Ultimate Guide to Japanese Conversation
By Team Japan Switch | Revised June 7th, 2022Â
If youâre living in Japan and want to put yourself out there to talk more or youâre just looking to see how to finally get to the point where you can engage in a Japanese conversation, weâve got you covered. For those of you starting with zero Japanese knowledge and those of you just looking to brush up your Japanese conversation skills, thereâs something for everyone in this guide. Whether youâre looking to find language exchange partners to practice speaking with or you want to take some classes, use this guide to gain some confidence and find resources to help you get your Japanese conversation level to a place where you want it.Â
This article is a part of our extensive series on Learning Japanese.
How do I have a Japanese conversation?
It is understandable to be anxious about having your first Japanese conversation, but as long as you are consistent with studying and practicing, youâre sure to make steady progress toward becoming a confident participant.
What level do I need to be to have a Japanese conversation?
You may be worried about your language level preventing you from having a Japanese conversation. While itâs true that you do need a basic level so you can understand each other, you donât need to be fluent or advanced to have a pleasant Japanese conversation. As long as you know the vocabulary and have built up the ability to understand Japanese conversations about content you have studied, you should be fine.
It will probably take you about 2-3 months of dedicated study to have Japanese conversations off the cuff with any reliability. Of course, you can have simpler conversations using phrases youâve memorized earlier than that! This is also just a rough estimate and will vary from person to person based on time spent studying, other obligations in life, as well as how quickly you pick up languages. Itâs especially useful if you already know a language with similar grammar like Korean, or a version of Chinese since you will already be familiar with many kanji. I know it can be exciting to have a concrete goal, but remember to enjoy the journey of learning the language before getting caught up in whether or not you can have a Japanese conversation. For a more in-depth look at this, check our article on how long it will take to learn Japanese.
To get to the point where you can have a Japanese conversation, youâre going to have to focus mostly on grammar and vocab by listening and speaking. Reading and writing are definitely important skills, but if your main goal is to be able to speak in a Japanese conversation without too much difficulty, theyâre not going to be your focus for now. Iâd recommend checking out our Guide to Japanese Speaking to get you started on that if youâre a beginner.
How is a Japanese conversation different from an English one?
Like I said before, in the end people are people and the rules may be slightly different but the game is the same. Everyone is just trying to get to know each other and get through each social interaction with as little embarrassment or problems as possible. So in some ways, yes, there are going to be some conventional differences. The most important is probably going to be the level of formality you speak with. In English, and this is especially true in the US, most conversations are pretty informal. In a Japanese conversation youâre going to have to be more mindful of the positions of both you and the person youâre speaking to. Just like when you talk to anyone raised in a different culture, you just want to try and understand where the other person is coming from and what they expect of you. Check our Guide to Japanese Culture for more information on why that is.
How do I have a Japanese conversation if Iâve never talked to a Japanese person before?
Youâre heading to Japan, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. You board the plane and as your excitement grows, it suddenly hits you -- youâve never actually had a conversation with a Japanese person! This sounds like a scary situation to be in. You donât want to accidentally offend someone or come off as a weird gaijin right off the bat. But itâs not as serious as it sounds. First off, itâs best to remind yourself that Japanese people are just people. There may be slightly different social cues and rules because of cultural differences, but in the end people have more similarities than differences. If youâre worried about talking to a Japanese person for the first time, just try to find those similarities and go from there. Check our Guide to Japanese Culture Shock for more information to get you started.Â
If itâs your Japanese level rather than cultural differences that are causing you to worry, just think about how you would treat someone struggling in a foreign language. Itâs admirable when someone does their best to speak in a language they did not grow up with. Thatâs the same way that other people think about you when youâre speaking in a new language. If you can communicate, thatâs whatâs most important. Donât get too caught up in the details of how you sound or if youâre doing everything perfectly right. No one does, and youâre already doing the hardest bit-- starting.
How do I do small talk in Japanese?
Some people love small talk, some despise it. Lucky for those of you who fall into the latter category, it is much less of a thing in Japan than it is in America and some other western countries. Most Japanese people are not used to talking casually to strangers on the street or the train, so youâre not expected to engage in small talk that often to begin with.
If you do end up in a situation where youâre trying to make small talk in a Japanese conversation, though, just try to keep things light and polite. Talk about the weather, some good food you had recently, or some other benign topic, so as not to put off the other person. Plus, the simpler the topic, the easier it will be to understand the other person and keep the conversation going even if youâre at a lower level of Japanese.
