Basic Japanese Words, Phrases & Greetings

Question 1

うみ

Answer 1

sea (umi)

Question 2

いえ

家

Answer 2

house, home (ie)

Question 3

かみ

紙

Answer 3

paper (kami)

Question 4

こんにちは
or
こんにちわ

Answer 4

hello/good afternoon(konnichiwa)

Question 5

ありがとうございます

Answer 5

thank you very much (arigato gozaimasu)

Polite

Question 6

ありがと

Answer 6

thank you (arigato)

Casual

Question 7

あざす

Answer 7

thank you (azasu)

Slang

Question 8

ありがとございました

Answer 8

Thank you (arigato gozaimashita)

Past tense or after a service

Question 9

サンキユー

Answer 9

Sankyu (thank you)

Extremely casual

Question 10

すみません

Answer 10

Excuse me (sumimasen)

Question 11

すまない

Answer 11

Excuse me (sumanai)

Casual slang (more common with males than females)

Question 12

恐れ入ります

Answer 12

Thank you (osoreirimasu)

Extremely formal; almost too formal even in a workplace environment.

Question 13

どうも

Answer 13

Thank you (doumo)

Casual and lighthearted (appropriate among siblings or very close friends)

Question 14

どうもありがと

Answer 14

Thank you very much (doumo arigato)

Friendly and polite (appropriate for friends, family and younger generations)

Question 15

どうもありがとございます

Answer 15

Thank you very much (doumo arigato gozaimasu)

Very polite (with bow)

Question 16

本当にありがとございます

Answer 16

Really/truly, thank you very much (hontoni, arigato gozaimasu)

Polite and semi-formal

Question 17

拝謝申し上げます

Answer 17

Thank you very much (Haisha moushiagemasu)

Shows humility (appropriate for someone elderly or of higher societal standing)

Question 18

おはようございます

Answer 18

Good morning (ohayou gozaimasu)

Formal

Question 19

おはよう

Answer 19

Good morning (ohayou)

Informal

Question 20

こんばんは

Answer 20

Good evening (konbanwa)

Formal

Question 21

おやすみなさい

Answer 21

Good night (oyasumi nasai)

Formal

Dropping the “なさい” (nasai) makes it informal

Question 22

やあ！

Answer 22

Hi! (Ya!)

Informal and casual

Question 23

ヤッホ

Answer 23

Yoohoo (Ya-ho)

Casual (feminine and common among girls)

Question 24

よお！

Answer 24

Yo! (Yo!)

Casual (common among young men)

Question 25

おす！or おーい！or おっす！

Answer 25

Hey! (Osu!/Oi!/Ossu!) Casual (masculine common among men)

Question 26

もしもし

Answer 26

Hello? (Moshi moshi) Casual (used for answering phone calls from friends and family)

Question 27

はい！

Answer 27

Yes! (Hai!) Also used for answering business phone calls or unknown callers.

Question 28

いいえ or いいや

Answer 28

No (īe, iiya)

Question 29

お久しぶりですね

Answer 29

Long time no see (O-hisashiburi desune) Formal (for greeting someone you haven’t seen in a month or more) Using just “久しぶり” makes it informal

Question 30

いかがおすごしですか

Answer 30

How are you doing? (Ikaga osugoshi desu ka?) Formal (Used when addressing person of authority, a superior, or an elderly person that you aren’t familiar with)

Question 31

お元気ですか？

Answer 31

How are you? (O genki desu ka?) Formal (used after a formal hello, when meeting someone new, but you can also use it with close friends and family)

Question 32

元気だった？

Answer 32

How are you? (Genki datta?) Informal (used with close friends and family) Using only “元気“ (genki) makes it even more casual.

Question 33

どうよ？

Answer 33

How’s life? (Douyo/dōyo) Casual (Used to strike up a conversation with someone you already know well)

Question 34

かたな

Answer 34

Sword (katana)

Question 35

イカ

Answer 35

Squid (ika)

Question 36

サイ

Answer 36

Rhinoceros (sai)

Question 37

ほんとに 本当に

Answer 37

Really (hontoni)

Question 38

あき 秋

Answer 38

Autumn (aki)

Question 39

アイス

Answer 39

Ice cream (aisu)

Question 40

コイ

Answer 40

Carp (koi)

Question 41

シカ

Answer 41

Deer (shika)

Question 42

コア

Answer 42

Core (koa)

Question 43

チワワ

Answer 43

Chihuahua (chiwawa)

Question 44

ミス

Answer 44

Mistake (misu)

Question 45

うし

Answer 45

Cow (ushi)

Question 46

ここわ ここ

Answer 46

Here (kokowa)

Question 47

しし

Answer 47

Lion (shishi)

Question 48

さい

Answer 48

years old (sai)

Question 49

なるほどね なるほど

Answer 49

I see (naruhodo ne) Indeed (naruhodo)

Question 50

なに なんだと なんじゃ

Answer 50

What (nani) What (nandato) What is it? (nanja) Old people

Question 51

だれ

Answer 51

Who (dare)

Question 52

なんで

Answer 52

Why (nande)

Question 53

いつ

Answer 53

When (itsu)

Question 54

どこ

Answer 54

Where (doko)

Question 55

どうか

Answer 55

Please (douka)

Question 56

そか

Answer 56

I see (soka)

Question 57

あの

Answer 57

**Interjection** say; well; um; er (ano)

Question 58

よかった

Answer 58

That’s great (yokatta)

Question 59

おねえさん or お姉さん

Answer 59

Older sister (onee-san)

Question 60

できそんだい

Answer 60

I can do it (deki sondai)

Question 61

どうかなあ

Answer 61

I don’t know; I’m not sure (doukana)

Question 62

しわ シワ

Answer 62

A wrinkle; Wrinkle (shiwa)

Question 63

わし ワシ

Answer 63

An eagle; Eagle (washi)

Question 64

タコ

Answer 64

Octopus (tako)

Question 65

じゃない

Answer 65

It’s not (ja nai)

Question 66

アカイ あかい

Answer 66

Red (akai)

Question 67

カサカサ

Answer 67

Rustling (kasakasa)

Question 68

たべる

Answer 68

**Verb** To eat I will eat (taberu)

Question 69

いつ

Answer 69

When (itsu)

Question 70

どこで

Answer 70

Where? (dokode)

Question 71

だれと

Answer 71

With whom (dareto)

Question 72

畑　(はたけ)

Answer 72

Farmland (hatake)

Question 73

森林 (しんりん)

Answer 73

Forest (shinrin)

Question 74

原野 (げにゃ)

Answer 74

Wasteland (genya)

Question 75

しあい

Answer 75

Game (shiai)

Question 76

ココア

Answer 76

Cocoa (kokoa)

Question 77

薄 (うす) い

Answer 77

Thin (usui)