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Giving and Asking for Directions: “Right” in Japanese & More



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Knowing how to ask for directions in Japanese is very helpful when it comes to getting around in Japan. In particular, finding the right address can be a bit confusing, because smaller streets in Japan aren’t named and addresses are expressed with the name of a small area and numbers.

Along with knowing how to ask directions in Japanese, understanding the directions you were told is even more important. This ensures that you can reach the destination with the information given. (You don’t want to mistake “right” in Japanese for left!)

But don’t worry! Japanese people are kind in general, and they’ll stop to listen and help you when you ask them for directions in Japanese.

Here’s some useful vocabulary and phrases for giving and asking for directions in Japanese. Master directions in Japanese at JapanesePod101.com and find your way to exciting destinations!

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Table of Contents
  1. On the Map: Cardinal Directions in Japanese
  2. On the Road
  3. Giving Directions in Japanese Using Landmarks
  4. Must-Know Phrases for Asking for Directions in Japanese
  5. Must-Know Phrases for Giving Directions in Japanese
  6. Other Useful Phrases for Asking Directions with Map/Phone
  7. Conclusion: How JapanesePod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

1. On the Map: Cardinal Directions in Japanese

Directions
Let’s master the basic compass directions in Japanese for reading the map.

1- Basic Vocabulary


ReadingKanjiHiraganaEnglish
kitaきたnorth
minamiみなみsouth
nishi西にしwest
higashiひがしeast
hokusei北西ほくせいnorthwest
hokutō北東ほくとうnortheast
nantō南東なんとうsoutheast
nansei南西なんせいsouthwest
chizu地図ちずmap
genzaichi現在地げんざいちcurrent location


2- Examples

  • 皇居は現在地から北東へ5kmの場所にあります。
    Kōkyo wa genzaichi kara hokutō e go-kiromētoru no basho ni arimasu.
    The Imperial Palace is located 5km northeast from the current location.

  • 日本の地理は、北の北海道、東の関東、西の関西、南の九州が特徴です。
    Nihon no chiri wa, kita no Hokkaidō, higashi no Kantō, nishi no Kansai, minami no Kyūshū ga tokuchō desu.
    The geography of Japan is characterized by Hokkaidō of the North, Kantō of the East, Kansai of the West, and Kyūshū of the south.

  • 横浜は、東京の南に位置しています。
    Yokohama wa Tōkyō no minami ni ichi shite imasu. 
    Yokohama is located in the south of Tokyo.

Person Looking through a Map Book The Japanese map shows the major roads with names, but small streets don’t have names. It’s useful to know the word kita, meaning “north” in Japanese, for reading the map.

2. On the Road

Knowing how to say directions in Japanese for the road, such as right and left in Japanese, is very useful. The vocabulary below is essential for giving and receiving driving directions in Japanese!

1- Basic Vocabulary


ReadingKanjiHiraganaEnglish
maeまえfront
ushiro後ろうしろback
hidariひだりleft
migiみぎright
tōi遠いとおいfar
chikai近いちかいclose
kokoここhere
asokoあそこthere
massuguまっすぐstraight
tonariとなりnext
watatta渡ったわたったacross
kōsaten交差点こうさてんintersection
kado o magaru角を曲がるかどをまがるturn the corner


2- Examples

  • 東京タワーは東京プリンスホテルの隣にあります。次の角を右に曲がって、まっすぐ進んでください。
    Tōkyō Tawā wa Tōkyō Prince Hotel no tonari ni arimasu. Tsugi no kado o migi ni magatte, massugu susunde kudasai.
    Tokyo Tower is located next to Tokyo Prince Hotel. Please turn right at the next corner and go straight.

  • 明治神宮は原宿駅から200mくらいの場所で、近いです。
    Meiji Jingū wa Harajuku Eki kara ni-hyaku-mētoru kurai no basho de, chikai desu.
    Meiji Jingū is located around 200m away from Harajuku Station and it is close.

  • 都庁のビルは、新宿中央公園から交差点を渡った場所にあります。
    Tochō no biru wa, Shinjuku Chūō Kōen kara kōsaten o watatta basho ni arimasu. 
    The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building is located across the intersection from Shinjuku Central Park.

  • あそこの交差点を左に曲がって道をまっすぐ行くと、前に駅が見えます。
    Asoko no kōsaten o hidari ni magatte michi o massugu iku to, mae ni eki ga miemasu. 
    When you turn left at the intersection there, go straight on the street; you will see the station in front.

Traffic at an Intersection

When you’re at an intersection or on a road, migi, meaning “right” in Japanese, and hidari, meaning “left” in Japanese, are essential words to use for giving/asking directions.

3. Giving Directions in Japanese Using Landmarks


A landmark is an object or feature of a landscape or city that’s easily seen and recognized from a distance. Know the basic vocabulary for landmarks will help you understand when you’re getting directions in Japanese.

1- In the City: Basic Vocabulary


ReadingKanjiHiragana / KatakanaEnglish
kūkō空港くうこうairport
chikatetsu no ek地下鉄の駅ちかてつのえきsubway station
machi no chūshinchi街の中心地まちのちゅうしんちcenter of the city
kōen公園こうえんpark
hoteruホテルhotel
byōin病院びょういんhospital
ginkō銀行ぎんこうbank


Examples

  • 地下鉄の駅は、この道をまっすぐ進むと、銀行の隣にあります。
    Chikatetsu no eki wa, kono michi o massugu susumu to, ginkō no tonari ni arimasu.
    The subway station is located next to the bank when you go straight on this road.

  • この街の中心地は駅の近くで、あそこの病院を右に曲がって500mくらいの場所にあります。
    Kono machi no chūshinchi wa eki no chikaku de, asoko no byōin o migi ni magatte go-hyaku-mētoru kurai no basho ni arimasu.
    The center of this city is located near the station, and it’s 500m away after you turn right at the hospital there.

  • この交差点を左に曲がると、地下鉄の駅があります。
    Kono kōsaten o hidari ni magaru to, chikatetsu no eki ga arimasu. 
    When you turn left at this intersection, the subway station is there.


2- On the Road: Basic Vocabulary


ReadingKanjiHiragana / KatakanaEnglish
shingō信号しんごうtraffic light
ōdanhodō横断歩道おうだんほどうcrosswalk
kadoかどcorner
tatemono / biru建物 / ビルたてもの / ビルbuilding
kōban / keisatsusho交番 / 警察署こうばん / けいさつしょpolice station
ekiえきtrain station
basuteiバス停バスていbus stop
hashiはしbridge


A 交番 こうばん (kōban) is a small police station in a community, and is the smallest unit of the police structure in Japan. On the other hand, a 警察署 けいさつしょ (keisatsusho) is a large police station which is usually the headquarters of the police station in a city or area.

Examples

  • 駅は、あの横断歩道を渡って右にある高い建物の後ろにあります。
    Eki wa, ano ōdanhodō o watatte migi ni aru takai tatemono no ushiro ni arimasu.
    The train station is located at the back of the tall building on the right after crossing that crosswalk.

  • この道をまっすぐ進むと、左に交番が見えます。交番の角を右に曲がるとバス停があります。
    Kono michi o massugu susumu to, hidari ni kōban ga miemasu. Kōban no kado o migi ni magaru to basutei ga arimasu.
    When you go straight on this street, you will see the police station on your left. There is the bus stop after you turn right at the corner of the police station.

  • あの橋を渡って見える大きい建物は横浜ホテルです。
    Ano hashi o watatte mieru ōkii tatemono wa Yokohama Hotel desu.
    The big building you see across that bridge is Yokohama Hotel.


Tokyo Tower at Night Tokyo Tower is one of the most famous landmarks in Tokyo.

3- In a Structure/Building: Basic Vocabulary


ReadingKanjiHiragana / KatakanaEnglish
iriguchi入口いりぐちentrance
deguchi出口でぐちexit
keshōshitsu / toire化粧室 / トイレけしょうしつ / トイレrestroom
kaidan階段階段stairs
erebētāエレベーターelevator
monもんgate
chūshajō駐車場ちゅうしゃじょうparking lot


Examples

  • 地下鉄の駅の入口は、この階段を降りた右側にあります。
    Chikatetsu no eki no iriguchi wa, kono kaidan o orita migigawa ni arimasu.
    The entrance of the subway station is located at the right side after going down the stairs.

  • トイレはこのビルの3階にあります。あのエレベーターで3階に行けます。
    Toire wa kono biru no san-kai ni arimasu. Ano erebētā de san-kai ni ikemasu.
    There is a toilet on the third floor in this building. You can go to the third floor with that elevator.

  • あの駐車場の門の隣に出口があります。
    Anochūshajō no mon no tonari ni deguchi ga arimasu.
    There is an exit next to that gate in the parking lot.

Train station in Japan There are many exit gates in the large stations in Japan’s larger cities.

4. Must-Know Phrases for Asking for Directions in Japanese


Asking Directions

Here’s a list of useful phrases and examples for how to ask for directions in Japanese.

1- Polite Phrases to Begin Your Question


すみません (sumimasen) — Excuse me

すみません、この駅の入口はどこですか。
Sumimasen, kono eki no iriguchi wa doko desu ka.  
Excuse me, where is the entrance to this station?

ちょっといいですか。(Chotto ii desu ka.) — Can I talk to you? / May I ask a bit?

ちょっといいですか。渋谷駅はどこですか。
Chotto ii desu ka. Shibuya Eki wa doko desu ka.
Can I talk to you a bit? Where is Shibuya station?

助けてもらえますか。(Tasukete moraemasu ka.) — Will you help me?

助けてもらえますか。空港までの行き方を教えてくれませんか。
Tasukete moraemasu ka. Kūkō made no ikikata o oshiete kuremasen ka.
Will you help me? Can you show me the way to go to the airport?

2- Example Phrases Using “Where is…?”


…はどこですか。(… wa doko desu ka.) — Where is …?
  • すみません、トイレはどこですか。
    Sumimasen, toire wa doko desu ka.
    Excuse me, where is the toilet?

  • ちょっといいですか。代々木公園はどこですか。
    Chotto ii desu ka. Yoyogi Kōen wa doko desu ka.
    Can I talk to you? Where is Yoyogi Park?

  • すみません、お台場はどこですか。
    Sumimasen, Odaiba wa doko desu ka.
    Excuse me, where is Odaiba?


3- Example Phrases Using “How do I get to…?”


…にはどうやって行けばいいですか。 (… ni wa dō yatte ikeba ii desu ka.) — How do I get to…?  
  • 浅草にはどうやって行けばいいですか。
    Asakusa ni wa dō yatte ikeba ii desu ka.
    How do I get to Asakusa?

  • 皇居方面の出口にはどうやって行けばいいですか。
    Kōkyo hōmen no deguchi ni wa dō yatte ikeba ii desu ka.
    How do I get to the exit toward the Imperial Palace?


4- Example Phrases Using “How far is …?” / “Is … far from here?”


…はどの位遠いですか。 (…wa dono kurai tōi desu ka.) — How far is …?

…はここから遠いですか。(…wa koko kara tōi desu ka.) — Is … far from here?
  • 東京タワーはどの位遠いですか。
    Tōkyō Tawā wa dono kurai tōi desu ka.
    How far is Tokyo Tower?

  • 駅はここから遠いですか。
    Eki wa koko kara tōi desu ka.
    Is the train station far from here?


5- Example Courtesy Phrases to Thank People


ありがとうございます (arigatō gozaimasu) — Thank you.
  • ありがとうございます、とても助かりました。
    Arigatō gozaimasu, totemo tasukarimashita.
    Thank you, it helped me a lot.

分かりました、ありがとうございます。(wakarimashita, arigatō gozaimasu.) — I see, thank you. 
  • 駅への行き方分かりました、ありがとうございます。
    Eki e no ikikata wakarimashita, arigatō gozaimasu.
    I see how to get to the station, thank you.

親切にありがとうございました (shinsetsu ni arigatō gozaimashita.) — Thank you for your kindness.
  • 建物の入り口まで連れて来てくれて、親切にありがとうございました。
    Tatemono no iriguchi made tsurete kite kurete, shinsetsu ni arigatō gozaimashita.
    Thank you for your kindness by taking me to the entrance of the building.


For more about saying thank you in Japanese, check out Common Ways to Say Thank You.

To learn greetings in Japanese, visit Japanese Greetings.

Foreigner Talking with a Japanese Person Outside Japanese people are very kind in general to show you the way to your destination.

5. Must-Know Phrases for Giving Directions in Japanese

Here’s a list of useful phrases and examples for giving directions in Japanese. You’ll also find taxi directions in Japanese that you can use as needed.

1- go straight

Japanese: まっすぐ進みます
Reading: massugu susumi masu
  • 地下鉄の駅へはこの道をまっすぐ進みます。
    Chikatetsu no eki e wa kono michi o massugu susumimasu.
    Go straight on this road to the subway station.

2- go back

Japanese: 戻ります
Reading: modorimasu
  • 新宿駅へはこの道を、あの信号まで戻ります。
    Shinjuku Eki e wa kono michi o, ano shingō made modorimasu.
    Go back on this road until that traffic light to Shinjuku Station.

3- turn left/right

Japanese: 左 / 右へ曲がります
Reading: hidari / migi e magarimasu
  • あの信号を左へ曲がります。
    Ano shingō o hidari e magarimasu.
    Turn left at that traffic light.

4- turn left / right at corner / intersection

Japanese: 角 / 交差点を左 / 右へ曲がります
Reading: kado / kōsaten o hidari / migi e magarimasu
  • あの高いビルがある交差点を右へ曲がります。
    Ano takai biru ga aru kōsaten o migi e magarimasu.
    Turn right at the intersection where that tall building is.

5- on … floor

Japanese: …階
Reading: …kai
  • トイレは5階にあります。
    Toire wa go-kai ni arimasu.
    The toilet is on the fifth floor.

6- go upstairs / downstairs

Japanese: 階段を上がります / 下がります
Reading: kaidan o agarimasu / sagarimasu
  • トイレへはこの階段を上がります。
    Toire e wa kono kaidan o agarimasu.
    Go upstairs to the toilet.

7- (to a driver) keep going

Japanese: このまま行ってください
Reading: kono mama itte kudasai
  • この道をこのまま行ってください。
    Kono michi o kono mama itte kudasai.
    Keep going on this road.

8- (to a driver) stop here

Japanese: ここで止まってください
Reading: koko de tomatte kudasai
  • ホテルはここです。ここで止まってください。
    Hoteru wa koko desu. Koko de tomatte kudasai.
    The hotel is here. Please stop here.

9- (to a driver) hurry up

Japanese: 急いでください
Reading: isoide kudasai
  • 時間があまりないので急いでください。
    Jikan ga amari nai node isoide kudasai.
    Please hurry up because there’s not much time.