How do I speak politely in a Japanese conversation?
You probably already know that the rules for politeness and etiquette in Japan are stricter than they are in America most of the time. This definitely extends to Japanese conversation rules as well. So itâs important for you to try to keep these things in mind when engaging in a Japanese conversation. But the other person will also probably be pretty understanding if you donât pick up on all the small cues. One of the biggest problems with cross-cultural communication is assuming that everyone else understands unspoken rules because they seem so obvious to you when youâve grown up with them. So just try to keep your mind open.
How do I talk to strangers?
As I mentioned earlier with small talk, youâre not often going to be having a lot of conversations with people whom youâll never see again. But that doesnât mean you wonât have to talk to strangers. So when you are meeting someone for the first time, hereâs what I recommend you ask yourself:
Whatâs the context of our meeting?
Is this a friend of a friend? A work colleague? A new student? Your professor? If you think about this, you can get a good idea of how much you need to focus on being polite compared to making good conversation. The higher the rank of the person youâre talking to, the more you need to worry about what you say and how. If theyâre a friend of a friend or a classmate, then you can think more about trying to get to know them casually. If youâre really interested in making friends in Japan, I recommend our Top 15 Tips to Make Japanese Friends for the best and easiest way to start.
What are keigo and aizuchi?
You know how thereâs stuff you phrase differently at work vs when youâre talking to your friends? Well Japanese has the same politeness changes, but it follows stricter rules than what sounds less casual. There are 3 main levels of politeness to speaking: casual speech or tamego / tameguchi, the basic polite language teineigo, and respectful and humble language, or sonkeigo and kenjougo respectively. These different forms of politeness are sometimes collectively referred to as keigo, or respectful speech.Â
Usually you just have to change the ending of the verb to make a sentence go from casual to polite, but respectful and humble language are where things get difficult. There are often entirely different words you have to use. This is pretty advanced though, so you donât have to worry about it in the beginning. As a rule, you can use teineigo, also sometimes referred to as desu/masu form, in a majority of situations, and as a beginner most Japanese people will not expect you to use sonkeigo or kenjougo.
Another politeness factor in a Japanese conversation that you should be able to do, however, is aizuchi. Aizuchi is what you do to show the person that youâre talking to that youâre listening. Itâs really simple, and some form of it exists in most cultures. In a Japanese conversation itâll be more pronounced than in English. You better get those neck muscles warmed up because youâre going to be doing a lot more nodding than youâre used to. Compared to two Americans talking, where eye contact and complete silence are the best indicators that youâre listening, a Japanese conversation requires sound and movement from the listener. Within a minute, you may do some form of aizuchi up to 20 times. The key to aizuchi is that youâre showing the person that youâre listening. It shouldnât be too loud or distracting, just enough that they donât have to look to notice. Aizuchi isnât just something you do in person either! Itâs expected over the phone as well. So if youâre sitting silently and the other person asks if youâre still there, that might be why.Â
What kind of aizuchi are most common? Well, it depends on the formality of the conversation. If youâre using casual speech, you can interject an ăă (un) or ăăăȘăă (sou nan da) to show youâre listening. If youâre talking to a superior, stick to ăŻă (hai), and use ă§ă(desu) at the end of phrases. There are a variety of sounds and phrases that you can interject that all have different meanings and interpretations for the speaker. The simple un and hai are probably your best fall-back when youâre not sure, as theyâre neutral ones. Â
How is a Japanese conversation different from scripted Japanese like anime?
Okay, maybe youâre not a complete beginner, and youâve seen some Japanese conversation on TV or in anime. While thatâs great listening practice as well as a good way to build vocabulary, there are some big differences between the scripted content you can see on TV and anime and the real-life everyday conversations youâll have in Japan.
