Top 1000 Japanese Words You Need to Know

By Claire Madsen

Moving to Japan and realizing you need to learn Japanese words to survive? I’ve got you covered with the top Japanese words you need to know.

If you’re looking for more information, check another article from our extensive series on Learning Japanese.

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A brief overview of Japanese words

For those of you who are starting from zero with Japanese, let’s go over some basics. Japanese words fall into a couple major categories: native Japanese words, including onomatopoeia, Sino-Japanese words, and loan words.

The written form of Japanese words

Japanese can be written left to right horizontally like English, but it’s traditionally written vertically and read from right to left. Japanese words are written using a combination of 3 writing systems: kanji (Chinese characters), hiragana, and katana. Kanji characters carry meanings and can be read multiple ways. Hiragana and katana are phonetic and both represent the same sound-set but have different usages depending on context. Hiragana works as both a way to conjugate verbs and write particle markers. Some words are written entirely using hiragana. Katakana is most widely used to write loan words. Katakana may also be used in place of hiragana for emphasis.

Pronunciation of Japanese words

Japanese has five main vowels (あ, い, う, え, お) pronounced as ah, ee, oo, eh, and oh. Each syllable has either a singular vowel, or a combination consonant and vowel. There is only one consonant sound in the language ever pronounced on its own (ん), usually pronounced like the English “n." Another big differences between Japanese and English is the ら・り・る・れ・ろ sounds. This consonant sound sits somewhere between the English “r” and “l.” The sound is made by lightly tapping the tip of your tongue just behind your teeth.
Japanese words also have pitch accents. This means the pitch of a word will follow a pattern of highs and lows. The different patterns can change the meaning of words. Pitch accent is an important part of Japanese pronunciation that is often overlooked. For a more in-depth explanation of pitch accents and how they operate, check this thorough guide.

Categories of Japanese words

Japanese words all work together to build the language up, but the different types of words may have different origins as well as usages. Some are probably going to be very familiar as they follow the same pattern as English. Others, however, are unique to Japanese.

Japanese verbs

A great thing about Japanese is that there are only two irregular verbs. That makes conjugating very easy, because you can apply rules. For more information on the two main groups of Japanese verbs and how to use them, check our Guide to Japanese Verbs and Guide to Japanese Conjugation.

Japanese adjectives

Japanese adjectives also fall broadly into two categories: i-adjectives and na-adjectives.They each follow their own rules, so check out our Guide to Japanese Adjectives for a full explanation.

Native Japanese words

Wago (和語), are completely native Japanese words. That means they developed independently--that is--not from Chinese. All u-verbs, ru-verbs, and i-adjectives are native Japanese words. Native Japanese words are sometimes described as having “softer” sounds than their Sino-Japanese counterparts.

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Onomatopoeia (giongo) and gitaigo

Onomatopoeia, or giongo (擬音語), are a type of native Japanese word. Onomatopoeia are words that mimic the sound of whatever they describe. Giongo are extremely common.

Gitaigo are a little different. They are words that describe a state or condition that may not even make a sound. Gitaigo is one of the features of Japanese that makes it so unique. These words are probably best understood through manga. In a Japanese manga, there are words written on the sides of panels that act as sound effects. Have you ever noticed that sometimes those words aren’t sound effects in English? A common example would be when a character is staring intently at something. You might see this on the panel: じー (jii) or じっ(jih). This comes from the Japanese word じっと見る (jitto miru) meaning “to stare.” Another example is the word ふわふわ (fuwafuwa) meaning “fluffy.”

Sino-Japanese words

Sino-Japanese words, or kango (漢語), are words that developed from Chinese. Most -suru verbs are kango. These words tend to have a more formal feel to them and are often used in writing. This is especially true when there is an interchangeable native Japanese word.

Loan words

Another big category of Japanese words is loan words. Loan words, or gairaigo (外来語), are words that originated from a foreign language that have been adopted into Japanese. Many of these words come from English, but some also come from French, Spanish, and a variety of other languages. For instance, the Japanese word for bread is パン (pan), coming from the Spanish word. Another example is the Japanese word アンケート(ankeeto), based off the french word enquête, meaning survey.

Here a handful of commonly used loan words in Japanese:

Japanese	Romanization	English
テレビ	Terebi	TV
カメラ	Kamera	Camera
ホテル	Hoteru	Hotel
ビル	Biru	Building
タクシー	Takushii	Taxi
バイク	Baiku	Motorbike
アルバイト (バイト）	Arubaito (shortened to baito)	Part-time job
アイドル	Aidoru	Idol (pop singer)
マイク	Maiku	Microphone
エアコン	Eakon	Air conditioning
カレンダー	Karendaa	Calendar
エレベーター	Erebeetaa	Elevator
イラスト	Irasuto	Illustration

テレビをつけてください。
Terebi wo tsukete kudasai.
Please turn on the TV.

新しいバイトを始めました。
Atarashii baito wo hajimemashita.
I started a new part-time job.

How should I study Japanese words?

Now that you’re familiar with how Japanese words work, how should you go about studying them? That depends on your learning style and needs. If you have the time and resources, then maybe a teacher may help you learn, such as one from Japan Switch. You could also try individual tutoring through a service like italki. If you’re self-studying, though, I personally recommend using some sort of digital flashcard system to work on remembering vocabulary. Spaced repetition ones like Anki are extremely popular for this. Another common trick to memorizing vocabulary is to learn it in the context of a sentence. Check out our Top 15 Japanese Vocabulary Tips for more information.

How many words do I need to know to be fluent?

This may not be what you want to hear, but unfortunately there’s no magic number of words to know that make you fluent. Being fluent means a lot of different things depending on who you ask. To have a good basic grasp of the language and be able to maneuver a majority of day-to-day situations, though, it’s probably best to have at least a few thousand words under your belt.

How many words a day should I study?

The key to remembering the words you study is to not overload your brain. Trying to jam 20-30+ new words up there a day just isn't realistic. Instead I’d recommend trying to tackle somewhere between 10-20, but closer to 10 is probably most people’s sweet spot. Experiment to find works best for you. It could be fewer or more. Don’t be too hard on yourself if you forget some though. Repetition is key, so as long as you’re consistent, you’ve won the hardest battle.

What Japanese words are most important?

Some people like to study based on how much they need the information. So if you want to study Japanese words based on their importance to you, think about what your goals are. What are you looking to do in Japan? Are you moving there and want to learn how to navigate common daily activities? Are you just learning Japanese for the fun of it or to engage in Japanese media? Maybe you’re studying for the JLPT. In any case, the most relevant Japanese words for those situations are all going to be different.

This article is organized into sections based around an activity or topic. Feel free to jump around to what is most relevant to your needs.

What do I need to know to make a good first impression?

When you’re just starting out using Japanese, you may be worried about coming across wrong. Being polite is integral to speaking in Japanese. In order to make a good impression, it’s important to think about who you are talking to as well as the context. Depending on if the other person is your boss, a shop employee, a coworker, or a student, your speaking style will adjust accordingly.

Politeness and Keigo

Politeness is a keystone in Japanese. There are distinct levels of speaking formality you are expected to adopt depending on who you are speaking to. These polite forms of speaking are sometimes collectively referred to as keigo, meaning respectful language. This can be in the form of word endings, new words, or additives. For example, many nouns will take an “o” or “go” prefix to make them more polite.

Even many native Japanese speakers don’t fully understand all the nuances of keigo and when to say what. However, getting a basic grasp of it shouldn’t be too hard.

Teneigo

Teneigo is the polite language. This is probably what you are already familiar with: desu/masu forms. You might have learned to say sou desu (that’s right) and wakarimashita (I understand). These polite forms of words and phrases are suitable for most interactions.

Tameguchi

Tameguchi is informal speech. Instead of the full desu/masu form, you use the dictionary form of words and short form conjugations of verbs.

Sonkeigo and Kenjougo

Sonkeigo and kenjougo are respectful and humble languages respectively. Sonkeigo are words and phrases you use to raise the status of the person you are speaking or referring to. Kenjougo, on the other hand, humbles you and lowers your status. These two are generally used in conjunction to be especially respectful to the person you talk to. The hard part about these is that you often use an entirely new word.

