Japanese Phrases While Travelling

Getting around Japan without knowing any Japanese is doable, but learning some basic Japanese phrases will help you get by much more easily. Here are examples of common Japanese words and phrases that you may use during your travel:

Greetings

Hello [Konnichiwa]
Hi [Yo] To be used with close friends only
Welcome [Youkoso]
How are you? [O-genki desu ka?]
Good morning [Ohayou gozaimasu]
Good afternoon [Kon’nichiwa]
Good evening [Konbanwa]
Good night [Oyasumi]
Goodbye! (informal) [Ja ne!] Ja ne is informal, more like ‘see you’.
Goodbye! (formal) [Sayounara ]is ‘good bye’ in a formal way.
See you tomorrow! [Mata ashitane!]
What is your name? [Anatano namae wa nan desu ka?]
My name is ___ [Watashi no namae wa ___ desu]
Congratulations! [Omedetou!]
Happy birthday! [Tanjoubi omedetou!]
Good luck!/Do your best! [Ganbatte!]

Courtesy

Yes [Hai]
No [Iie]
Please [Onegai shimasu]
Sorry [Sumimasen] This is the sorry you use when bumping into people, rather than a heartfelt apology.
Thank you [Arigatou gozaimasu]
You’re welcome [Doo itashimashite]
I do not speak Japanese [Nihongo ga hanasemasen]
I do not understand [Wakarimasen]
Are you okay? [Daijobu desu ka?]
Yes, I am okay [Hai, daijobu desu]

Numbers and Counting

1 [ichi]
2 [ni]
3 [san]
4 [shi, yon]
5 [go]
6 [roku]
7 [shichi, nana]
8 [hachi]
9 [kyuu, ku]
10 [juu]

For numbers between 10 and 20, let’s say 11, simply say the Japanese for “10” and “1” together, i.e. “juu ichi.” So,

12 [juu ni]
13 [juu san]
14 [juu yon]

For 20, 30, 40, up until 99, the numbers are translated as multiples of ten and ones.

For instance, 20 is equal to two 10s, so it is “ni juu” in Japanese. 30 is three 10s, so it is “san juu.” 40 is four 10s, so it is “yon juu.” 50 is five 10s, so it is “go juu.”

For 21, because it is two 10s and 1, it is “ni juu ichi.” 35 is three 10s and 5, so it is “san juu go.” 99 is nine 10s and 9, so it is “kyu juu kyu.”

100 [hyaku]
1000 [sen]

Ordering Food

Meat [Niku]
Beef [Gyuniku]
Pork [Butaniku]
Chicken [Toriniku]
Fish [Sakana]
Cooked rice [Gohan]
Vegetables [Yasai]
Fruit [Kudamono]
Soup [Supu]
Dessert [Dezato]
Bread [Pan]
Beer [Biru]
Water [Mizu]
Milk [Gyunyu]
Tea [O-cha]
Coffee [Kohi]
Wine [Wain]
I would like to make a reservation. [Yoyaku o shitai n-desu ga.]
I would like some water, please. [O-mizu o kudasai.]
Do you have an English menu? [Eigo no menyuu ga arimasu ka?]
Where is the bathroom? [o-toire wa doko desu ka?]
Can I have the bill, please? [Okanjou o onegai shimasu.]
Thank you for the food. [Gochisousama deshita.]

Transportation and Directions

Train [Densha]
Bus [Basu]
Bicycle [Jitensha]
Car [Kuruma]
Taxi [Takushi]
Bullet train [Shinkansen]
Transfer [Norikae]
Platform number [Ban sen]
Pardon me/Excuse me [Sumimasen.]
Can you help me? [Tasukete itadakemasu ka?]
Do you speak English? [Eigo o hanashimasu ka?]
Where is the subway? [Chikatetsu wa doko desu ka?]
Where is the train station? [Eki wa doko desu ka?]
Where is the bus/train to ___? [ ___ yuki no basu/densha wa doko desu ka?]
How long does it take to walk there? [Aruite dorekurai kakari masu ka?]
What time does the train leave? [Densha wa Nanji ni shuppatsu shimasuka?]
What time do we arrive? [Nanji ni tsukimasu ka?]
How much does it cost to go to ___? [___ made wa ikura desu ka?]
Where can I buy a ticket? [Kippu wa doko de kaemasu ka?]
Does this train/bus stop at ___? [Kono densha/basu wa ___ ni tomarimasu ka?]
Where can I find the tourist information office? [Kanko annai jyo wa doko desu ka?]
Where can I exchange money? [Gaika ryogae wa doko de dekimasu ka?]

Shopping

Cash [Genkin]
Credit card [Kurejitto kado]
Money [Okane]
Price [Genka]
Small [Chisai]
Large/big [Okii]
Clothes [Irui]
Shirt [Shatsu]
Dress [Doresu]
Suit [Sutsu]
Pants [Zubon]
Jeans [Jinzu]
Blouse [Burausu]
Jacket [Jaketto]
Sweater [Seta]
Shoe [Kutsu]
Jewelry [Ho-u-shoku hin]
Kimono [Kimono]
Food [Shoku hin]
How much? [Ikura?]
Where is the fitting room? [Shichakushitsu wa doko desu ka?]
May I try it on? [Kite mite mo ii desu ka?]
I will have this one. [Kore o kudasai.]
Do you have ____? [____ wa arimasu ka?]
I am just looking. [Miteiru dake desu.]
Can I return it? [Henpin suru koto ga dekimasu ka?]

A few extras that earn their keep

Beyond the classics above, a handful of phrases cover most modern situations. “Osusume wa nan desu ka?” asks what the chef recommends, and saying it in a tiny izakaya is how memorable meals happen. At the register, “IC de” or a simple tap gesture says you are paying by card or transport card, while “fukuro onegaishimasu” gets you a bag, which now usually costs a few yen. “Tennai de” means eating in and “mochikaeri” is takeaway. And when all else fails, the camera mode in Google Translate reads menus and signs astonishingly well these days, so the language barrier is now more of a language speed bump. Locals still light up when you attempt even clumsy Japanese though, so lead with the phrases and keep the phone as backup.

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