Japanese Phrasebook: Greetings & Essential Phrases
The most useful Japanese words and phrases for travelers — greetings, polite basics, numbers, directions and more — each with a simple pronunciation guide. This is a preview of the full phrasebook content.
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Greetings & IntroductionsCommon Words & QuestionsNumbersDays & TimeDirectionsLocationsFoodLodgingMedicalBody PartsEmergenciesWeatherDescriptionsFamilyOccupationsCustomsFuel & Vehicle
Greetings & Introductions 10 phrases
Welcome.ようこそ。yōkoso
Hello.こんにちは。konnichiwa
Good morning.おはようございます。ohayō go-zaimasu
Good night.お休みなさい。o-yasumi nasai
Good bye.さようなら。sayōnara
How are you?お元気ですか?o-genki desu ka?
I’m fine, thanks, and you?元気です。あなたは?genki desu, anata wa?
I’m pleased to meet you.お会いできて嬉しいです。o-ai dekite ureshii desu
Thank you for your help.手伝ってくれてありがとうございます。tetsudatte kurete arigatō go-zaimasu
My name is ___.私の名前は ___ です。watashi no namae wa ___ desu
Common Words & Questions 30 phrases
Please.お願いします。o-negai shimasu
Thank you.ありがとうございます。arigatō go-zaimasu
Can someone assist us?誰か手伝ってくれますか?dareka tetsudatte kuremasu ka?
OKオーケーōkē
Excuse me. / I’m sorry.失礼します。 / すみません。shitsurei shimasu / sumimasen
Yesはいhai
Noいいえiie
Maybe多分tabun
Right正しいtadashii
Wrong正しくないtadashikunai
Hereここkoko
Thereそこsoko
I want欲しいhoshii
I do not want欲しくないhoshikunai
Danger危険kiken
OK, no problem.問題ありません。mondai arimasen
Who?誰?dare?
What?何?nani?
When?いつ?itsu?
Where?どこ?doko?
Why?どうして?dōshite?
How?どう?dō?
What happened?何がありましたか?nani ga arimashita ka?
Do you have ___?___ を持っていますか?___ o motte imasu ka?
Do you need help?助けが要りますか?tasuke ga irimasu ka?
I am ___私は ___ ですwatashi wa ___ desu
You are ___あなたは ___ ですanata wa ___ desu
He / She is ___彼は ___ です/ 彼女は ___ ですkare wa ___ desu / kanojo wa ___ desu
We are ___我々は ___ ですwareware wa ___ desu
They are ___彼らは ___ ですkarera wa ___ desu
Numbers 41 phrases
0 Zero零zero
1 One一ichi
2 Two二ni
3 Three三san
4 Four四yon
5 Five五go
6 Six六roku
7 Seven七nana
8 Eight八hachi
9 Nine九kyū
10 Ten十jū
11 Eleven十一jūichi
12 Twelve十二jūni
13 Thirteen十三jūsan
14 Fourteen十四jūyon
15 Fifteen十五jūgo
16 Sixteen十六jūroku
17 Seventeen十七jūnana
18 Eighteen十八jūhachi
19 Nineteen十九jūkyū
20 Twenty二十nijū
30 Thirty三十sanjū
40 Forty四十yonjū
50 Fifty五十gojū
60 Sixty六十rokujū
70 Seventy七十nanajū
80 Eighty八十hachijū
90 Ninety九十kyūjū
100 One Hundred百hyaku
1,000 One Thousand一千issen
10,000 Ten Thousand一万ichiman
100,000 Hundred Thousand十万jūman
1,000,000 Million百万hyakuman
Plus足すtasu
Minus引くhiku
More (than)（~より）多い(~yori) ōi
Less (than)（~より）少ない(~yori) sukunai
Approximately約yaku
First一番目ichiban-me
Second二番目niban-me
Third三番目sanban-me
Days & Time 25 phrases
Sunday日曜日nichiyōbi
Monday月曜日getsuyōbi
Tuesday火曜日kayōbi
Wednesday水曜日suiyōbi
Thursday木曜日mokuyōbi
Friday金曜日kin'yōbi
Saturday土曜日doyōbi
Yesterday昨日kinō
Today今日kyō
Tomorrow明日ashita
Day昼hiru
Night夜yoru
Week週shū
Month月gatsu
Year年nen
Second秒byō
Minute分fun
Hour時間jikan
Morning朝asa
Evening夕方yūgata
Noon正午shōgo
Afternoon午後gogo
Midnight真夜中mayonaka
Now今ima
Later後でato de
Directions 26 phrases
Above / Over上ue
After / Past後ato
Back / Behind後ろushiro
Before / In front of / Forward前mae
Between間aida
Coordinates座標zahyō
Degrees度do
Down下shita
East東higashi
Far遠いtōi
Longitude経度keido
Left左hidari
Latitude緯度ido
My position is ___.私の位置は ___ です。watashi no ichi wa ___ desu
Near近いchikai
North北kita
Northeast北東hokutō
Northwest北西hokusei
Right右migi
South南minami
Southeast南東nantō
Southwest南西nansei
Straight ahead前方zenpō
Under下shita
Up上ue
West西nishi
Locations 25 phrases
Beach浜辺hamabe
Border国境kokkyō
Bridge橋hashi
Campキャンプkyanpu
Dirt road舗装されていない道路hosō sarete inai dōro
Forest森mori
Harbor港minato
Hill丘oka
House家ie
Lake湖mizūmi
Meadow牧草地bokusōchi
Mountain山yama
Ocean海umi
Path小道komichi
Paved road舗装されている道路hosō sarete iru dōro
Place場所basho
Position位置ichi
River川kawa
Road道路dōro
Sea海umi
Square区画kukaku
Tree木ki
Valley谷tani
Village村mura
Where?どこ?doko?
