/ (ohay
gozaimasu)
/ (ohay)
[] (konnichiwa)
/ (konbanwa)
(oyasumi nasai)
(oyasumi)

Goodbye
(Parting phrases)

Good luck
Cheers! Good Health!
(Toasts used when drinking)
Have a nice day
Bon appetit /
Have a nice meal

Bon voyage /
Have a good journey
I don't know
I understand
I don't understand
Please speak more slowly
Please say that again
Please write it down
Do you speak English?
Do you speak Japanese?
Yes, a little
(reply to 'Do you speak ...?')
How do you say ... in
Japanese?
Excuse me
How much is this?
Sorry
Please

(saynara)
(ittekimasu)
- 'I'll be back' - you are leaving
(itterasshai)
- 'come back soon' - you are staying
(j mata ne) - see you later
! (gokon o inorimasu) - frm
(gambatte ne) - inf
(kanpai) lit. "dry glass"
(Yoi ichinichi o)
(douzo meshiagare)
= 'enjoy your meal' - said by the cook/chef
(itadakimasu)
- said before a meal by those eating it
(gochissama deshita)
- said after a meal by those who have eaten it
(yoi ryok o)
(gokigen y - Goodbye / Good luck)
(itte irasshai - Go and come back)
(ichiroheian o inoru)
- I wish you a smooth road (old fashioned)
(wakaranai) - inf
(wakarimasen) - frm
(wakarimasu)
(wakaru) inf
(wakarimasen) - frm
(wakaranai) - inf
(yukkuri hanashite
kudasai)
(yukkuri itte kudasai)
(m ichido, itte kudasai)
(M hitotsu itte kudasai)
(kaite kudasai)
(kaite itadakemasu ka)
(Eigo wa dekimasu ka?)
(Nihongo o hanashimasu ka?)
(Nihongo wa hanasemasu ka?)
(Nihongo wa dekimasu ka?)
(Hai, hanashimasu)
(Hai, hanasemasu)
(Hai, dekimasu)
...
(... wa nihongo de nanto masu ka?)
! (sumimasen)
(ikura desu ka?)
! (gomen nasai)
(kudasai)

 (dmo)
(arigat)
(arigat gozaimasu)
Thank you
(dmo arigat)

(dmo arigat gozaimasu)

Reply to thank you

(d itashimashite)
(benjo wa doko desu ka?)
Where's the toilet?
(toire wa doko desu ka?)
(tearai wa doko desu ka?)
This gentleman/lady will pay
(konohito ga zembu haraimasu)
for everything
Would you like to dance with
(isshoni odorimasenka?)
me?

(koko ni wa yoku kuru no desu ka?)

Do you come here often?

(yoku koko ni kimasu ka?)

(yoku koku kuru no?) - inf

(anata ga inakute
sabish desu)
I miss you
(sabish desu)
(anata ga koish desu) - to a
lover/spouse
(suki desu)
(suki da)
(suki dayo)
I love you
(suki yo) f
(daisuki desu)
(aishiteru yo)
(aishiteru wa) >f
Get well soon
(odaiji ni)
Go away!
! (hottoite!)
Leave me alone!
! (hottoite!)
Help!
! (tasukete!)
Fire!
! (kaji da!)
!
Call the police!
(keisatsu o yonde kudasai!)
Christmas and New Year
(mer kurisumasu)
greetings
New Year greeting - 'Western' style
(shinnen omedet
gozaimasu)
New Year greetings (used before New Year)
(yoi otoshi o) - inf
(yoi otoshi o omukae
kudasai) - frm
New Year greetings (used at New Year, not before)


(akemashite omedet gozaimasu)

(kynenj taihen osewa ni narimashita)

(kotoshi mo yoroshiku onegai itashimasu)

(fukkatsu-sai omedet gozaimasu)

Easter greetings

(sut omedet gozaimasu)

Birthday greetings
(otanjbi omedet gozaimasu)

(gengo o hitotsu wa kesshite tarinai)

One language is never enough

(gengo hitotsu dake de wa tarinai)

My hovercraft is full of eels
(Watashi no hobkurafuto wa unagi de ippai desu.)
Why this phrase?

Other phrases
(wakarimasu ka?) - frm
(wakarimashta) - frm
(Nihongo o hanasemasen)
(Eigo no hanaseru hito wa
Does anyone speak
imasen ka)
English?

(dare ka, eigo ga hanasemasu ka?)

Sorry, I didn't

(sumimasen. wakarimasen deshita)

understand that

What did you say?

(nan te iimashita ka?)
Can you translate it for
(yakushite kudasai)
me?

What does this mean?