10- (to a driver) slow down

Japanese: 速度を落としてください
Reading: sokudo o otoshite kudasai
  • 急いでないので速度を落としてください。
    Isoide nai node sokudo o otoshite kudasai.
    Please slow down because I’m not in a hurry.

11- (to a driver) short-cut

Japanese: 近道
Reading: chikamichi
  • 駅への近道を知っていますか。
    Eki e no chikamichi o shitte imasu ka.
    Do you know the short-cut to the station?

12- You won’t miss it (you will see it immediately)

Japanese: すぐに分かります
Reading: sugu ni wakarimasu
  • 駅はあの銀行の裏です。すぐに分かりますよ。
    Eki wa ano ginkō no ura desu. Sugu ni wakarimasu yo.
    The station is behind that bank. You won’t miss it.

13- You will see xxx on the right / left side

Japanese: XXXは右 / 左に見えます
Reading: XXX wa migi / hidari ni miemasu 
  • この道をまっすぐ行くと、駅が左に見えます。
    Kono michi o massugu iku to, eki ga hidari ni miemasu.
    When you go straight on this road, you will see the station on the left side.


A Japanese Taxi The door of a Japanese taxi opens automatically for you.

6. Other Useful Phrases for Asking Directions with Map/Phone


Basic Questions

Even if you’re using your phone to search for directions, it’s often confusing and difficult to figure it out in a foreign country. Here’s a list of useful phrases for asking directions in Japanese using a map or phone.

1- Can you indicate … on this map?

Japanese: …をこの地図で示してください。
Reading: …o kono chizu de shimeshite kudasai
  • 西新宿2丁目の2をこの地図で示してください。
    Nishi-Shinjuku ni-chō-me no ni o kono chizu de shimeshite kudasai.
    Can you indicate 2-2 Nishi-Shinjuku, please?

2- Please type the name of XXX on my phone / Google Maps

Japanese: 私の電話 / グーグルマップにXXXの名前を打ってください。
Reading: watashi no denwa / Gūguru Mappu ni XXX no namae o utte kudasai.
  • グーグルマップに両国国技館の名前を打ってください。
    Gūguru Mappu ni Ryōgoku Kokugikan (Kokugikan 国技館) no namae o utte kudasai.
    Please type the name of the Ryōgoku Sumo Hall on Google Maps.

3- Can you find XXX on Google Maps, please?

Japanese: XXXをグーグルマップで探してくれませんか。
Reading: XXX o Gūguru Mappu de sagashite kuremasen ka.
  • この住所をグーグルマップで探してくれませんか。
    Kono jūsho o Gūguru Mappu de sagashite kuremasen ka.
    Can you find this address on Google Maps, please?


Person Using a Smartphone It’s useful to use a smartphone to search for locations, but it’s sometimes difficult to search for things in foreign languages.

7. Conclusion: How JapanesePod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese


In this article, we introduced the vocabulary and phrases for giving and asking directions in Japanese, including the basic cardinal directions for reading the map. When you ask Chikatetsu no eki wa doko desu ka. (“Where is the subway station?”), you should now be able to understand someone’s reply while giving directions in Japanese: Chikatetsu no eki e wa kono michi o massugu susumimasu. (“Go straight on this road to the subway station”).

I hope you enjoy getting around in Japan smoothly after learning directions in Japanese here!

Are there any phrases or direction vocabulary in Japanese you still want to know? Leave your comments and let us know; we look forward to hearing from you!

If you would like to learn more about the Japanese language and other useful Japanese phrases for various situations, you’ll find a lot more helpful content on JapanesePod101.com. We provide a variety of free lessons for you to improve your Japanese language skills. For example, here’s some more information about directions in Japanese with audio: Direction Words, Kanji for Direction and Position, and Position / Direction.

To learn how to make conversations in Japanese, check out Top 15 Questions You Should Know for Conversations and Top 10 Conversational Phrases. Survival Words & Phrases for Your Next Trip to Japan, Traveling, and Top 30 Travel Phrases You Should Know are also useful if plan on traveling to Japan.

There’s still so much more! Learn faster and enjoy studying Japanese at JapanesePod101.com!

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Learn the Most Useful Compliments in Japanese

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Giving compliments makes people feel important and happy, and compliments are a great way to express your positive feelings. However, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do!” There’s a particular way that people give and respond to compliments in Japanese.

Before giving compliments in Japanese, keep this in mind: Humbleness and modesty are the most important values in Japanese culture. Therefore, it’s considered bad manners to show off and explicitly exhibit your abilities and achievements. For this reason, people aren’t used to receiving a lot of praise.

However, it’s still a good thing to give a compliment when someone has great traits or has done wonderful things. Giving compliments is a useful way to improve communication and your relationships with others.

Let’s learn the most useful Japanese compliments and how to give them at JapanesePod101.com!

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Table of Contents

  1. Complimenting Someone’s Appearance
  2. Complimenting Someone’s Work
  3. Complimenting Someone’s Skills
  4. How to Make Your Compliments Sound More Sincere
  5. What to Expect After Giving Compliments
  6. Conclusion: How JapanesePod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

1. Complimenting Someone’s Appearance

Compliments

In Japanese culture, compliments aren’t given directly, contrary to compliments in other cultures (such as American). Compliments in Japanese tend to be mild, indirect, and euphemistic.

1 – Hair

Casual:
髪の毛切った?ショートヘア似合うね。かわいい (かっこいい) ね!
Kaminoke kitta? Shōto hea niau ne. Kawaii (kakkoii) ne !
“Did you cut your hair? The short hairstyle suits you well. You are cute (handsome)!”

The Japanese compliment above is in the casual style. In order to say it politely, change the predicate 述語 (Jyutsugo) to the polite honorific 丁寧語 (Teineigo).

Polite:
髪の毛切りましたか。ショートヘア似合いますね。かわいい (かっこいい) ですね!
Kaminoke kirimashita ka. Shōto hea niaimasu ne. Kawaii (kakkoii) desu ne !

2 – Outfit

Casual:
そのシャツいいね。
Sono shatsu ii ne.

Polite:
そのシャツいいですね。
Sono shatsu ii desu ne.
 
Meaning: “That shirt is good.” (“Your shirt looks good.” )

Casual:
そのスカート素敵だね。どこで買ったの?
Sono sukāto suteki da ne. Doko de katta no?

Polite:
そのスカート素敵ですね。どこで買いましたか。
Sono sukāto suteki desu ne. Doko de kaimashita ka.

Meaning: “That skirt is nice. (Your skirt looks nice.) Where did you buy it?”

3 – Smile

Casual:
笑顔が素敵だね /かわいいね。
Egao ga suteki da ne / kawaii ne.

Polite:
笑顔が素敵ですね /かわいいですね。
Egao ga suteki desu ne / kawaii desu ne.

Meaning: “(Your) smile is nice / pretty.”

4 – General

Casual:
彼女はとても美人だね。
Kanojo wa totemo bijin da ne.

Polite:
彼女はとても美人ですね。
Kanojo wa totemo bijin desu ne.

Meaning: “She is very beautiful.”

Casual:
彼は背が高くてハンサムだね。
Kare wa se ga takakute hansamu da ne.

Polite:
彼は背が高くてハンサムですね。
Kare wa se ga takakute hansamu desu ne.

Meaning: “He is tall and handsome.”

Two Japanese Women Talking and Laughing Over Coffee

How to compliment a Japanese girl: Egao ga totemo kawaii ne. = “Your smile is very cute.”

2. Complimenting Someone’s Work

In Japanese business settings, people typically use the formal and honorific language. Some people use casual language toward younger subordinates, but you should never use casual language when talking to your boss, seniors, or clients, because it’s very rude and inappropriate. Following is a list of the best compliments in Japanese for the workplace.

5 – Good job! / Well done!

Casual: 良くやったな!(Yoku yatta na!)
Polite: 良くやりましたね!(Yoku yarimashita ne!)

6 – Great work! / Excellent! / Bravo!

Casual: お見事!(O-migoto!)
Polite: お見事です!(O-migoto desu!)

7 – (Your) presentation today was very good.

Casual: 今日のプレゼンとても良かったよ。(Kyō no purezen totemo yokatta yo.)
Polite: 今日のプレゼンとても良かったです。(Kyō no purezen totemo yokatta desu.)

8 – That’s a nice idea with pretty good sense.

Casual: なかなかセンスの良いアイディアだね。(Nakanaka sensu no ii aidia da ne.)
Polite: なかなかセンスの良いアイディアですね。(Nakanaka sensu no ii aidia desu ne.)

9 – You are amazing to have solved that difficult matter easily.

Casual: あの難しい案件を簡単に解決させてすごいね。(Ano muzukashii anken o kantan ni kaiketsu sasete sugoi ne.)
Polite: あの難しい案件を簡単に解決させてすごいですね。(Ano muzukashii anken o kantan ni kaiketsu sasete sugoi desu ne.)

* すごい (sugoi) is a Japanese adjective which can be translated as “great,” “amazing,” “wonderful,” “cool,” etc. This is often used when something or someone has strong abilities.

The casual phrase すごいね (Sugoi ne) and polite phrase すごいですね (Sugoi desu ne) are very useful phrases you can use in many situations. They can be used just like “Wow!” in English.

Two Businessmen Shaking Hands

Here’s a compliment for a Japanese businessman: Kyō no purezen totemo yokatta desu. = “Presentation today was very good.”

3. Complimenting Someone’s Skills

10 – The meal is very delicious! You are good at cooking. (You are a good cook!)

Casual: ご飯がとてもおいしいよ!料理上手いね!(Gohan ga totemo oishii yo! Ryōri umai ne!)
Polite: ご飯がとてもおいしいです!料理上手いですね!(Gohan ga totemo oishii desu! Ryōri umai desu ne!)

11 – You have skills and a good sense of photography.

Casual: 写真のスキルがあって、センスもいいね。(Shashin no sukiru ga atte, sensu mo ii ne.)
Polite: 写真のスキルがあって、センスもいいですね。(Shashin no sukiru ga atte, sensu mo ii desu ne.)

12 – Your English is very fluent!

Casual: 英語がすごくペラペラだね!(Eigo ga sugoku perapera da ne!)
Polite: 英語がすごくペラペラですね!(Eigo ga sugoku perapera desu ne!)

*ペラペラ (Perapera) is a Japanese onomatopoeia which expresses a state of fluent speech.

13 – You run really fast! You could participate in the Olympic Games!

Casual: 足がすごく速いね!オリンピックに出られそうだね!(Ashi ga sugoku hayai ne! Orinpikku ni deraresō da ne!)
Polite: 足がすごく速いですね!オリンピックに出られそうですね!(Ashi ga sugoku hayai desu ne! Orinpikku ni deraresō desu ne!)

14 – You are (so) amazing that you can do anything!

Casual: 何でもできてすごいね!(Nan demo dekite sugoi ne!)
Polite: 何でもできてすごいですね!(Nan demo dekite sugoi desu ne!)

Someone Doing Japanese Calligraphy with a Brush

Good handwriting skills are praised in Japan as it’s considered a skill of the well-educated and sophisticated.

4. How to Make Your Compliments Sound More Sincere

Sometimes, compliments sound fake when you praise too much or only use words. Here are some tips for giving sincere Japanese compliments to avoid sounding empty.

1 – Avoid Direct and Exaggerated Expressions

As mentioned in the introduction, many Japanese people aren’t used to receiving compliments, especially when they’re very direct.

It becomes more natural and sounds real when you make a comment with euphemistic and indecisive expressions, and avoid using straightforward words.

For example:

Not Good
豪華なスカートを履いていますね。
Gōka na sukāto o haite imasu ne.
“You are wearing a gorgeous skirt.”

Good
ファッションのセンスが素敵ですね。
Fasshon no sensu ga suteki desu ne.
“Your fashion sense is nice.”

Not Good
君の瞳はとても美しいよ。
Kimi no hitomi wa totemo utsukushii yo.
“Your eyes are very beautiful.”

Good
笑顔がとても素敵だね。
Egao ga totemo suteki da ne.
“Your smile is very nice.”

2 – Don’t Praise; Tell Instead

When you compliment someone in Japanese, it sounds more natural and real when you tell them casually instead of actually praising them. The key point is to say positive things to him/her casually and naturally in the flow of conversation.

For example:

When a boy likes a girl, he shouldn’t just give her compliments one after another whenever he wants: “You are cute today, too,” “You’re so nice,” “You have a pretty hairstyle.”

However, he can give positive comments during a conversation if the situation allows for it:

At a cafe, if the girl he likes pours water to refill his glass, he can say ありがとう、優しいね (arigatō, yasashii ne.), which means “Thank you, you are kind.”

Or, when she shows him pictures of her trip, he can tell her 楽しそうだね、笑ってる顔がとてもかわいいよ(tanoshisō da ne, waratte ru kao ga totemo kawaii yo.), which means “It looks fun, your smiling face is very cute.”

3 – Refer to Someone to Add Credit

When you give compliments, refer to someone else’s comment in order to avoid direct compliments, and to add credit to make it more realistic.

For example:

田中さんは仕事ができる人だと上司が言っていました。私も本当にそう思います。
Tanaka-san wa shigoto ga dekiru hito da to jōshi ga itte imashita. Watashi mo hontō ni sō omoimasu.
“My boss said that Tanaka-san is someone who is good at his job. I really think so, too.”

みんなも言っているように、君はとても優しいね。
Minna mo itte iru yō ni, kimi wa totemo yasashii ne.
“As everyone is saying, you are very thoughtful.”

5. What to Expect After Giving Compliments

Positive Feelings

As mentioned, modesty and humbleness are important values in Japanese culture, and Japanese people aren’t used to receiving a lot of compliments or direct expressions of praise from others.

While American people usually receive compliments with confidence and pride, Japanese people often receive them with hesitance and a shy feeling. Some Japanese people may reply with negative or denial phrases to express their humbleness, rather than admitting their good ability/quality. Doing so would be considered boasting and showing pride.

Response Examples :

1.

Casual: 全然そんなことないよ (zenzen sonna koto nai yo)
Polite: 全然そんなことないです (zenzen sonna koto nai desu.)
Meaning: “(I’m) not (that) at all.”

This phrase is one of the most typical responses to compliments in Japanese. Often, compliments are met with denial, and 全然〜ない (zenzen — nai) is a common expression which means “not — at all.”

A:
ドイツ語をペラペラ話せてすごいね!
Doitsugo o perapera hanasete sugoi ne!   
“You are great that you can speak German fluently!”

B:
全然すごくないよ。
Zenzen sugoku nai yo.  
“I’m not great at all.”

2.

Casual: もっと上手くできたのだけど… (Motto umaku dekita no da kedo…)
Polite: もっと上手くできたのですが… (Motto umaku dekita no desu ga…)
Meaning: “I could have done better…”

This is another typical response to Japanese compliments. Saying that he or she could have done better is a way of showing modesty and that he/she needs to keep making an effort rather than satisfying the status quo.