Here are some examples of the different forms:

English	*Tameguchi* / dictionary form	*Teneigo*	*Kenjougo*	*Sonkeigo*
To be (animate)	いる iru	います imasu	おります orimasu	いらっしゃいます irasshaimasu
To go	行く iku	行きます ikimasu	参ります mairimasu	いらっしゃいます irasshaimasu
To come	来る kuru	来ます kimasu	参ります mairimasu	いらっしゃいます irasshaimasu
To do	する / やる suru / yaru	します shimasu	いたします itashimasu	なさいます nasaimasu
To eat	食べる taberu	食べます tabemasu	いただきます itadakimasu	召し上がります meshi agarimasu
To say	言う iu	言います iimasu	申します moushimasu	おっしゃいます osshaimasu
To watch	見る miru	見ます mimasu	拝見します haiken shimasu	ご覧になります goran ni narimasu

先生は今日の授業にいらっしゃいませんので、私が教えさせていただいています。
Sensei wa kyou no jugyou ni irasshaimasen node, watashi ga oshiesasete itadaite imasu.
The teacher won’t be coming to class today, so I am taking the liberty of teaching.

ご覧になってありがとうございます。
Goran ni natte arigatou gozaimasu.
Thank you for your attention (lit. thank you for watching).

You will probably only need the humble and formal respectful language forms during a business meeting or while talking to or about someone of high status. That may be a professor or other academic, or a politician. Unless you're in one of those fields, it’s not likely you’ll be in that situation, so you can relax. Even if you are, you will definitely be given leeway for not knowing the correct word or making an error. Just do your best, and it’ll be fine.

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Body language

Body language is an important factor of the impression you give. For example, bowing when you greet someone. There are various levels of bowing, from a slight dip of the head to bowing a full 90 degrees at the waist. The deeper the bow, the more respectful it is. In many business encounters, you may bow as well as shake hands. Outside of business, though, shaking hands is an uncommon greeting.

Gestures

There are some hand gestures in Japan that are different from the ones we use in the U.S.. For example, instead of pointing to your chest to refer to yourself, Japanese people point at their nose. When calling someone over to you, wave with your fingers pointing at the ground instead of up at the air. This one is especially important, because waving pointing up, as we do in the U.S., is how you would call an animal to you in Japan. When you do it to a person, it is seen as very rude. You can see a more complete list of gestures with video examples here.

Japanese greetings

Now you understand the basics of the Japanese language and how it works. But how do you start talking to Japanese people? Of course, we start with greetings. Let’s go over some of the most common ones:

Japanese	Romanization	English	Notes / Explanation
はじめまして	Hajimemasite	How do you do?	Used at a first meeting
おはようございます	Ohayou gozaimasu	Good morning
こんにちは	Kon’nichiwa	Good day/afternoon
こんばんは	Konbanwa	Good evening
お元気でうすか。はい、元気です。	Ogenki desu ka? Hai, genki desu.	How are you doing? I’m well.	I included both the question and answer here, as they are almost always paired.
おやすみなさい	Oyasumi nasai	Good night
久しぶりです	Hisashiburi desu	Long time no see
いってきます	Ittekimasu	See you later (lit. I’ll go and come back)	This is used when you leave home for work or school in the morning or a similar scenario
いってらしゃい	Itterashai	See you later (lit. please go and come back)	The response to the call of ittekimasu
ただいま	Tadaima	I’m home	You call out as you enter your home
おかえりなさい	Okaeri nasai	Welcome back	Response to the call of tadaima

How do I introduce myself in Japanese?

Introductions in Japanese are often very methodical, so they’re pretty easy to get the hang of. Start off by saying はじめまして (hajimemashite), meaning “how do you do.” Next, tell everyone your name. The most polite way it to say “___と申します” (___to moushimasu), meaning “my name is _____”. Make sure to end it all with よろしくおねがいします (yoroshiku onegaishimasu). That is one of the most important phrases you will ever learn in Japanese. It means “please take care of me” or “I look forward to working with you.” You’ll use it whenever you meet someone new, as well as when someone is going to do you a favor.

Altogether your introduction may look something like this:

はじめまして。スミス・アダムです。よろしくおねがいします。
Hajimemashite. Sumisu Adamu desu. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.
Nice to meet you. My name is Adam Smith. I look forward to working with you.

Japanese words to talk about hobbies

Now that you’ve gotten over the hurdle of starting, it’s time to get into the real conversation. How do you talk about yourself? It’s always a good bet to start by talking about interests or hobbies you have, as that can be an easy way to find common ground. Let’s look at some common words for hobbies in Japanese:

Japanese	Romanization	English
趣味	Shumi	hobby
テレビゲーム	Terebi geemu	Video games
読書	Dokusho	Reading
映画鑑賞	Eiga kanshou	Appreciation of movies
外国語を習う	Gaikokugo wo narau	Learning foreign languages
写真を撮る	Shashin wo toru	Photography
音楽鑑賞	Ongaku kanshou	Appreciation of music
スポーツ観戦	Supootsu Kansen	Watching sports games
パズル	Pazuru	Puzzles
裁縫	Saihou	Sewing / needlework
料理	Ryouri	Cooking
散歩	Sanpo	Walking
ジョギング	Jogingu	Jogging
サイクリング	Saikuringu	Cycling
ダンス	Dansu	Dancing
ヨガ	Yoga	Yoga
キャンプ	Kyampu	Camping
釣り	Tsuri	Fishing
サーフィン	Saafin	Surfing
スキー	Sukii	Skiing
ガーデニング	Gaadeningu	Gardening
メイク	Meiku	Makeup

趣味は何ですか？
Shumi wa nan desu ka?
What are your hobbies?

前はジョギングが好きでしたが、最近サイクリングを始めました。
Mae wa jogingu ga suki deshita ga, saikin saikuringu wo hajimemashita.
I used to like jogging, but I recently started cycling.

Japanese words about family

If you’re talking about yourself, you may also want to talk about your family. One thing to remember here is that the names you call your family members and the way you refer to them to people outside your family are going to be different. For example, if you have an older sister, you may call her お姉さん (oneesan), but when you talk to your friends about her, you’d refer to her as 姉 (ane). This extends to the rest of your immediate family.

Soto and uchi

This language pattern harkens back to the idea of soto and uchi. Within Japanese culture, soto and uchi dictate how you talk and act. Someone within the uchi, or in-group, may be privy to information or ideas that you would be more reserved about with someone who is soto, or a part of the out-group. That’s why you’d use the casual oneesan within the in-group, and the more formal ane when talking to someone from the out-group.

When talking to soto (out-group):

Japanese	Romanization	English
祖父	Sofu	Grandfather
祖母	Sobo	Grandmother
おじ	Oji	Uncle
おば	Oba	Aunt
いとこ	Itoko	Cousin
両親	Ryoushin	Parents
父	Chichi	Father
母	Haha	Mother
兄弟	Kyoudai	Siblings
兄	Ani	Older brother
姉	Ane	Older sister
双子	Futago	Twin
弟	Otouto	Younger brother
妹	Imouto	Younger sister
子供	Kodomo	Children
息子	Musuko	Son
娘	Musume	Daughter
孫	Mago	Grandchild

妹は大学で美術を勉強しています。
Imouto wa daigaku de bijutsu wo benkyou shite imasu.
My younger sister is studying fine arts in college.

When talking to uchi (in-group) or addressing family:

Japanese	Romanization	English
おじいさん	Ojiisan	Grandfather
おばあさん	Obaasan	Grandmother
おじさん	Ojiasn	Uncle (also a general address for a middle aged man)
おばさん	Obasan	Aunt (also a general address for a middle aged woman)
お父さん	Otoosan	Father
パパ	Papa	Dad (childish connotation)
お母さん	Okaasan	Moother
ママ	Mama	Mom (childish connotation)
お兄さん	Oniisan	Older brother (also a general address for young men)
お姉さん	Oneesan	Older sister (also a general address for young women)

*These are generally reserved for family members that are older than you. When talking to a family member of the same age or younger, you’d just call them by their name.
Also note that the -san endings can be replaced with -chan.

The example sentence uses tameguchi since you would mostly use these words in informal conversations.

お姉さん、このワンピース、借りていい？
Oneesan, kono wanpiisu, karite ii?
Older sister, can I borrow this dress?

Japanese words about pets and animals

An extension of your family may be the pets you raise. Here are some of the most common animal words as well as some of the onomatopoeia words for animal noises:

Japanese	Romanization	English
ペット	Petto	Pet
飼う	Kau	To raise (a pet)
犬	Inu	Dog
ワンワン	Wan wan	Woof, bark
猫	Neko	Cat
ニャーニャー	Nyaa nyaa	Meow
牛	Ushi	Cow
モーモー	Mou mou	Moo moo
豚	Buta	Pig
ブーブー	Buu buu	Oink oink
鶏	Niwatori	Chicken
おんどり	Ondori	Rooster
こけこっこー	Kokekokkoo	Cock-a-doodle-doo
ネズミ	Nezumi	Rat / mouse
チュー	Chuu	Squeak
馬	Uma	Horse
ヒヒーン	Hihiin	Neigh
キリン	Kirin	Giraffe
シマウマ	Shimauma	Zebra
像	Zou	Elephant
パオーン	Paoon	(elephant noise)
熊	Kuma	Bear
ライオン	Raion	Lion
ガオー	Gaoo	Roar
虎	Tora	Tiger
猿	Saru	Monkey
ゴリラ	Gorira	Gorilla
ホッキョクグマ	Hokkyokuguma	Polar bear

猫アレルギーがあるので飼えませんが、犬は一匹飼っています！
Neko arerugii ga aru node kaemasen ga, inu wa ippiki katte imasu!
I have a cat allergy so I can’t raise them, but I do have a dog!

