Japanese phrases for your first trip
Short, polite phrases for restaurants, trains, shops and asking for help, with Japanese script and an easy guide to pronunciation.
You can travel in Japan with very little Japanese, but a few phrases make things warmer and easier. Everything here is polite and safe to use anywhere. Pronunciation first: Japanese vowels are short and steady, much like Spanish or Italian. a as in "father", i as in "see", u as in "put", e as in "get", o as in "more". A line over a vowel (ō) means hold it longer.
Getting attention and saying thanks
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| すみません | sumimasen | Excuse me, sorry, and also a light thank-you |
| ありがとうございます | arigatō gozaimasu | Thank you |
| お願いします | onegai shimasu | Please (when asking for something) |
| 大丈夫です | daijōbu desu | I'm fine, no thank you, it's okay |
Sumimasen is the one to learn first. Use it to call a waiter, to get past someone on a crowded train, and to apologise for a small thing.
Restaurants
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 二人です | futari desu | Two people (use 一人 hitori for one) |
| これをください | kore o kudasai | This one, please (while pointing) |
| お水をください | omizu o kudasai | Water, please |
| いただきます | itadakimasu | Said before eating |
| ごちそうさまでした | gochisōsama deshita | Thank you for the meal, said afterwards |
| お会計をお願いします | okaikei o onegai shimasu | The bill, please |
| カードは使えますか | kādo wa tsukaemasu ka | Can I use a card? |
Getting around
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 〜はどこですか | ... wa doko desu ka | Where is ...? |
| トイレはどこですか | toire wa doko desu ka | Where is the toilet? |
| 〜に行きたいです | ... ni ikitai desu | I want to go to ... |
In a shop or convenience store
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| いくらですか | ikura desu ka | How much is it? |
| 袋はいりません | fukuro wa irimasen | I don't need a bag |
| 温めますか | atatamemasu ka | Would you like it heated? (they ask, you answer hai, onegai shimasu) |
When you don't understand
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| わかりません | wakarimasen | I don't understand |
| もう一度お願いします | mō ichido onegai shimasu | One more time, please |
| ゆっくり話してください | yukkuri hanashite kudasai | Please speak slowly |
| 英語を話せますか | eigo o hanasemasu ka | Do you speak English? |
What you will hear
When you walk into a shop, staff say いらっしゃいませ (irasshaimase), "welcome". You don't have to answer, a nod is fine.
Learn them, don't just read them
Say each phrase out loud a few times. Then say it in a real situation, at a café or a shop, as soon as you can. If you would like to go further than phrases, here is how to study Japanese effectively.