Food 45 phrases
Food食べ物tabemono
Can缶kan
Cupカップkappu
Forkフォークfōku
Knifeナイフnaifu
Plate皿sara
Spoonスプーンsupūn
Beans豆mame
Beerビールbīru
Breadパンpan
Butterバターbatā
Cheeseチーズchīzu
Coffeeコーヒーkōhī
Fish魚sakana
Flour小麦粉komugiko
Fruit果物kudamono
Meat肉niku
Milkミルクmiruku
Oil油abura
Potatoesじゃがいもjagaimo
Rice米kome
Salt塩shio
Soupスープsūpu
Sugar砂糖satō
Teaお茶o-cha
Vegetables野菜yasai
Water水mizu
Wineワインwain
Drink飲み物nomimono
Eat食べるtaberu
Don’t push! We have plenty of food.押さないで! 食べ物は十分あります。osanaide! tabemono wa jūbun arimasu
Give me your bowl.容れ物を渡して下さい。iremono o watashite kudasai
Is the water safe to drink?これは飲み水ですか?kore wa nomimizu desu ka?
Boil the water.お湯を沸かして下さい。o-yu o wakashite kudasai
Wash your hands.手を洗って下さい。te o aratte kudasai
Wash yourself here.ここで洗って下さい。koko de aratte kudasai
We need ___ liters of potable water.___ リットルの飲み水が必要です。___ rittoru no nomimizu ga hitsuyō desu
Where is the latrine?トイレはどこですか?toire wa doko desu ka?
The latrine is to the ___.トイレは ___ にあります。toire wa ___ ni arimasu
left.左。hidari
right.右。migi
straight ahead.まっすぐ行ったところ。massugu itta tokoro
Is the food fresh?新鮮ですか?shinsen desu ka?
Is the food spoiled?腐っていますか?kusatte imasu ka?
Burn this ___.この ___ を燃やしなさい。kono ___ o moyashinasai
Lodging 9 phrases
We must spend the night here.今夜はここに泊まらなければなりません。konya wa koko ni tomaranakereba narimasen
Is there a dining facility here?こちらには食堂がありますか?kochira ni wa shokudō ga arimasu ka?
How many kilometers to the nearest town?一番近くの街まで何キロありますか?ichiban chikaku no machi made nan kiro arimasu ka?
Are there any hotels near here?この近くにホテルがありますか?kono chikaku ni hoteru ga arimasu ka?
Are there any restaurants near here?この近くにレストランがありますか?kono chikaku ni restoran ga arimasu ka?
We want to go to ___.___ に行きたいです。___ ni ikitai desu
Are there rental cars available?レンタカーがありますか?rentakā ga arimasu ka?
Is there a telephone available?電話がありますか?denwa ga arimasu ka?
We need ___ gallons of potable water.___ ガロンの飲み水が必要です。___ garon no nomimizu ga hitsuyō desu
Medical 33 phrases
Antibiotics抗生物質kōsei busshitsu
Bandage包帯hōtai
Blood血液ketsueki
Burn火傷yakedo
Clean清潔なseiketsu na
Dead死亡したshibō shita
Doctor医者isha
Fever熱netsu
Hospital病院byōin
Infection感染kansen
Injured怪我人keganin
Malnutrition栄養失調eiyō shicchō
Medic衛生兵eiseihei
Medicine薬kusuri
Nurse看護士kangoshi
Poison毒doku
Sick病気byōki
Vitaminsビタミンbitamin
Wound怪我kega
I am a doctor.私は医者です。watashi wa isha desu
I am not a doctor.私は医者ではありません。watashi wa isha dewa arimasen
I am going to help.助けます。tasukemasu
Can you walk?歩けますか?arukemasu ka?
