150+ Must-Know Japanese Phrases: A Practical Guide for Learners

Key takeaways

• Japanese phrases fall into clear situational categories: greetings, travel, shopping, dining, emergencies, work, study, and social expressions.
• Polite form, especially です/ます (desu/masu), is the safest default register for learners in most everyday situations.
• Learning phrases in context, not only in isolation, improves recall and makes the phrases easier to use in real conversations.
• A native-speaking tutor helps you internalize pronunciation, pitch accent, and natural phrasing faster than memorizing lists alone.

Table of contents

• 150+ Must-Know Japanese Phrases: A Practical Guide for Learners
• How Japanese phrases work: register and politeness
• Essential Japanese greetings and introductions
• Basic conversational phrases
• Japanese phrases for travel and directions
• Shopping and money phrases
• Japanese restaurant and food phrases
• Numbers, time, and dates
• Emergency and health phrases
• Polite expressions and social phrases
• Japanese phrases for work and study
• Start putting these phrases to use
• Frequently asked questions

Learning Japanese phrases is one of the most practical starting points for any learner. Whether you are preparing for a trip to Japan, studying for an exam, or building toward fluency, knowing the right phrases in the right contexts lets you communicate from day one.

The problem is that Japanese phrases are not only vocabulary. They also carry politeness, social distance, pronunciation, and context. A phrase that is correct in one situation can feel too casual, too formal, or slightly unnatural in another.

This guide covers 150+ essential Japanese phrases organized by situation, with pronunciation in romaji, the original Japanese script, and clear English meanings. Each section is built for practical use, not just memorization. If your goal is to speak these phrases naturally, practicing with Japanese tutors helps you get pronunciation and politeness feedback before mistakes become habits.

How Japanese phrases work: register and politeness

Before diving into the phrases, one concept will shape almost everything you say in Japanese: register, especially the difference between polite form and casual form.

Form	Japanese term	When to use
Polite	です/ます (desu/masu)	With strangers, colleagues, shop staff, teachers, older people, and anyone you do not know well
Casual	だ/る (da/ru)	With close friends, family, and peers when the relationship is already comfortable

Every phrase in this guide uses polite form unless marked otherwise. This is the correct default for learners. Using casual form with the wrong person can sound rude, so err toward polite until you understand the relationship.

Japanese also uses honorific prefixes. The prefix お (o-) or ご (go-) is added to many words to elevate politeness. You will see this in phrases like お願いします (onegaishimasu, please) and ご注文 (go-chuumon, your order).

For a deeper look at how Japanese politeness systems work, the article on Japanese honorifics covers the full honorific framework used in everyday speech.

Essential Japanese greetings and introductions

Greetings are the first phrases you use and the first phrases people judge. Getting these right sets the tone for every interaction.

Standard greetings

Japanese	Romaji	Meaning
おはようございます	Ohayou gozaimasu	Good morning (formal)
おはよう	Ohayou	Good morning (casual)
こんにちは	Konnichiwa	Hello / Good afternoon
こんばんは	Konbanwa	Good evening
おやすみなさい	Oyasumi nasai	Good night (formal)
おやすみ	Oyasumi	Good night (casual)
さようなら	Sayounara	Goodbye (formal, somewhat final)
またね	Mata ne	See you later (casual)
じゃあね	Jaa ne	Bye (casual)
またあした	Mata ashita	See you tomorrow

Introductions

Japanese	Romaji	Meaning
はじめまして	Hajimemashite	Nice to meet you (first meeting)
わたしは [name] です	Watashi wa [name] desu	I am [name]
[name] と申します	[Name] to moushimasu	My name is [name] (formal)
どうぞよろしくお願いします	Douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu	Please treat me well / Nice to meet you (formal)
よろしくお願いします	Yoroshiku onegaishimasu	Nice to meet you / Best regards
よろしく	Yoroshiku	Nice to meet you (casual)
お名前は何ですか	Onamae wa nan desu ka	What is your name?
どちらからいらっしゃいましたか	Dochira kara irasshaimashita ka	Where are you from? (formal)
[country] から来ました	[Country] kara kimashita	I am from [country]
日本語を勉強しています	Nihongo o benkyou shite imasu	I am studying Japanese
日本語はまだ上手ではありません	Nihongo wa mada jouzu dewa arimasen	My Japanese is not very good yet

For a focused deep dive on first-meeting language, the article on Japanese greetings covers formal and casual variants with cultural context.