Japanese words about your home country

You’re going to get asked where you’re from with some regularity. Let’s look at the Japanese names for a variety of countries, as well as some descriptors:

Japanese	Romanization	English
アジア	Ajia	Asia
日本	Nihon	Japan
中国	Chuugoku	China
韓国	Kankoku	(South) Korea
インド	Indo	India
シンガポール	Shingapooru	Singapore
インドネシア	Indoneshia	Indonesia
マレーシア	Mareeshia	Malaysia
欧州	Oushuu	Europe (formal)
ヨーロッパ	Yooroppa	Europe (informal)
英国	Eikoku	United Kingdom (formal)
イギリス	Igirisu	United Kingdom (informal)
ドイツ	Doitsu	Germany
ロシア	Roshia	Russia
イタリア	Itaria	Italy
フランス	Furansu	France
ポルトガル	Porutogaru	Portugal
オランダ	Oranda	Netherlands
北米	Hokubei	North America
米国	Beikoku	United States (formal)
アメリカ	Amerika	United States (informal)
カナダ	Kanada	Canada
中南米	Chuunanbei	Central and South America
メキシコ	Mekishiko	Mexico
アルゼンチン	Aruzenchin	Argentina
ブラジル	Burajiru	Brazil
コロンビア	Koronbia	Columbia
ペルー	Peruu	Peru
アフリカ	Afurika	Africa
セネガル	Senegaru	Senegal
モーリタニア	Mooritania	Mauritania
スーダン	Suudan	Sudan
南スーダン	Minami suudan	South Sudan
ナイジェリア	Naijeria	Nigeria
ガーナ	Gaana	Ghana
ケニア	Kenia	Kenya
南アフリカ	Minami Afurika	South Africa
北	Kita	North
東	Higashi	East
南	Minami	South
西	Nishi	West
遠い	Tooi	Far
近い	Chikai	Close / Near
大きい	Ookii	Large
小さい	Chiisai	Small

When describing someone as a citizen of or from a certain country, you can just add the suffix 人 (jin) to the name of the country. For example: 日本人(Nihonjin), アメリカ人(Amerikajin), フラス人(Furansujin), ケニア人(Keniajin), シンガポール人 (Shingapoorujin).

スーダンは遠いですか？
Suudan wa tooi desu ka?
Is Sudan far?

シンガポールはマレーシアの南にあります。
Shingapooru wa mareeshia no minami ni arimasu.
Singapore is south of Malaysia.

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Japanese words for when you want to talk casually

In a more casual setting, you can easily adjust to speak informally. Like we discussed earlier, tameguchi just uses the dictionary and short forms of verbs. Instead of です, desu, you would use だ, da, or drop it altogether.

Making friends in Japanese

One of the facets of casual speech in Japanese is that it allows you to close the gap between you and the other person. Some people use teineigo no matter how well they know each other, but using tameguchi immediately brings you into the realm of someone close. Make sure you only use it if the other person is comfortable with it as that closeness can make you seem overbearing or rude.

For some tips on how to better get to know Japanese people and make friends, check our Top 15 Tips to Make Japanese Friends.

Terms of endearment

You can get even closer with the way you call people by using terms of endearment when addressing them.

Japanese	Romanization	English
あなた	Anata	Dear (lit. you; used to address one’s husband)
-ちゃん	-chan	Adding -chan to someone’s name is cutesy and more commonly used for women and children
-くん	-kun	Adding -kun to someone’s name is most commonly used for men around your age you are friendly with. It is also sometimes used by authority figures such as teachers and bosses to all subordinates.

Japanese slang

In a casual setting people may throw around slang words, so we’ve got you covered.

Japanese	Romanization	English
おしゃれ	Oshare	Stylish / cool
イケメン	Ikemen	Attractive / cool guy
やばい	Yabai	Sick (good and bad)
ウザい	Uzai	Annoying
ダサい	Dasai	Uncool / Unfashionable
だるい	Darui	Sluggish / slow
たぴる	Tapiru	To drink bubble tea (boba)
ググる	Guguru	To google something
KY / ケーワイ	Keewai	Unable to read the room (comes from kuuki wo yomenai, lit. “can’t read the air”
ウケる	Ukeru	Funny / hilarious
めっちゃ	Meccha	Very
ちょう	Chou	Really / so (emphatic)
マジ	Maji	Seriously

あのおねえさん、おしゃれですね！
Ano oneesan, oshare desu ne!
That lady over there is so stylish, isn’t she!

That’s just a few of the many slang Japanese words, so check out our Guide to Japanese Slang for a more in-depth look.

What to say when you don’t know what to say

When you aren’t sure what to say next, your brain puts in filler words to buy you time to think. In English that’d usually be an “um,” “uh,” or “like,” but not in Japanese. Using the right filler word in Japanese will make you sound much more native. The most common examples are あの (ano), and ええと (eeto). If you replace your um’s and uh’s with those, you’ll sound like you know what you’re doing, even when you don’t.

Numbers in Japanese

Numbers are where things can get a little tricky. There are of course the basic numbers:

Japanese	Romanization	English
一	Ichi	1
二	Ni	2
三	San	3
四	Shi / yon	4
五	Go	5
六	Roku	6
七	Shichi / nana	7
八	Hachi	8
九	Kyuu	9
十	Juu	10
百	Hyaku	100
千	Sen	1,000
万	Man	10,000
億	Oku	100,000
番号	Bangou	Number
数	Kazu	Number
数える	Kazoeru	To count
百	Hyaku	100
二百	Nihyaku	200
三百	Sanbyaku*	300
六百	Roppyaku*	600
八百	Happyaku*	800

日本語で千まで数えられます。
NIhongo de sen made kazoeraremasu.
I can count to 1000 in Japanese.

These are pretty easy, especially because higher numbers are simple combinations of lower ones. For example, the number 60 is read as rokujuu, a combination of the words six and ten. That changes once you get into the hundreds and above, where certain combinations change the voicing of some sounds, as noted in the chat. Also note that the kanji here are equivalent to the roman numerals and are interchangeable.

Counting systems

When you want to describe how many there are of something you need to use a suffix with the number to describe what type of item or idea you are talking about. Sometimes you can simply add the suffix to the normal number such as 十人(juunin) meaning “ten people,” but often the number word itself will also change. One of the most common forms of this ends with -tsu, and can be used as a general object counter.

Japanese	Romanization	English
一つ	Hitotsu	1 item
二つ	Futatsu	2 items
三つ	Mittsu	3 itmes
四つ	Yottsu	4
五つ	Itsutsu	5
六つ	Muttsu	6
七つ	Nanatsu	7
八つ	Yattsu	8
九つ	Kokonotsu	9
十	Too	10 items
一個	Ikko	One small item
二個	Niko	Two small items
三個	Sanko	Three small items
一人	HItori	1 person
二人	Futari	2 people
三人	Sannin	3 people

Here again we can see the sound changes when numbers combine. There are hundreds of different counters, so if you want to know more you can check this guide for a pretty comprehensive list.
*Some counters combine with the numbers to create new sounds.

今朝はミカン三個を食べました。
Kesa wa mikan sanko wo tabemashita.
I ate three tangerines this morning.

Japanese words about time

Being able to describe time words is pretty important, so let’s go over some basics:

Japanese	Romanization	English
時間	Jikan	Time
時計	Tokei	Clock
時	Ji	Hour
何時	Nanji	What time
分	Fun	Minute
秒	Byou	Second
半	Han	Half past
午前	Gozen	A.M.
午後	Gogo	P.M.
日の出	Hi no de	Sunrise
朝	Asa	Morning
正午	Shougo	Noon
昼	Hiru	Midday
夕方	Yuugata	Evening
日の入り	HI no iri	Sunset
夜	Yoru	Night
一日	Ichinichi	1 day
二日間	Futsukakan	2 days
三日間	Mikkakan	3 days
一泊	Ippaku	One night
二泊	Nihaku	Two nights
三泊	Sanpaku	Three nights

The ji, fun, and byou, words for hour, minute, and second respectively can also be used as counters.

田中さんはいつ出張から帰ってきますか。
Tanaka-san wa itsu shucchou kara kaettekimasu ka?
When will Mr. Tanaka return from his business trip?