A:
今日のプレゼンとても良かったですよ!
Kyō no purezen totemo yokatta desu yo!   
“Your presentation was very good today!”

B:
そうですか?もっと上手くできたのですが…
Sō desu ka? Motto umaku dekita no desu ga…
“Was it? I could have done better…”

3.

Casual: (OOOの)足元にも及ばないよ ([OOO no] ashimoto ni mo oyobanai yo)
Polite: (OOOの)足元にも及びません ([OOO no] ashimoto ni mo oyobimasen)
Meaning: “can’t hold a candle to (OOO)” / “nowhere near as good as (OOO)”

This phrase is usually used in formal settings to respond to compliments. It literally means “I don’t even reach (someone’s) feet.” It expresses modesty by referring to someone better than you, and often, it’s the person who gave the compliment. This phrase is also used as お世辞 (O-seji), or “flattery,” to flatter a boss or client for smoother communication and relationships in traditional Japanese business customs.

Boss:
今日の商談良くやったな!君は強い交渉力を持っている。
Kyō no shōdan yoku yatta na! Kimi wa tsuyoi kōshōryoku o motte iru.
“Well done with the business today! You have a strong negotiation skill.”

Subordinate:
部長の足元にも及びません!
Buchō no ashimoto ni mo oyobimasen!
“I’m nowhere near as good as you, Director!”

For more useful phrases for business, please check out Phrases for Doing Business Successfully and Must-Know Expressions for Agreeing and Disagreeing.

A Tranquil Garden and Temple in Japan
The important Japanese value of modesty is reflected in phrases toward compliments.

6. Conclusion: How JapanesePod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

In this article, we introduced the most useful Japanese compliments and how to give/respond to compliments in Japanese. Did you find it interesting that Japanese compliments are quite a reflection of Japanese culture? Always remember not to start bragging about your skills or traits after receiving a compliment in Japan!

If you would like to learn more about the Japanese language and other useful Japanese phrases for different situations, you’ll find much more helpful content on JapanesePod101.com. We provide a variety of free lessons for you to improve your Japanese language skills.

Here’s some more information about compliments in Japanese with audio:

Together with compliments, learn the Top 20 Words for Positive Emotions!

And that’s not all! Learn faster and enjoy studying Japanese at JapanesePod101.com!

Before you go, let us know in the comments if there are any Japanese compliments you still want to know! We’d be glad to help, and look forward to hearing from you!

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Getting Angry in Japanese: 20+ Useful Japanese Angry Phrases

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It’s essential to be able to express your feelings when communicating with others in everyday life. Knowing how to express your emotions in Japanese, including anger, will help you have smoother communication with Japanese people. Although showing anger with swear words isn’t common in Japanese culture, there are various angry phrases in Japanese you can use.

Knowing angry phrases, and how to show that you’re angry in Japanese, will not only help you understand Japanese anime and Japanese TV shows better, but it will also improve your conversation and communication skills.

In this article, we’ll introduce useful angry Japanese expressions and phrases to help you discuss your emotions. Let’s learn various expressions here at JapanesePod101!

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Table of Contents

  1. Angry Imperatives
  2. Angry Warnings
  3. Angry Blames
  4. Describing How You Feel
  5. Phrases to Calm Someone Down
  6. Conclusion: How JapanesePod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

1. Angry Imperatives

Complaints

The following phrases are commonly used phrases in the imperative form for expressing anger in Japanese.

1 – Shut up.

  • 黙れ (damare) — impolite, order form
  • うるさい (urusai) — literally means “noisy”

Damare is a very hostile and impolite expression. You probably won’t hear this in daily conversations, but maybe in Japanese anime, especially those that are adventurous or involve lots of battles. Urusai is very casual and it’s a soft way to express “Shut up.”

Example

A: またアイス食べてるの?太るよ。
A: Mata aisu tabete ru no? Futoru yo.
A: “Are you eating ice cream again? You’ll get fat.”

B: うるさいな、ほっといて!
B: Urusai na, hottoite !
B: “Shut up, leave me alone!”

2 – Stop it.

  • やめて (yamete) — casual
  • やめなさい (yamenasai) — polite, order form
  • やめろ (yamero) — impolite, order form

Yamete is a very casual and commonly used expression. Yamenasai is polite and usually said by a person in a superior position toward a person(s) in a lower position. Yamero is a very casual and impolite way to express “Stop it.”

Example

Mari:
やめて!ママ、お兄ちゃんがぶった!
Yamete! Mama, o-nii-chan ga butta!
“Stop it! Mom, my (big) brother hit me!”

Takashi:
マリが先に僕を押してきたんだ!
Mari ga saki ni boku o oshite kita n da!
“Mari pushed me first!”

Mom:
2人ともやめなさい!
Futari tomo yamenasai!
“Both of you, stop it!”

“Stop it, I don’t wanna hear it. ” = Yamete, kikitakunai.

3 – Cut it out.

  • やめて (yamete) — casual
  • いい加減にして (iikagen ni shite) — casual

Iikagen ni shite is a very useful expression which literally means “Be in good moderation.” It can be translated as “That’s enough,” “Cut it out,” and “Stop it.”

Example

いい加減にして!今すぐやめないと警察を呼ぶよ!
Iikagen ni shite ! Ima sugu yamenai to keisatsu o yobu yo!
“Cut it out! I will call the police if you don’t stop now!”

4 – Leave me alone.

  • ほっといてよ (Hottoite yo)

Hottoite yo is a casual expression that’s typically used between people who are in a close relationship, such as family members and close friends.

Example

もう子供じゃないんだから、ほっといてよ!
Mō kodomo ja nai n da kara, hottoite yo!
“I’m not a child anymore, leave me alone!”

Little Girl Pouting

“I’m not a kid anymore, leave me alone!” = Mō kodomo ja nai n da kara, hottoite yo!

5 – Get lost.

  • 失せろ (usero) — impolite, order form

You’re likely to hear this expression in Japanese anime and movies. Usero is a very impolite and hostile expression which you’ll probably hear used by a very angry Japanese man or yakuza in a movie.

Example

失せろ!2度と姿を現わすな!
Usero! Ni-do to sugata o arawasu na!
“Get lost! Never show up again!”

2. Angry Warnings

Use these angry Japanese phrases to let someone know they’re going too far and it’s time to back off!

1 – Don’t mess with me.

  • 私に関わらないで (watashi ni kakawaranaide) — casual
  • 俺に関わるな (ore ni kakawaru na) — masculine

Watashi ni kakawaranaide is milder and a bit more feminine, while ore ni kakawaru na is a stronger, masculine expression. They both have the connotation of “Don’t get involved with me.”

There are various Japanese personal pronouns. Watashi is for the unisex “I” in the formal style, but it sounds more feminine in the informal style. Ore is commonly used by men in very casual situations.

Example

私に関わらないで。さもないと、大変な目にあうよ。
Watashi ni kakawaranaide. Samonaito, taihen na me ni au yo.
“Don’t mess with me, or you’ll have a hard time.”

2 – You’re asking for trouble.

  • 面倒 / 厄介なことになるよ (mendō / yakkai na koto ni naru yo)

This is a very useful phrase that you can use in many different situations. If you want to say it in a polite way, change the last word to narimasu yo.

Example

そんなことしたら、面倒なことになるよ。
Sonna koto shitara, mendō na koto ni naru yo.
“You’re asking for trouble if you do so.”

3 – Don’t make me say it again.

  • 同じことを何度も言わせないで (onaji koto o nan-do mo iwasenaide)

This is another very common phrase you can use in many situations. If you want to say it in a polite way, add the word ください (kudasai) to the end.

Example

片付けをして!同じことを何度も言わせないで。
Katazuke o shite! Onaji koto o nan-do mo iwasenaide.
“Clean up! Don’t make me say it again.”

Negative Verbs

4 – This is my last warning.

  • これが最後の警告だ (kore ga saigo no keikoku da)

You’re likely to hear this Japanese angry phrase in TV shows or movies. If you want to say it in a polite way, change the word だ (da) at the end to です (desu).

Example

これが最後の警告です。次は訴えます。
Kore ga saigo no keikoku desu. Tsugi wa uttaemasu.
“This is my last warning, I will sue you next time.”

5 – I can’t tolerate anymore.

  • もう我慢できない (mō gaman dekinai)
  • もう耐えられない (mō taerarenai)

These are commonly used angry Japanese sayings when someone can’t stand something anymore. If you want to say it in a polite way, conjugate the negative form ない (nai) to the polite ません (masen).

Example

もう我慢できない!今すぐそのうるさい音楽を止めろ!
Mō gaman dekinai! Ima sugu sono urusai ongaku o tomero!
“I can’t stand anymore! Stop that loud music right away!”

Angry Bald Man Screaming at Someone

“I can’t tolerate this person anymore !” = Kono hito ni wa mō taerare nai!

6 – Watch your mouth.

  • 言葉に気をつけろ (kotoba ni ki o tsukero) — order form

This rough phrase is commonly used by angry Japanese people in TV shows and movies. If you want to say it in a milder way, change the word つけろ (tsukero) to つけなさい (tsukenasai), or even more politely, つけてください (tsukete kudasai).

Example

親に向かってその口の聞き方はなんだ!言葉に気をつけなさい!
Oya ni mukatte sono kuchi no kikikata wa nan da! Kotoba ni ki o tsukenasai!
“Don’t you dare talk to your parent like that! Watch your mouth!”

3. Angry Blames

1 – Who do you think you are?

  • 何様のつもり?(nani-sama no tsumori?) — casual

This is a casual phrase that you can use with people you’re close to, such as family or friends. When you want to imply a stronger meaning, add お前 (omae), a rude form of “you,” in front of the phrase.

Example

私に全部家事をやらせて、あなた何様のつもり?私は家政婦じゃないのよ!
Watashi ni zenbu kaji o yarasete, anata nani-sama no tsumori? Watashi wa kaseifu ja nai no yo!
“Who do you think you are to make me do all the house chores? I’m not a housemaid!”

2 – Are you out of your mind?

  • 頭おかしいんじゃないの?(atama okashii n ja nai no?) — casual
  • 正気ですか (shōki desu ka) — polite

Atama okashii n ja nai no? is a casual phrase that’s used among close friends or family members, while shōki desu ka is a more polite expression that can be used in workplaces.

Example

何でこうしたの?頭おかしんじゃないの?
Nande kō shita no? Atama okashii n ja nai no?
“Why did you do this? Are you out of your mind?”

Female Colleague Scolding Male Colleague

“How could you say that? Who do you think you are?” = Yokumo sonna koto ieta wa ne, nani-sama no tsumori?

3 – What’s wrong with you?

  • あなた一体どうしたの?(anata ittai dō shita no?)

This casual phrase is used to express frustration at someone’s unreasonable behavior.

Example

今すぐやめて!あなた一体どうしたのよ!
Ima sugu yamete! Anata ittai dō shita no yo!
“Stop it right now! What’s wrong with you?”

4 – Listen to me.

  • ちゃんと聞いて (chanto kiite) — casual
  • ちゃんと聞きなさい (chanto kikinasai) — polite

Chanto kiite is a casual phrase that’s used among family and friends, while chanto kikinasai is the polite and imperative form which is usually used by a superior/senior person to a junior person.

Example

言い訳をやめてちゃんと聞きなさい!
Iiwake o yamete chanto kikinasai !
“Stop making excuses and listen to me!”

5 – It’s your fault.

  • あなたのせいだ (anata no sei da)

This phrase is casual and commonly used. When お前 (Omae) is used instead of あなた (anata), it becomes an even stronger expression. This is because お前 (Omae) is a rude way of saying “you.”

Example

全部あなたのせいです。責任とってください。
Zenbu anata no sei desu. Sekinin totte kudasai.
“It’s all your fault. Take responsibility for it.”

6 – It’s none of your business.

  • あなたに関係ない (anata ni kankei nai)

This phrase is casual and commonly used. In order to say it more politely, use ありません (arimasen) instead of ない (nai).

Example

これは私的なことで、あなたに関係ありません。
Kore wa shiteki na koto de, anata ni kankei arimasen.
“This is a private matter and none of your business.”

4. Describing How You Feel

Now that you’ve learned how to get angry in Japanese, let’s take a look at how to describe your emotions or why you’re angry.

1 – It’s getting on my nerves.

  • イライラする (iraira suru) — casual

This is a casual phrase that’s commonly used. Especially among younger people, 超ムカつく (chō mukatsuku) is also frequently used, and is considered 若者言葉 (youngster language).

Example

彼のそのような態度にイライラする。
Kare no sono yō na taido ni iraira suru.
“His attitude gets on my nerves.”

2 – I’m fed up with it.

  • うんざりだ (unzari da)

This phrase is casual and very common to use. By adding する (suru), meaning “do,” or its conjugated form next to うんざり (unzari), you can also use it as a verb.

Example

彼女の言い訳にうんざりします。
Kanojo no iiwake ni unzari shimasu.
“I’m fed up with her excuses.”

3 – I hate it.

  • 嫌だ (iya da)

This is a casual phrase that’s frequently used to express one’s discomfort. To say it more politely, use です(desu) instead of だ (da).

Example

嫌だ!歯医者に行きたくない!
Iya da! Haisha ni ikitakunai!
“I hate it! I don’t want to go to the dentist!”

Man Fed Up with Life

“I hate it! I wanna quit! ” = Iya da! Mō yametai!

4 – I’m disappointed.

  • がっかりだ (gagari da) — casual
  • 失望しました (shitsubō shimashita) — polite

がっかりだ (gagari da) is the casual phrase, while 失望しました (shitsubō shimashita) is a more polite form that can be used in formal situations.

Example

彼のプレゼンのひどい内容に失望しました。
Kare no purezen no hidoi naiyō ni shitsubō shimashita.
“I’m disappointed with the terrible content of his presentation.”

5. Phrases to Calm Someone Down

1 – Take a deep breath.

  • 深呼吸して (shinkokyū shite) — casual

深呼吸 (shinkokyū) is “a deep breath” and して (shite) is the conjugated form of する (suru), meaning “do.” If you want to say it more politely, add the word ください (kudasai) at the end.

Example

頭にきたら、深呼吸して10秒数えてください。
Atama ni kitara, shinkokyū shite jū-byō kazoete kudasai.
“When you get angry, take a deep breath and count ten seconds.”

2 – Calm down.

  • 落ち着いて (ochitsuite)

This is a conjugated form of 落ち着く (ochitsuku), which means “relax.” If you want to say it more politely, add the word ください (kudasai) at the end.

Example

騒がず落ち着いてください。
Sawagazu ochitsuite kudasai.
“Please don’t make a fuss and calm down.”

Woman Meditating on the Beach

“Let’s take a deep breath and calm down.” = Shinkokyū shite ochitsukimashō.

3 – Write it down.