Basic conversational phrases

These are the building blocks for real conversation. Learn them before memorizing niche phrases because they help you repair misunderstandings and keep the interaction moving.

Understanding and clarification

Japanese	Romaji	Meaning
わかりました	Wakarimashita	I understand
わかりません	Wakarimasen	I do not understand
もう一度言ってください	Mou ichido itte kudasai	Please say that again
ゆっくり話してください	Yukkuri hanashite kudasai	Please speak more slowly
日本語が少しわかります	Nihongo ga sukoshi wakarimasu	I understand a little Japanese
英語を話せますか	Eigo o hanasemasu ka	Do you speak English?
これは何ですか	Kore wa nan desu ka	What is this?
どういう意味ですか	Dou iu imi desu ka	What does that mean?
漢字で書いてください	Kanji de kaite kudasai	Please write it in kanji
ローマ字で書いてください	Roomaji de kaite kudasai	Please write it in romaji
もう少し簡単に言ってください	Mou sukoshi kantan ni itte kudasai	Please say it a little more simply
例をください	Rei o kudasai	Please give me an example

Affirmation, negation, and basic responses

Japanese	Romaji	Meaning
はい	Hai	Yes
いいえ	Iie	No
そうです	Sou desu	That is right
そうじゃありません	Sou ja arimasen	That is not right
たぶん	Tabun	Probably / Maybe
大丈夫です	Daijoubu desu	It is fine / I am okay
大丈夫ですか	Daijoubu desu ka	Are you okay?
ありがとうございます	Arigatou gozaimasu	Thank you (formal)
ありがとう	Arigatou	Thank you (casual)
どういたしまして	Dou itashimashite	You are welcome
すみません	Sumimasen	Excuse me / Sorry
ごめんなさい	Gomen nasai	I am sorry
いいですね	Ii desu ne	That sounds good
そう思います	Sou omoimasu	I think so

For learners focused on apology phrases, the article on sorry in Japanese covers the full range of apology expressions and when each one is appropriate.

Japanese phrases for travel and directions

Japan has excellent public transport, but reading signs and asking for directions confidently requires a specific set of phrases.

Getting around

Japanese	Romaji	Meaning
[place] はどこですか	[Place] wa doko desu ka	Where is [place]?
駅はどこですか	Eki wa doko desu ka	Where is the train station?
トイレはどこですか	Toire wa doko desu ka	Where is the bathroom?
[place] まで行きたいです	[Place] made ikitai desu	I want to go to [place]
[place] まで歩いて何分ですか	[Place] made aruite nan-pun desu ka	How many minutes on foot to [place]?
右に曲がってください	Migi ni magatte kudasai	Please turn right
左に曲がってください	Hidari ni magatte kudasai	Please turn left
まっすぐ行ってください	Massugu itte kudasai	Please go straight
近いですか	Chikai desu ka	Is it close?
遠いですか	Tooi desu ka	Is it far?
地図を見せてください	Chizu o misete kudasai	Please show me the map
ここはどこですか	Koko wa doko desu ka	Where am I?

Transport phrases

Japanese	Romaji	Meaning
[place] まで一枚お願いします	[Place] made ichimai onegaishimasu	One ticket to [place], please
何番線ですか	Nan-bansen desu ka	Which platform is it?
終電は何時ですか	Shuuden wa nanji desu ka	What time is the last train?
このバスは [place] に行きますか	Kono basu wa [place] ni ikimasu ka	Does this bus go to [place]?
タクシーを呼んでください	Takushii o yonde kudasai	Please call a taxi
ここで止めてください	Koko de tomete kudasai	Please stop here
荷物を預けられますか	Nimotsu o azukeraremasu ka	Can I check my luggage?
パスポートを見せてください	Pasupooto o misete kudasai	Please show your passport
乗り換えはどこですか	Norikae wa doko desu ka	Where do I transfer?
切符売り場はどこですか	Kippu uriba wa doko desu ka	Where is the ticket office?

For learners preparing for a trip, basic Japanese for travel covers the full vocabulary set you need before landing in Japan.

Practice these phrases with Japanese tutors before your trip so directions and transit conversations feel natural under pressure.

Shopping and money phrases

Japan has a strong shopping culture, from department stores to convenience stores. These phrases cover most retail interactions.

