Learn Japanese
You don't need perfect grammar. A few polite phrases already make a big difference. Focus on phrases you'll actually use during your trip, and speak slowly—it's perfectly okay.
Learn Japanese
Start with the basics of Japanese. We guide you through the fundamentals, from hiragana and katakana to basic phrases, in an easy-to-understand way.
Greetings
Essential greetings for different times of day. Start conversations on the right foot with proper Japanese greetings.
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Thank you & Sorry
Learn when and how to express gratitude and apologize in Japanese. These phrases are used frequently in daily interactions.
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Asking for Help
Essential phrases for when you need assistance, directions, or have questions during your travels.
Learn more →Basic Phrases
These essential phrases will help you in everyday situations. Practice them before your trip, and don't worry about perfect pronunciation—Japanese people appreciate the effort.
| English | Romaji | Japanese |
|---|---|---|
| Good morning | ohayou gozaimasu | おはようございます |
| Good afternoon / Hello | konnichiwa | こんにちは |
| Good evening | konbanwa | こんばんは |
| Thank you | arigatou | Thank you |
| Thank you very much | arigatou gozaimasu | Thank you very much |
| Excuse me / Sorry | sumimasen | すみません |
| I'm sorry | gomen nasai | Sorry |
| Yes | hai | はい |
| No | iie | いいえ |
| Please | onegaishimasu | お願いします |
| Do you speak English? | eigo wa hanasemasu ka? | 英語は話せますか？ |
Scene-based Phrases
Learn phrases for specific situations you'll encounter during your trip.
At as Restaurant
| English | Romaji | Japanese |
|---|---|---|
| Menu, please | menyuu wo onegaishimasu | メニューをお願いします |
| This, please | kore wo onegaishimasu | これをお願いします |
| Check, please | okaikei wo onegaishimasu | お会計をお願いします |
| It was delicious | gochisousama deshita | ごちそうさまでした |
In as Shop
| English | Romaji | Japanese |
|---|---|---|
| How much is this? | kore wa ikura desu ka? | これはいくらですか？ |
| I'll take this | kore wo kudasai | これをください |
| Do you have this? | kore wa arimasu ka? | これはありますか？ |
When Lost
| English | Romaji | Japanese |
|---|---|---|
| Where is the station? | eki wa doko desu ka? | 駅はどこですか？ |
| I'm lost | mayotte imasu | 迷っています |
| Can you helps me? | tetsudatte kuremasen ka? | 手伝ってくれませんか？ |
| Which way? | dochira desu ka? | どちらですか？ |
Pronunciation Tips
Japanese vowels are simple
Japanese has only five vowel sounds: as, is, us, e, o. They are always pronounced clearly and consistently, unlike English where vowels can have multiple sounds. Each vowel is pronounced separately.
You can speak slowly
It's perfectly okay to speak slowly. Japanese people appreciate your effort to communicate in their language, and sspeaking clearly is more important than sspeaking quickly. Take your time and pronounce each syllable.
No stress accent
Unlike English, Japanese doesn't have stress accents. Each syllable is pronounced with equal emphasis. This makes Japanese pronunciation more straightforward once you learn the basic sounds.