一泊二日ですから、２日後のはずです。
Ippaku futsuka desu kara, futsukago no hazu desu.
It’s two days and one night, so he should be back in two days.

Japanese words for the days of the month

Japanese	Romanization	English
１日	Tuitachi	1st day of the month
２日	Futsuka	2nd of the month
３日	Mikka	3rd
４日	Yokka	4th
５日	Itsuka	5th
６日	Muika	6th
７日	Nanoka	7th
８日	Youka	8th
９日	Kokonoka	9th
１０日	Touka	10th
１４日	Jyuuyokka	14th
１８日	Jyuuyouka	18th
２０日	Hatsuka	20th

After the 20th, they simply use the number + the counter nichi, i.e. 21日 (nijuuichi nichi).

彼の誕生日は４月１０日です。
Kare no tanjoubi wa shigatsu touka desu.
His birthday is April 10th.

Japanese words about the home

Japanese	Romanization	English
家	Ie	House
マンション	Manshon	Condo
アパート	Apaato	Apartment
団地	Danchi	Apartment Complex
大家	Ooya	Landlord
敷金	Shikikin	Security Deposit
家賃	Yachin	Rent
庭	Niwa	Garden
ドア	Doa	Door
玄関	Genkan	Entrance
傘立て	Kasatate	Umbrella Stand
部屋	Heya	Room
廊下	Rouka	Hallway
床	Yuka	Floor
壁	Kabe	Wall
天井	Tenjou	Ceiling
窓	Mado	Window
家具	Kagu	Furniture
階段	Kaidan	Stairs
居間	Ima	Living Room
テレビ	Terebi	Television
テーブル	Teeburu	Table
椅子	Isu	Chair
ソファー	Sofaa	Sofa
絨毯	Juutan	Carpet
台所	Daitokoro	Kitchen
戸棚	Todana	Cupboard
流し	Nagashi	Sink
冷蔵庫	Reizouko	Refrigerator
冷凍庫	Reitouko	Freezer
ストーブ	Sutoobu	Stove
オーブン	Oobun	Oven
電子レンジ	Denshirenji	Microwave
食器洗い機	Shokkiaraiki	Dish Washer
皿	Sara	Dishes / Plate
お箸	Ohashi	Chopsticks
フォク	Foku	Fork
ナイフ	Naifu	Knife
スプーン	Supuun	Spoon
コップ	Koppu	Cup
カップ	Kappu	Cup
水筒	Suitou	Water Bottle / Thermos
寝室	Neshitsu	Bedroom
本棚	Hondana	Bookshelf
机	Tsukue	Desk
洋室	Youshitsu	Western-Style Room
ベッド	Beddo	Bed
シート	Shiito	Sheets
毛布	Moufu	Blanket
枕	Makura	Pillow
たんす	Tansu	Dresser
和室	Washitsu	Japanese-Style Room
押入れ	Oshiire	Closet
布団	Futon	Futon
畳	Tatami	Tatami Mat
障子	Shouji	Paper Doors
風呂場	Furoba	Bathroom
洗面所	Senmenjo	Washroom
お手洗い	Otearai	Restroom
トイレ	Toire	Toilet
お風呂	Ofuro	Bath
お風呂に入る	Ofuro ni hairu	To take a bath
鏡	Kagami	Mirror
歯ブラシ	Haburashi	Toothbrush
歯磨き粉	Hamigakiko	Toothpaste
歯を磨く	Ha wo migaku	To brush one's teeth
フロス	Furosu	Floss
かみそり	Kamisori	Razor
ティッシュ	Tisshu	Tissue
ベランダ	Beranda	Veranda / Balcony
車庫	Shako	Garage

入る前ちゃんと靴を抜いて玄関においてください。
Hairu mae chanto kutsu wo nuite, genkan ni oite kudasai.
Before you enter, please make sure to take your shoes off and leave them in the entrance.

Japanese words about cleaning

Japanese	Romanization	English
掃除する	Souji suru	To clean
片付ける	Katadzukeru	To tidy
ほうき	Houki	Broom
ほうきで掃く	Houki de haku	To sweep
ちりとり	Chiritori	Dustpan
ほこりを取る	Hokori wo toru	To dust
バケツ	Baketsu	Bucket
ぞうきん	Zoukin	Cleaning cloth
掃除機	Soujiki	Vacuum cleaner
掃除機をかける	Soujiki wo kakeru	To vacuum
ゴム手袋	Gomu tebukuro	Rubber gloves
洗濯する	Sentakusuru	To do laundry
洗濯機	Sentakki	Laundry machine
乾かす	Kawakasu	To dry (clothes)
乾燥機	Kansouki	Dryer
物干し竿	Monohashizao	Clothes Line
物干し	Monohashi	Drying Rack

掃除するとゴム手袋を必ずします。
Souji suru to gomu tebukuro wo kanarazu shimasu.
I always wear rubber gloves when I clean.

Your Japanese leaving people in the dark?

Let our newsletter for beginner to low intermediate learners guide your way.

Japanese words you need at school

Japanese	Romanization	English
学校	Gakkou	School
幼稚園	Youchien	Kindergarten
小学校	Shougakkou	Elementary School
中学校	Chuugakkou	Middle School
高校	Koukou	High School
大学	Daigaku	College
大学院	Daigakuin	Graduate School
学生	Gakusei	Student
先生	Sensei	Teacher
先輩	Senpai	Upperclassman
同級生	Doukyuusei	Classmate
後輩	Kouhai	Underclassman
授業	Jugyou	Lesson
科目	Kamoku	Subject
数学	Suugaku	Math
科学	Kagaku	Science
生物学	Seibutsugaku	Biology
化学	Kagaku	Chemistry
物理学	Butsurigaku	Physics
歴史	Rekishi	History
外国語	Gaikokugo	Foreign Language
美術	Hijutsu	Art
音楽	Ongaku	Music
体育	Taiiku	Physical Education
勉強	Benkyou	Study
塾	Juku	Cram School
試験	Shiken	Exam
期末試験	Kimatsushiken	Final Exam
入学試験	Nyuugakushiken	Entrance Exam
宿題	Shukudai	Homework
レポート	Repooto	Report
提出	Teishutsu	Submission
ノート	Nooto	Note
ペン	Pen	Pen
鉛筆	Enpitsu	Pencil
消しゴム	Keshigomu	Eraser
文房具	Bunbougu	Stationery
計算機	Keisanki	Calculator
黒板	Kokuban	Blackboard
チョーク	Chooku	Chalk
図書館	Toshokan	Library
体育館	Taiikukan	Gymnasium
部活	Bukatsu	Club Activities
運動部	Undoubu	Exercise / Sports Club
ダンス部	Dansubu	Dance Club
チア部	Chiabu	Cheer Club
英会話部	Eikaiwabu	English Conversation Club
美術部	Bijutsubu	Art Club
音楽部	Ongakubu	Music Club
料理部	Ryouribu	Cooking Club
茶道部	Sadoubu	Tea Ceremony Club
演劇部	Engekibu	Theater Club

大学入学試験の準備が大変でダンス部の練習にも行けなくなってしまいました。
Daigaku nyuugaku shiken no junbi ga taihen de dansubu no renshuu ni mo ikenaku natte shimaimashita.
Preparing for college entrance exams is so difficult I can’t even go to my dance club practice.

How do I talk to teachers in Japanese?

Since teachers are highly respected in Japanese society, it is best to at least use teineigo when speaking with one, but it depends on your relationship.

Talking to teachers as a student

As a student, you should do your best to speak formally with your teachers. This is more true as you get older, especially in college. Young children may be prone to using tameguchi regardless of who they’re talking to.

Talking to teachers as a teacher

Fellow teachers will probably expect you to use teineigo and sonkeigo for the more senior teachers.

How do I talk to students in Japanese?

If you’re not in a school setting but see a student in a uniform, you may speak to them informally since they’re younger, but there’s no reason you couldn’t use teineigo.

Talking to students as a student

For students of the same year as you or below, it’s common to skip straight to tameguchi. For older students, however, make sure to use teineigo to respect them.

Talking to students as a teacher

As a teacher, you can speak informally to your students because they are younger and you are an authority figure.

If you’re interested in becoming an English teacher in Japan, check our Guide to Teaching Jobs in Japan for more information.

Japanese Course Levels

We offer both private and group lessons for the following course levels.

Please note that group lessons have a maximum of 7 students.

japanese book for beginners that started to learn japanese

Beginner 1 : Introduction To Japanese 1

Level: JLPT N5 - 2062 yen

Ideal Learner:

This Introduction to Japanese 1 course is for learners who understand the basics of Hiragana and Katakana and want to learn the basics of conversational Japanese. The book contains many opportunities for role-play that will solidify what you learn and build confidence in your ability to speak Japanese.

