Before we start - Please, do not ask me to translate anything unless you agree to point 5, this is one of the ways I make my living and I dont do free translations for the following reasons.

1. You never thank me if I do.
2. You can buy a Japanese Dictionary for less that £5.
3. There are resources on the internet, search for them. Try google!
4. I get loads of people asking me, "translate this" or "translate that". I dont have the time for free work!
5. If you really need anything technical translating then my hourly rate is £35, if you require a translation quote then please contact me here.

I have split this page up into sections so you can skip to the bits you want quickly, as you read the Japanese words remember that Japanese words are made up of 1, 2 or three letter parts.

For example, Hajimemashite would be pronounced: Ha-ji-me-ma-shi-te

or Domo Arigato is pronounced: Do-mo A-ri-ga-to

One of the golden rules is to learn the vowel sounds, as below

a is pronounced as in apple
e is pronounced as in get
i is pronounced as it
o is pronounced as in coal
u is pronounced as in you

This youtube video will definately help.

Note: If you have Japanese words or phrases which you think will benefit others then please send them to me via the contact form and I will include them for others to use.

Another Note: I have found a great resource for those wanting to learn Japanese online for FREE! Take a look at this link, its the NHK website: NHK Japanese Lessons

If you want to watch/learn Japanese through your TV and you have Sky then goto Channel 516, which is NHK World TV and they have Japanese programs as well as Japanese learning programs.

Must know Japanese
Yes	Hai
No	Iie
Not	nai
Please / excuse me / thank you	Sumimasen
Thanks	Arigato or Domo (informal)
Thank you very much	Arigato gozaimasu
Thank you, when given something.	Arigato gozaimashita
I cant speak Japanese	Nihongo ga hanashimasen
Do you speak English?	Eigo wo hanasemasuka?
Please speak more slowly	Yukkuri hanashite kudasai

Basic Japanese Words and Phrases
Please (when buying /ordering)	o´ Kudasai
Good morning	ohayo gozaimasu
Good afternoon	konnichi wa
Good evening	konban wa
How are you?	Ogenki desu ka?
Im fine	Genki Desu
Nice to meet you	hajimemashite
What is your name?	Onamae wa nan desu ka?
My name is	watashi wa
Nice to meet you, I am Its a pleasure	Hajimemashite, watashi wa dozo yoroshiku
I dont understand	wakarimasen
I dont know	Shirimasen
How much is this?	Kore wa ikura desu ka?
Thats fine	kekko desu
Similar to saying Grace (say before a meal)	Itadakimasu
Said after meals, as a compliment.	gochisousamadeshita
Very Sorry	Gomen nasai/sumimasen (said whilst bowing)
Sorry	Gomen
Good Night	Oyasumi Nasai
Good bye	sayonara
Bye for now, see you	Ja ne
What	Nani
Cheers	Kanpai
I am English	Igirisu jin desu
What is this?	Kore wa nani desu ka?
Where is the	wa doko desu ka?
How far is on foot?	wa aruite dono gurai desku ka?
Wait a Moment, Please	Chotto matte kudasai
Please be careful	Ki o Tsukete
Look Out (litterally "Its dangerous")	Abunai
Congratulations	Omedeto Gozaimasu
Your Welcome	Do itashimashite
Once more please, can you repeat it	Mo ichido onegaishimasu

Numbers
Zero	Zero
One	Ichi
Two	Ni
Three	San
Four	Yon / Shi (yon is more common)
Five	Go
Six	Roku
Seven	Nana /Shichi (nana is more common)
Eight	Hachi
Nine	Kyu
Ten	Ju
Eleven	Ju ichi
Twelve	Ju ni
Twenty	Ni ju
Thirty	San ju
One Hundred	Hyaku
Two Hundred	Ni hyaku
Three Hundred	Sanbyaku
Thousand	Sen
Two Thousand	Ni sen
Ten Thousand	Ichi man
Twenty Thousand	Ni man
Hundred Thousand	Ju man
Million	Hyaku man
Billion	Ichi oku