  • 書き出して (kakidashite)

The word 書き出して (kakidashite) consists of 書く (kaku), meaning “write,” and 出す (dasu), meaning “out.” If you want to say it more politely, add the word ください (kudasai) at the end.

In Japanese culture, 写経 (Shakyō) (Sutra copying and writing) of Buddhism is considered the action of calming one’s mind by concentrating only on writing, without thinking about anything else. This is done to empty one’s mind.

Example

ケンカの時は大声を出す前に、紙に嫌なことを書き出して。
Kenka no toki wa ōgoe o dasu mae ni, kami ni iya na koto o kakidashite.
“When quarreling, write down the things you don’t like on paper before yelling.”

4 – Think from a different point of view.

  • 違う観点から考えて (chigau kanten kara kangaete)

It’s always good to try to see things from different angles; this also changes the way you think about things.

Example

こんな時は、違う観点から考えてみよう。
Kona toki wa, chigau kanten kara kangaete miyō.
“Let’s think from a different point of view at times like this.”

For more angry phrases in Japanese, and to hear Japanese pronunciation, see
Phrases to Use When You’re Angry.

6. Conclusion: How JapanesePod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

In this article, we introduced 20+ useful angry phrases in Japanese. Although Japanese people don’t often show angry emotions expressly, it’s helpful to know some angry phrases in Japanese for better understanding and communication.

Do you feel ready to express your anger in Japanese now? Let us know in the comments!

If you would like to learn more about the Japanese language and other useful Japanese phrases for different situations, you’ll find much more helpful content on JapanesePod101.com. We provide a variety of free lessons for you to help you improve your Japanese language skills. For example, here’s some more information about expressing emotions in Japanese, with audio:

To learn how to hold conversations in Japanese, check out Top 15 Questions You Should Know for Conversations and Top 10 Conversational Phrases.

And there’s much more! Learn Japanese faster and enjoy studying the language and culture at JapanesePod101.com!

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Life Event Messages: Happy Birthday in Japanese & More

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Giving proper greetings and celebration messages is essential in making relationships better. Whether you have Japanese friends online, live in Japan, or just want to understand Japanese culture, it’s good to know how Japanese people celebrate events and what they say. Once you learn how to say Happy Birthday in Japanese, Happy New Year in Japanese, and Merry Christmas in Japanese, use them practically with your friends!

Japan has various life and annual events to celebrate. Some of them come from the Western culture, such as Christmas and Valentine’s Day. But there are unique Japanese traditions as well, such as the twentieth and sixtieth birthdays, also called 成人 (Seijin) and 還暦 (Kanreki) respectively.

So, how do you wish someone well in Japanese? In this article, we introduce practical life event messages. Let’s master holiday greetings in Japanese, and more, here at JapanesePod101!

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Table of Contents

  1. Birthday + Turning 20 Years Old
  2. Japanese Congratulations: Graduation
  3. Japanese Congratulations: New Job / Promotion
  4. Retirement + Turning 60 Years Old
  5. Japanese Congratulations: Wedding & Marriage
  6. Japanese Congratulations: Pregnancy and Birth
  7. Bad News
  8. Injured/Sick
  9. Death/Funerals: Offering Condolences in Japanese Culture
  10. Holidays
  11. Conclusion: How JapanesePod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

1. Birthday + Turning 20 Years Old

Happy Birthday

As is the case in other cultures, birthdays are a happy celebration in Japan. Japanese people celebrate one’s birthday with a cake with candles, and by singing the Happy Birthday to You song in English (Japanese people also sing this song in English because it’s very easy and simple). In most cases, people have a birthday party, and friends and family give gifts to the birthday person.

A person’s twentieth birthday is very important in Japanese culture, because this is the official age of maturity, called 成人 (Seijin) in Japan, and one is officially recognized as an adult. Apart from individual twentieth birthday celebrations, Japan has the national holiday 成人の日 (Seijin no Hi), or “Coming of Age Day,” on the second Monday of January every year.

Check out our Coming of Age Day page for related Japanese vocabulary.

Here are phrases to say Happy Birthday in Japanese.

1- Happy birthday!

Japanese: (お) 誕生日おめでとう!
Pronunciation: (O)tanjōbi omedetō!

It literally translates to “birthday (tanjōbi) congratulations (omedetō).” It sounds more polite when you put お (O) in front of tanjōbi.

When you want to say it during a formal occasion, or to an older person, add ございます (gozaimasu) to the end, which makes it even more polite.

2- Belated happy birthday!

 
                  
Japanese: 遅くなったけど、(お)誕生日おめでとう!
Pronunciation: Osoku natta kedo, (o)tanjōbi omedetō!

You can still wish your friends a happy birthday, even if you weren’t able to do so on the actual day!

Osoku natta kedo means “It’s late, but…” To make it more polite and formal, say Osoku narimashita kedo.

3- Wish you enjoy a special day!

                   
Japanese: 特別な日を楽しんでね!
Pronunciation: Tokubetsu na hi o tanoshinde ne!

A birthday is a special day, and when you want the birthday girl/boy to enjoy it, you can tell her/him this phrase.

To say it politely in a formal way, change ね (ne) to ください (kudasai).

Birthday Party

It’s common to sing Happy Birthday to You in Japan.

2. Japanese Congratulations: Graduation

Basic Questions

Whether it’s a kindergarten or university, completing school is worth a happy celebration. Japanese schools have both entrance and graduation ceremonies at the schools, which family members also attend.

Graduation from a university is often a big celebration, especially for the graduate’s parents who get to experience the fulfilling feeling of having finished raising their child. Graduates also celebrate with friends for their achievements and the good memories they made together.

Here are phrases for celebrating graduation.

1- Congratulations for your graduation!

                  

Japanese: 卒業おめでとう!
Pronunciation: Sotsugyō omedetō!

It literally translates to “graduation (sotsugyō) congratulations (omedetō).” For formal occasions, such as when a school principal is addressing students, add ございます (gozaimasu) to the end. This makes it polite and respectful.

2- Well done for striving for four years!

            
Japanese: 大変な4年間よく頑張ったね!
Pronunciation: Taihen na yo-nenkan yoku ganbatta ne!

You can say this phrase to family members or friends. When you just want to say “well done,” it’s yoku ganbatta ne.

3- Lead your way step by step to make your dream come true.

      

Japanese: 夢に向かって一歩一歩進んでください。
Pronunciation: Yume ni mukatte ippo ippo susunde kudasai.

This phrase is often used by parents or seniors to a new graduate to encourage his/her new path in life.

It literally means “toward a dream (yume ni mukatte),” “step by step (ippo ippo),” and “go forward (susunde kudasai),” in a polite way.

Crowd of Graduates

Graduation of Japanese schools is in March.

3. Japanese Congratulations: New Job / Promotion

When a new university graduate gets a new job, family and friends celebrate him/her, usually by going out for a nice dinner. Some parents give a gift that will be useful for their work, such as a watch or a set of suits. In return, the child takes his or her parents out for a nice dinner once he/she gets their first salary.

When someone has a job promotion, family, friends, and sometimes his/her boss and team, celebrate him/her. It doesn’t necessarily involve giving a gift, but people go out for a drink or dinner, in most cases.

Here are phrases to celebrate getting a new job/promotion in Japanese.

1- Congratulations for your new job / promotion!

                
Japanese: 就職 / 昇進おめでとう!
Pronunciation: Shūshoku / Shōshin omedetō!

It literally translates to “employment (shūshoku) / promotion (shōshin),” and “congratulations (omedetō).” You can use this phrase to congratulate your friends, family, and younger colleagues.

Coworkers Celebrating

In Japan, the start of work for newly employed graduates is usually in April.

2- Good luck in your new workplace.

Japanese: 新しい職場で頑張ってね。
Pronunciation: Atarashī shokuba de ganbatte ne.

This is a very useful phrase to use when your friend or family member gets a new job.

It breaks down to “at new workplace (atarashii shokuba de),” and “strive well (ganbatte ne).” If you want to say it more politely for a formal setting, change ね (ne) to ください (kudasai).

3- I’m looking forward to your success.

   
Japanese: あなたの活躍を楽しみにしています。
Pronunciation: Anata no katsuyaku o tanoshimi ni shite imasu.

This is a polite phrase that a family member or boss/elder colleague can tell someone who gets a new job or a promotion. It breaks down to “your success (anata no katsuyaku),” and “I’m looking forward to (tanoshimi ni shite imasu).”

4. Retirement + Turning 60 Years Old

Talking About Age

Traditionally, the age of retirement in Japan is sixty. In the traditional Japanese employment system, called 終身雇用 (Shūshin koyō), or “life-time employment,” retirement means that someone has finished working by serving a company for some decades. It’s considered honorable and respectable.

Not only family, but also his/her company and colleagues, often have a celebration party with flowers and gifts. Nowadays, due to an increase in the aging population, active and healthy seniors continue to work after they turn sixty years old, sometimes until their sixty-fifth of seventieth birthday.

On the other hand, turning sixty years old is considered good fortune and a cause to celebrate; this celebration is called 還暦 (Kanreki). Following the traditional sixty-year calendar cycle of the lunar calendar, turning sixty means accomplishing its cycle. Thus, it’s the beginning of another cycle in his/her life. The person’s family celebrates him/her by giving gifts in red, which is the color of fortune.

Below are phrases to celebrate retirement/sixtieth birthdays in Japanese.

1- Congratulations for your retirement!

Japanese: 定年退職おめでとう!
Pronunciation: Teinen taishoku omedetō!

This is a very common phrase of congratulations. It literally translates to “retirement age resignation (teinen taishoku) congratulations (omedetō).”

When you want to say it for a formal occasion, add ございます (gozaimasu) to the end; this makes it even more polite.

2- Well done for 30 years of contribution.

Japanese: 30年間の献身お疲れ様でした。
Pronunciation: San-jū-nenkan no kenshin otsukare-sama deshita.

お疲れ様 (Otsukare-sama) is one of the most common Japanese untranslatable words. It has various meanings, depending on the situation. But in this case, it means “Well done.”

3- Please enjoy your new stage of life.

Japanese: 次の新しい人生を楽しんでください。
Pronunciation: Tsugi no atarashii jinsei o tanoshinde kudasai.

Retired people often spend plenty of their new free time for hobbies and enjoyment. This polite phrase is useful when you wish for someone to have a nice life after retirement.

5. Japanese Congratulations: Wedding & Marriage

Marriage Proposal

The average age of a person’s first marriage nowadays is older (around thirty) than it was some decades ago; people’s views on marriage are becoming more diverse and flexible, as well. However, getting married and having a wedding is still a big life event in Japan.

Japanese marriage traditions typically include the following:

  • 結納 (yuinō), or “engagement ceremony”
  • 入籍 (nyūseki), or “official marriage register”
  • 挙式 (kyoshiki), or “wedding ceremony”
  • 披露宴 (hirōen), or “wedding party”

The western style of wedding ceremonies is becoming very popular in Japan, although there are some people who prefer the traditional Japanese style with the 着物 (kimono).

So, how do you congratulate a wedding in Japanese? Below are phrases for celebrating marriage in Japanese.

1- Congratulations for your marriage!

Japanese: 結婚おめでとう!
Pronunciation: Kekkon omedetō!

This is a very common phrase for congratulations in Japanese when someone is getting married. It literally translates to “marriage (kekkon) congratulations (omedetō).”

When you want to say it in a formal occasion, add ございます (gozaimasu) to the end; this makes it even more polite.

2- I wish you happiness for many years to come.

   
Japanese: 末長くお幸せに。
Pronunciation: Suenagaku o-shiawase ni.

It literally translates to “for a long time (suenagaku), be happy (o-shiawase ni).” This phrase is also commonly used together with Kekkon omedetō.

3- Have a wonderful married life.

                  
Japanese: 素敵な結婚生活を送ってね。
Pronunciation: Suteki na kekkon seikatsu o okutte ne.

This is another common message for a newly married couple. When you want to say it in a formal occasion, change ね (ne) to ください (kudasai).

Man Putting Wedding Ring on Woman's Finger

Japanese weddings are conducted in either the western style or the Japanese traditional style.

6. Japanese Congratulations: Pregnancy and Birth

Pregnancy and birth are auspicious events in someone’s life. Traditionally, people give congratulation messages when a pregnant woman announces her pregnancy, and send her gifts after the baby is born. Japanese culture doesn’t have a “baby shower” celebration traditionally; however, the baby shower is becoming popular among young people due to the influence of western culture.

Below are phrases to celebrate pregnancy/birth in Japanese.

1- Congratulations for your pregnancy!

Japanese: 妊娠おめでとう!
Pronunciation: Ninshin omedetō!

For a formal occasion, change 妊娠 (ninshin), meaning “pregnancy,” to ご懐妊 (go-kainin), which is a more respectful form of the word “pregnancy,” and add ございます (gozaimasu) to the end to make it more polite and respectful. However, this form is very formal and not commonly used.

2- I wish a healthy baby will be born.

                  
Japanese: 元気な赤ちゃんが生まれますように。
Pronunciation: Genki na aka-chan ga umaremasu yō ni.

It literally means “lively baby (genki na aka-chan), be born (umaremasu)” + expression of wish (yō ni).
This phrase is also commonly used together with Ninshin omedetō.

3- Congratulations for a baby’s birth!

             
Japanese: 赤ちゃんの誕生おめでとう!
Pronunciation: Aka-chan no tanjō omedetō!

Tell this message when your friend has their baby. For a formal occasion, add ございます (gozaimasu) to the end; this makes it more polite and respectful.

7. Bad News

Life isn’t always full of happy events and celebrations, and sometimes bad things can happen in our lives. In Japanese culture, it’s very important to have empathy and give consideration to other people’s feelings. This is because the culture puts values on 和 (Wa), or harmony in our society.

When someone tells you bad news, it’s good to listen carefully first, show that you understand him/her, and then say something to cheer him/her up.

Here are some Japanese condolences messages that you can say to those who have bad news.

1- I’m sorry to hear that.

                       
Japanese: それは残念です。
Pronunciation: Sore wa zannen desu.

It literally translates to “it is regrettable (sore wa zannen)” + polite way to finish a sentence (desu).

Say this to your colleague, for example, if he confides in you that he couldn’t pass a promotion exam, or his pet has passed away.

2- I understand your feelings.

Japanese: あなたのお気持ち分かります。
Pronunciation: Anata no o-kimochi wakarimasu.

It literally translates to “your feeling [polite] (anata no o-kimochi), I understand (wakarimasu).” This is a typical message to show that you understand him/her and that you’re with him/her.

3- Cheer up!

Japanese: 元気出して!
Pronunciation: Genki dashite!

This is a very straightforward phrase to cheer someone up. Say this phrase to your friends or someone who has a close relationship with you.

8. Injured/Sick

An unexpected injury or sickness can happen anytime and to anyone. Whether it happened to your grandparent, friend, or colleague, it’s always nice to offer him or her some warm messages.