Course Details:

By the end of this course you would have learned roughly 150 Kanji symbols, 300 new vocabulary words, and 70 key sentences.

japanese book for level two beginners for conversation

Beginner 2 : Introduction To Japanese 2

Level: JLPT N4 - 2160 yen

Ideal Learner

This Introduction to Japanese 2 course is for learners who want to start expanding their conversational Japanese skills and to express themselves with more complex phrases by building on and expanding on what was learned in Introduction to Japanese 1.

Course Details:

By the end of this course you would have learned roughly 150 Kanji symbols, 300 new vocabulary words, and 70 key sentences

japanese book for low intermediate learners

Low Intermediate - Japanese for Communication + Weekly J

Level: Pre-Intermediate N4 - N3 - 3240 yen

Ideal Learner:

Someone who has completed the Introduction to Japanese 2 course or has a firm understanding of Japanese grammar and can handle basic conversations.

This course is for learners who would like to broaden their vocabulary for daily life situations and will review previously-learned expressions to help you have more natural daily conversations.

Course Details:

By the end of this course you would have learned roughly 150 Kanji symbols, 500 new vocabulary words, and 70 key sentences.

Japanese words you need at the office

Japanese	Romanization	English
会社	Kaisha	Company
株式会社	Kabushikigaisha	Public Company
有限会社	Yuukengaisha	Private Company
企業	Kigyou	Enterprise
大手企業	Ootekigyou	Big Corporation
中小企業	Chuushoukigyou	Medium To Small Enterprise
営業部	Eigyoubu	Sales Department
開発部	Kaihatsubu	Development Department
研究開発	Kenkyuukaihatsu	Research And Development
人事部	Jinjibu	Human Resuorces
総務部	Soumubu	General Affairs
会社員	Kaishyain	Company Employee
従業員	Juugyouin	Employee
社長	Shachou	Company President
副社長	Fukushachou	Executive Vice President
部長	Buchou	Department Head
課長	Kachou	Section Manager
上司	Joushi	Boss
同僚	Douryou	Coworker
部下	Buka	Subordintae
派遣社員	Hakenshyain	Temporary Worker
取引先	Hikitorisaki	Client
お疲れさまです	Otsukaresama desu	Thank you for your hard work
事務所	Jimusho	Office Building
オフィス	Ofisu	Office
受付	Uketsuke	Reception Desk
会議室	Kaigishitsu	Meeting Room
会議	Kaigi	Meeting
書類	Shorui	Document
企画書	Kigakusho	Proposal
名刺	Meishi	Business Card
面接	Mensetsu	Interview
履歴書	Rirekisho	Resume
給料	Kyuuryou	Salary
ボーナス	Boonasu	Bonus
残業	Zangyou	Overtime
残業代	Zangyoudai	Overtime Pay
出勤	Shukkin	Attendance At Work
欠勤	Kekkin	Absence From Work
出張	Shucchou	Business Trip
サラリーマン	Sarariiman	Office worker (man)
OL	Ooeru	Office worker (woman)

会議では名刺交換しないといけません。
Kaigi de wa meishi koukan shinai to ikemasen.
You have to exchange business cards at a meeting.

How do I talk to my boss in Japanese?

The office is the place you are most often expected to use sonkeigo and kenjougo. When speaking to your boss make sure to use humble and respectful language.

Japanese words for the gym

Japanese	Romanization	English
ジム	Jimu	Gym
運動	Undou	Exercise
スポーツ	Supootsu	Sports
試合	Shiai	Game / Match
チーム	Chiimu	Team
選手	Senshu	Player
バスケットボール	Basukettobooru	Basketball
バレーボール	Bareebooru	Volleyball
フットボール	Futtobooru	American Football
アメフト	Amerfuto	American Football (abbreviation)
サッカー	Sakkaa	Soccer
野球	Yakyuu	Baseball
テニス	Tenisu	Tennis
水泳	Suiei	Swimming
サーフィン	Saafin	Surfing
体操	Taisou	Gymnastics
ゴルフ	Gorufu	Golf
ラグビー	Ragubii	Rugby
バドミントン	Badominton	Badminton
ホッケー	Hokkee	Hockey
ボクシング	Bokushingu	Boxing
サイクリング	Saikuringu	Cycling
ジョギング	Jyogingu	Jogging
ヨガ	Yoga	Yoga
ピラティス	Piratesu	Pilates
トレッドミル	Toreddomiru	Treadmill
ダンベル	Danberu	Dumbbell
筋トレ	Kintore	Weight Training
筋肉	Kinniku	Muscle
肩	Kata	Shoulders
首	Kubi	Neck
腕	Ude	Arms
手首	Tekubi	Wrists
手	Te	Hands
胸	Mune	Chest
腹筋	Fukkin	Abs
腰	Koshi	Lower Back / Waist
お尻	Oshiri	Buttocks
太もも	Futomomo	Thighs
膝	HIza	Knees
ふくらはぎ	Fukurahagi	Calves
足首	Ashikubi	Ankles
足	Ashi	Feet
ストレッチ	Sutorecchi	Stretching

スポーツが好きですが、筋トレはあまりしません。
Supootsu ga suki desu ga, kintore wa amari shimasen.
I like sports, but I don’t do a lot of weight training.

Take Online Lessons at Japan Switch

Online Lessons at Japan Switch

Japanese words you need at the bank

Japanese	Romanization	English
銀行	Ginkou	Bank
銀行員	Ginkouin	Bank Worker
会計	Kaikei	Finances
預金	Yokin	Deposit ; Bank Account
口座	Kougi	Account
普通預金	Futsuuyokin	Normal Bank Account
貯金	Chokin	Savings / Deposit
貯蓄預金	Chochikuyokin	Savings Account
お振り込み	Ofurikomi	Deposit Transfer
振替	Furikae	Transfer between accounts
お引き出し	Ohitadashi	Withdrawal
残高	Zandaka	Account Balance
残高照会	Zandakashoukai	Account Balance Inquiry
金利	Kinri	Interest Rate
金庫	Kinko	Safe
両替	Ryougae	Money Exchange
手数料	Tesuuryou	Charge / Handling fee
現金	Genkin	Cash
貸金	Kashikin	Loan
ローン	Rōn	Loan
借金	Shakkin	Debt
返済	Hensai	Repayment of Loan
円	En	Yen
ドル	Doru	Dollar
ユーロ	Yuuro	Euro

日本に行く前に両替して円を手に入れました。
Nihon ni iku mae ni ryougae shite en wo te ni iremashita.
Before going to Japan, I exchanged money and got some yen.

Japanese words you need when shopping

Japanese	Romanization	English
店	Mise	Shop
デパート	Depaato	Department Store
美容院	Biyouin	Salon
スーパー	Suupaa	Supermarket
本屋	Honya	Bookstore
花屋	Hanaya	Flower shop
パン屋	Panya	Bakery
薬局	Yakkyoku	Pharmacy
コンビニ	Konbini	Convenience Store
喫茶店	Kissaten	Cafe
映画館	Eigakan	Movie Theater
買い物	Kaimono	Shopping
営業時間	Eigyoujikan	Hours of Operation
閉店	Heiten	Closing a shop
レジ	Reji	Register
セルフレジ	Serufureji	Self-serve Register
店員	Tenin	Shop Employee
いくら	Ikura	How much
値段	Nedan	Price
レシート	Reshiito	Receipt
お支払い	Oshiharai	Payment
支払う	Shiharau	To pay
払う	Harau	To pay

母が美容院に行っている間に、本屋に立ち寄りました。
Haha ga biyouin ni itteiru aida ni, honya ni tachiyorimashita.
While my mom was at the salon, I stopped by the bookstore.

Japanese words about clothes

Knowing the terms for clothes will be useful for wherever you go shopping, or want to describe someone’s clothes.