One of the main differences between TV Japanese and real Japanese conversation is the physical way people talk. With no script to follow, people make mistakes and jumble their words. Some things that are clearly enunciated in a TV show will get smushed together or mumbled in a real-life conversation. This is especially true for anime, where the voice actors go to great lengths to speak clearly. When youâre in a real conversation, people donât know exactly what theyâre going to say, and Japanese is one of the most quickly-spoken languages in the world by syllables per second. That is to say, people may stumble over their words a bit when theyâre going a million miles a minute.Â
Another difference is the dialects you hear. Of course most dialects you see on TV are based on real Japanese dialects, but theyâre also coded for specific character types. Anime is especially prone to this. Because itâs often a fantasy world, they emphasize charactersâ personalities through their speech as well. Old men may sound rough and tumble and all old people may speak with a country accent. Depending on the type of show, youâre also going to be hearing some vocabulary that isnât just uncommon but altogether unused in general day-to-day Japanese conversation.Â
This video from That Japanese Man Yuta goes over how anime differs from real-life speech in more detail:
How can I improve my Japanese conversation skills?
Your language skills are probably the most important factor in your ability to engage in a Japanese conversation. If the other person starts talking about stuff youâve never heard of, itâs going to be hard to navigate. The best thing you can do to prepare for that is to just build your vocabulary knowledge and listening skills. Even if someone says a word you donât know, you can still have fulfilling conversations. For example, you might be able to understand the unfamiliar word if they explain it in simpler Japanese, or you might be able to do the same for words you arenât sure of.
The best way to do this is to build your listening skills. In the age of the internet, this is easier now more than ever. You donât need to start off by trying to talk to Japanese people and hoping something sticks. Now, you can practice by watching other people talk first. Weâve already talked about how natural Japanese conversation doesnât always sound like the stuff youâll see in anime or dramas, so in addition to watching that, Iâm going to recommend you move on to unscripted Japanese conversation listening practice. For a complete look at listening, check our Top 15 Japanese Listening Tips.
There are a lot of resources available, but Iâm going to go through some of the most common and popular ones:
Variety shows
 If youâre a fan of Japanese comedy or fun challenges, then a lot of Japanese variety shows could be a good way to hear some unscripted Japanese. Variety shows tend to focus heavily on challenges, so thereâs a lot of commentary but the topics tend to stay simple. Of course it depends on the show, but most variety shows arenât very conversation-heavy. Plus, since theyâre full of visual cues, these may be a good first jump into Japanese conversation listening practice. They also provide a look into Japanese comedy as most shows have comedians or other celebrity hosts and focus on making the show entertaining through comedy.
Some variety shows I recommend are "Downtownâs Gaki no Tsukai," "Zettai ni Waratte wa Ikenai," and "Getsuyou kara Yofukashi."
YouTube
YouTube is another great resource. Since most of the shows are made completely by people on their own, thereâs less production and more genuine interactions. Plus there is something for everyone on YouTube. Whether you love to watch travel vlogs, stationery reviews, gaming videos, comedy skits, or makeup tutorials, there are a plethora of options for you. This is also a great way to get a feel for more slang and common Japanese that you probably wonât hear on TV or other public forms of media. See our full guide on How to Learn Japanese through YouTube for a more in-depth look.Â
Radio and Podcasts
Listening to the radio or podcasts is a little more advanced because there is no visual associated with it, so you have to trust your listening skills completely to understand the Japanese conversation. There are some podcasts specifically aimed at Japanese learners, so they talk a little slower and more deliberately. If youâre just starting out with podcasts, thatâs what I recommend going to first. Then you can move on to more advanced podcasts. Thereâs so much content in this category alone that you should be set for a long time regardless of your skill level. If you can easily handle the podcasts for learners, then try some natural Japanese conversation ones. If those are still too easy, you can start getting into the specialty podcasts that use specific vocab for your niche interests.
Lessons
Of course, if you have Japanese lessons available to you, then you have something that just listening to Japanese conversation online wonât provide--feedback. A teacher or tutor can take you to the next step when you find you can understand a lot but youâre having problems taking your knowledge into a real Japanese conversation. A teacher can help you focus on problem areas, give you specific things to work on. Group lessons also give you the chance to practice your Japanese with other learners, which alleviates some of the pressure you may feel speaking to a native. There are lots of places in Tokyo where you can sign up for in-person lessons, as well as a plethora of online lessons you can sign up for.
Online Private Classes
- 0 Yen Entrance Fee
- 50 Minute Private Lessons
- 3000 Yen Per Lesson
- Learn at Your Own Pace
Onsite Group Classes
- 0 Yen Entrance Fee
- 100 Minute Group Lessons
- 3000 Yen Per Lesson
- Make New Friends
The Ultimate Guide to Your First Japanese Conversation
So now you know all about the hypotheticals of a Japanese conversation, but now itâs time to get into the nitty-gritty. Here are some practical examples of how certain parts of a conversation may go. Rather than a step-by-step how-to, Iâm going to focus on a few examples that you can adjust to fit your situation.
