A collection of useful phrases in Japanese with sound files for some of them.
See these phrases in any combination of two languages in the Phrase Finder. If you can provide recordings, corrections or additional translations, please contact me.
Key to abbreviations: frm = formal, inf = informal, f = said by women, >f = said to women
| English | 日本語 (Japanese) |
|---|---|
| Welcome | ようこそ (yōkoso) |
| Hello (General greeting) | 今日は (konnichiwa) おっす (ossu) - used between close male friends |
| Hello (on phone) | もしもし (moshi moshi) |
| How are you? | お元気ですか？ (o genki desu ka) |
| Reply to 'How are you?' | はい、元気です。あなたは？ (hai, genki desu. anata wa?) お蔭様で元気です (o kagesama de genki desu) |
| Long time no see | 久しぶり (hisashiburi) お久しぶりですね (o hisashiburi desu ne) |
| What's your name? | お名前はなんですか? (o-namae wa nan desu ka) |
| My name is ... | ... だ (... da) (inf) ... です (... desu) (frm) |
| Where are you from? | 出身はどこですか？ (Shusshin wa doko desu ka?) どちらからですか (Dochira kara desu ka?) - frm |
| I'm from ... | ～出身です (... shusshin desu) 私は～出身です (watashi wa ... shusshin desu) |
| Pleased to meet you | 初めまして (hajimemashite) 初めまして。どうぞ宜しく (hajimemashite. dōzo yoroshiku) reply お会いできて嬉しいです (oaidekite ureshii desu) |
| Good morning (Morning greeting) |
お早うございます / おはようございます (ohayō gozaimasu) お早う / おはよう (ohayō) |
| Good afternoon (Afternoon greeting) |
こんにちは [今日は] (konnichiwa) |
| Good evening (Evening greeting) |
今晩は / こんばんは (konbanwa) |
| Good night | おやすみなさい (oyasumi nasai) おやすみ (oyasumi) |
| Goodbye (Parting phrases) |
さようなら (sayōnara) いって来ます (ittekimasu) - 'I'll be back' - you are leaving いってらっしゃい (itterasshai) - 'come back soon' - you are staying じゃあまたね (jā mata ne) - see you later |
| Good luck! | ご幸運を祈ります! (gokoūn o inorimasu) - frm 頑張ってね (gambatte ne) - inf |
| Cheers! Good Health! (Toasts used when drinking) |
乾杯 (kanpai) lit. "dry glass" |
| Have a nice day | 良い一日を (Yoi ichinichi o) |
| Bon appetit / Have a nice meal |
どうぞめしあがれ
(douzo meshiagare) = 'enjoy your meal' - said by the cook/chef いただきます (itadakimasu) - said before a meal by those eating it ご馳走さまでした (gochisōsama deshita) - said after a meal by those who have eaten it |
| Bon voyage / Have a good journey |
よい旅行を (yoi ryokō o) ごきげんよう！ (gokigen yō - Goodbye / Good luck) いってらっしゃい (itte irasshai - Go and come back) 一路平安を祈る (ichiroheian o inoru) - I wish you a smooth road (old fashioned) |
| I don't know | 知りません (shirimasen) - frm わかりません (wakarimasen) - frm わからない (wakaranai) - inf |
| Do you understand? | わかりますか (wakarimasu ka?) - frm |
| I understand | わかります (wakarimasu) わかる (wakaru) inf |
| I don't understand | わかりません (wakarimasen) - frm わからない (wakaranai) - inf |
| Please speak more slowly | ゆっくり話してください
(yukkuri hanashite kudasai) ゆっくり言ってください (yukkuri itte kudasai) |
| Please say that again | もう一度、言ってください (mō ichido, itte kudasai) もうひとつ言ってください (mō hitotsu itte kudasai) |
| Please write it down | 書いてください (kaite kudasai) 書いて、頂けますか (kaite itadakemasu ka) |
| Do you speak English? | 英語はできますか (Eigo wa dekimasu ka?) |
| Do you speak Japanese? | 日本語を話しますか (Nihongo o hanashimasu ka?) 日本語は話せますか (Nihongo wa hanasemasu ka?) 日本語はできますか (Nihongo wa dekimasu ka?) |