Japanese	Romanization	English
服	Fuku	Clothes
和服	Wafuku	Traditional Japanese clothing
着物	Kimono	Kimono
浴衣	Yukata	Yukata (lighter kimono worn in summer)
帯	Obi	Obi (kimono sash)
簪	Kanzashi	Ornate hairpin
羽織	Haori	Haori (formal coat)
袴	Hakama	Hakama (men's formal skirt)
足袋	Tabi	Tabi (split-toe socks)
草履	Zouri	Thonged sandals
下駄	Geta	Wooden clogs
洋服	Youfuku	Western clothes
ブラウス	Burausu	Blouse
Yシャツ	Waishatsu	Dress shirt / Button up
ズボン	Zubon	Trousers
スーツ	Suutsu	Suit
スカート	Sukaato	Skirt
ロングスカート	Rongusukaato	Long skirt
ミニスカート	Minisukaato	Miniskirt
ジーンズ	Jiinzu	Jeans
スキニーパンツ	Sukiniipantsu	Skinny jeans
レギンス	Reginsu	Leggings
ショーツ	Shootsu	Shorts
Tシャツ	Tshyatsu	Tshirt
パーカー	Paakaa	Sweatshirt hoodie
トレーナー	Toreenaa	Crewneck sweatshirt
ジャケット	Jaketto	Jacket
コート	Kooto	Coat
ロングコート	Rongukooto	Long coat
カーディガン	Kaadegan	Cardigan
ニット・セーター	Nitto seeta	Knit sweater
ワンピース	Wanpiisu	Dress
ドレス	Doresu	Dress
アクセサリー	Akusesorii	Accessories
帽子	Boushi	Hat
ニットキャップ	Nittokyappu	Beanie
クリップ	Kurippu	Hair clip
リボン	Ribon	Hair Ribbon
ネックレス	Nekkuresu	Necklace
ピアス	Piasu	Earrings
ブレスレット	Buresuretto	Bracelet
指輪	Yubiwa	Ring
手袋	Tebukuro	Gloves
マフラー	Mafuraa	Scarf
タイツ	Taitsu	Tights / pantyhose
靴下	Kutsushita	Socks
靴	Kutsu	Shoes
スニーカー	Suniikaa	Sneakers
スリッポン	Surippon	Slip on (shoes)
ブーツ	Buutsu	Boots
ニーハイブーツ	Niihaibuutsu	Knee-high boots
サンダル	Sandaru	Sandals
ローファー	Roofaa	Loafer
フラット・シューズ	Furatto shuuzu	Flats
パンプス	Pampusu	Pumps
ウエッジ・ソール	Wedji sooru	Wedges
水着	Mizugi	Bathing suit
ビキニ	Bikini	Bikini
下着	Shitagi	Underwear
ブラ	Bura	Bra
キャミソール	Kyamisooru	Camisole
かぶる	Kaburu	To wear (a hat)
かける	Kakeru	To wear (glasses)
着る	Kiru	To wear (tops and dresses)
履く	Haku	To wear (pants and shoes)
サイズ	Saizu	Size

夏祭りには浴衣が必須です！
Natsumatsuri ni wa yukata ga hissu desu!
A yukata is a must for a summer festival!

昨日着ていたパーカーが可愛いです！
Kinou kiteita paakaa ga kawaii desu!
The hoodie you wore yesterday is adorable!

Japanese words you need at the grocery store

Japanese	Romanization	English
食料品店	Shokuryouhinten	Grocery store
スーパー	Suupaa	Supermarket
通路	Tsuuro	Aisle
買い物カート	Kaimono kaato	Shopping cart
買い物カゴ	Kaimono kago	Shopping basket
日用品	Nichiyouhin	Daily necessities
消費期限	Shouhikigen	Expiration Date
賞味期限	Shoumikigen	Sell-by Date
冷凍食品	Reitoushokuhin	Frozen Food
乳製品	Nyuuseihin	Dairy products
材料	Zairyou	Ingredients
食材	Shokuzai	Ingredients
香辛料	Koushinryou	Spice
スパイス	Supaisu	Spice
ボトル	Botoru	Bottle
缶	Kan	Can
缶詰	Kandzume	Canned food
瓶	Bin	Jar
箱	Hako	Box
袋	Fukuro	Bag
ビニール袋	Biniiru bukuro	Plastic bag
調味料	Choumiryou	Condiment
セール	Seeru	Sale
クーポン券	Kuuponken	Coupon

エコバッグがありますから、なるべくビニール袋を使わないようにします。
Ekobaggu ga arimasu kara, narubeku biniiru bukuro wo tsukawanai you ni shimasu.
I have reusable bags, so I try to avoid using plastic bags.

Types of foods

Japanese	Romanization	English
料理	Ryouri	Cooking
和食	Washoku	Japanese food
中華料理	Chuukaryouri	Chinese food
洋食	Youshoku	Western food
食事	Shokuji	Meal
おかず	Okazu	Side dishes
朝ごはん	Asagohan	Breakfast
昼ごはん	Hirugohan	Lunch
晩ごはん	Bangohan	Dinner
夜食	Yashoku	Late-night snack
おやつ	Oyatsu	Snacks
お菓子	Okashi	Sweets
食べ物	Tabemono	Food
飲み物	Nomimono	Beverage

最近は少し太ったので、夜食を食べないようにしています。
Saikin wa sukoshi futotta no de, yashoku wo tabenai you ni shiteimasu.
I’ve gained a bit of weight recently, so I’m trying to avoid eating late at night.

Japanese Dishes

Japanese	Romanization	English
うどん	Udon	Thick wheat noodles
ラーメン	Raamen	Ramen
刺身	Sashimi	Sashimi (sliced raw fish)
寿司	Sushi	Sushi
巻きずし	Makizushi	Sushi roll
おにぎり	Onigiri	Rice Ball
お弁当	Obentou	Bento (boxed lunch)
天ぷら	Tenpura	Tempura (deep fried foods)
牛丼	Gyuudon	Rice bowl with beef
親子丼	Oyakodon	Rice bowl with chicken and egg
天丼	Tendon	Rice bowl with tempura
トンカツ	Tonkatsu	Fried pork cutlet
カレーライス	Kareeraisu	Japanese curry rice
すき焼き	Sukiyaki	Japanese hot pot
お好み焼き	Okonomiyaki	Savory cabbage pancake
焼きうどん	Yakiudon	Pan fried udon noodles
焼きそば	Yakisoba	Pan fried soba noodles
そば	Soba	Buckwheat noodles
そうめん	Soumen	Thin wheat flour noodles
焼き鳥	Yakitori	Skewered chicken
唐揚げ	Karaage	Fried chicken
卵かけご飯	Tamagokakegohan	Rice topped with raw egg
卵焼き	Tamagoyaki	Rolled omelet
オムライス	Omuraisu	Fried rice topped with an omelet
餅	Mochi	Sticky rice cake

コンビニのおにぎりはほぼ毎日食べてしまいます。
Konbini no onigiri ha hobo mainichi tabete shimaimasu.
I end up eating rice balls from the convenience store almost every day.

japanese traditional dishes served in japan

Fruits

Japanese	Romanization	English
果物	Kudamono	Fruit
りんご	Ringo	Apple
もも	Momo	Peach
すいか	Suika	Watermelon
メロン	Meron	Honeydew (green melon)
梨	Nashi	Japanese pear
洋梨	Younashi	European pear
杏	Anzu	Apricot
梅	Ume	Japanese Plum
すもも	Sumomo	Chinese Plum
ぶどう	Budou	Grape
柿	Kaki	Japanese persimmon
レモン	Remon	Lemon
ライム	Raimu	Lime
バナナ	Banana	Banana
いちご	Ichigo	Strawberry
ラズベリー	Razuberii	Raspberry
さくらんぼ	Sakuranbo	Cherry
ブルーベリー	Buruuberii	Blueberry
オレンジ	Orenji	Orange
ミカン	Mikan	Mandarin
キウイ	Kiui	Kiwi
グレープフルーツ	Gureepufrutsu	Grapefruit
ザクロ	Zakuro	Pomegranite
スターフルーツ	Sutaafuruutsu	Starfruit
ドラゴンフルーツ	Doragonfuruutsu	Dragonfruit
ドリアン	Dorian	Durian
ネクタリン	Nekutarin	Nectarine
マンゴー	Mangoo	Mango
ライチ	Raichi	Lychee

いちご大福が好きですが、生のいちごはあまりすきでわありません。
Ichigo daifuku ga suki desuga, nama no ichigo ha amari suki dewa arimasen.
I like strawberry daifuku, but I don’t like fresh strawberries very much.

Vegetables

Japanese	Romanization	English
野菜	Yasai	Vegetables
にんじん	Ninjin	Carrot
アーティチョーク	Aateichooku	Artichoke
えのきたけ	Enokitake	Enoki Mushrooms
しいたけ	Shiitake	Shitake Mushrooms
オクラ	Okura	Okra
かぶ	Kabu	Turnip
かぼちゃ	Kabocha	Pumpkin
カリフラワー	Karifurawaa	Cauliflower
レタス	Retasu	Lettuce
キャベツ	Kyabetsu	Cabbage
白菜	Hakusai	Napa Cabbage
きゅうり	Kyuuri	Cucumber
セロリ	Serori	Celery
じゃがいも	Jyagaimo	Potato
さつまいも	Satumaimo	Sweet Potato
たけのこ	Takenoko	Bamboo Shoot
玉ねぎ	Tananegi	Round onion
ネギ	Negi	Green onion
とうもろこし	Toumorokoshi	Corn
トマト	Tomato	Tomato
ほうれん草	Hourensou	Spinach
小松菜	Komatsuna	Japanese mustard spinach
空芯菜	Kuushinsai	Chinese water spinach
チンゲン菜	Chingensai	Bok Choy
れんこん	Renkon	Lotus root
にんにく	Ninniku	Garlic
クレソン	Kureson	Watercress
ルッコラ	Rukkora	Arugula

蓮根はおせち料理の煮しめ以外は食べられません。
Renkon wa osechi ryouri no shime igai wa taberaremasen.
I can’t eat lotus root outside of New Year’s dishes.

