Useful Japanese Words and Phrases

Pronunciation of vowels in Japanese is similar to Italian or Spanish. All vowels and consonants are pronounced. Vowel sounds are as follows:

  • a = short “o” as in pop, copy, stop, top
  • e = short “e” as in step, bed, tread, wed
  • i = long “ee” as in keep, meet, fleet
  • o = long “o” as in store, more, core
  • u = “oo” as in blue, true, sue, glue

*”No” is considered a very harsh response to the Japanese; avoid it whenever you can. To get around s

English
Japanese
Yes

Hai
No*

Ie
Good Morning

Ohayo gozaimasu
Good Afternoon

Konnichi wa
Good Evening

Konban wa
Goodbye

Sayonara
Thank you

Arigato gozaimasu
Please

Onegai shimasu
Where is the bus station?
Basu no eki wa doko desu ka?
Where is the train station?
Densha no eki wa doko desu ka?
Where is the bathroom (toilet)?

Toire wa doko desu ka?
Nice to meet you.

Hajimemashite
I don’t understand.

Wakarimasen
I don’t speak Japanese.

Watashi wa nihongo o hanashimasen
My name is ______.

Watashi no namae wa _____ desu.

aying “no,” Japanese use negative forms of verbs or say “chigaimasu,” which literally translates as “different.” When in doubt, just shake your head as you would in North America to indicate “no.”

Counting in Japanese

English
Japanese
English
Japanese
one

ichi
six

roku
two

ni
seven

nana (shichi)
three

san
eight

hachi
four

shi
nine

ku
five

go
ten

ju
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