Here are some useful phrases you can say to those who get injured/sick.

1- How are you feeling?

 

Japanese: 気分はどうですか。
Pronunciation: Kibun wa dō desu ka.

This is a typical question you can ask when someone falls ill. If it’s a family member or someone very close to you, you can also say kibun wa dō? in a casual manner. Japanese people often make おかゆ (O-kayu), or “rice porridge,” for a sick person as an easy-to-digest and stomach-friendly meal.

2- I hope you get well soon.

Japanese: 早く良くなりますように。
Pronunciation: Hayaku yoku narimasu yō ni.

This is a very common and important phrase that you can tell any injured or sick person.

3- Please take care.

                       
Japanese: お大事に。
Pronunciation: O-daiji ni.

This is another very important phrase you should tell an injured/sick person. This is usually said at the end of a conversation before you leave.

For a more polite form, add なさってください (nasatte kudasai) when speaking to someone elderly or respectable.

Children Giving Their Sick Mother a Gift

Healthcare in Japan provides universal-care based on the national health insurance program.

9. Death/Funerals: Offering Condolences in Japanese Culture

While a newborn life is blessed and celebrated, any life is destined to experience death sooner or later. Death is considered a serious matter, and a funeral is usually held solemnly. Even if it happened to a person who is very close, Japanese people use formal and respectful language for messages to the deceased’s family and relatives.

Below are condolence phrases in Japanese that you can use.

1- Please accept my sincere condolences.

Japanese: お悔やみ申し上げます。
Pronunciation: O-kuyami mōshiagemasu.

This phrase is formal and commonly used to show your condolences, usually at a funeral. It literally translates to “condolence (o-kuyami), [I] say (mōshiagemasu).” Note that the last word here is the most respectful and humble expression for the word “say.”

2- I pray that his/her soul may rest in peace.

 
Japanese: ご冥福をお祈りいたします。
Pronunciation: Go-meifuku o oinori itashimasu.

This phrase is formal and very commonly used. It literally translates to “happiness in the next world (go-meifuku), [I] pray (oinori), do (itashimasu).” Note that the last word here is a humble expression.

3- I’m so sorry, I don’t know what to say.

Japanese: 御愁傷様です。なんと言っていいかわかりません。
Pronunciation: Go-shūshō-sama desu. Nan to itte ii no ka wakarimasen.

You can use this polite phrase when someone tells you that someone you know has passed away. Go-shūshō-sama refers to a thing or status that people lament and grieve.

10. Holidays

Do you know whether Japanese people celebrate Christmas in Japan? Yes, they do! However, most Japanese people don’t have any religious feeling for Christmas celebrations; it’s rather regarded as a special and romantic event for couples, or as a happy event for friends and family to eat cakes and give gifts. Christmas Day isn’t a national holiday in Japan.

On the other hand, お正月 (o-shōgatsu), or New Year’s Day, is a traditional annual festive holiday. It’s one of the most important events of the year, and family and relatives get together and celebrate the coming new year. January 1 is the actual holiday, and many companies are off from the end of the year until the first few days of January.

Here are phrases for holiday greetings in Japanese, including how to say Merry Christmas in Japanese and Japanese New Year congratulations!

1- Merry Christmas!

 
Japanese: メリークリスマス!
Pronunciation: Merī kurisumasu!

How to say Merry Christmas in Japanese is almost the same as in English. It’s directly imported in Japanese, but Japanese people pronounce it in the Japanese way. Also, it’s written merī kurisumasu.

Check out Must-Know Christmas Day Vocabulary for more Christmas-related terms in Japanese.

2- Happy New Year!

Japanese: 明けましておめでとう!
Pronunciation: Akemashite omedetō

“Happy New Year” in Japanese is akemashite omedetō, which literally means “(a new year day has) dawned (明けまして), congratulations (omedetō).” This is the most-used phrase for “happy holidays” in Japanese for the new year.

When you want to say it in a formal occasion or to an older person, add ございます (gozaimasu) to the end; this makes it even more polite.

3- To another good year!

Japanese: 今年もよろしく!
Pronunciation: Kotoshi mo yorosiku!

This phrase is very popular among friends, colleagues, and clients.

Kotoshi mo means “this year, too” and yoroshiku is another one of the most common Japanese untranslatable words. It has various meanings depending on the situation, but in this case, it means “best regards” or “favorably please.”

For more useful holiday greetings in Japanese, check out Holiday Greetings and Wishes for the Holiday Season and Happy New Year! Words & Phrases for the New Year! You’ll learn Japanese winter seasonal greetings and customs.

Traditional Japanese New Year's Food

おせち (osechi) is a special meal for the New Year in Japan, and we eat it with best wishes phrases in Japanese.

11. Conclusion: How JapanesePod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

We introduced Japanese life event messages, such as how to say Happy Birthday in Japanese and Merry Christmas in Japanese. I hope this article was useful in improving your Japanese for better communication with your friends!

If you would like to learn more about the Japanese language and holiday greetings in Japanese, you’ll find much more useful content on JapanesePod101.com. We provide a variety of free lessons for you to improve your Japanese language skills.

For more about Japanese holidays and Japanese holiday vocabulary, check out Holidays in Japan. To learn about how to express your feelings, you’ll find Words and Phrases to Help You Describe Your Feelings useful; you can even learn and practice your pronunciation with audio. And for conversation practice, Top 15 Questions You Should Know for Conversations and Top 10 Conversational Phrases are very helpful!

Know that your hard work will pay off; with enough practice, you’ll be speaking like a native in no time with JapanesePod101.com!

Before you go, let us know which of these phrases you’ll be able to use first! Are there any life event messages you still want us to cover? Let us know in the comments!

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Beginner Vocabulary in Japanese

Learn the Top 100 Essential Japanese Adjectives

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Do you realize how many adjectives you use when you describe or express something, such as feeling, personality, weather conditions, and the size and color of things? Adjectives in Japanese are various and rich in expression, so learning the top 100 Japanese adjectives will greatly improve your conversation skills in Japanese!

It’s not very difficult to learn Japanese adjectives rules, as they work in mostly the same way as they do in English grammar. Before we move onto our list, though, it’s prudent to go over Japanese adjectives rules to give you context.

So first things first: Where do Japanese adjectives go?

For example, a Japanese adjective is placed before a noun: 親切な人 (shinsetsu na hito), meaning “kind person.” Or they can follow the noun + be verb + adjective pattern: 外は寒い (soto wa samui), meaning “outside is cold.”

Most Japanese adjectives end with the sound of either Hiragana い (i) or な (na), unless it’s not in past form. An adjective consists of a stem, such as 親切 (shinsetsu), which never changes, and a suffix, such as な (na), which can change.

Ready to expand your Japanese adjectives vocabulary? You’ll enjoy speaking Japanese a lot more once you know the variety of Japanese adjectives! Here’s our top 100 Japanese adjectives list at JapanesePod101.com!

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Adjectives in Japanese

Table of Contents

  1. Describing Dimension, Size, Distance & Number
  2. Describing Value
  3. Describing Sense
  4. Japanese Adjectives for Personality & Feelings
  5. Describing Speed, Difficulty, Importance, etc.
  6. Describing Colors
  7. Describing Shapes
  8. Describing Weather
  9. Japanese Adjectives for Food: Describing Taste
  10. Describing Situations
  11. Describing Physical Traits or Physical Conditions
  12. Describing Appearance and Condition
  13. Conclusion: How JapanesePod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

1. Describing Dimension, Size, Distance & Number

Common Adjectives

1- Vocabulary

 

Reading Kanji Hiragana English
1 ōkii 大きい おおきい big
2 chiisai 小さい ちいさい small
3 hiroi 広い ひろい wide
4 semai 狭い せまい narrow
5 takai 高い たかい tall
6 hikui 低い ひくい short; low
7 omoi 重い おもい heavy
8 karui 軽い かるい light
9 chikai 近い ちかい close
10 tōi 遠い とおい far
11 ōi 多い おおい many
12 sukunai 少ない すくない few

Hangers of Different Sizes

2- Example Sentences

  • 部屋に大きいベッドと小さい椅子があります。
    Heya ni ōkii beddo to chiisai isu ga arimasu.
    There is a big bed and a small chair in the room.
  • このカバンは重いです。
    Kono kaban wa omoi desu.
    This bag is heavy.
  • 駅はここから遠いです。
    Eki wa koko kara tōi desu.
    The station is far from here.
  • あそこに高いビルがあります。
    Asoko ni takai biru ga arimasu.
    There is a tall building there.

2. Describing Value

1- Vocabulary

 

Reading Kanji Hiragana English
13 yoi 良い よい good
14 warui 悪い わるい bad
15 subarashii 素晴らしい すばらしい great
16 hidoi ひどい ひどい awful; terrible
17 utsukushii 美しい うつくしい beautiful
18 minikui 醜い みにくい ugly
19 kōka na 高価な こうかな expensive
20 yasui 安い やすい cheap

2- Example Sentences

  • 私はテストで良い結果を出した。
    Watashi wa tesuto de yoi kekka wo dashita.
    I got a good result on the test.
  • そこから素晴らしい眺めが見えます。
    Soko kara subarashii nagame ga miemasu.
    You can see a great view from there.
  • あの女性はとても美しいです。
    Ano josei wa totemo utsukushii desu.
    That lady is very beautiful.
  • この安いカメラはすぐに壊れました。
    Kono yasui kamera wa sugu ni kowaremashita.
    This cheap camera broke instantly.

3. Describing Sense

1- Vocabulary

 

Reading Kanji Hiragana English
21 yawarakai 柔らかい やわらかい soft
22 katai 硬い・固い かたい hard
23 tsuyoi 強い つよい strong
24 yowai 弱い よわい weak
25 nameraka na 滑らかな なめらかな smooth
26 arai 荒い あらい rough
27 fukuzatsu na 複雑な ふくざつな complicated

2- Example Sentences

  • この西陣織は柔らかい素材です。
    Kono Nishijin-ori wa yawarakai sozai desu.
    This Nishijin-ori is soft material.
  • 彼女は強い男性が好きです。
    Kanojo wa tsuyoi dansei ga suki desu.
    She likes strong men.
  • ダイヤモンドは硬い石です。
    Daiyamondo wa katai ishi desu.
    Diamond is a hard stone.
  • その問題は複雑です。
    Sono mondai wa fukuzatsu desu.
    The problem is complicated.

4. Japanese Adjectives for Personality & Feelings

Improve Pronunciation

Looking for Japanese adjectives to describe a person? Here are the best Japanese adjectives to describe someone’s personality or feelings.

1- Vocabulary

 

Reading Kanji Hiragana English
28 omoshiroi 面白い おもしろい funny; interesting
29 shitashimiyasui 親しみやすい したしみやすい friendly
30 otonashii 大人しい おとなしい quiet
31 ganko na 頑固な がんこな stubborn
32 yasashii 優しい やさしい amiable; thoughtful
33 ureshii 嬉しい うれしい happy
34 kanashii 悲しい かなしい sad
35 shakōteki na 社交的な しゃこうてきな sociable
36 kodoku na 孤独な こどくな lonely
37 okotta 怒った おこった angry

Also visit “Which Adjective Describes Your Personality Best?” to check Japanese pronunciation, and see some more related vocabulary.

Man and Woman Having Coffee Together

2- Example Sentences

  • 彼女は頑固な人です。
    Kanojo wa ganko na hito desu.
    She is a stubborn person.
  • 私は面白い人が大好きです。
    Watashi wa omoshiroi hito ga daisuki desu.
    I really like a funny person.
  • 試験に合格したので嬉しいです。
    Shiken ni gōkaku shita node ureshii desu.
    I am happy because I passed the exam.
  • 彼は社交的な学生です。
    Kare wa shakōteki na gakusei desu.
    He is a sociable student.

To learn more about Personalities and Feelings, please read this article.

5. Describing Speed, Difficulty, Importance, etc.

1- Vocabulary

 

Reading Kanji Hiragana English
38 hayai 速い はやい fast
39 osoi 遅い おそい slow
40 kantan na 簡単な かんたんな easy
41 muzukashii 難しい むずかしい difficult
42 jyūyō na 重要な じゅうような important
43 atarashii 新しい あたらしい new
44 furui 古い ふるい old
45 majime na 真面目な まじめな serious

Man Running Quickly

2- Example Sentences

  • インターネットが遅いのでビデオ電話ができません。
    Intānetto ga osoi node bideo-denwa ga dekimasen.
    I can’t make a video-call because the internet is slow.
  • これは簡単な問題です。
    Kore wa kantan na mondai desu.
    This is an easy problem.
  • 私は新しい携帯電話が欲しいです。
    Watashi wa atarashii keitai denwa ga hoshii desu.
    I want a new mobile phone.
  • 彼は真面目な会議で笑い出しました。
    Kare wa majime na kaigi de waraidashimashita.
    He started laughing at a serious meeting.

6. Describing Colors

1- Vocabulary

“Color” is iro in Japanese.
 

 

Reading Kanji Hiragana English
46 akai 赤い あかい red
47 aoi 青い あおい blue
48 midori no 緑の みどりの green
49 kiiroi 黄色い きいろい yellow
50 kuroi 黒い くろい black
51 shiroi 白い しろい white
52 kurai 暗い くらい dark
53 akarui 明るい あかるい light; bright
54 azayaka na 鮮やかな あざやかな vivid
55 bon’yari shita ぼんやりした dull

Cluster of Colorful Legos

2- Example Sentences

  • りんごは赤い種類と緑の種類があります。
    Ringo wa akai shurui to midori no shurui ga arimasu.
    Apples have a red kind and a green kind.
  • 白いライオンを見たことがありますか。
    Shiroi raion o mita koto ga arimasu ka.
    Have you seen white lions?
  • 私は暗い色の服が好きです。
    Watashi wa kurai iro no fuku ga suki desu.
    I like clothes with dark colors.
  • その浴衣は鮮やかな色が特徴です。
    Sono yukata wa azayaka na iro ga tokuchō desu.
    That Yukata is characterized by vivid colors.

7. Describing Shapes

1- Vocabulary

“Shape” is katachi in Japanese.

 

Reading Kanji Hiragana English
56 marui 丸い・円い まるい round
57 shikakui 四角い しかくい square
58 sankaku no 三角の さんかくの triangular
59 chōhōkei no 長方形の ちょうほうけいの rectangular
60 kyūtai no 球体の きゅうたいの spherical
61 rippōtai no 立方体の りっぽうたいの cubic

Cards with Colored Shapes on Them

2- Example Sentences

  • その丸い鏡を見てください。
    Sono marui kagami o mite kudasai.
    Please look at the round mirror.
  • ゴミはあの四角い箱に入れてください。
    Gomi wa ano shikakui hako ni irete kudasai.
    Please put trash in that square garbage bin.
  • 地球は球体の形をしています。
    Chikyū wa kyūtai no katachi o shite imasu.
    The earth has a spherical shape.
  • この建築は立方体の形が有名です。
    Kono kenchiku wa rippōtai no katachi ga yūmei desu.
    This architecture is famous for its cubic shape.