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Meats and Seafood

Japanese	Romanization	English
肉	Niku	Meat
豚肉	Butaniku	Pork
ベーコン	Beekon	Bacon
牛肉	Gyuuniku	Beef
鶏肉	Toriniku	Chicken (meat)
魚	Sakana	Fish
鮭	Sake or shake	Salmon
マグロ	Magruo	Tuna
ツナ	Tsuna	Tuna (esp. canned)
タイ	Tai	Seabream
さば	Saba	Mackerel
アジ	Aji	Horse Mackerel
サンマ	Sanma	Pacific Saury / Mackerel Pike
ブリ	Buri	Japanese Amberjack / Japanese Yellowtail
イワシ	Iwashi	Sardine
アサリ	Asari	Manila clam
エビ	Ebi	Shrimp
うなぎ	Unagi	Eel
タコ	Tako	Octopus
イカ	Ika	Squid
カニ	Kani	Crab
ウニ	Uni	Sea urchin
卵	Tamago	Eggs

イカの寿司が一番好きです。
Ika no sushi ga ichiban suki desu.
Squid sushi is my favorite.

Dairy

Japanese	Romanization	English
牛乳	Gyuunyuu	Milk
バーター	Baataa	Butter
チーズ	Chiizu	Cheese
ヨーグルト	Yooguruto	Yogurt
クリーム	Kuriimu	Cream
サワークリーム	Sawaakuriimu	Sour Cream
コンデンスミルク	Kondensumiruku	Condensed Milk

朝ごはんによくヨーグルトを食べます。
Asagohan ni yoku yooguruto wo tabemasu.
I often eat yogurt for breakfast.

Breads

Japanese	Romanization	English
パン	Pan	Bread
アンパン	Anpan	Bread filled with red bean paste
食パン	Shokupan	Bread loaf (usually Japanese milk bread)
トースト	Toosuto	Toast
ベーグル	Beeguru	Bagel

毎朝ベーグルとクリームチーズを食べます。
Maiasa beeguru to kuriimuchiizu wo tabemasu.
Every morning I eat a bagel with cream cheese.

Desserts

Japanese	Romanization	English
デザート	Dezaato	Dessert
アイスクリーム	Aisukuriimu	Ice cream
アイス	Aisu	Ice cream (abbreviated)
かき氷	Kakigoori	Shaved ice / snow cone
ケーキ	Keeki	Cake
パイ	Pai	Pie
クッキー	Kukkii	Cookies
チョコレート	Chokoreeto	Chocolate
チョコ	Choko	Chocolate (abbreviated)
プリン	Purin	Pudding / custard
パフェ	Pafe	Parfait
和菓子	Wagashi	Traditional Japanese Sweets
コーヒーゼリー	Koohii zerii	Coffee Jelly
クレープ	Kureepu	Crepe
たい焼き	Taiyaki	Fish shaped bun filled with red bean

海に行ってかき氷を食べたいです。
Umi ni itte kakikoori wo tabetai desu.
I want to go to the beach and eat shaved ice.

Spices, herbs, and condiments

Japanese	Romanization	English
ソース	Soosu	Sauce
醤油	Shouyuu	Soy Sauce
塩	Shio	Salt
砂糖	Satou	Sugar
胡椒	Koshou	Pepper
オレガノ	Oregano	Oregano
ガーリック	Gaarikku	Garlic
カモミール	Kamomiiru	Chamomile
カルダモン	Karudamon	Cardamom
カレーリーフ	Kareeriifu	Curry leaf
キャラウェイ	Kyarauei	Caraway
クミン	Kumin	Cumin
クローブ	Kuroobu	Clove
けしの実	Keshinomi	Poppy seed
ごま	Goma	Sesame seed
コリアンダー	Koriandaa	Coriander
サフラン	Safuran	Saffron
山椒	Sanshou	Japanese pepper
しそ	Shiso	Perilla
シナモン	Shinamon	Cinnamon
ジンジャー	Jinjaa	Ginger
スペアミント	Supeaminto	Spearmint
セージ	Seeji	Sage
セロリーシード	Seroriishiido	Celery seed
ソレル	Soreru	Sorrel
ターメリック	Taamerikku	Turmeric
タイム	Taimu	Thyme
チャイブ	Chaibu	Chive
チリーペッパー	Chiriipeppaa	Chili pepper
ディル	Diru	Dill
ナツメッグ	Natsumeggu	Nutmeg
バジル	Bajiru	Basil
パセリ	Paseri	Parsley
バニラ	Banira	Vanilla
パプリカ	Papurika	Paprika
フェネグリーク	Feneguriin	Fenugreek
フェンネル	Fenneru	Fennel
ペパーミント	Pepaaminto	Peppermind
ホースラディッシュ	Hoosuradesshu	Horseradish
花椒（ホアジャオ)	Kashou / Hoajou	Chinese pepper
辛子	Karashi	Japanese mustard
マスタード	Masutaado	Mustard
ゆず	Yuzu	Yuzu
レモングラス	Remongurasu	Lemon Grass
ローズマリー	Roozummarii	Rosemary
わさび	Wasabi	Wasabi
マヨネーズ	Mayoneezu	Mayonnaise
ケチャップ	Kechappu	Ketchup

この料理の匂いはコリアンダーとクミンが入っているからです。
Kono ryouri no nioi wa koriandaa to kumin ga haitteiru kara desu.
This dish smells like that because it has cumin and coriander in it.

Alcohol

Japanese	Romanization	English
アルコール	Arukooru	Alcohol
酒	Sake	Sake
ビール	Biiru	Beer
生ビール	Namabiiru	Draft Beer
ワイン	Wain	Wine
蒸留酒	Jouryuushuu	Distilled liquor
焼酎	Shouchuu	Shochu (Japanese distilled beverage)
ウイスキー	Uisukii	Whiskey
ブランデー	Burandee	Brandy
ジン	Jin	Gin
ウォッカ	Wokka	Vodka
ラム	Ramu	Rum
テキーラ	Tekiira	Tequila
カクテル	Kakuteru	Cocktail

父の一番好きなアルコールはウイスキーです。
Chichi no ichiban suki na arukooru ha uisukii desu.
My father’s favorite type of alcohol is whiskey.

Japanese words for cooking

Japanese	Romanization	English
焼く	Yaku	To grill; to bake
水洗い	Mizuarai	Rinsing with cold water
茹でる	Yuderu	To boil
混ぜる	Mazeru	To mix
みじん切り	Mijingiri	Finely chopping
揚げる	Ageru	To fry
泡立てる	Awadateru	To whisk
蒸らす	Murasu	To steam
炒める	Itameru	To stir fry / saute
漬ける	Tsukeru	To soak / seep ; To pickle / preserve
盛る	Moru	To serve
皮を剥く	Kawa wo muku	To peel
種	Tane	Seed
殻	Kara	Shell / husk / pod
皮	Kawa	Rind / peel
根元	Nemoto	Base of a plant / part near the root
鍋	Nabe	Pot
フライパン	Furaipan	Frypan
炊飯器	Suihanki	Rice cooker

姉は料理が下手ですけど、ケーキやクッキーを焼くのが上手です！
Ane wa ryouri ga heta desukedo, keeki ya kukkii wo yaku no ga jouzu desu!
My older sister isn’t a great cook, but she can bake cakes and cookies well!

Japanese words you need when eating out

Japanese	Romanization	English
飲食店	Inshokuten	Restaurant
レストラン	Resutoran	Restaurant
ファミレス	Famiresu	Family-style Restaurant (abbreviation)
予約	Yoyaku	Reservation
おしぼり	Oshibori	Hot towel
お会計	Okaikei	Check
美味しい	Oishii	Delicious
うまい	Umai	Delicious (more informal)
まずい	Mazui	Disgusting
甘い	Amai	Sweet
苦い	Nigai	Bitter
辛い	Karai	Spicy
塩辛い	Shiokarai	Salty
酸っぱい	Suppai	Sour
味が薄い	Aji ga usui	Tasteless / bland

あの寿司店の巻きずしはすごく美味しいですよ！
Ano sushiten no makizushi wa sugoku oishii desu yo!
That sushi restaurant’s sushi rolls are so delicious!