Introducing yourself
The first step to any conversation is introducing yourself to the other person. The way you do this will depend on who youâre meeting and where. Is it a casual lunch where youâre meeting a friend of a friend from school? Then you might say something along the lines of this:
Student 1: ăŻăăăŸăăŠăç°äžă§ăă
You: ăŻăăăŸăăŠïŒăă©ăŒă§ăăæŸæŹăźćéă§ăăăă
Student 1:ăăăăéŽæšć
çăźææ„ă§äŒăăŸăăă
You:ăăăăç§ăăăźææ„ăćăăŸăăïŒéąçœăăŁăăšæăăŸăăăïŒ
Student 1:ăăăă§ăăïŒçčă«æćŸăźèŹçŸ©ăăăăăŁăă§ăă
Student 1:Â Hajimemashite. Tanaka desu.
You: Hajimemashite. Miraa desu. Matsumoto no tomodachi desu yo ne.
Student 1: Un. Suzuki sensei no jyugyou de aimashita.
You: Ee, watashi mo sono jyugyou wo ukemashita. Omoshirokatta to omoimasen ka?
Student 1: Sou desu ne! Toku ni saigo no kougi ga sugokatta desu.
Student 1: Nice to meet you, Iâm Tanaka.
You: Nice to meet you, Iâm Miller. Youâre Matsumotoâs friend, right?
Student 1: Yeah, we met in Suzuki-senseiâs class.
You: Oh! I also took that class! Didnât you think it was interesting?
Student 1: Yes! The last lecture was especially great.
This conversation flowed pretty smoothly! It didnât take much information to get moving into a conversation about a topic youâre both familiar with. If itâs a more formal situation where youâre meeting a business colleague, however, you will need to be a bit more formal. Introduce yourself in relation to your company and stay polite. For example:
Business person: ăŻăăăŸăăŠăäŒç€ŸAăźæ©æŹă§ăăăăăăăăăăăăŸăă
You: ăŻăăăŸăăŠăäŒç€ŸBăźăžăŁăŻăœăłă§ăăăăăăăăăăăăŸăă
Business person: Hajimemashtie. Kaisha A no Hashimoto desu. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.
You: Hajimemashite. Kaisha B no Jakuson desu. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.
Business person: Nice to meet you. Iâm Hashimoto from Company A. I look forward to working with you.Â
You: Nice to meet you. Iâm Jackson from Company B. I look forward to working with you.Â
At this point, you would exchange business cards so that you can both contact each other at some point in the future. Physical business cards are still the norm in Japan, and there are specific rules associated with them.
Exchanging business cards
What rules could there possibly be for exchanging business cards? Well actually, quite a few. When exchanging your business card, or meishi, make sure to hold it with two hands and hand it to the person so the letters are facing them. It should be oriented so they can read it. The only exceptions to the two-hand rule should be if youâre placing it on a table (respectfully), or if you receive their card with your left hand while offering yours with your right This is all to show respect for the person you are meeting. So you want to receive the card, read it properly before putting it away, and do so by treating it with respect. Donât fold or crease it, and put it neatly into your wallet or other storage, donât throw it into a pocket or purse.
How do I ask for someoneâs Line?
If, on the other hand, youâre meeting someone outside of a business context, you may have built up enough rapport by the end to ask for their Line to keep in touch. Do be careful with this though, you donât want to seem overbearing or pushy. If youâre both comfortable with each other and you seem to be getting on well, try asking for their Line. The easiest phrases for this are :
ă©ă€ăłäș€æăăŸăăăă
Line koukan shimasen ka.
Shall we trade Lines?
ă©ă€ăłăăăăŠăăăŸăăăă
Line oshiete kuremasen ka.
Couldnât you tell me your Line?
If you do get someoneâs Line and want to message them, donât double message or try again if they donât respond, as it could be a polite way to say they arenât interested in further conversation. On the other hand, if they seem invested in responding and talking to you, you may have just made a new friend.
What vocabulary and conversation topics should I use?