8. Describing Weather

Reading

1- Vocabulary

 

Reading Kanji Hiragana English
62 atsui 暑い あつい hot
63 samui 寒い さむい cold
64 mushimushi shita 蒸し蒸しした むしむしした humid
65 atatakai 暖かい あたたかい warm
66 hadazamui 肌寒い はだざむい chilly

Also, check out our lesson Learn the Top 15 Weather Conditions to learn how to express even more weather conditions in Japanese.

2- Example Sentences

  • 今日は寒いので手袋を持って行ってください。
    Kyō wa samui node tebukuro o motte itte kudasai.
    Please take gloves with you because today is cold.
  • 夏は30度を超える暑い日が続きます。
    Natsu wa 30-do o koeru atsui hi ga tsuzukimasu.
    Hot days with over 30 degrees continue in summer.
  • 春は暖かい気候で花見ができます。
    Haru wa atatakai kikō de hanami ga dekimasu.
    Spring has a warm climate, and flowers bloom.
  • 昨日は肌寒い日でした。
    Kinō wa hadazamui hi deshita.
    Yesterday was chilly.

To learn more about weather, please visit our article all about Japanese Weather.

9. Japanese Adjectives for Food: Describing Taste

Here are the most common and important Japanese adjectives for describing food and taste!

1- Vocabulary

 

 

Reading Kanji Hiragana English
67 amai 甘い あまい sweet
68 shiokarai 塩辛い しおからい salty
69 suppai 酸っぱい すっぱい sour
70 nigai 苦い にがい bitter
71 karai 辛い からい spicy; hot
72 oishii 美味しい おいしい delicious; tasty
73 mazui 不味い まずい tastes bad

Variety of Donuts

2- Example Sentences

  • 私は甘いものが大好きです。
    Watashi wa amai mono ga daisuki desu.
    I like sweets very much.
  • この梅干しは塩辛いので食べられません。
    Kono umeboshi wa shiokarai node taberaremasen.
    I can’t eat this Umeboshi because it’s salty.
  • 彼は苦いコーヒーが好きです。
    Kare wa nigai kōhī ga suki desu.
    He likes bitter coffee.
  • 明日は記念日なので美味しいものを食べたい。
    Ashita wa kinenbi na node oishii mono o tabetai.
    I want to eat something delicious because tomorrow is an anniversary.

10. Describing Situations

1- Vocabulary

 

Reading Kanji Hiragana English
74 tanoshii 楽しい たのしい fun
75 tsumaranai つまらない boring
76 anzen na 安全な あんぜんな safe; secure
77 kiken na 危険な きけんな dangerous
78 kinkyū no 緊急の きんきゅうの urgent
79 ochitsuita 落ち着いた おちついた calm
80 tadashii 正しい ただしい correct; right
81 ayamatta 誤った あやまった wrong

People Partying at Night Club

2- Example Sentences

  • これは安全な調理器具です。
    Kore wa anzen na chōri kigu desu.
    This is safe cooking equipment.
  • 私はつまらない映画で寝落ちしました。
    Watashi wa tsumaranai eiga de neochi shimashita.
    I fell asleep during the boring movie.
  • 彼は危険な橋を渡りました。
    Kare wa kiken na hashi o watarimashita.
    He crossed a dangerous bridge.
  • いつも正しい行いをしなさい。
    Itsumo tadashii okonai o shinasai.
    Always do the right things.

11. Describing Physical Traits or Physical Conditions

1- Vocabulary

 

 

Reading Kanji Hiragana English
82 wakai 若い わかい young
83 toshioita 年老いた としおいた old
84 genki na 元気な げんきな lively
85 byōki no 病気の びょうきの sick
86 kirei na 綺麗な きれいな clean; beautiful
87 kitanai 汚い きたない dirty
88 suteki na 素敵な すてきな nice
89 hen na 変な へんな strange; odd
90 seijō na 正常な せいじょうな normal
91 ijō na 異常な いじょうな abnormal

Grandfather Walking with Grandchildren

2- Example Sentences

  • 「若い時の苦労は買ってでもせよ」ということわざがある。
    Wakai toki no kurō wa katte demo seyo” to iu kotowaza ga aru.
    There is a proverb saying “Heavy work in youth is quiet in old age.”
  • 彼女の部屋はいつも綺麗です。
    Kanojo no heya wa itsumo kirei desu.
    Her room is always clean.
  • あの女性は素敵な靴を履いています。
    Ano josei wa suteki na kutsu o haite imasu.
    That lady wears nice shoes.
  • 異常な症状が出たらすぐに電話してください。
    Ijō na shōjō ga detara sugu ni denwa shite kudasai.
    If abnormal symptoms appear, please call me immediately.

12. Describing Appearance and Condition

1- Vocabulary

 

Reading Kanji Hiragana English
92 kawaii 可愛い かわいい pretty; cute
93 kichin to shita きちんとした neat
94 miryokuteki na 魅力的な みりょくてきな attractive
95 miryoku no nai 魅力のない みりょくのない unattractive
96 futotta 太った ふとった fat
97 yaseta 痩せた やせた lean; thin
98 okanemochi na お金持ちな おかねもちな rich
99 mazushii 貧しい まずしい poor
100 heikinteki na 平均的な へいきんてきな average

2- Example Sentences

  • 彼女はいつもきちんとした服を着ています。
    Kanojo wa itsumo kichin to shita fuku o kite imasu.
    She always wears neat clothes.
  • 私は平均的な家出身です。
    Watashi wa heikinteki na ie shusshin desu.
    I am from an average family.
  • 貧しい子供達のために募金をしてください。
    Mazushii kodomo-tachi no tame ni bokin o shite kudasai.
    Please donate for poor children.

13. Conclusion: How JapanesePod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

In this Japanese adjectives lesson, we introduced the top 100 Japanese adjectives with examples. We hope this article is helpful for you, and has given you more footing to improve your Japanese vocabulary! Do you feel prepared to describe your personality and feelings?

If you would like to learn more about the Japanese language, you’ll find a lot more useful content on JapanesePod101.com. We provide a variety of free lessons for you to improve your Japanese language skills. For more Japanese adjectives practice, Most Common Adjectives and Words and Phrases to Help You Describe Your Feelings are useful to help you learn pronunciation with audio. Further, Top 15 Questions You Should Know for Conversations and Top 10 Conversational Phrases are essential for your conversation practice.

Know that your hard work will pay off; with enough practice, you’ll be speaking like a native in no time with JapanesePod101.com!

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Japanese Netflix Programs: Learn Japanese with Netflix

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It’s wonderful if you can learn Japanese and have entertainment at the same time. Yes, it is possible with online streaming services! One of the most famous and popular is Netflix, which nowadays offers a wide range of Japanese shows and movies. A lot of Japanese movies on Netflix are available with subtitles in both Japanese and English, so it’s ideal to learn by listening to actual pronunciation, reading what words mean, and/or checking vocabulary and spelling. In terms of understanding Japanese culture, Netflix can also be a great source for this.

When it comes to learning and entertainment, watching Japanese shows on Netflix is much easier and useful than watching them on TV or at actual movie theaters. Watching Japanese shows on Netflix doesn’t require traveling to theaters, you don’t need to bother checking schedules, and you don’t need to remember to record. Most of all, you can repeat lines at any time, and as many times as you like, with subtitles so that you can learn Japanese more efficiently.

Whether you just want to enjoy watching Japanese movies on Netflix casually, or you want to try learning conversational Japanese, Netflix is one of the best options for you. Either way, watching Netflix Japanese shows will boost your Japanese skills and allow you to see Japanese culture in action.

So what’s on Japanese Netflix? Here’s JapanesePod101’s list of recommended Japanese Netflix titles for an enjoyable Japanese learning experience!

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Table of Contents

  1. Midnight Dining / 深夜食堂 (Shin’ya Shokudō)
  2. Hibana: Spark / 火花
  3. Terrace House / テラスハウス
  4. Ainori Love Wagon / あいのり
  5. Atelier / アンダーウェア
  6. Solitary Gourmet / 孤独のグルメ
  7. Kantaro: The Sweet Tooth Salaryman / さぼリーマン甘太朗
  8. Million Yen Women / 100万円の女たち
  9. Dad of Light / ファイナルファンタジーXIV 光のお父さん
  10. Jiro Dreams of Sushi / 二郎は鮨の夢を見る
  11. Conclusion: How JapanesePod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

1. Midnight Dining / 深夜食堂 (Shin’ya Shokudō)

Midnight Diner is a Japanese TV series, based on the manga of the same title: 深夜食堂 (Shin’ya Shokudō). This Japanese show is currently one of the best Japanese Netflix shows. This drama is mainly about a diner which operates at midnight, and follows the owner’s interactions with his customers.

The setting of the show is a small Izakaya named “Meshiya” in Shinjuku, the big city that never sleeps in Tokyo. As Shinjuku is busy with its nightlife, there are always customers who visit this midnight diner (open from midnight to seven o’clock in the morning). Customers come to the diner for delicious traditional Japanese food and relaxing conversation with the master chef after their stressful day. What’s interesting is that each customer has a unique and touching story.

You’ll learn about how Japanese people talk about their lives, dreams, and love lives, and get a taste of Japanese traditional night foods and drinks. When it comes to the language they use, it may be a bit difficult for beginners, as the characters speak in a very casual style (sometimes with slang), which is far from using the structured formal language. However, this can be useful learning material for grasping colloquial Japanese.

You’ll probably hear Japanese curse words in some episodes, but here’s a tip for you: Japanese Curse Words You Should Never Use.

2. Hibana: Spark / 火花

Hibana, the Japanese word meaning “spark,” is a Japanese Netflix show based on the award-winning novel written by a Japanese comedian. Inspired in part by the author’s real life, the story is about two young manzai comedians and their struggles as they try to become big stand-up comedians. This show has ten episodes, and each episode focuses on one year of their lives, totaling a span of ten years.

This Japanese Netflix show attracts viewers’ attention and draws them into the story as it depicts human drama with stark reality, both heartwarming and heart-wrenching. The drama is well-filmed to show human relationships and the reality of competitiveness in the comedy industry.

For Japanese learners, it’s useful to know how people use conversational Japanese around close friends, seniors, and juniors, using both the formal and informal language. For this reason, we recommend this show for intermediate-level Japanese learners. This show also gives insight into the culture and industry of Japanese comedy.

Many Japanese comedians are from the Kansai area, and they speak Kansai dialect. For more information on this topic, check out our Japanese Dialects guide!

3. Terrace House / テラスハウス

This Netflix Japanese show is based on the reality TV show that aired on Japanese Fuji TV with five series, and now they’ve made a Netflix original series. This reality show follows the lives of young Japanese strangers—three girls and three guys—living together in one posh house. Viewers get to see how different people get to know each other and form human relationships (and sometimes romance) over time.

This show doesn’t have a particular story, nor dramatic turn of events. However, this is a good way to know how the younger Japanese generations interact with each other in everyday life. Although they share their lives under one roof, each member still engages in their own work or study outside the house, and they’re free to enter and leave. This setting makes the show more realistic and interesting.

If you want to make new Japanese friends and speak natural Japanese (which normal textbooks don’t teach), this can be the ideal show to watch. You can learn how to speak when you’re getting to know someone new, and how to start conversations.

This Japanese Netflix show is recommended for Japanese learners at the intermediate level. The conversations are mostly informal and spoken among young people, without structured or formal language.

4. Ainori Love Wagon / あいのり

This Japanese show on Netflix is originally from the popular Japanese TV program which was first aired two decades ago. The Japanese word Ainori means “ride together,” and can also mean “love ride,” based on how it’s read. This reality show follows seven young, single Japanese participants who go on a road trip to foreign countries in a pink van. The goal of participants is to find real love and become a couple with another participant while on the budget-type trip. They’ll then finish traveling and return to Japan together.

Ainori is an interesting love reality show which also introduces foreign countries and cultures during the participants’ travels. Each participant has a unique personality, and as you keep watching, you may find some favorite characters whom you want to support and see them happily form a couple. Unlike Terrace House, which features fancy people and a posh house, Ainori has more events, adventure, and drama as the participants travel to foreign lands.

We recommend this show for intermediate Japanese learners. Similarly to Terrace House, conversations are informal, without structured or formal language. It’s good for learning how young Japanese people talk and communicate with each other.

If you want to learn more about love phrases, check out Romance and Love in Japanese here!

5. Atelier / アンダーウェア

Atelier (the title of the original Japanese version is アンダーウェア meaning “Underwear” ) is a Netflix Japanese drama produced by Fuji TV for Netflix. It has thirteen episodes, and the real and famous lingerie company sponsors and supports this drama, making it more realistic in detail.

This show centers on a girl who has started her career at a high-end lingerie company and struggles to do well there. Through all the happenings, the story focuses on her interactions and relationship with her boss and the owner of the company. The character settings remind viewers of Anna Wintour and Miranda Priestly.

This Japanese Netflix drama provides viewers with a chance to learn some business conversation in Japanese for the office setting, and gives viewers insight into the daily life of a young employee. It’s good for intermediate-level learners.

6. Solitary Gourmet / 孤独のグルメ

Looking for good Japanese Netflix shows about food?

Solitary Gourmet is based on the original Japanese comic of the same name, and it has been produced as a Japanese TV drama series. It’s now available on Netflix.

This show is about nothing but Japanese cuisine, and it’s great for Japanese food lovers. The story follows a Japanese salesman who travels to different places across Japan for business, and visits various restaurants. He has a great passion for food, and he feels ultimate happiness when he indulges in eating delicious food.

It may sound boring, as it’s about a businessman eating alone, but this show actually offers something more and can be very addictive. In each episode, the main character tries out new restaurants and bars, and he enjoys every detail of speciality food. It’s intriguing how he tastes food and describes it to himself (in his head) in detail.

This is recommended for Japanese food fans and those who are interested in the Japanese food culture. You’ll learn a lot more about Japanese cuisine than just sushi and ramen. Also, watching this show is a great way to improve your vocabulary, especially in terms of adjectives.

7. Kantaro: The Sweet Tooth Salaryman / さぼリーマン甘太朗

This is another one of the top Japanese Netflix shows which is based on the manga comics featuring food, but this one is about sweets. What’s interesting and attractive about this series is that the featured cafes, patisserie, and sweets and desserts are real, although the story itself is fiction.

The story of this Japanese Netflix series centers on a salaryman, Kantaro, who is considered a go‐getter and hardworking businessman. However, his seemingly fast and efficient work is actually motivated by his endless passion for sweets and desserts. He manages his work in such a way that he can sneak out to eat sweets in various places across Tokyo. Each episode focuses on a particular kind of sweet.

