Learn Japanese Basic Phrases

English (Japanese)
Welcome yōkoso
Hello konnichiwa
ossu - used between close male friends
moshi moshi - on phone
How are you?

I'm fine, thanks. And you?
o genki desu ka
hai, genki desu. anata wa?
kagesama de genki desu
Long time no se hisashiburi - o hisashiburi desu ne
What's your name?
o-namae wa nan desu ka
Where are you from?

I'm from ...
Doko kara desu ka?
Dochira kara desu ka? - frm
watashi wa ... kara desu
Pleased to meet you hajimemashite
hajimemashite. dōzo yoroshiku - reply
oaidekite ureshii desu
Good morning ohayō gozaimasu
Good afternoon konnichiwa
Good evening konbanwa
Good night oyasumi nasai
Goodbye sayōnara
ittekimasu - I'll be back - you are leaving
jā mata ne - see you later
Good luck gokoūn o inorimasu
Cheers/Good health! kanpai lit. "dry glass"
Have a nice day Yoi ichinichi o
Bon appetit
(Have a good meal)
douzo meshiagare = 'enjoy your meal' - said by the cook/chef
itadakimasu - said before a meal by those eating it
gochisōsama - said after a meal by those who have eaten it
Bon voyage
(Have a good journey)
yoi ryōko o
gokigen yō - Goodbye / Good luck
itte irasshai - Go and come back
ichiroheian o inoru
- I wish you a smooth road (old fashioned)
I don't understand wakarimasen wakaranai - inf
Please speak more slowly yukkuri hanashite kudasai
Please write it down kaite kudasai
Do you speak Japanese?



Yes, a little
Nihongo o hanashimasu ka?
Nihongo ga hanasemasu ka?
Hai, hanashimasu
Hai, hanasemasu
Hai, dekimasu)
Excuse me sumimasen
How much is this? ikura desu ka?
Sorry gomen nasai
Thank you







Response (You're welcome)
dōmo
arigatō
arigatō gozaimasu

dō itashimashite
Where's the toilet? benjo wa doko desu ka
toire wa doko desu ka
This gentleman/lady
will pay for everything
konohito ga zembu haraimasu
Would you like to
dance with me?
isshoni odorimasenka?
I love you suki desu , suki da
suki dayo, daisuki desu
aishiteru yo
suki yo, aishiteru wa) - said by women only
Get well soon odaiji ni
How do you say ... in Japanese? o nihongo de nanto īmasu ka?
Leave me alone! hottoite!
Help!
Fire!
tasukete!
kaji da!
Call the police! keisatsu o yonde kudasai!
Merry Christmas
and a Happy New Year
merī kurisumasu
New Year greeting - 'Western' style
shinnen omedetō gozaimasu
New Year greetings - Japanese style
akemashite omedetō gozaimasu

honnen mo yoroshiku onegai itashimasu
Happy Birthday otanjōbi omedetō gozaimasu

Good morning. (Hi.)

Ohayou gozaimasu.

Good afternoon. (Hi.)

Konnichi wa.
Good evening. (Hi.) Konban wa.
Good night. (Said before bedtime.)

Oyasuminasai. (Lit. Have a good rest.)

It's been a long time. Ohisashiburi desu.
How do you do? (Said when meeting someone for the first time.) Hajimemashite.

It's nice to meet you.

Douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu.
Are you well? Ogenki desu ka.
Yes, I'm fine. Hai, genki desu.
Goodbye. Sayounara./Sayonara. (Sayonara is not normally used when leaving one's own home unless one is leaving for a very long time.)
See you. Dewa mata./Ja mata./Mata ne.
See you tomorrow. Mata ashita.
I'm going but I'll be back. (Said when leaving home.) Ittekimasu.
Have a good time. See you later. (Response to Ittekimasu.) Itterasshai.
Take care. (Be careful) Ki o tsukete.
I'm home. Tadaima.
Welcome home. (Said in response to 'tadaima.')
Okaerinasai.
I'm sorry for leaving before you. (Said as one leaves the office if leaving before other people.) Osaki ni shitsurei shimasu.
Thanks for working so hard. (Said to someone who's finished a task or in response to Osaki ni.. ) Otsukare sama deshita.
Welcome. Youkoso.
Sorry to bother you. (Said when entering someone's home.) Ojamashimasu.
Please come in. (Lit. Please come up. Said to someone entering your home.) Oagari kudasi.
I receive. (Said before eating a meal.)
Itadakimasu.
Thank you for the meal. (Said after eating a meal.)
Gochisou sama deshita.
Do your best.
Ganbatte kudasai.
Are you all right?
Daijoubu desu ka?
I'm all right.
Daijoubu desu.
Here you are. (Offering a favor.)
Douzo.
Please do it. (lit. 'I beg you.') (Requesting a favor.)
Onegai shimasu.
Thank you (very much).
(Doumo) arigatou gozaimasu.
Thanks. Arigatou./Doumo.
You're welcome. Douitashimashite.
I don't understand.
Wakarimasen./Wakaranai.
Excuse me. (Getting attention)
Sumimasen.
I'm sorry.
Gomen nasai.
Is that so?
Aa sou desu ka?
That's tough isn't it?
Taihen desu ne.
How unfortunate
Zannen desu ne.
Excuse me. (I am rude. ) Shitsurei shimasu.
I am being rude by leaving before you. (Said when leaving the room before someone, particularly when leaving work before others.) Osaki ni shitsurei shimasu.
(You've worked hard so) you must be tired. (Said to someone leaving work for home.) Otsukare sama deshita.
Excuse me. (Said when entering someone's home.) Ojama shimasu.
Cheers! Kanpai.
No, that's OK. (Said when refusing something.) Iie, kekkou desu.
This is Mr./Ms. Watanabe. Watanabe to moushimasu.
Is Mr./Ms. Ogura there? Ogura-san wa irasshaimasu ka.
Could I speak to Mr./Ms. Tanaka?

Tanaka-san o onegaishimasu.

Yes, he/she's in. Hai, orimasu.
I'm sorry, he's/she's not here at the moment. Moushiwake arimasen ga, tadaima gaishutsu shite orimasu.
I'd like extension XX please. Naisen no XX-ban o onegaishimasu.
Just a moment, please. Shou shou omachi kudasai.
Excuse me, but who's calling, please? Shitsurei desu ga, dochira sama desu ka.
Do you know about when he/she will be back? Nanji goro omodori desu ka.
I'm not sure. Chotto wakarimasen.
He/she should be back soon. Mousugu modoru to omoimasu.
He/she won't be back till this evening. Yuugata made modorimasen.
Can I take a message? Nanika otsutae shimashou ka.
Please do. Onegaishimasu.
No, that's OK, thank you. Iie, kekkou desu.
Could you please ask him/her to call me? O-denwa kudasai to otsutae negaemasu ka.
Could you please tell him/her I'll call back later? Mata denwa shimasu to otsutae kudasai.
Please call back this evening. Konban mata kakenaoshite kudasai.
I'm sorry.

Sumimasen.

Please speak more slowly. Motto yukkuri hanashite kudasai.
Please say it again. Mou ichido itte kudasai.
Could you repeat that please? Mou ichido onegaishimasu.
Do you understand? Wakarimasu ka.
I don't understand. Wakarimasen.
No, you're mistaken. (Use this when people have dialed the wrong number.) Iie, chigaimasu.
I made a mistake. (I dialed the wrong number.) Machigaemashita.
 
 

 

 

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