So, as some as you know, in less than two months I will be traveling to Japan.
Over the last year I been studying some simple Japanese in preparation for my trip
I quite enjoy learning languages, Japanese is a very interesting language to study, and it is good to be prepared, right?
It’s great to know a little local vocab for a new country you are visiting. It helps take away some of the stress of being miles away from home, gives you a little boost confidence, and who knows – it may even help you make a new friend!
I hope this list will prove useful for those, who, like me, are heading to Japan, and want to know some basic Japanese conversation, or pick up some useful travel phrases for their holiday in Japan.
If there is anything you feel I have missed of my list, or which you don’t see here but would like to know, please do let me know – I’ll do my best to answer! Enjoy!
- Konnichiwa (kon-ni-chi-wa) – Good Afternoon/Hello
- Ohaiyo gozaimasu (oh-hi-yo go-zai-mas)– Good morning
- Konbanwa (kon-ban-wa) – Good Evening
- Hai (hi) – Yes
- IIe (eeyeh) – No
- Watashi wa….des (wa-ta-shi wa….des) – I am…..
- Kudasai (ku-da-sai) – Please
- Arigato gozaimasu (a-ri-gat-o go-zai-mas) – Thank you
- Sumimasen (su-mi-ma-sen) – Excuse me
- Gomen nasai (go-men na-sai) – I’m Sorry
- Ego ga hanasemasu ka? (eh-go ga ha-na-say-mas-ka) – Do you speak English?
- O Toire wa doko des ka? (o toy-re wa do-ko-dess-ka) – Where is the toilet?
- Wakarimasen (wa-ka-ri-mas-en) – I don’t understand
- …Yuki no kippu o kudasai (yu-ki no -ki-pu o ku-da-sai) – A ticket to….please
- Kono jusho made onegaishimasu (kon-no ju-sho ma-day on-ay-gai-shi-mas) – Please take me to this address
- Hoteru ga arimasu ka? (ho-te-ru ga a-ri-mas ka) – Where’s an hotel?
- Yoyaku ga arimasu (yo-ya-ku ga a-ri-mas) I have an reservation
- Ikura des ka? (ii-ku-ra des ka) – How much does it cost?
- Menyuu o onegaishimasu (men-yuu on-ay-gai-shi-mas) – A menu, please
- Kore o kudasai (Kor-ray o ku-da-sai) – I’d have that please
- Itadakimasu – Thanks for the meal (a polite phrase said before eating)
- Okanjo o kudasai (o-kan-jo o ku-da-sai) – The bill, please
- Shashin o totte mo ii des ka? (Sha-shin o toe-tem-mo ee des ka) Is it OK to take photos?
- Taskete! (tas-keh-teh) – Help!
- Tomare! (toh-maa-ray) – Stop!
AlicevstheWorld 
locksleyu
Hi, nice article! There are a few minor mistakes, if you don’t mind I’ll point them out:
12. O Toire ga arimasu ka? (o toy-re ga a-ri-mas-ka) – Where is the toilet?
Should be
12. O Toire ga arimasu ka? (o toy-re ga a-ri-mas-ka) – Is there a toilet?
Or
12. O Toire ha doko desu ka? (…) – Where is the toilet?
14 => I think “Iki” is more common than “Yuki”
16 => Same problem as #12
19 => onegaishimasi should be “onegaishimasu”
20 => “Are” should be “kore”
23 => If you say “totemo” it sounds like “very”. It’s better to say “totte mo”, but to be honest I don’t think you are focusing on perfect pronunciation here for beginners, so no big deal.
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weirdandwonderfulworld
Thanks for the heads up. A number of these corrections are actually correct to the language books I’ve been using so I’ve left them as they are, but thanks for the heads up on #12 and #19. I probably should have double-checked them before posting! Cheers!
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locksleyu
No problem.
You’re right “yuki” is fine for #14, also #20 is a little more complex than I mentioned. “are” and “sore” both mean “that”, however “are” has a deeper sense of physical or mental distance. I would usually use “sore kudasai”, but some people might say “are” for something very far away.
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weirdandwonderfulworld
Ah, thank you, I’ll have to make a mental note of that, that could prove very handy!
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