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japanese useful words and phrases

Japan Fact File

[factfile]

 

 

USEFUL WORDS & PHRASES

Hello
Ohayō (good morning) - informal
Ohayō gozaimasu - polite
Konnichi wa (good afternoon/good day) - general: no polite form
Komban wa (good evening) - general: no polite form
Mosh moshi - special for the telephone (but not advisable if that's the limit of your Japanese!

Goodbye
Dewa mata (see you) - "Ja mata" or "Ja ne" are more informal.
Oyasuminasai (goodnight)

Thank you
Arigatō (informal)
Arigatō gozaimasu (polite, ie. to a superior)
Arigatō gozaimashita (general for something which has been or will be done)
Sumimasen - literally "sorry", but often used in the sense of "Thank you for doing me that favour, and sorry to bother you."

Pleased to meet you
Hajimemashite - literally "it's the first time to meet".
A handshake is suitable. See etiquette.

Is there someone who can speak Engish?
Eigo no dekiru hito wa imasuka?

(That was) delicious!
Oishī! - as in many Japanese situations, one word can say it all.
If it wasn't delicious, the negative is oishiikunai, but of course that's not polite.

I'm going (out)
Ittekimasu (to which the response might be iterashai)

I'm back (home)
Tadaima! (to which the response is: o-kaeri or o-kaerinasai)

Yes
Hai! - often used in the sense of "OK, I'll do that!" With a question intonation, it can mean "Sorry, I didn't hear or understand you."
Sō desu - in the sense of "Yes, that's correct".

No
īe - but only in moderation. No-one likes to say no, as directly as that. Normally the negative form of a sentence would be used. Often used when accepting compliments or thanks (ie. in the sense of "No, it was nothing/no trouble")

What's this? Kore wa nani?

You're welcome: Dō itashimashte

Excuse me: Sumimasen

I'm sorry: Gomen nasai

Please
dōzo (when offering something)
onegai shimasu (when requesting something)

Just a moment please: Chotto matte kudasai

Please write it down: Sore o kaite kudasai

- isn't it?
desu ne? This is a general phrase which can usefully be applied in many situations, and like "n'est-ce pas?" in French, the form doesn't change:
Sō desu ne? (That's right, isn't it?)
Samui desu ne? (It's cold, isn't it?)
Atsui desu ne? (Hot, isn't it?)
Kawaii desu ne? (Sweet/cute, isn't it?)

Transportation

I lost my ticket: kippu o nakushimashta
(Show an address) Go to this address please: Koko e itte kudasai
Does this train/bus stop at ____? Kono basu/densha wa ____ ni tomarimasuka?

At the hotel/inn

Can I see the room? Heya o misete kudasai
I left my key in my room: Kagi o heya ni wasuremashta
Could you call me a taxi, please? Takushi o yonde kudasai

 

 

Pronunciation hint:
Japanese pronunciation is simple, syllable by syllable.
The "e" is always like French é (eg. né).
The "u" at the end of a word is often hardly pronounced (eg. desu sounds like dess)
Following the Hepburn system of showing Japanese in roman characters, long vowels are indicated with a line (macron) over the top: ō, ī, ā.

 

 

Shopping:

How much?
Ikura desu ka?

Just looking...
Miteru dake desu

Too small
Chiisasugiru

(Have you) anything bigger?
Motto okii no wa?

Too expensive!
Takasugimasu

Where are the condoms/tampons/sanitary towels?
Condom/tampon/napkin wa doko des ka?

At the restaurant:

I'm hungry!
Onaka ga suita

Do you have a menu in English?
Eigo no menyu wa arimaska?

That's enough
Sorede juubun desu

No thanks
Kekko desu

I'm full
Manpuku desu (Japanese people wouldn't normally say this: it's not polite)

The bill (check) please
Okanjō o onegaishimasu

 

 

 

The Japan National Tourist Organisation (JNTO) publish a handy little booklet called the "Tourist's Language Handbook", containing many useful phrases, and whole dual-language dialogues: you point to your questions and your Japanese counterpart points to the answers.

 

 

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