So you’re in Japan, but you don’t speak a word of Japanese. Fear not, here are a few essential phrases which will help you get by when you visit Japan. There are a lot of phrases that is useful to know. If you plan to go to Japan and you are not fluent, remember that it is also helpful to bring a Japanese-English dictionary to better understand what your Japanese counterparts are saying to you. One thing to remember is that the japanese have distinct ways of speaking, depending on who the speaker is addressing and the situation. Nihonggo can either be formal or informal, such as when talking to friends or family the informal form is usually used. Most of the phrases here are in their informal form. When speaking in a formal event or to one’s elders, it is imperative to use the formal way of speaking.

PLEASANTRIES

Good morning - Ohayou

Good evening - Kombanwa

Good day - Konnichiwa

Good night - Oyasumi

How do you do? - Ikaga desu ka?

Nice to meet you - Hajimemashite

I am very well - Genki desu

Thank you - Arigatou

Many thanks - Domo arigatou

Goodbye - Sayounara/ Ja ne

Best regards - Yoroshiku

By all means - Douzo

WHEN IN A TAXI OR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

What is the fare? - Ryokin wa ikura desu ka

Are we almost there? - Mo sugu desu ka

Please stop - Tomete kudasai

Please hurry up - Isoide kudasai

WHEN LOOKING FOR A PLACE/VISITING SOMEONE

Will you show me the way? - Michi o oshiete kudasai

What time does the bus pass? - Itsu bus ga koko o torimasu ka

Where do i have to get off? - Doko de orimasu ka

Is [name] in? - [name]-san wa uchi desu ka?

Will he return soon? - Sugu okaeri desho ka?

AT A HOTEL

I want two rooms - Futaheya iri masu

How much is the room rate? - Kono heya nedan wa ikura desu ka?

Have you any rooms? - Heya ga arimasu ka?

Where is the bathroom? - Furo wa doko desu ka?

That room is too small - Kono heya wa semasugi masu

That room is too large - Ano heya wa okisugi masu

Give ma a quiet room - Shizuka na heya wo kudasai

AT A RESTAURANT

When can I have breakfast/lunch/dinner? - Itsu asameshi/hirumeshi/yuushoku ga deki masu ka?

Give me some [food] - [food] o sukoshi kudasai

Let me look at the menu - Menu o misete kudasai

I want [food] - [food] ga hoshii

WHEN SHOPPING

I want to buy [item] - [item] ga kakitai no desu

Let me try it on - Kabuttemasho

Please show me that - Are o misete kudasai

This is too small/large - Kore wa chiisai/ookii sugai masu

I will take this - Kore o moraimasho

I want some other color - Hoka no iro ga hoshii

NUMBERS

One - Ichi

Two - Ni

Three - San

Four - Yon/shi

Five - Go

Six - Roku

Seven - Nana

Eight - Hachi

Nine - Kyuu

Ten - Juu

Hundred - Hyaku

Thousand - Sen

Remember that other numbers are based on the numbers above. For example:

Thirteen - Juu-san

Thirty-five - Sanjuu-go

One hundred eighty three - Hyaku hachi juu-san

Also, it would be helpful to learn about the Japanese way of writing. We shall discuss the Japanese way of writing in detail next time but in the mean time, why not start memorizing the Japanese alphabet table for both Hiragana and Katakana below:

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 7th, 2008 at 12:01 am and is filed under Language, Japan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.