Japanese for Travellers
Information	Annai
Passport Control	shutsunyukoku
Taxi - Taxi Stand	Takushi - Takushi noriba
Bus	Basu
Hotel (western Style)	Hoteru
Hotel (Japanese Style)	Ryokan
Western style room	youshitsu
Japanese style room	washitsu
Single room	shinguru
Key	Kagi
Train station	eki
Ticket Office	kippu uriba
One way ticket	katamichi kippu
Return ticket	ofuku kippu
What is the fare to ....?	.... made ikura desu ka
How long does it take to get to ....?	.... made jikan wa dono gurai desu ka
A ticket to ...., please	.... yuki no kippu wo kudasai
Do I have to change trains?	norikae ga hitsuyo desu ka
Which platform for the train to ....	.... yuki no densha wa nanban homu kara demasu ka
Subway	chikatetsu
Reception	uketsuke
I have a reservation in the name of	de yoyaku o shite arimasu
I´d like a room	Heya ha arimasu ka
What is the charge per night?	ippaku ikura desu ka
Elevator (lift)	erebeta
Escalator	Esukareta
Push	osu
Pull	hiku
Entrance	iriguchi
Exit	deguchi
Emergency Exit	hijoguchi
Open	eigyochu
Closed	kyugyochu
Toilets	o-tearai/benjo
Mens Toilets	otoko
Womens Toilets	Onna
Free (vacant)	aki
Caution	Chui
No Smoking	kin en
How much is it?	ikura desu ka
No more than you, when eating	kekko desu
Cash	genkin
Money Yen	en
Money GB Pound	pondo
Money US Dollar	doru
Traveller Cheque	toraberazu chekku
Credit Cards	kurejitto kado
Bank	ginko
Id like to cash these travellers cheques	kono toraberazu chekku o genkin ni kaete kudasai
Which way?	dochira ni
What?	nani
Where is ....?	.... wa doko desu ka
Is it far?	toi desu ka
Where is there a Telephone?	denwa wa doko ni arimasu ka
Where can I buy .....?	.... wa doko de kaemasuka
How much does this cost?	Ikura kakari masuka ka
Im just looking	mite iru dake desu
Do you have ....?	.... arimasu ka
Please show me that	sore wo misete kudasai
Is tax included in the price?	zeikomi desu ka
Boxed meal	bento
Breakfast	choshoku
Lunch	chushoku
Dinner	yushoku
Buffet	baikingu
Hot	atsui
Cold	tsumetai
Hungry	onaka ga suita
Set menu	setto (light meal) / teishoku
A table for one/two/three/four	hitori/futari/sannin/yonin/gonin onegai shimasu
Could I see the menu	menyu wo onegaishimasu
Id like ....	watashi wa .... ga ii desu
Waiter/waitress	ueita/ueitoresu
Could we have the cheque please?	okanjo wo onegai shimasu

Advanced Japanese Phrases
I Like You	Daisukidayo
I Love You	Ai shite Masu / Aishiteru / Daisukidayo

Recommended Books & Products relating to this page: (Links to Amazon)

Check flight prices to Japan and other destinations

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Your Comments on this article:
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed below are strictly those of the individual author/poster. The views and opinions shown below are not necessarily those of Mike Porter, his associates and/or sponsors. We do not endorse any view below or necessarily agree/disagree with these views. Views posted below are entirely those of the poster, not me!

YAY!
Yay, I ve only just began to start learning it out of free will, and this helped me so much! (I m writing a little dictionary ;3 ) wait, let me try something...

Nihongo yoku hanasemasen, dakedo I ll (i dunno what I is) gambatte.

Did I do it right? Oh well...

Posted by: hanna on 04 January 2010

Arigato!
Domo arigato Guzaimash!ta! That'll get me started

Posted by: Omprakash on 15 December 2009

THANK U SO MUCH!
thanx so much im meant to be researching useful phrases and words for my school trip next year and i couldnt have more help! domo arigato

Posted by: Ella on 02 December 2009

AWESOME!!!!!!!!!
Yay! Now I get to talk japanese to my crush ^///^

Posted by: Asia Clay on 22 April 2009

thanks...
thanks...this was a very great help for my wife & i during our tour of japan. more power to you & have a good one!

domo arigato...

marvin

Posted by: marvin on 20 April 2009

THANKS
Thanks so much for these phrases :D

Posted by: Killua on 04 January 2009

Thank you!
My 1st graders needed some info about Japan and simple phrases. Thank you for the helpful site!

mykp says:
Domo Arigato

Posted by: Deb on 03 January 2009

I´m Envious...
I envy you SOOOOOOOOOO bad! You know japanese to the point of being able to charge people BY THE HOUR!!! Yeah, sure I´d like for free translations by real people... but that´s not fair to you, right? I want to write lyrics in Japanese (that´s actually how I found you - looking up & cross-referencing Japanese words via the internet) and wanted to thank you for providing another source of Japanese vocabulary. I respect and value the skills you wield as one who can speak two languages that are so fundamentally different. Hope you can keep paying those bills! ^^

Posted by: Kamari on 20 December 2008

Thanks for the website. By the way, given the incredibly bad results produced by website translators (which I have used for fun) I think 35 pounds for a serious job really seems OK to me....

Posted by: MOJO on 07 October 2008

.
Thans alot man. this has been a great help to me ^-^

Posted by: Tye-Kun on 03 October 2008

£35
seems fair to me. a translator gets about that hourly dont they?

Posted by: akira on 15 September 2008

£35?
isnt £35 a bit much? i mean i can buy a total language kit for less =\

mykp says:
This is the kind of comment I was talking about above, everyone thinks I should do translations for free but my bills dont pay themselves you know. Good luck with your language kit, i´m sure you ll be reading Hiragama, Katakana and Kanji fluently in no time!! Idiot.

Posted by: freya on 14 September 2008

YOU sir, are an absolute diamond!! where we in prison together, i would protect you in the showers. This site was so helpful for me as im trying to learn as much japanese as possible on the sly, before paying for lessons of some sort. Arigato gozaimasu

mykp says:
Er thanks.

Posted by: BIG Phyl on 31 August 2008

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