This show is good for Japanese learners, especially those who love sweets. If you live in Tokyo or have a chance to visit Tokyo, you can actually try the sweets featured in this show! If that’s possible, try to learn what Kantaro says to describe sweets; you’ll be able to practice those phrases while tasting yummy sweets. This show also offers a great chance to learn formal business Japanese.

8. Million Yen Women / 100万円の女たち

This Japanese show on Netflix is also based on a manga, and the series was co-produced by TV Tokyo and Netflix into a live-action drama.

This mysterious plot features a young novelist, and five beautiful women who suddenly moved in with him to pay him a crazy one-million yen per month to help his living. Each of the five women has unique characteristics and background stories, making the story more attractive.

He wonders why these women came to his place to offer him such crazy help, but it’s forbidden to ask them questions. However, through living with them, a small piece of the mystery is revealed little by little in each episode.

This is one of the most fascinating Japanese Netflix programs today. This show is very amusing as the story is shrouded in curious mystery and viewers are pulled into its unique world to discover the secret. You can simply enjoy watching it, but it can also be good material to learn conversational Japanese. It’s recommended for beginner- and intermediate-level learners.

9. Dad of Light / ファイナルファンタジーXIV 光のお父さん

Improve Pronunciation

This was originally a TV drama based on a true story from a blog, and is the first live-action series to commercialize the game Final Fantasy XIV.

The story focuses on a father and his son as they reconnect by playing the online role-playing game Final Fantasy XIV. The son, who feels distant from his father after years of little conversation, tries to break the ice. He remembered that he and his father played Final Fantasy III together when he was a kid, and they had a good bond through the game. He hopes that this passion for FFXIV will help them reconnect and he plans to become friends with his father in the online game without telling him who he really is. Over time, through playing and working together in-game, he tries to understand and communicate with his father better.

This Japanese Netflix TV series would be very interesting for gamers, particularly those who already have some knowledge about Final Fantasy. This show features a lot of game-related vocabulary, and is recommended for beginner- and intermediate-level learners.

10. Jiro Dreams of Sushi / 二郎は鮨の夢を見る

If you couldn’t tell, Japanese Netflix TV shows about food are quite popular. This one also features food, but is different from the others on this list because it’s a documentary film. The film was directed by David Gelb, and the documentary focuses on Jiro Ono (小野 二郎 Ono Jirō), who is an eighty-five-year-old sushi master.

The film features the legendary Jiro’s renowned restaurant Sukiyabashi Jiro which has three Michelin stars. His restaurant, located in the middle of Ginza, one of the most expensive districts in Tokyo, has merely ten seats, but the minimum price per person is from ¥30,000. The documentary also focuses on Jiro’s relationship with his two sons, both of whom are also sushi chefs (and one of them is his eventual heir).

This documentary gives insight into the ultimate Japanese craftsmanship and pursuit in the art of food. The Japanese spoken in this film isn’t a perfect tool for learning, but it still helps you to deepen your knowledge of Japanese.

11. Conclusion: How JapanesePod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

Best Ways to Learn

I hope this Japanese Netflix list of the best shows on Netflix to learn Japanese is helpful, and that it makes your Japanese studies more enjoyable! By now, you should have a better idea of how to use Japanese Netflix content to make learning fun and efficient.

Ready to watch Japanese Netflix? Which of these Japanese Netflix programs are you most interested in? Let us know!

If you would like to learn more about the Japanese language, you’ll find more useful content on JapanesePod101.com. We provide a variety of free lessons for you to improve your Japanese language skills. For example, Top 15 Questions You Should Know for Conversations to practice your Japanese with audio. If you’re a fan of Japanese anime, How to Learn Japanese with Anime? and 76 Must-Know Japanese Onomatopoeia Words are helpful. If you’re planning to visit Japan, check out 3 Reasons to Learn Japanese Before Traveling!

Know that your hard work will pay off; with enough practice, you’ll be speaking like a native in no time!

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Japanese Conjunctions: Learn Japanese Linking Words

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If you’re learning Japanese grammar, you may be surprised by how many variations there are of Japanese conjunctions and Japanese connective particles, and how they vary depending on the use of sentences.

When you think about speaking your mother tongue, the flow of your sentences is very natural, without redundancy or lack of words. This is because you can use conjunctions effectively and naturally to connect sentences.

In this way, in Japanese grammar, conjunctions are one of the most essential parts of speech. When you master Japanese conjunctions, you’ll be able to speak Japanese quite fluently!

By the end of this article, you should have a better idea about Japanese conjunctions meaning, how to use Japanese conjunctions, and have an increased Japanese conjunction vocabulary!

Here are some of the most basic and useful Japanese conjunctions and connectives. Let’s enjoy learning here at JapanesePod101.com!

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Table of Contents

  1. What is a Conjunction?
  2. Conjunctions to Correlate Similar Thoughts
  3. Conjunctions to Express Condition
  4. Conjunctions to Express Cause
  5. Conjunctions to Express Opposition
  6. Conjunctions to Express Choices
  7. Other Useful Japanese Conjunctions
  8. Conclusion: How JapanesePod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

1. What is a Conjunction?

Sentence Patterns

Conjunctions are words that connect and conjoin phrases, clauses, or sentences together. A conjunction word doesn’t have a meaning itself, much like prepositions. Conjunctions in Japanese function similarly to how they do in English.

The conjunction in Japanese is usually a particle or postposition that’s usually used at the end of the dependent clause(s), determining the relationship of the conjoined clauses. Examples of these relationships include copulative, disjunctive, adversative, and conclusive.

For example, here are the most common Japanese conjunctions by type:

  • Copulative Conjunctions: The conjunctive relation of units that expresses the addition and/or connection of meanings.

    And:
    と、(to)
    や、 (ya)
    そして (soshite)

    Also:
    も、(mo)
    もまた (mo mata)

    Then:
    そして、 (soshite)
    それから (sorekara)

    Or:
    または、(mata wa)
    また (mata)

  • Disjunctive Conjunctions: The conjunctive relation of units that expresses the disjunction of their meanings.

    -or, -or : -ka, -ka ‥か、‥か
    -and, -and : -ya, -ya ‥や、‥や

  • Adversative Conjunctions: The conjunctive relation of units that expresses the opposition of their meanings.

    But:
    しかし、(shikashi)
    が、(ga)
    けど (kedo)
    けれども (keredomo)
    なのに (nanoni)
    でも (demo)

    However:
    しかしながら、 (shikashinagara)
    ところが (tokoroga)
     
    Despite:
    にもかかわらず (nimokakawarazu)

  • Conclusive Conjunctions

    So:
    それで、(sorede)
    なので (nanode)

    And then:
    それから、(sorekara)
    その後 (sonogo)

    Therefore: 
    それゆえに、(soreyue ni)
    だから、(dakara)
    したがって (shitagatte)

    Thus:
    ゆえに、(yue ni)
    したがって (shitagatte)

There are exceptions where Japanese language conjunctions can’t be used to connect equivalent clauses or sentences. However, we’ll explain the basic and most important Japanese conjunctions in this article.

Japanese Conjunctions

Japanese conjunctions have a wide range of variations

2. Conjunctions to Correlate Similar Thoughts

Here are the commonly used Japanese conjunctions which connect clauses/sentences with a function of addition.

1- と (to)

  • Meaning: This word means “and.” It simply adds one thing to another.
  • Usage:と(to) is used when you list everything that’s applicable. と (to) can only be used to connect nouns.
  • Example:

    テーブルの上にりんごみかんバナナがあります。
    Tēburu no ue ni ringo to mikan to banana ga arimasu.
    There are apples, oranges, and bananas on the table.

    • In this case, there are only apples, oranges, and bananas on the table.

2- や (ya)

  • Meaning: This word means “and.” It adds one thing to another.
  • Usage: や (ya) is similar to と (to), but it’s used when you list only some parts of a whole, which are applicable. や (ya) can only be used to connect nouns.
  • Example:

    テーブルの上にりんごみかんがあります。
    Tēburu no ue ni ringo ya mikan ga arimasu.
    There are apples and oranges on the table.

    • The translation in English is the same as that for the example for と (to). In this case, however, it implies that there are things besides the apple and orange on the table.

3- そして (soshite)

  • Meaning: This word means “and.” It adds things to each other, like the last words. It can also mean “thus” and “and then.”
  • Usage: そして (soshite) is used to add noun(s), or to explain an action that follows.
  • Example:

    テーブルの上にりんごとみかん、そしてバナナがあります。
    Tēburu no ue ni ringo to mikan, soshite banana ga arimasu.
    There are apples, oranges, and bananas on the table.

    私はりんごを食べます。そしてみかんも食べます。
    Watashi wa ringo o tabemasu. Soshite mikan mo tabemasu.
    I’ll eat an apple. And then I’ll eat an orange, too.

3. Conjunctions to Express Condition

Improve Listening

There are several variations of Japanese conjunctions which are used to introduce a conditional clause.

1- もし (moshi)

  • Meaning: It means simply “if,” but it can also mean “in case” and “supposing.”
  • Usage: When using もし (moshi), the end of a sentence should be conjugated to the conditional form, such as: たら (-tara), なら (-nara), ならば (-naraba), or すると (-suruto).

    When the conditional form is emphasized, it’s possible to omit もし (moshi) and the sentence still keeps the expression of condition.

  • Example:

    もし明日雨が降るなら、ピクニックは中止です。
    Moshi ashita ame ga furu nara, pikunikku wa chūshi desu.
    If it rains tomorrow, the picnic will be cancelled.

2- たら (tara)

  • Meaning: This word means “if,” and it denotes a condition.
  • Usage: As mentioned above, たら (-tara) is used at the end of a clause/sentence, along withもし (moshi) at the beginning. It’s usually used to express a relationship of assumption, as well as a specific and one-time consequence.
  • Example:

    もし時間があったら、映画を見たいです。
    Moshi jikan ga attara, eiga o mitai desu.
    If I have time, I want to watch a movie.

3- なら (nara)

  • Meaning: This word means “if,” and it denotes a condition.
  • Usage: なら (-nara) is also used at the end of a clause/sentence, along withもし (moshi) at the beginning.

    Unlike たら (-tara), なら (-nara) is usually used to express a speaker’s decision, order, hope, or opinion of assumption when assuming a certain thing.

  • Example:

    京都へ行くなら、新幹線で行きたいです。
    Kyōto e iku nara, Shinkansen de ikitai desu.
    If I go to Kyoto, I want to go by Shinkansen.

4- すると (suruto)

  • Meaning: This word means “if,” and it denotes a condition.すると (suruto) can also mean “then.”
  • Usage: When using すると (suruto) as a conditional conjunction, と (to) or だと (da to) usually come in front of it. It expresses a relationship of assumption and a consequence.
  • Example:

    彼が間に合わないとすると、私たちは会議を始められません。
    Kare ga maniawanai to suruto, watashi-tachi wa kaigi o hajimeraremasen.
    If he can’t come in time, we can’t start a meeting.

Group Talking Over Drinks

When you use conjunctions effectively, conversations will go smoothly.

4. Conjunctions to Express Cause

There’s also a number of Japanese conjunctions which are used to express cause. Combining two clauses/sentences with the following conjunctions denotes a reason and result. In Japanese grammar, note that the clause/sentence that states the reason comes first.

1- だから (da kara) / から (kara)

  • Meaning: This word can mean “so,” “therefore,” or “thus.”
  • Usage: だから (da kara) and から (kara) are very similar. However, a noun usually comes in front of だから (da kara), and an adjective or verb comes before から (kara).
  • Example:

    明日は日曜日だから 仕事はしません。
    Ashita wa nichi-yōbi da kara shigoto wa shimasen.
    Tomorrow is Sunday, so I don’t work.

    太るからケーキは食べません。
    Futoru kara kēki wa tabemasen.
    I will get fat, so I don’t eat cakes.

When considering the word order in Japanese grammar, it’s easier to remember the meaning as “so” rather than “because,” to match the order in English grammar.

2- ので (node)

  • Meaning: This word means “so” or “thus.”
  • Usage: ので (node) is used the same way as から (kara), but ので (node) is somewhat more polite.
  • Example:

    辛いので食べられません。
    Karai node taberaremasen.
    It is spicy, so I can’t eat it.

3- ため (tame) / のため (no tame)

  • Meaning: This word can mean “because (of) …” or “as a consequence of …”
  • Usage: Both ため (tame) and のため (no tame) have the same meaning, but an adjective or verb usually comes before ため (tame), and a noun comes in front of のため (no tame).
  • Example:

    宝くじが当たったため、私は車を買いました。
    Takarakuji ga atatta tame, watashi wa kuruma o kaimashita.
    I bought a car because I won the lottery.

    のため電車は遅れました。
    Yuki no tame densha wa okuremashita.
    Because of the snow, the train was delayed.

4- なぜなら (nazenara)

  • Meaning: This word means “because.”
  • Usage: When you use なぜなら (nazenara), please remember that a sentence of a particular situation comes before なぜなら (nazenara), and a sentence to explain why follows it. It often comes with だから (da kara) or から (kara) to explain why.
  • Example:

    彼女は怒って帰りました。なぜなら彼氏が浮気したのを知ったからです。
    Kanojo wa okotte kaerimashita. Nazenara kareshi ga uwaki shita no o shitta kara desu.
    She got angry and left, because she came to know her boyfriend had cheated on her.

Two Women Talking

In order to learn which conjunction is appropriate to use and in what situation, try to listen to how Japanese people use Japanese conjunctions in various situations.

5. Conjunctions to Express Opposition

Here are several examples of Japanese conjunctions which are used to denote contrast.

1- しかし (shikashi) / でも (demo)

  • Meaning: This word means “but” or “however.”
  • Usage: Both しかし (shikashi) and でも (demo) are the most commonly used conjunctions to express opposition. They usually come at the beginning of a sentence and refer to the statement which was mentioned before. しかし (shikashi) is often used in formal situations, while でも (demo) is more casual and colloquial.
  • Example:

    気温は低く寒いです。しかし、 花が咲きました。
    Kion wa hikuku samui desu. Shikashi, hana ga sakimashita.
    The temperature is low and it’s cold. However, flowers bloom.

    外は暖かい。でも、風は冷たい。
    Soto wa atatakai. Demo, kaze wa tsumetai.
    It is warm outside. But the wind is cold.

2- が (ga) / だが (daga)

  • Meaning: This word means “but” or “however.”
  • Usage: が (ga) and だが (daga) are almost the same, but が (ga) is used to conjoin separate sentences with a comma, and だが (daga) is often used at the beginning of a sentence.
  • Example:

    お金はある、旅行する時間がない。
    O-kane wa aru ga, ryokō suru jikan ga nai.
    I have money, but I don’t have time to travel.

