Numbers

• ichi = 1
• ni = 2
• san = 3
• shi, yon = 4
• go = 5
• roku = 6
• shichi, nana = 7
• hachi = 8
• kyu = 9
• ju = 10

Food & Drink

• gohan - cooked rice
• miso shiru - miso soup
• tsukemono - pickles
• tei-shoku - lunch set
• bento - lunch box
• o-cha - green tea
• kohii - coffee
• gyunyu - milk
• o-sake - alcohol
• mizu - water

Colors

• akai - red
• aoi - blue
• kuroi - black
• shiroi - white
• kiiroi - yellow
• midori - green
• cha-iro - brown
• hai-iro - gray
• murasaki - purple
• orenji-iro - orange

Places

• byou-in - hospital
• kouban - police box
• yubinkyoku - post office
• toshokan - library
• ginkou - bank
• kuukou - airport
• eki - station
• kouen - park
• ie - house
• mise - shop

General

• hai, ee, un - yes
• iie - no
• chigau - wrong
• tadashii - correct
• ikura - how much?
• ikutsu - how many?
• koko - here
• soko, asoko - there
• itsu - when?
• dare - who?
• nani - what?
• doko - where?
• kore - how?
• migi - right
• hidari - left
• ue - up
• shita - down
• naka - in, inside
• soto - outside
• mae - in front of
• ushiro - behind
• aida - between
• muko - opposite
• toi - far
• kyo - today
• kino - yesterday
• ototoi - 2 days ago
• ashita - tomorrow
• asatte - in 2 days
• hi, nichi - day
• shu, shukan - week
• tsuki, getsu - month
• toshi, nen - year
• jikan - hour
• fun, pun - minute

Greetings

• Ohayou gozaimasu (Good morning)
• Konnichi wa (Hello or good afternoon)
• Konban wa (Good evening)

Parting

• Sayounara (Goodbye)
• Otsukare sama desu (Goodbye - after work)
• Oyasumi nasai (Goodnight)

Eating

• Itadakimasu - I receive humbly (Said before eating)
• O-kawari kudasai - Same again, please
• Go-chisou sama deshita - Said after eating
• O-kanjou kudasai - Check, please

At home

• Tadaima - I'm home!
• Okaeri nasai - Welcome home!
• Itte kimasu - I'm off now
• Itte rasshai - OK. See you later

Shopping

• Sumimasen - Excuse me
• Arigatou gozaimasu - Thank you very much
• Kore wa ikura desu ka - How much is this?
• Sore wa nan desu ka - What is that?
• Kore kudasai - I'll take this, please
• Takai desu ne - Expensive, isn't it!
• Motto yasui no wa arimasu ka - Do you have a cheaper one?
• Kekko desu - No, thank you, I'm fine, thank you

Greetings/Polite Expressions

• Pleased to meet you- Dozo yoroshiku- Often a great starter when making someone’s acquaintance for the very first time.
• How do you do?- Hajimemashite- This is another good greeting for new acquaintances.
• Excuse me- Sumimasen
• I’m sorry- Gomennasai.
• If you please- Onegaishimasu - It’s almost like a formal type of please. I could have used “kudasai” as well
• Thank you- Arigatou Gozaimasu.
• Yatta (I did it!) Said when you accomplish something big or receive a great opportunity.
• Honto (Really?) Say to confirm what you just heard.
• A, so desu ka (Really? I see.) Say every time your conversational partner provides a new piece of information. Be sure to nod as you say this expression.
• Mochiron (Of course!) Use this adverb when you’re 100 percent confident in your opinion.
• A, yokatta (Oh, good) Say every time you feel like saying “what a relief” or “oh, good.”
• Zenzen (Not at all) Zenzen is the phrase of denial.
• Doshiyo (What shall I do?) Say when you’re in a panic and have no idea what to do.
• A, bikkurishita (What a surprise!)
• Yappari (I know it would happen) Sometimes you have a vague suspicion that something will happen, and then it actually happens.
• Enryo shinaide (Don’t be shy)
• Mottainai (What a waste/it’s too good) Say mottainai to object to waste. You can also say it if someone lacks a true appreciation for something valuable.
• Osakini (Pardon me, but I’m leaving now) When you have to leave a gathering early, say osakini to display your thoughtfulness for others.
• Sasuga (I’m impressed by you, as usual) Sasuga literally means, “As might have been expected,” but it’s commonly used as a compliment. If a friend wins a competition, say sasuga.
• Gambatte (Try your best)
• Shoganai (There’s no choice/There’s nothing that can be done) shows that you’ve resigned yourself to the situation.
• Okage-sama de (Luckily/Thanks to you) If someone asks ogenki desu ka (how are you?), you answer with the modest okage-sama de rather than genki desu.
• Gokuro-sama (Thank you for your trouble)
• Yoroshiku (Pleased to meet you/I appreciate your helping me)
• Taihen desu ne (That’s tough)

Small Talk

• What’s your name? Onamae wa nan desu ka?
• My name is….- Watashi wa …. desu.
• What do you do? Shigoto wa nan desu ka?
• Ii tenki desu ne? It’s nice weather isn’t it?
• It’s hot isn’t it? Atsui desu ne? This is a common weather expression you may here during the summer. A good response for this question is “Hai, atsui desu,” or “Hai, so desu.”
• It’s cold isn’t it? Samui desu ne? This is a common weather expression during the winter. A good response is “Hai, samui desu,” or “Hai, so desu.”
• How old are you? Nansai desu ka?
• Where are you from? Doko ni kara kimashita ka?
• I’m from … - America ni kara kimashita
• How was your weekend? Shumatsu wa, dou deshita ka?
• Nanji desu ka? What time is it?