Okay, youâve gotten to the home stretch and now youâre actually about to have that Japanese conversation weâve been talking so much about. But what do you even talk about? There are some easy conversation topics you can prepare for, though of course never perfectly. Iâve provided some vocab for some of the most common situations or topics I think you should know about. This is some pretty basic stuff though, so if youâre looking for a more comprehensive guide on your first Japanese vocabulary, Iâd look at A Guide to Learning Easy Japanese, which takes you through all the most common words and phrases you need to know.
Weather (ăć€©æ° - otenki)
|
Japanese |
Romanization |
English |
|
æŽăă |
hareru |
To be sunny |
|
æă |
kumoru |
To be cloudy |
|
éšăéă |
Ame ga furu |
To rain |
|
éȘăéă |
Yuki ga furu |
To snow |
|
èžăæă |
mushiatsui |
Humid |
|
æă |
atsui |
Hot |
|
æăă |
atatakai |
Warm |
|
涌ăă |
suzushii |
Cool |
|
ćŻă |
samui |
Cold |
ä»æ„ăŻăă怩æ°ă§ăăă
Kyou wa ii tenki desu ne.
The weather is nice today.
éšăéăăăă§ăă
Ame ga furisou desu.
It looks like itâs going to rain.
Food (éŁăčç© - tabemono)
|
Japanese |
Romanization |
English |
|
è |
Niku |
Meat |
|
æç© |
Kudamono |
Fruit |
|
éè |
Yasai |
Vegetables |
|
ăăăă |
Oishii |
Delicious |
|
çă |
Amai |
Sweet |
|
ăăŁă±ă |
Suppai |
Sour |
|
楩èŸă |
Shiokarai |
Salty |
|
èŸă |
Karai |
Spicy |
|
ăăŸăż |
Umami |
Umami |
|
èŠă |
Nigai |
Bitter |
|
ăă〠|
Oyatsu |
Snack |
|
æăăŻă |
Asagohan |
Breakfast |
|
æŒăăŻă |
Hirugohan |
Lunch |
|
æ©ăăŻă |
Bangohan |
Dinner |
ä»æäœăéŁăčăŸăăăă
Kesa nani wo tabemashita ka.
What did you eat this morning?
ăèćăŻăăŁă±ăăźăšçăăźăšă©ăŁăĄăć„œăă§ăăă
Okashi wa suppai no to amai no to docchi ga suki desu ka.
Do you like sweet or sour candy?
 School (ćŠæ Ą - gakko)
|
Japanese |
Romanization |
English |
|
ćčŒçšć |
Youchien |
Kindergarten |
|
ć°ćŠæ Ą |
Shougakkou |
Elementary school |
|
äžćŠæ Ą |
Chuugakkou |
Middle school |
|
é«æ Ą |
Koukou |
High school |
|
ć€§ćŠ |
Daigaku |
College / university |
|
性ćŠéą |
Daigakuin |
Graduate school |
|
ćŠç |
Gakusei |
Student |
|
ć ç |
Sensei |
Teacher |
|
ć 茩 |
Senpai |
Senior (in school year) |
|
ćçŽç |
Doukyuusei |
Classmate |
|
ćŸèŒ© |
Kouhai |
Junior (in school year) |
|
ææ„ |
Jugyou |
Class |
|
ç§çź |
Kamoku |
Subject |
|
æ°ćŠ |
Suugaku |
Math |
|
ç§ćŠ |
Kagaku |
Science |
|
æŽćČ |
Rekishi |
History |
|
ć€ćœèȘ |
Gaikokugo |
Foreign language |
|
çŸèĄ |
Bijutsu |
Art |
|
éłæ„œ |
Ongaku |
Music |
|
äœèČ |
Taiâiku |
Physical education |
|
ććŒ· |
Benkyou |
Studying |
|
ćĄŸ |
Juku |
Cram school |
|
è©Šéš |
Shiken |
Exam |
|
ææ«è©Šéš |
Kimatsu shiken |
Final exams |
äžçȘć„œăăȘç§çźăŻäœă§ăăă
Ichiban suki na kamoku wa nan desu ka.
What is your favorite subject?
ææ«è©ŠéšăŻăăăăă§ăăăććŒ·ăŻă©ăă§ăăïŒ
Kimatsu shiken wa mou sugu desu ne. Benkyou wa dou desu ka.