Can you sit?座れますか?suwaremasu ka?
Can you stand?立てますか?tatemasu ka?
Are you in pain?痛いですか?itai desu ka?
You will get a shot. (injection)注射します。chūsha shimasu
I will take you to the hospital.あなたを病院へ連れて行きます。anata o byōin e tsurete ikimasu
What is wrong?どうしたんですか?dō shitan desu ka?
Are you injured?怪我しましたか?kega shimashita ka?
Can you feed yourself?自分で食事ができますか?jibun de shokuji ga dekimasu ka?
Open your mouth.口を開けて下さい。kuchi o akete kudasai
Are you pregnant?妊娠していますか?ninshin shite imasu ka?
Body Parts 36 phrases
Abdomenお腹o-naka
Ankle足首ashikubi
Arm腕ude
Bone骨hone
Brain脳nō
Chest胸mune
Ear耳mimi
Elbow肘hiji
Eyes目me
Face顔kao
Finger指yubi
Foot足ashi
Hair髪の毛kaminoke
Hand手te
Head頭atama
Heart心臓shinzō
Kidney腎臓jinzō
Knee膝hiza
Leg脚ashi
Lips唇kuchibiru
Liver肝臓kanzō
Lungs肺hai
Mouth口kuchi
Neck首kubi
Nose鼻hana
Pelvis / Groin骨盤 / 鼠蹊部kotsuban / sokeibu
Ribs肋骨rokkotsu
Shoulder肩kata
Skull頭蓋骨zugaikotsu
Spine背骨sebone
Stomach (area)腹hara
Stomach (organ)胃i
Teeth歯ha
Toe爪先tsumasaki
Tongue舌shita
Wrist手首tekubi
Emergencies 5 phrases
Emergency!緊急事態!kinkyū jitai!
We need a doctor!医者が必要です!isha ga hitsuyō desu!
Distress signal遭難信号sonan shingō
Help!助けて!tasukete!
Evacuate the area!避難しろ!hinan shiro!
Weather 20 phrases
Cold寒いsamui
Dry乾燥したkansō shita
Earthquake地震jishin
Fog霧kiri
High winds強風kyōfū
Hot暑いatsui
Humidity湿度shitsudo
Ice氷kōri
Lightning稲妻inazuma
Rain雨ame
Sandstorm砂嵐sunaarashi
Severe厳しいkibishii
Snow雪yuki
Storm嵐arashi
Temperature温度ondo
Thunder雷kaminari
Weather天気tenki
Wet濡れたnureta
Typhoon台風taifū
Tornado竜巻tatsumaki
Descriptions 69 phrases
Black黒kuro
Blue青ao
Brown茶色chairo
Gray灰色haiiro
Green緑midori
Orangeオレンジorenji
Purple紫murasaki
Red赤aka
White白shiro
Yellow黄色kiiro
Big大きいōkii
Deep深いfukai
Long長いnagai
Narrow狭いsemai
Short (in height)背が低いse ga hikui
Short (in length)短いmijikai
Small, little小さいchiisai
Tall背が高いse ga takai
Thick厚いatsui
Thin細いhosoi
Wide広いhiroi
Round丸いmarui
Straightまっすぐmassugu
Square四角いshikakui
Triangular三角のsankaku no
Bitter苦いnigai
Fresh新鮮なshinsen na
Salty塩辛いshiokarai
Sour酸っぱいsuppai
Spicy辛いkarai
Sweet甘いamai
Bad悪いwarui
Cleanきれいなkirei na
Dark暗いkurai
Difficult難しいmuzukashii
Dirty汚いkitanai
Dry乾いたkawaita
Easy簡単なkantan na
Empty空kara no
Expensive高いtakai
Fast速いhayai
Foreign外国のgaikoku no
Fullいっぱいippai
Goodいいii
Hard (firm)硬いkatai
Heavy重いomoi
Inexpensive安いyasui
Light (illumination)明るいakarui
Light (weight)軽いkarui
Local地元のjimoto no
New新しいatarashii
Noisyうるさいurusai
Old (about things)古いfurui
Old (about people)年を取っているtoshi o totte iru
Powerful強いtsuyoi
Quiet (person)静かなshizuka na
Right / Correct正しいtadashii
Slow遅いosoi
Soft柔らかいyawarakai
Veryとてもtotemo
Weak弱いyowai
Wet濡れたnureta
Wrong / Incorrect正しくないtadashikunai
Young若いwakai
Few / Little少ないsukunai
Many / Much多いōi
Part部分bubun
Some / A fewいくつかikutsuka
Whole全体zentai
Family 21 phrases
Aunt (paternal / maternal)伯母 (older than parent) / 叔母 (younger than parent)oba
Brother兄弟kyōdai
Child子供kodomo
Children子供たちkodomotachi
Cousinいとこitoko
Daughter娘musume
Family家族kazoku
Father父chichi
Grandfather祖父sofu
Grandmother祖母sobo
Husband夫otto
Man男otoko
Men男otoko
Mother母haha
Relatives親戚shinseki
Sister姉妹shimai
Son息子musuko
Uncle (paternal / maternal)伯父 (older than parent) / 叔父 (younger than parent)oji
Wife妻tsuma
Woman女onna
Women女onna
Occupations 25 phrases
Air Force空軍kūgun
Army陸軍rikugun
Marines海兵隊kaiheitai
Navy海軍kaigun
Air Defense防空bōkū
Commander指揮官shikikan
Dentist歯医者haisha
Doctor医者isha
Driver運転手untenshu
Farmer農夫nōfu
Fisherman漁師ryōshi
Government employee公務員kōmuin
Guard警備員keibiin
Housewife主婦shufu
Laborer労働者rōdōsha
Mechanic整備工seibikō
Messenger郵便配達yubin haitatsu
Pilotパイロットpairotto
Policeman警察官keisatsukan
Sailor船員sen'in
Businessmanビジネスマンbijinesuman
Shopkeeper店員ten'in
Soldier兵士heishi
Student学生gakusei
Teacher先生sensei
Customs 67 phrases
Where is my customs declaration?私の税関申告書はどこにありますか?watashi no zeikan shinkokusho wa doko ni arimasu ka?