(kore wa diu imi desu ka)
How do you pronounce
(kore wa donna f ni hatsuon shimasu ka)
that?
There's a problem in the
(sono heya no naka ni mondai ga arimasu)
room

There's no hot water

(oyu ga arimasen)
The tap/faucet is

(jaguchi ga moreteimasu)
leaking

The drain is blocked

(haisuik ga tsumatteimasu)
The air conditioner is
(eakon ga urusasugimasu)
too noisy

Can I have another

Do you understand?
I understood
I don't speak Japanese

room?
When should I vacate
the room?

(hoka no heya e utsuremasu ka?)

(itsu, heya o denakute wa narimasen ka?)

I'd like to check out

(chekkuauto shitai no desu ga)
I'd check out on this

(kono hi ni chekkuauto shitai no desu ga)

date
Could you call a taxi

(takus o yonde kudasai?)

please?
May I see the bill

(seikysho o misete itadakemasu ka?)

please?
How much is the total
(seikysho no gkei wa ikura desu ka?)
bill?
Can I have an itemised
(meisaisho o misete itadakemasu ka?)
bill?
I think there's a mistake
(kono seikysho ni machigai ga aruy ni om no desu ka?)
on this bill
Is there a restaurant

(chikaku ni resutoran wa arimasu ka?)

near here?
I'd like to reserve a

(tburu no yoyaku o toritai no desu ga)

table

We have a reservation
(sudeni yoyaku o totte imasu)
Do you have an English
(eigo no menyu wa arimasu ka?)
menu?

Can I see the wine list?

(wain no risuto o misete itadakemasen ka?)

I am a vegetarian
(watashi wa saishokushugisha desu)

Note
(moshi moshi) is what you say in Japanese when you answer the phone. It
doesn't mean hello, but is often translated as such. It can also be translated as "excuse
me". It comes from the verb (msu), which a humble equivalent of (iu) - to
say. Originally the phrase used was (mshiagemasu) = "I'm going to
say (talk)", which was commonly used during the Edo period to talk to people of
higher status. Over time it got shortened.
Source https://www.tofugu.com/japanese/moshi-moshi/

BASIC JAPANESE WORDS - INTERACTIONS

Please
(Dzo.)
Thank you
(Arigat.)

You're welcome
(D itashi mashite.)
Yes
Hai. (high)
No
Iie. (ee-eh)
Excuse me
(Sumima sen.)

BASIC JAPANESE WORDS - GREETINGS

Hello.
(Kon nichi wa)
Good morning.
(Ohay gozaimasu.)
Good evening.
(kohm-bahn-wah)
How are you?
(O-genki desu ka?)
Fine, thank you.
(Genki desu. Arigat.)
What is your name?
(O-namae wa nan desu ka? )
My name is ____ .
____ (Watashi no namae wa ____ desu. )
Nice to meet you.
(Hajime mashite. )

BASIC JAPANESE WORDS - DEPARTURES

Goodbye. (long-term)
(Saynara. )

Basic Japanese Phrases

Hai. Yes.

Iie. No.

O-negai shimasu. Please.

Arigat. Thank you.

Ditashimashite. You're welcome.

Sumimasen. Excuse me.

Gomennasai. I am sorry.

Ohay gozaimasu. Good morning.

Konbanwa. Good evening.

O-yasumi nasai. Good night.

Japanese Phrases for Meeting and Greeting

Eigo o hanasemasu ka. Do you speak English?

Koko ni eigo o hanaseru hito wa imasu ka. Does anyone here speak English?

Watashi wa nihongo ga sukoshi shika hanasemasen. I only speak a little Japanese.

O-namae wa nan desu ka. What is your name?

Watashi no namae wa Kaori desu. My name is Kaorii.

O-genki desu ka. How are you?

Genki desu. I'm fine. Thank you.

Oaidekite uresh desu. I am very glad to meet you.

Wakarimasen. I don't understand.

Nante iimashita ka. What did you say?

Motto yukkuri hanashite kudasai. Can you speak more slowly?

Yoku wakarimasu. I understand you perfectly.

Japanese Dialog
Sumisusan:
Ten-in:

Sumisusan:
Ten-in:

Oha y gozaimasu. Good morning.

Eigo o hanasemasu ka. Do you speak English?

Sumimasen. I'm sorry.

Eigo wa hanasemasen. I do not speak English.

Watashi wa nihongo ga sukoshi shika hanasemasen. Unfortunately, I speak

only a little Japanese.

Dai jbu desu. That's all right.

Wakarimasu. I understand you.

Watashi / - I (male or female)

Atashi / - I (female)
Boku / - I (male)
Ore / - I (male)
Toire wa doko desu ka - Where is the bathroom?
Nihongo (yoku) hanasemasen - I can't speak Japanese (well)
Nihongo wa (amari) hanase masen - I don't speak (much) Japanese
Denwa bango wa nan ban desu ka? - What is your phone number?
Denwa bango wa (number) desu - My number is (number)
Abunai / - Look out / Dangerous
Ki o tsukete / - Be careful