Final exams are coming up soon, how are your studies going?Â
Work (ăä»äș - oshigoto)
|
Japanese |
Romanization |
English |
|
äžćž |
Joushi |
Boss |
|
ć»è |
Isha |
Doctor |
|
çè·ćž« |
Kangoshi |
Nurse |
|
ćŒè·ćŁ« |
Bengoshi |
Lawyer |
|
ć棫 |
Hakase |
Expert |
|
ææ |
Kyouju |
Instructor |
|
ă”ă©ăȘăŒăăł |
Sarariiman |
Office worker (male) |
|
OL |
Oeru |
Office worker (female) |
|
ç§ćŠè |
Kagakusha |
Scientist |
|
èžèœäșș |
Geinoujin |
Entertainer |
|
ææ |
Kashu |
Singer |
|
ăąă€ăă« |
Aidoru |
Idol (singer) |
|
ăăăŁă·ăš |
Pateishie |
Patissier (pastry chef) |
ăä»äșăŻäœăăăăŠăăŸăăïŒ
Oshigoto wa nani wo sarete imasu ka.
What do you do for a living?
ć°ăăé ăć°æ„ăźć€ąăŻäœă§ăăăïŒ
Chiisai koro, shourai no yume wa nan deshita ka?
When you were little, what was your dream job?
Hobbies ïŒè¶Łćł - shumi)
|
Japanese |
Romanization |
English |
|
èȘæž |
Dokusho |
Reading |
|
æ ç» |
Eiga |
Movies |
|
æŒ«ç» |
Manga |
Manga |
|
ăąă㥠|
Anime |
Anime |
|
ç””ăæă |
E wo kaku |
To draw |
|
ăčăăŒă |
Supootsu |
Sports |
|
éć |
Undou |
Exercise |
|
ăă€ăăłă° |
Haikingu |
Hiking |
|
ăăă°ăȘ |
Ikebana |
Flower arrangement |
|
ăĄă€ăŻ |
Meiku |
Makeup |
|
æç |
Ryouri |
Cooking |
|
ăČăŒă |
Geemu |
Video games |
è¶ŁćłăŻäœă§ăăïŒ
Shumi wa nan desu ka?
What are your hobbies?
ç§ăŻăČăŒă ăšç””ăæăăźăć„œăă§ăă
Watashi wa geemu to e wo kaku no ga suki desu.
I like video games and drawing.
If youâre having trouble remembering these words, then try looking at our Top 15 Japanese Vocabulary Tips to help you solidify them in your mind.
What are some topics to avoid the first time I meet someone?
Especially when youâre having your first Japanese conversation or youâre talking to someone you donât know, keep the conversation simple. It could be slightly offensive to the person youâre talking to if you bring up certain topics or talk in a certain way, so you donât want to be too casual.
- Your job - If youâre coworkers and not that close or itâs not a necessary part of the conversation, do not mention your job. It may come across as boastful. Japanese people will also usually choose to just say that they are an âoffice workerâ as opposed to mentioning the specific company they work for.
- Politics - Most of the time Japanese people try not to stir the pot, which is exactly what happens when you get into politics. It can be a touchy subject and you may end up accidentally offending someone, so itâs best to just steer clear.
- Religion - Although most Japanese people tend to follow the same religions and many consider themselves not religious at all, itâs still not a topic youâd want to bring up in casual conversation. Especially if you are a devout believer in some faith or have extreme views on religion in the opposite direction. Keep the conversation to light topics no one is too personally invested in.
Overall the most important thing is to be open-minded and willing to experience a new culture. Try not to compare everything youâre experiencing directly to your own culture. It may be a natural response, but in doing so you risk letting your preconceived notions, comfort zone, and preferences color your perception and ability to truly understand and process Japanese culture. Instead of focusing on the comparison, try to fully immerse yourself in the new experience.
Phrases young people use that you will want to be careful with
If youâve been listening to younger people talk, you may have picked up some phrases that are very common but youâll want to be careful with them. Most slang is only appropriate in casual settings with people you are friendly with. You never want to use slang in a work environment or when talking to people of higher rank. So donât use phrases like yabai (cool, sick, whoa), or maji (seriously) unless youâre sure itâs context-appropriate.Â
If youâre interested in learning some slang to impress your friends with, check out our article on the Top 40 Japanese Slang to Know.
What should I be careful NOT to do in a Japanese conversation?