I do not have anything to declare.申告するものはありません。shinkoku suru mono wa arimasen
These goods are personal.この品物は個人的なものです。kono shinamono wa kojinteki na mono desu
Not for sale.非売品。hibaihin desu
Can you help me fill out the forms?書類記入を手伝っていただけませんか?shorui kinyū o tetsudatte itadakemasen ka?
Is this correct?正しいですか?tadashii desu ka?
Here is my passport.私のパスポートです。watashi no pasupōto desu
Here is my visa.私のビザです。watashi no biza desu
I have no Yen.日本円を持っていません。nihon'en o motte imasen
Ad valorem価格に応じてkakaku ni ōjite
Ammunition弾薬danyaku
Baggage手荷物tenimotsu
Bill of lading貨物受取証kamotsu uketori shō
Cargo貨物kamotsu
Customs税関zeikan
Customs declaration税関申告zeikan shinkoku
Customs tax関税kanzei
Customs worker税関の職員zeikan no shoku'in
Damaged破損したhason shita
Delivery配達haitatsu
Duty関税kanzei
Expenditures支出shishutsu
Export輸出yushutsu
False虚偽のkyogi no
Foreign currency外貨gaika
Form (document)書類shorui
Holding所有物shoyū butsu
Import輸入yunyū
Insurance保険hoken
Japanese日本のnihon no
Loading積載sekisai
Name of goods品名hinmei
Narcotics麻薬mayaku
National treasure国宝kokuhō
Nomenclatureノーメンクラツーラnōmenkuratsūra
On-board搭乗tōjō
Origin出発地shuppatsuchi
Owner所有者shoyūsha
Packing list内容明細naiyō meisai
Passportパスポートpasupōto
Permission許可kyoka
Personal use個人用kojin'yō
Personnel人事jinji
Prohibited禁止kinshi
Property財産zaisan
Rateレートrēto
Rate of exchange為替相場kawase sōba
Receipt領収書ryōshūsho
Relics文化遺跡bunka iseki
Restricted制限されたseigen sareta
Souvenirお土産o-miyage
Specification詳細shōsai
Storage倉庫sōko
Tariff関税kanzei
Tax-free免税menzei
To answer答えるkotaeru
To be responsible for責任があるsekinin ga aru
To export輸出するyushutsu suru
To fill out記入するkinyū suru
To present for customs inspection検査に立ち会うkensa ni tachiau
Transportation交通機関kōtsū kikan
Unloading荷降ろしnioroshi
Valuables貴重品kichōhin
Value価値kachi
Visaビザbiza
Weapons武器buki
X-ray machineレントゲンの機械rentogen no kikai
Fuel & Vehicle 14 phrases
Gasolineガソリンgasorin
Oilオイルoiru
Dieselディーゼルdīzeru
Gas (propane)（プロパン）ガス(puropan) gasu
Litersリットルrittoru
Do you have ___?___ がありますか?___ ga arimasu ka?
Hydraulic fluid油圧液yuatsueki
Hydraulic system油圧システムyuatsu shisutemu
We need maintenance support.整備のサポートが必要です。seibi no sapōto ga hitsuyō desu
We need ___.___ が必要です。___ ga hitsuyō desu
400-cycle４００サイクルyonhyaku saikuru
3-phase３段階san dankai
Alternating current交流kōryū
115-volt115ボルトhyaku jūgo boruto
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