Useful Japanese Phrases
Essential Japanese Language Phrases for Japanese Beginners.
1. 名前は何ですか
Namae wa nan desu ka?
What’s your name?
2. 私の名前は__です
Watashi no namae wa _____ desu
My name is ______
3. どこから来ましたか
Doko kara kimashita ka?
Where are you from?
4.私は__から来ました
Watashi wa ______ kara kimashita
I’m from __________.
5. そうですか
Sou desu ka?
Is that so?/Really?/I see (Hint: this is a great thing to say after learning where someone is from, what they do, or other facts about their life.)
6. いただきます
Itadakimasu
Let’s dig in (Hint: say this before meals as a way to politely say you’re going to begin enjoying your food.)
7.ごちそうさまでした
Gochisousama deshita
That was delicious (Hint: say this after meals as a way to say thank you.)
8.もう一度下さい
Mou ichido kudasai
Could you say that one more time?
9.日本語でペラペラではないです
Nihongo de perapera de wa nai desu
I’m not very fluent in Japanese (Hint: you’re speaking Japanese already! So you can’t say “I don’t know Japanese at all,” right?)
10. __ていうの意味は何ですか
___ te iu no imi wa nan desu ka?
What does _____ mean?
11. 手伝ってくれませんか
Tetsudatte kuremasen ka?
Can you help me?
12. 私は__です
Watashi wa _____ desu
I’m a _______ (Hint: you can fill this blank with anything you feel describes you. That might be a “student” (gakusei), “tourist” (kankoukyaku), or even “doctor” (isha)!
13. 大丈夫です
Daijoubu desu
That’s okay
14.誕生日おめでとう
Tanjoubi omedetou
Happy birthday
15. じゃまた
Ja, mata
Well, see you (Hint: this is the much more common “goodbye.”)
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20 Basic Japanese Phrases