| Yes, a little (reply to 'Do you speak ...?') |
はい、話します (Hai, hanashimasu) はい、話せます (Hai, hanasemasu) はい、出来ます (Hai, dekimasu) |
| I'm learning Japanese | 日本語を勉強しています (Nihongo o benkyō shite imasu) |
| Do you speak a language other than Japanese? |
日本語以外の言語を話しますか (Nihongo igai no gengo o hanashimasu ka) |
| How do you say ... in Japanese? | ... は日本語でなんと言いますか。 (... wa nihongo de nanto īmasu ka?) |
| Excuse me | すみません! (sumimasen) |
| I would like ... | ...をお願いします。(... o onegaishimasu) |
| How much is this? | いくらですか (ikura desu ka?) |
| Sorry | ごめんなさい! (gomen nasai) |
| Please | ください (kudasai) |
| Thank you | どうも (dōmo) ありがとう (arigatō) ありがとうございます (arigatō gozaimasu) どうもありがとう (dōmo arigatō) どうもありがとうございます (dōmo arigatō gozaimasu) |
| Reply to thank you | どういたしまして (dō itashimashite) |
| Where's the toilet / bathroom? | 便所はどこですか
(benjo wa doko desu ka?) トイレはどこですか (toire wa doko desu ka?) 手洗いはどこですか (tearai wa doko desu ka?) |
| This gentleman/lady will pay for everything | この人が全部払います (konohito ga zembu haraimasu) |
| Would you like to dance with me? | 一緒に踊りませんか (isshoni odorimasenka?) |
| Do you come here often? | ここにはよく来るのですか？ (koko ni wa yoku kuru no desu ka?) よくここに来ますか？ (yoku koko ni kimasu ka?) よくここ来るの？？ (yoku koku kuru no?) - inf |
| I miss you | あなたがいなくて寂しいです (anata ga inakute sabishī desu) 寂しい です (sabishī desu) あなたが恋しいです (anata ga koishī desu) - to a lover/spouse |
| I love you | 好きです (suki desu) 好きだ (suki da) 好きだよ (suki dayo) 好きよ (suki yo) f 大好きです (daisuki desu) 愛してるよ (aishiteru yo) 愛してるわ (aishiteru wa) >f |
| Get well soon | お大事に (odaiji ni) |
| Go away! | ほっといて! (hottoite!) |
| Leave me alone! | ほっといて! (hottoite!) |
| Help! | 助けて! (tasukete!) |
| Fire! | 火事だ! (kaji da!) |
| Call the police! | 警察を呼んでください! (keisatsu o yonde kudasai!) |
| Christmas greetings | メリークリスマス (merī kurisumasu) |
| New Year greetings | New Year greeting - 'Western' style 新年おめでとうございます (shinnen omedetō gozaimasu) New Year greetings (used before New Year) 良いお年を (yoi otoshi o) - inf 良いお年をお迎え下さい (yoi otoshi o omukae kudasai) - frm New Year greetings (used at New Year, not before) 明けましておめでとうございます (akemashite omedetō gozaimasu) 旧年中大変お世話になりました (kyūnenjū taihen osewa ni narimashita) 今年もよろしくお願いします (kotoshi mo yoroshiku onegai itashimasu) |
| Easter greetings | 復活祭おめでとうございます (fukkatsu-sai omedetō gozaimasu) イースターおめでとうございます (īsutā omedetō gozaimasu) |
| Birthday greetings | お誕生日おめでとうございます (otanjōbi omedetō gozaimasu) お誕生日おめでとう (otanjōbi omedetō) |
| Congratulations! | おめでとう (Omedetō!) |
| One language is never enough | 言語を一つは決して足りない (gengo o hitotsu wa kesshite tarinai) 言語は一つだけでは足りない (gengo hitotsu dake de wa tarinai) |
| My hovercraft is full of eels | 私のホバークラフトは鰻でいっぱいです (Watashi no hobākurafuto wa unagi de ippai desu.) |
| I understood | わかりました (wakarimashta) - frm |
| I don't speak Japanese | 日本語を話せません (Nihongo o hanasemasen) |
| Does anyone speak English? | 英語の話せる人はいませんか (Eigo no hanaseru hito wa imasen ka) 誰か、英語が話せますか (dare ka, eigo ga hanasemasu ka?) |
| Sorry, I didn't understand that | すみません。分かりませんでした (sumimasen. wakarimasen deshita) |
| What did you say? | なんて言いましたか (nan te iimashita ka?) |
| Can you translate it for me? | 訳してください (yakushite kudasai) |