Since we talked about the importance of formality, I think the number one thing you should avoid in Japanese conversation is being too casual. For example using tameguchi, or informal speech, with strangers, superiors, or even people you havenât established that speech pattern with may offend them, or at least make the situation awkward. This formality extends to more than just the way you speak as well. Donât stand too close to someone, as Japanâs personal space bubble is bigger than Americaâs. If youâre meeting a friend of a friend for the first time, youâre probably not going to want to touch them casually, like on the back or shoulder, as you might in America. You want your physical expression of closeness to match the level appropriate for the relationship.
Outside of the actual conversation, itâs best if you try to keep up with the social expectations of the situation in general. This will make conversation much smoother as the other person doesnât have the initial discomfort with the way you start out. For example, punctuality is very important in Japan. If youâre getting coffee with someone at 10 a.m. and you show up 20 minutes late, the mood may already be dampened, and you havenât even gotten a chance to start talking!
If you want a more in-depth explanation, check our Guide to Japanese Customs, so you can know what is expected in most situations.
How can I practice having a Japanese conversation?
There are a few options for you if youâre all ready to start having a Japanese conversation. Of course the easiest would be to find someone to practice with whoâs willing to give you feedback. Thatâs a great way to learn more, and a language exchange partner who is also learning your language is a great way to do this! Thereâs a give and take because youâre both studying and helping each other, and it can be a great way to make friends as well.
Where can I find Japanese conversation partners?
A language exchange is one of the best ways to get your language learning kicked into gear. If youâre not in Japan yet or youâre too shy to meet up with strangers, finding a language partner online is probably your best choice. There are a variety of websites and apps built specifically to help language learners find each other and help each other learn. Some of the most widely used are:
HelloTalk
HelloTalk is an app that is super popular, and for good reason. It has a lot of features that make interacting with people in a language youâre studying smoother and easier. HelloTalk essentially functions as a social media platform, not unlike Twitter, but the main focus is on learning languages and connecting with other people studying than on keeping up to date with the world at large. People will post pictures of their day with short captions, as well as their thoughts, in their native language. This is a great chance to learn some common words and phrases you may not come across in an anime or drama for example. You can ask the community questions to get a nativeâs perspective. There are also lots of in-app translation and dictation features to help you understand the other language. It does have some downsides, one being that some features arenât available on the free version. HelloTalk does a good job of facilitating meetings and conversations between learners and lots of people have had great luck using it to find language exchange partners.
Tandem
Tandem is one of the most widely used apps for language exchange. Peopleâs profiles show a short bio, prompts, and some pictures. The chatting section has a lot of the same features as HelloTalk, where you can automatically translate peopleâs messages, comment or correct them, or have messages read out loud to you. Tandem even has a tutor section so you can see tutors and their rates if youâre interested in more dedicated help. This is a great option for meeting people.
Italki is more focused on matching language learners with teachers and community tutors. If thatâs something youâd be interested in, Italki is a pretty affordable option. But it also has a community tab. You can make posts in languages youâre studying, correct others, and follow your favorite users. There is a private messaging function as well, and people here tend to be seriously looking for partners. I personally used Italki to find my language partner.Â
If, on the other hand, you are in Japan then you may have some more options to meet Japanese people in person. Of course, you can always take lessons such as at Japan Switch, but if youâre looking for free options there are also plenty of ways to find a practice partner. If you meet someone on one of the online options we talked about earlier, thereâs always the chance youâll hit it off well enough to meet in person! The app Tandem also allows you to search by city for partners. Meetup.com and other websites also have plenty of groups that meet to facilitate English and Japanese conversation practice and going to one of those regularly is a great way to practice and make friends at the same time. Plus you might get to explore parts of Tokyo youâve never seen before.
For more options and in-depth reviews, as well as tips for having the best exchange possible, check our Guide to Japanese Language Exchange
If youâre lucky enough to participate in a homestay program, itâs a bit more intense than casual Japanese conversation practice, but it is rewarding. Not only do you get the chance to practice all day with your host family, but youâre also getting a peek into the everyday life of Japanese people and getting a deeper understanding of the culture by experiencing it first-hand in a way you just canât without living through it.
Conclusion
Now that youâve gone through this guide, I hope youâre feeling more confident about diving into a Japanese conversation. Itâs really a rewarding experience, and once you start practicing itâs hard to stop. Whether youâre honing your listening skills, picking up some relevant vocab, or finding a long-term language partner, I hope you enjoy your journey!