Japanese	Romaji	Meaning
いくらですか	Ikura desu ka	How much does it cost?
これをください	Kore o kudasai	I will take this / Please give me this
これにします	Kore ni shimasu	I will go with this one
見てもいいですか	Mite mo ii desu ka	May I look at it?
試着してもいいですか	Shichaku shite mo ii desu ka	May I try it on?
別のサイズはありますか	Betsu no saizu wa arimasu ka	Do you have a different size?
別の色はありますか	Betsu no iro wa arimasu ka	Do you have a different color?
袋に入れてください	Fukuro ni irete kudasai	Please put it in a bag
カードで払えますか	Kaado de haraemasu ka	Can I pay by card?
領収書をください	Ryoushusho o kudasai	Please give me a receipt
返品できますか	Henpin dekimasu ka	Can I return this?
セール中ですか	Seeru-chuu desu ka	Is it on sale?
まけてもらえますか	Makete moraemasu ka	Can you give me a discount?
現金で払います	Genkin de haraimasu	I will pay in cash
レシートをください	Reshiito o kudasai	Please give me a receipt

Japanese restaurant and food phrases

Dining out in Japan is a rich cultural experience, and the right phrases make it far more comfortable. For menu vocabulary, the article on Japanese food names is a useful companion.

Ordering and requests

Japanese	Romaji	Meaning
[number] 人です	[Number]-nin desu	There are [number] of us
メニューをください	Menyuu o kudasai	Please give me a menu
注文してもいいですか	Chuumon shite mo ii desu ka	May I order?
これをください	Kore o kudasai	I will have this, please
おすすめは何ですか	Osusume wa nan desu ka	What do you recommend?
辛くないものはありますか	Karakunai mono wa arimasu ka	Is there something not spicy?
アレルギーがあります	Arerugii ga arimasu	I have an allergy
〜が食べられません	[Ingredient] ga taberaremasen	I cannot eat [ingredient]
お水をください	Omizu o kudasai	Water, please
お会計をお願いします	Okaikei o onegaishimasu	Check, please
別々に払えますか	Betsubetsu ni haraemasu ka	Can we pay separately?
ごちそうさまでした	Gochisousama deshita	Thank you for the meal (after eating)
予約しています	Yoyaku shite imasu	I have a reservation
持ち帰りできますか	Mochikaeri dekimasu ka	Can I get this to go?

For a more complete picture of restaurant interactions, how to order food in Japanese walks through the full dining experience step by step.

Numbers, time, and dates

Numbers are foundational. You need them for prices, directions, schedules, dates, and almost every practical transaction.

Numbers 1 to 20

Number	Japanese	Romaji
1	一	Ichi
2	二	Ni
3	三	San
4	四	Shi / Yon
5	五	Go
6	六	Roku
7	七	Shichi / Nana
8	八	Hachi
9	九	Kyuu / Ku
10	十	Juu
11	十一	Juuichi
20	二十	Nijuu
100	百	Hyaku
1,000	千	Sen
10,000	万	Man

For a full breakdown of counting systems and counters, Japanese numbers covers the complete number system, including counters used for different objects.

Time phrases

Japanese	Romaji	Meaning
今何時ですか	Ima nanji desu ka	What time is it now?
[time] に会いましょう	[Time] ni aimashou	Let’s meet at [time]
午前	Gozen	AM
午後	Gogo	PM
今日	Kyou	Today
明日	Ashita	Tomorrow
昨日	Kinou	Yesterday
来週	Raishuu	Next week
先週	Senshuu	Last week
〜時間かかります	[Number]-jikan kakarimasu	It takes [number] hours
何曜日ですか	Nan-youbi desu ka	What day of the week is it?
何時に始まりますか	Nanji ni hajimarimasu ka	What time does it start?

For the full breakdown of days, the article on days of the week in Japanese covers vocabulary and usage patterns for each day.

Emergency and health phrases

These are the phrases you hope never to need but should know before traveling.