| What does this mean? | これはどういう意味ですか (kore wa dōiu imi desu ka) |
| How do you pronounce that? | これはどんな風に発音しますか (kore wa donna fū ni hatsuon shimasu ka) |
| There's a problem in the room | その部屋の中に問題があります (sono heya no naka ni mondai ga arimasu) |
| There's no hot water | お湯がありません (oyu ga arimasen) |
| The tap/faucet is leaking | 蛇口が漏れています (jaguchi ga moreteimasu) |
| The drain is blocked | 排水溝が詰まっています (haisuikō ga tsumatteimasu) |
| The air conditioner is too noisy | エアコンがうるさすぎます (eakon ga urusasugimasu) |
| Can I have another room? | 他の部屋へ移れますか (hoka no heya e utsuremasu ka?) |
| When should I vacate the room? | いつ、部屋を出なくてはなりませんか (itsu, heya o denakute wa narimasen ka?) |
| I'd like to check out | チェックアウトしたいのですが (chekkuauto shitai no desu ga) |
| I'd check out on this date | この日にチェックアウトしたいのですが (kono hi ni chekkuauto shitai no desu ga) |
| Could you call a taxi please? | タクシーを呼んで下さい (takusī o yonde kudasai?) |
| May I see the bill please? | 請求書を見せて頂けますか (seikyūsho o misete itadakemasu ka?) |
| How much is the total bill? | 請求書の合計額は、いくらですか (seikyūsho no gōkei wa ikura desu ka?) |
| Can I have an itemised bill? | 明細書を見せて頂けますか (meisaisho o misete itadakemasu ka?) |
| I think there's a mistake on this bill | この請求書に間違いがあるように思うのですが (kono seikyūsho ni machigai ga aruyō ni omō no desu ka?) |
| Is there a restaurant near here? | 近くにレストランはありますか (chikaku ni resutoran wa arimasu ka?) |
| I'd like to reserve a table | テーブルの予約を取りたいのですが (tēburu no yoyaku o toritai no desu ga) |
| We have a reservation | 既に予約をとっています (sudeni yoyaku o totte imasu) |
| Do you have an English menu? | 英語のメ二ューはありますか (eigo no menyu wa arimasu ka?) |
| Can I see the wine list? | ワインのリストを見せて頂けませんか (wain no risuto o misete itadakemasen ka?) |
| I am a vegetarian | 私は菜食主義者です (watashi wa saishokushugisha desu) |
Some recordings by Soren
もしもし (moshi moshi) is what you say in Japanese when you answer the phone. It doesn't mean hello, but is often translated as such. It can also be translated as "excuse me". It comes from the verb 申す (mōsu), which a humble equivalent of 言う (iu) - to say. Originally the phrase used was 申し上げます (mōshiagemasu) = "I'm going to say (talk)", which was commonly used during the Edo period to talk to people of higher status. Over time it got shortened.
Source https://www.tofugu.com/japanese/moshi-moshi/
Hear some Japanese phrases:
Download all the audio files (Zip format, 417K)
If you would like to make any corrections or additions to this page, or if you can provide recordings, please contact me.
Introduction to Japanese | Hiragana | Katakana | Kanji | Rōmaji | Phrases (Useful) | Phrases (Silly) | Numbers | Colours | Time | Dates | Family words | Tower of Babel | Articles | Links | Learning materials
Japanese courses and other resources on Amazon
- Find Japanese Tutors with LanguaTalk
Other collections of Japanese phrases (some with audio)
http://japanese-phrases.sakura.ne.jp/
https://blog.lingodeer.com/japanese-phrases/
https://www.transparent.com/learn-japanese/phrases.html
https://iwillteachyoualanguage.com/learn/japanese/japanese-tips/basic-japanese-phrases
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