100+ Useful Conversational Words & Phrases in Japanese
Are you thinking about learning Japanese but find yourself struggling to find resources that help you start speaking?
When I started out, I certainly did.
Many of the tools that I found when I started learning Japanese were grammar-heavy textbook style resources and they didn’t offer me a lot in terms of day-to-day conversation. Rather than learning how to say “what did you do last weekend?” I had memorized a bunch of rules involving particles or sentence structure and I was nowhere near conversing with my fellow Japanese speakers.
So I decided to put something together on my own so that I could feel more confident engaging in language exchanges.
And today, I’d like to share it with you.
In this post you’ll find a short selection of the 100+ conversational phrases and words in Japanese I have available as part of a downloadable PDF that you can get by entering your email in the box below.
Happy French language learning!
Get your free PDF with 100+ Conversational French Words and Phrases
Get the PDF
Greetings
English
Japanese
Transliteration
Hello/Good day
こんにちは
konnichiwa
Hello (on the phone/Skype)
もしもし
moshi moshi
How are you?
おげんきですか？
ogenki desu ka?>
I’m good.
げんきです
genki desu
Long time no see.
おしゃしぶりです
oshashiburidesu
Basic & Polite Phrases
English
Japanese
Transliteration
Please
おねがいします
onegaishimasu
Thank you so much
どうもありがとうございま
doumo arigatou gozaimasu
Excuse me
すみません
sumimasen
I’m sorry
ごめんなさい
gomennasai
You’re welcome
どういたしまして
douitashimashite
Get the Conversation Rolling
English
Japanese
Transliteration
Are you busy now?
いまいそがしいですか？
ima isogashii desu ka?
What are you plans this weekend?
こんしゅうまつよていがありますか？
konshuumatsu yotei ga arimasu ka?
How is your family?
かぞくのみなさんわいかがですか？
Kazoku no minasan wa ikaga desu ka?
Tell me about yourself
じこしょうかいをおねがいします
jiko shoukai o onegaishimasu
What do you think?
どうおもいますか?
dou omoimasu ka?
Getting a Bit of Clarification
English
Japanese
Transliteration
How do you say that in English?
それわえいごでなんといいますか？
sore wa eigo de nanto iimasu ka?
I don’t understand.
わかりません
wakarimasen
I forgot
わすれました
wasuremashita
I don’t know.
しりません
shirimasen
Can you please say it slowly?
もとゆっくりはんして?
moto yukkuri hanshite?
Words About Time
English
Japanese
Transliteration
Every day
まいにち
mai nichi
Sometimes
じじ
jiji
Now
いま
ima
Later
あとで
atode
Maybe
たぶん
tabun
Exclamations & Transition Words to Take Your Speaking to the Next Level
English
Japanese
Transliteration
That’s a good question
それはよいしつもんですね
Sore wa yoishitsu mondesu ne
Alright
だいじょうぶ
daijoubu
Wait a moment
ちょっとまってください
chotto matte kudasai
Don’t worry
くよくよするな
kuyokuyo suru na
Oops
おっとっと
ottotto
Conversation Closers
English
Japanese
Transliteration
Thank you for your time
おいそがしいところありがとうございました
o isogashii tokoro arigatou gozaimashita
see you later
じゃあまた
jaa mata
see you
またね
matane
Goodbye
さようなら
sayounara
*Please note that most of the above examples use formal language, assuming that you’re getting to know the person that you’re speaking with.
Get your free PDF with 100+ Conversational Japanese Words and Phrases
Get the PDF
Are you learning Japanese? What are some phrases that you’ve found useful in your target language? I’d love to hear about them in the comments!
The post 100+ Useful Conversational Words & Phrases in Japanese appeared first on Eurolinguiste.