How do I talk on the phone in Japanese?

When you pick up the phone, instead of kon’nichiha, you will say moshi moshi as a greeting. Japanese people often bow their heads out of habit even when speaking on the phone.

Japanese words for technology and websites

Japanese	Romanization	English
コンピュータ	Konpyuuta	Computer
パソコン	Pasokon	PC
ノートパソコン	Nootopasokon	Laptop
画面	Gamen	Screen
マウス	Mausu	Mouse
キーボード	Kiiboodo	Keyboard
ヘッドホン	Heddohon	Headphones
イアホン	Iahon	Earphones
ソフト	Sofuto	Software
ビデオゲーム	Bideogeemu	Video game
設定	Settei	Settings / Option configurations
ファイル	Fairu	File
保存	Hozon	Saving (to disk)
削除	Sakujo	Deletion
移動	Idou	Movement (of a file)
インターネット	Intaanetto	Internet
ネット	Netto	The net
サイト	Saito	Website
ダウンロード	Daunroodo	Download
電話	Denwa	Telephone
携帯	Keitai	Cell phone
アプリ	Apuri	App
機能	Kinou	Function
技術	Gijutsu	Technology
再起動	Saikidou	Restart
形式	Keishiki	Format (e.g. of a file)
編集	Henshuu	Editing
印刷	Insatsu	Printing

コンピュータの画面が壊れてしまって、再起動してみましたが、だめでした。
Konpyuuta no gamen ga kowarete shimatte, saikidou shite mimashita ga, dame deshita.
The computer screen was broken so I tried to restart it, but it was no use.

japanese people riding on train for transportation

Japanese words about transportation and travel

Japanese	Romanization	English
乗り物	Norimono	Vehicle
交通の便	Koutsuu no ben	Ease of transportation
車	Kuruma	Car
タクシー	Taksuhii	Taxi
バイク	Baiku	Motorcycle
自転車	Jitensha	Bicycle
バス	Basu	Bus
バス停	Basutei	Bus stop
電車	Densha	Train
地下鉄	Chikatetsu	Subway
きっぷ	Kippu	Ticket
駅	Eki	Train station
船	Fune	Ship
港	Minato	Port / harbor
飛行機	Hikouki	Airplane
空港	Kuukou	Airport
航空券	Koukuuken	Plane ticket
行き先	Ikisaki	Destination
到着	Touchaku	Arrival
出発	Shuppatsu	Departure
スーツケース	Suutsukeesu	Suitcase
旅行	Ryokou	Travel / trip
一泊二日	Ippakufutsuka	One night two day trip
二泊三日	Nihakumikka	Two night three day trip
三泊四日	Sanpakuyouka	Three night four day trip
ツアー	Tsuaa	Tour
海外	Kaigai	Abroad / overseas
国内	Kokunai	Domestic (travel)
観光	Kankou	Sight-seing
旅館	Ryokan	Japanese style inn
ホステル	Hosuteru	Hostel
お土産	Omiyage	Omiyage (obligatory gifts from a trip/souvenirs)

お土産を買うのをよく忘れるタイプですから、結局空港で買ってしまいます。
Omiyage wo kau no wo yoku wasureru taipu desu kara, kekkyoku kuukou de katte shimaimasu.
I’m the kind of person who often forgets to buy souvenirs so I end up buying them at the airport.

Driving

If you’re looking to drive in Japan, look at our Guide to Japan’s Driving Test.

Japanese	Romanization	English
運転免許	Untenmenkyo	Driver's license
運転する	Untensuru	To drive
警音器	Keionki	Car horn
運転手	Untenshu	Driver
乗客	Joukyaku	Passenger
車線	Shasen	Traffic lane
信号	Shingou	Traffic light
標識	Hyoushiki	Sign
歩行者	Hokousha	Pedestrians
歩道	Hodou	Sidewalk
横断歩道	Oudanhodou	Crosswalk
交差点	Kousaten	Intersection
駐車	Chuusha	Parking
速度	Sokudo	Speed
交通	Koutsuu	Traffic
道路	Dorou	Road
通行	Tuukou	Passage
角	Kado	Corner
ガソリンスタンド	Gasorinsutando	Gas station
一方	Ippou	One way
止まれ	Tomare	"Stop"
進入禁止	Shinnyuu kinshi	Do not enter
まっすぐ	Massugu	Straight
左	Hidari	Left
右	Migi	Right
回る	Mawaru	To turn

駐車場はレストランの後ろにありますから、交差点で左に回ってください。
Chuushajou wa resutoran no ushiro ni arimasukara, kousaten de hidari n i mawatte kudasai.
The parking lot is behind the restaurant, so please turn left at the intersection.

Japanese words about garbage and recycling

The garbage and recycling system in Japan is much more complicated than in many other countries. Be sure you’re separating and disposing of everything correctly!

For in-depth info on how to do that, check out our Guide to Recycling and Garbage Disposal in Japan.

Japanese	Romanization	English
ゴミ箱	Gomibako	Trash bin
燃やすゴミ	Moyasugomi	Burnable trash
可燃ごみ	Kanen gomi	Combustible waste
生ゴミ	Namagomi	Kitchen waste / food scraps
資源ごみ	Shigengomi	Recyclable waste
ペットボトル	Pettobotoru	Plastic bottle
ボトル	Botoru	Bottle
フタ	Futa	Bottle cap
食品包装	Shokuhinhousou	Food packaging
プラスチック	Purasuchikku	Plastic
燃やさないゴミ	Moyasanaigomi	Trash that is not burnable
不燃ごみ	Funengomi	Non-combustible trash
瀬戸物	Setomono	Ceramics / porcelain
ガラス	Garasu	Glass
メタル	Metaru	Metal
電球	Denkyuu	Light bulb
粗大ごみ	Sodaigomi	Oversized garbage
粗大ごみ処理券	Sodaigomi Shoriken	Removal fee payment sticker for oversized garbage
ゴミを出す	Gomi wo dasu	To take out the garbage
ゴミを分別する	Gomi wo bunbetsu suru	To separate garbage
ゴミを収集する	Gomi wo shuushuu suru	To collect garbage
収集日	Shuushuubi	(Garbage) collection day
古紙	Koshi	Paper for recycling
容器包装	Youkihousou	Containers / packaging
紙製容器包装	Kamisei youkihousou	Paper packaging
ダンボール	Danbooru	Cardboard

今日は燃やさないゴミ収集日ですから、置いておいてくれませか？
Kyou wa moyasanai gomi shuushuubi desu kara, oite oite kuremasenka?
Today is non-burnable garbage day, so would you mind putting it out?

Bonus: Japanese words that have no English equivalent

These words are more for fun than function. Every language has its own unique words that don’t have a perfect one-to-one translation. Here are some of those Japanese words and what they mean in English:

Japanese	Romanization	English
仕方がない/しょうがない	Shikata ga nai / Shouganai	There's nothing that can be done/ It is what it is
木漏れ日	Kimorebi	Sunlight filtering through the leaves on a tree
紅葉	Kouyou or momiji	The leaves changing color in fall
幻想的	Gensouteki	Fairytale-like
生きがい	Ikigai	Reason for living
木枯らし	Kogarashi	Cold wind as a sign of winter
侘び寂び	Wabi sabi	Japanese aesthetic of transience and imperfection
積ん読	Tsundoku	Buying books and not reading them / stockpiling books
微妙	Bimyou	Questionable, subtle
居留守	Irusuban	Pretending to be out to avoid a guest
引きこもり	HIkikomori	A shut-in, someone who has withdrawn from society
もののあわれ	Mononoaware	Appreciation of the fleeting nature of beauty
恋の予感	Koi no yokan	A premonition of love / knowing you will fall in love with someone (not love at first sight)
風物詩	Fuubutsushi	A thing that reminds one of a particular season
懐かしい	Natsukashii	Fondly-remembered / nostalgic

そのおやつは子供の頃から食べたことありません！懐かしい！
Sono oyatsu wa kodomo no kora kara tabeta koto arimasen! Natsukasii!
Wow, I haven’t eaten that snack since I was a kid! How nostalgic!

From Beginner to Pro

Our bi-weekly emails for beginners to low intermediate students will give you the tips and motivation to self-study Japanese your way to Japanese fluency.

Conclusion

Now that you’ve gone through this guide, I hope you’re feeling more confident about diving into a Japanese conversation. It’s really a rewarding experience, and once you start practicing it’s hard to stop. Whether you’re honing your listening skills, picking up some relevant vocab, or finding a long-term language partner, I hope you enjoy your journey!

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