Japanese	Romaji	Meaning
助けてください	Tasukete kudasai	Help me, please
救急車を呼んでください	Kyuukyuusha o yonde kudasai	Please call an ambulance
警察を呼んでください	Keisatsu o yonde kudasai	Please call the police
火事です	Kaji desu	Fire
泥棒	Dorobou	Thief
迷子になりました	Maigo ni narimashita	I am lost
財布を盗まれました	Saifu o nusumaremashita	My wallet was stolen
パスポートをなくしました	Pasupooto o nakushimashita	I lost my passport
病院はどこですか	Byouin wa doko desu ka	Where is the hospital?
薬局はどこですか	Yakkyoku wa doko desu ka	Where is the pharmacy?
痛いです	Itai desu	It hurts
ここが痛いです	Koko ga itai desu	It hurts here
アレルギーがあります	Arerugii ga arimasu	I have an allergy
保険証を持っています	Hokenshou o motte imasu	I have insurance
気分が悪いです	Kibun ga warui desu	I feel sick
医者を呼んでください	Isha o yonde kudasai	Please call a doctor

Polite expressions and social phrases

Japanese social culture places high value on politeness, gratitude, and consideration. These phrases go beyond basic survival and help you connect naturally.

Japanese	Romaji	Meaning
お疲れ様です	Otsukaresama desu	Thank you for your hard work
よろしくお願いします	Yoroshiku onegaishimasu	Best regards / Please be kind to me
お先に失礼します	Osaki ni shitsurei shimasu	Excuse me for leaving first
いただきます	Itadakimasu	Said before eating
ごちそうさまでした	Gochisousama deshita	Thank you for the meal
お邪魔します	Ojama shimasu	Sorry for intruding
ただいま	Tadaima	I am home
おかえり	Okaeri	Welcome back
気をつけて	Ki o tsukete	Take care / Be careful
おめでとうございます	Omedetou gozaimasu	Congratulations (formal)
お誕生日おめでとうございます	Otanjoubi omedetou gozaimasu	Happy birthday (formal)
失礼します	Shitsurei shimasu	Excuse me / Sorry to interrupt
お待たせしました	Omatase shimashita	Thank you for waiting

Japanese phrases for work and study

If you are learning Japanese for professional reasons or studying in Japan, these phrases belong in your active vocabulary.

Japanese	Romaji	Meaning
会議は何時からですか	Kaigi wa nanji kara desu ka	What time does the meeting start?
締め切りはいつですか	Shime-kiri wa itsu desu ka	When is the deadline?
確認させてください	Kakunin sasete kudasai	Please let me confirm
ご確認をお願いします	Go-kakunin o onegaishimasu	Please check / Please confirm
資料を送ります	Shiryou o okurimasu	I will send the documents
ご連絡ありがとうございます	Go-renraku arigatou gozaimasu	Thank you for getting in touch
承知しました	Shouchi shimashita	Understood / Noted (formal)
検討します	Kentou shimasu	I will consider it
少々お待ちください	Shoushou omachi kudasai	Please wait a moment (formal)
お世話になっております	Osewa ni natte orimasu	Thank you for your continued support
質問があります	Shitsumon ga arimasu	I have a question
宿題を出してもいいですか	Shukudai o dashite mo ii desu ka	May I submit the homework?

For learners focused on professional Japanese, Japanese for work covers workplace communication in detail, including keigo used in business settings.

Start putting these phrases to use

Knowing 150+ Japanese phrases on a page is only the beginning. The gap between reading a phrase list and producing those phrases naturally in conversation is where most learners get stuck.

Learn Japanese faster with personal guidance from qualified teachers. Book a trial lesson with an online Japanese tutor and start using these phrases in real conversations.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most important Japanese phrases to learn first?
Start with greetings, basic acknowledgment phrases such as わかりました (wakarimashita) and すみません (sumimasen), and the question structure [word] は何ですか ([word] wa nan desu ka). These cover many early interactions and give you a functional base.

What is the difference between formal and casual Japanese phrases?
Formal Japanese often uses polite です/ます (desu/masu) endings. Casual Japanese uses plain forms. Learners should default to polite form with strangers, shop staff, teachers, and professional contacts. Casual form is for close friends and family.

Do I need to know kanji to use Japanese phrases?
No. Romaji lets you use phrases before reading kanji. However, learning hiragana and katakana early is strongly recommended because they open up far more learning resources and make pronunciation clearer.

How do you say excuse me in Japanese?
すみません (sumimasen) is the most versatile phrase. It works as excuse me to get attention, sorry for minor inconveniences, and thank you in certain contexts. ごめんなさい (gomen nasai) is reserved for clearer apologies.

What is the polite way to ask for something in Japanese?
Add ください (kudasai) or お願いします (onegaishimasu) to your request. For example, これをください (kore o kudasai) means please give me this. お願いします adds a polite request tone in many everyday situations.