Essential Japanese Vocabulary and Phrases Every Beginner Should Know

Getting Started: How to Read the Examples

In this guide, every Japanese example will be written in three ways:

• Japanese script (hiragana / katakana / kanji)
• Romaji (Latin letters)
• English meaning

This will help you start speaking right away, even if you are still learning hiragana and katakana.

1. Basic Greetings and Polite Phrases

These are the first expressions you will use in almost every conversation.

Core Greetings

• こんにちは – konnichiwa – Hello / Good afternoon
• おはようございます – ohayou gozaimasu – Good morning (polite)
• おはよう – ohayou – Morning (casual)
• こんばんは – konbanwa – Good evening
• さようなら – sayounara – Goodbye (more final)
• じゃあね – jaa ne – See you (casual)

Polite Expressions

• ありがとうございます – arigatou gozaimasu – Thank you (polite)
• ありがとう – arigatou – Thanks (casual)
• すみません – sumimasen – Excuse me / I’m sorry / Thank you (inconveniencing someone)
• ごめんなさい – gomen nasai – I’m sorry (apology)
• はじめまして – hajimemashite – Nice to meet you (first time)
• よろしくおねがいします – yoroshiku onegai shimasu – Please treat me well / I look forward to working with you

Example Mini-Conversation

Japanese:
はじめまして。マリアです。よろしくおねがいします。
Romaji:
Hajimemashite. Maria desu. Yoroshiku onegai shimasu.
English:
Nice to meet you. I’m Maria. Please treat me well.

2. Self-Introduction Essentials

Self-introductions (じこしょうかい – jiko shoukai) are very important in Japanese. Memorize this basic pattern:

Key Words for Introductions

• わたし – watashi – I / me (gender-neutral, polite)
• ～です – ~ desu – am / is / are (polite sentence ending)
• なまえ – namae – name
• アメリカ – Amerika – America / the U.S.
• にほん – Nihon – Japan
• がくせい – gakusei – student
• せんせい – sensei – teacher

Basic Self-Introduction Pattern

Japanese:
はじめまして。わたしはアレックスです。アメリカからきました。がくせいです。よろしくおねがいします。
Romaji:
Hajimemashite. Watashi wa Arekkusu desu. Amerika kara kimashita. Gakusei desu. Yoroshiku onegai shimasu.
English:
Nice to meet you. I’m Alex. I came from the U.S. I am a student. Please treat me well.

3. Yes, No, and Simple Responses

These short words are used constantly in daily conversation.

• はい – hai – Yes
• いいえ – iie – No
• うん – un – Yeah / uh-huh (casual yes)
• ううん – uun – Nope (casual no)
• たぶん – tabun – Maybe / probably
• わかります – wakarimasu – I understand
• わかりません – wakarimasen – I don’t understand

Useful Classroom Phrases

• もういちどおねがいします – mou ichido onegai shimasu – One more time, please
• ゆっくりいってください – yukkuri itte kudasai – Please say it slowly
• にほんごでなんといいますか – Nihongo de nan to iimasu ka – How do you say it in Japanese?

4. Numbers, Days, and Time Basics

Numbers and time expressions are essential for schedules, prices, and appointments.

Numbers 1–10

• １ いち – ichi – one
• ２ に – ni – two
• ３ さん – san – three
• ４ よん / し – yon / shi – four
• ５ ご – go – five
• ６ ろく – roku – six
• ７ なな / しち – nana / shichi – seven
• ８ はち – hachi – eight
• ９ きゅう / く – kyuu / ku – nine
• １０ じゅう – juu – ten

Days of the Week

• げつようび – getsuyoubi – Monday
• かようび – kayoubi – Tuesday
• すいようび – suiyoubi – Wednesday
• もくようび – mokuyoubi – Thursday
• きんようび – kinyoubi – Friday
• どようび – doyoubi – Saturday
• にちようび – nichiyoubi – Sunday

Time Expressions

• いま – ima – now
• きょう – kyou – today
• あした – ashita – tomorrow
• きのう – kinou – yesterday
• ～じ – ~ ji – o’clock (e.g., ３じ – san-ji – 3 o’clock)

Example:
Japanese: いまなんじですか。 – ３じです。
Romaji: Ima nan-ji desu ka. – San-ji desu.
English: What time is it now? – It’s three o’clock.

5. Everyday Survival Phrases

Use these in shops, restaurants, and on the street.

Asking for Things

• これ – kore – this (near me)
• それ – sore – that (near you)
• あれ – are – that (over there)
• これをください – kore o kudasai – This, please.
• メニューをください – menyuu o kudasai – The menu, please.
• みずをください – mizu o kudasai – Water, please.

Useful Questions

• トイレはどこですか – toire wa doko desu ka – Where is the toilet?
• いくらですか – ikura desu ka – How much is it?
• えいごははなせますか – Eigo wa hanasemasu ka – Can you speak English?
• たすけてください – tasukete kudasai – Please help me.

In Restaurants

• おすすめはなんですか – osusume wa nan desu ka – What do you recommend?
• おかいけいおねがいします – okaikei onegai shimasu – The check, please.

6. Talking About Yourself: Simple Adjectives and Feelings

These words help you describe how you feel and what you like.

Common Adjectives

• たのしい – tanoshii – fun / enjoyable
• おいしい – oishii – tasty / delicious
• むずかしい – muzukashii – difficult
• かんたん – kantan – easy / simple
• あつい – atsui – hot (weather, things)
• さむい – samui – cold (weather)

Feelings and Preferences

• すき – suki – like / fond of
• だいすき – daisuki – love / really like
• きらい – kirai – dislike / hate
• つかれました – tsukaremashita – I’m tired
• おなかがすきました – onaka ga sukimashita – I’m hungry
• のどがかわきました – nodo ga kawakimashita – I’m thirsty

Example:
Japanese: にほんごはたのしいですが、すこしむずかしいです。
Romaji: Nihongo wa tanoshii desu ga, sukoshi muzukashii desu.
English: Japanese is fun, but a little difficult.

7. Very Basic Grammar Words (Particles)

You don’t need to master grammar now, but knowing these particles helps you understand simple sentences.

• は – wa – topic marker
  Example: わたしはマリアです。 – Watashi wa Maria desu. – As for me, I am Maria.
• を – o – object marker
  Example: みずをください。 – Mizu o kudasai. – Water, please.
• で – de – at / in / by (place of action)
  Example: がっこうでべんきょうします。 – Gakkou de benkyou shimasu. – I study at school.
• に – ni – to / at (destination, time)
  Example: にほんにいきます。 – Nihon ni ikimasu. – I will go to Japan.

8. Practical Practice Tips

To really learn these essential words and phrases, try these simple activities:

1. Shadowing: Listen to native audio and repeat each phrase out loud, copying rhythm and intonation.
2. Flashcards: Make cards with Japanese on one side and English on the other. Include romaji at first, then gradually remove it.
3. Mini-dialogues: Combine phrases from this guide to create your own short conversations and practice them daily.
4. Label your world: Put small labels on objects at home with Japanese words (e.g., ドア – doa – door).

Mastering these essential vocabulary words and phrases will give you a strong foundation for real communication in Japanese. Use them often, listen carefully to native speakers, and build from here step by step.