    春は好きです。だが、夏は好きではないです。
    Haru wa suki desu. Daga, natsu wa suki de wa nai desu.
    I like spring. But I don’t like summer.

3- ところが (tokoroga) / なのに (nanoni)

  • Meaning: This word means “but” or “however.”
  • Usage: ところが (tokoroga) and なのに (nanoni) have similar meanings which express reverse conditions. They have a nuance of surprise, or sometimes complaint, which contrasts the expectation. ところが (tokoroga) is more formal, while なのに (nanoni) is used in a casual way and in colloquial speech.
  • Example:

    彼女は勉強をしなかった。とことろが、試験に受かった。
    Kanojo wa benkyō o shinakatta. Tokoroga, shiken ni ukatta.
    She did not study. But she passed the examination.

    彼は先生だ。なのに、英語を話せない。
    Kare wa sensei da. Nanoni, eigo o hanasenai.
    He is a teacher. But he can’t speak English.

4- けど (kedo) / けれども (keredomo)

  • Meaning: This word can mean “but,” “however,” “though,” and “although.”
  • Usage: While しかし (shikashi) and でも (demo) are often used at the beginning of a sentence with a comma, けど (kedo) and けれども (keredomo) are used to conjoin two separate sentences to express reverse conditions.

    けど (kedo) and けれどもけど (keredomo) are almost the same. However, けれども (keredomo) is slightly more formal and polite, while けど (kedo) is often used in a casual way and in colloquial speech.

  • Example:

    外は暖かいけど、風は冷たい。
    Soto wa atatakai kedo, kaze wa tsumetai.
    It is warm outside, but the wind is cold.

    私は1ヶ月お菓子を食べなかったけれども、痩せなかった。
    Watashi wa ikkagetsu o-kashi o tabenakatta keredomo, yasenakatta.
    Although I didn’t eat snacks for a month, I didn’t lose weight.

6. Conjunctions to Express Choices

Improve Listening Part 2

Here are some basic Japanese conjunctions which are used to express choices and alternatives.

1- または (matawa) / もしくは (moshikuwa)

  • Meaning: This word means “or” or “otherwise.”
  • Usage: These conjunctions are used when you want to show options for something. または (matawa) and もしくは (moshikuwa) are very similar, and there’s not much difference in their meaning and usage. または (matawa) is more common and is used more often than もしくは (moshikuwa).
  • Example:

    電車またはバスで行きます。
    Densha matawa basu de ikimasu.
    I will go by train or bus.

    クレジットカードもしくは、電子決済でお支払いください。
    Kurejitto cādo moshikuwa, denshi kessai de o-shiharai kudasai.
    Please pay by credit card or through an electric payment.

2- か (ka)

  • Meaning: This word means “or,” or “whether…or.”
  • Usage: か (ka) is almost the same in meaning as the English word “or.” With this meaning, か (ka) is usually used twice in a sentence to indicate alternatives.
  • Example:

    今レストランは開いている、 閉まっている、知っていますか。
    Ima resutoran wa aite iru ka, shimatte iru ka, shitte imasu ka.
    Do you know if the restaurant is open or closed now?

3- あるいは (aruiwa)

  • Meaning: This word means “or” or “alternatively.”
  • Usage: あるいは (aruiwa) is another Japanese conjunction to express a choice between A or B. This is often used to show things which are of the same or similar kind. It has a nuance of “alternatively.”
  • Example:

    私は来年大阪あるいは名古屋へ転勤になります。
    Watashi wa rainen Ōsaka aruiwa Nagoya e tenkin ni narimasu.
    I will be transferred to Osaka or Nagoya next year.

Woman Thinking

Some Japanese conjunctions are only used in colloquial speech, and some are mostly used in formal settings.

7. Other Useful Japanese Conjunctions

It is good to know other useful Japanese conjunctions to improve your conversation skills. Here are some commonly used expressions.

1- ところで (tokorode)

  • Meaning: This word means “by the way.”
  • Usage: This phrase is often used when you change the topic in a conversation, and it’s generally used before asking a question.
  • Example:

    ところで、今週末は何か予定ありますか。
    Tokorode, konshūmatsu wa nani ka yotei arimasu ka.
    By the way, do you have any plans for this weekend?

2- 一方で (ippō de)

  • Meaning: This phrase can mean “on the other hand,” “while,” or “meanwhile.”
  • Usage: 一方で (ippō de) is used to indicate that the following sentence will be in a direction different from the previous sentence. The following sentence doesn’t necessarily have to be completely opposite from the previous one. 一方で (ippō de) can be also be used to mean “while” or “meanwhile.”
  • Example:

    彼女は寿司が好きです。一方で彼はピザが好きです。
    Kanojo wa sushi ga suki desu. Ippō de kare wa piza ga suki desu.
    She likes sushi. On the other hand, he likes pizza.

3- 例えば (tatoeba)

  • Meaning: This means “for example.”
  • Usage: This phrase can be used exactly the same as “for example” in English. It’s used when you want to give examples.
  • Example:

    私の趣味はスポーツです。例えば、水泳とテニスが好きです。
    Watashi no shumi wa supōtsu desu. Tatoeba, suiei to tenisu ga suki desu.
    My hobby is sports. For example, I like swimming and tennis.

4- さらに (sarani) / その上 (sonoue)

  • Meaning: These words can mean “in addition” and “moreover.”
  • Usage: Bothさらに (sarani) and その上 (sonoue) are used when you want to add something. その上 (sonoue) has a slightly stronger emphasis thanさらに (sarani).その上 (sonoue) is literally translated as “on top of that.”
  • Example:

    日曜日に買い物へ行き、さらにジムへ行きました。
    Nichi-yōbi ni kaimono e iki, sarani jimu e ikimashita.
    I went shopping, and moreover, I went to the gym on Sunday.

    日曜日に買い物へ行き、さらにジムへ行きました。その上、夜は映画を見に行きました。
    Nichi-yōbi ni kaimono e iki, sarani jimu e ikimashita. Sonoue, yoru wa eiga o mi ni ikimashita.
    I went shopping, and in addition, I went to the gym on Sunday. Moreover, I went to see the movie.

Please see our article on Must-Know Adverbs and Phrases for Connecting Thoughts for more examples with audio.

8. Conclusion: How JapanesePod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

I hope this Japanese conjunctions list is helpful for your Japanese language studies. By learning Japanese conjunctions, your conversation skills will improve a lot, and you can enjoy speaking Japanese much more!

Which conjunctions do you plan on using soon? Which ones are you still struggling with? Let us know in the comments!

If you’re keen on learning more about the Japanese language, you’ll find more useful content on JapanesePod101.com. We provide a plethora of free lessons for you to help you boost your Japanese language skills, regardless of your current skill level:

All of your studying and practice will pay off, and soon you’ll be speaking and writing in Japanese like a native! And SpanishPod101 will be here throughout your language-learning journey with support and effective lesson materials!

Best wishes, and happy learning!

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Japanese Calendar Dates: Reading Dates in Japanese and More

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Learning how to read dates is one of the most basic things when learning a new language, and it’s essential in everyday life. For instance, you use dates when making appointments, buying tickets for a particular day, asking for someone’s birthday, etc.

Expressing the date in Japanese isn’t very complicated. The date in Japanese mostly follows the counter system, with just a few exceptions; English, on the other hand, has different names for the months and days of the week.

You’ll be able to learn dates in Japanese much easier once you know Japanese numbers. If you’re not yet familiar with numbers in Japanese, please visit Japanese Numbers on our website.

Table of Contents

  1. How are Dates Usually Expressed in Japanese?
  2. How to Say the Years in Japanese
  3. How to Say the Months in Japanese
  4. How to Say the Days in Japanese
  5. How to Say the Days of the Week in Japanese
  6. Practical Phrases to Talk about Dates in Japanese
  7. Conclusion: How JapanesePod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

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1. How are Dates Usually Expressed in Japanese?

Numbers

How to say dates in Japanese is very simple. Dates in Japanese writing start with the year, then the month, and finally the day. The only exception is when there’s a particular instruction to write it a different way, such as on an entry form.

1- How to Write Dates in Japanese

1. April 30, 2019 is written as follows:

2019年4月30日 or 2019/04/30  

  • 年 (nen) : year
  • 月 (gatsu) : month
  • 日(nichi) : day

2. With the days of the week, Tuesday, April 30th, 2019 is written as follows:

2019年4月30日 (火曜) or 2019年4月30日 (火)

  • The days of the week are usually indicated in a round bracket ( ) and placed after the day.
  • The name of the day is expressed in a short form.

Tuesday is 火曜日(ka-yōbi), but when it’s expressed in a written form, it usually becomes 火曜 (ka-yō) or just 火 (ka).

2- How to Read Dates in Japanese

2019年4月30日 (火曜) is read as follows:

Ni-sen jū-kyū / nen / shi / gatsu / san-jū / nichi / ka-yō

Literally translated as:
Two-thousand ten nine / year / four / month / three ten / day / Tuesday

To listen to the pronunciation of basic Japanese numbers, please visit Numbers on our website.

3- Examples

  • 今日は2019年1月13日です。
    Kyō wa ni-sen jū kyū-nen ichi-gatsu jū-san-nichi desu.
    Today is January 13th, 2019.
  • 私は1990年5月1日生まれです。
    Watashi wa sen kyū-hyaku kyū-jū-nen go-gatsu tsuitachi umare desu.
    I was born on May 1st, 1990.
  • 試験は2019年8月30日です。
    Shiken wa ni-sen jū kyū-nen hachi-gatsu san-jū-nichi desu.
    The examination is on August 30th, 2019.

Man Looking at Schedule

In Japan, keeping the date and time for appointments is very important. Please don’t mix up months and dates!

2. How to Say the Years in Japanese

1- Gregorian Calendar

The Gregorian calendar is very common in Japan to express the years.

Just say the year and then add “nen (年)” which is a year counter meaning ‘year’.

  • 1575年 : sen go-hyaku nana-jū go-nen
  • 1998年:sen kyū-hyaku kyū-jū hachi-nen
  • 2003年:ni-sen san-nen

In some cases, numbers can be expressed with the last two digits as a short version.

For example, 1998 is 98年 (kyū-jū hachi-nen).

2- Japanese Era Calendar

Did you know that there’s also a Japanese calendar?

The Japanese people use 和暦 (Wareki), or the Japanese era calendar, which is based on the reigns of Japanese emperors. The previous era was called 平成 (Heisei), which started on January 8, 1989, when the previous Emperor, Akihito, acceded to the throne following the death of his father. The current era is called 令和 (Reiwa), which started on May 1, 2019, when the current Emperor, Naruhito, acceded to the throne following the abdication of his father.

2019 is the first year of the Reiwa era. It’s written as 令和1年 and read as Reiwa ichi-nen.

This traditional Japanese era calendar is often used for official occasions and in written form, such as in official documents used for public services at a city hall.

3- Vocabulary for Describing Relative Years

  • 今年 ことし (Kotoshi) : This year
  • 去年 きょねん (Kyonen) : Last year
  • 一昨年 おととし (Ototoshi) : The year before last year
  • 来年 らいねん (Rainen) : Next year
  • 再来年 さらいねん (Sarainen) : The year after next year
  • 閏年 うるうどし (Urūdoshi) : Leap year
  • 毎年 まいとし (Maitoshi) : Every year

4- Examples

  • 今年は2019年です。
    Kotoshi wa ni-sen jū kyū-nen desu.
    This year is 2019.
  • 来年の2020年はうるう年です。
    Rainen no ni-sen ni-jū-nen wa urūdoshi desu.
    The next year of 2020 is a leap year.
  • 2005年は平成17年です。
    Ni-sen go-nen wa Heisei jū nana-nen desu.
    2005 was year seventeen of the Heisei era.
  • 私は2012年に結婚しました。
    Watashi wa ni-sen jū ni-nen ni kekkon shimashita. 
    I got married in 2012.

3. How to Say the Months in Japanese

Months

1- Saying the Month in Japanese: Japanese Months

Using months and dates in Japanese is very simple. It follows this simple pattern, without exception:

Name a number (1-12) of the month, and then just add 月 (gatsu), which is a month counter meaning “month.”

 

          English           Kanji           Hiragana           How to read
1           January           一月            いちがつ           ichi-gatsu
2           February            二月           にがつ           ni-gatsu
3           March            三月           さんがつ           san-gatsu
4           April            四月           しがつ           shi-gatsu
5           May           五月           ごがつ           go-gatsu
6           June            六月           ろくがつ           roku-gatsu
7           July            七月           しちがつ           shichi-gatsu
8           August           八月           はちがつ           hachi-gatsu
9           September           九月           くがつ           ku-gatsu
10           October           十月            じゅうがつ           jū-gatsu
11           November           十一月           じゅういちがつ           jū ichi-gatsu
12           December           十二月           じゅうにがつ           jū ni-gatsu

In order to listen to the pronunciation of the months in Japanese, please visit Talking about Months on our website.

2- Relative Vocabulary for the Month in Japanese

  • 今月 こんげつ (Kongetsu) : This month
  • 先月 せんげつ (Sengetsu) : Last month
  • 先々月 せんせんげつ (Sensengetsu) : Month before last month
  • 来月 らいげつ (Raigetsu) : Next month
  • 再来月 さらいげつ (Saraigetsu) : Next next month
  • 毎月 まいつき (Maitsuki) : Every month

3- Examples

  • 私は六月生まれです。
    Watashi wa roku-gatsu umare desu.
    I was born in June.
  • 日本では四月に学校が始まります。
    Nihon de wa shi-gatsu ni gakkō ga hajimarimasu.
    School starts in April in Japan.
  • 私の誕生日は先月でした。
    Watashi no tanjōbi wa sengetsu deshita.
    My birthday was last month.
  • 今月は仕事が忙しいです。
    Kongetsu wa shigoto ga isogashii desu.
    This month is busy with work.

4. How to Say the Days in Japanese

Weekdays

1- Days

How to say the days of the month in Japanese is a bit more complicated.

The basic pattern for days and dates in Japanese is number + 日 (nichi), which is a day counter meaning “day.”

All the dates are written in this pattern. However, when it comes to reading, there are some exceptions and irregularities, indicated in blue in the chart below.

The days, especially those from one to ten, have a unique reading which is very different from ordinary Japanese Numbers. After eleven, it’s basically read with regular numbers and 日 (nichi), except for fourteen, nineteen, twenty, twenty-four, and twenty-nine.

It’s very common to use Arabic numerals to express dates, together with the kanji 日 (nichi). For example: 1日, 24日, 30日, etc.

Dates are also often written in Kanji, especially in official documents and vertical writing scripts. 

English           Kanji           Hiragana           How to read
1st      一日      ついたち      tsuitachi
2nd      二日      ふつ・か      futsuka
3rd      三日      みっ・か      mikka
4th      四日      よっ・か      yokka
5th      五日       いつ・か     vitsuka
6th      六日      むい・か      muika
7th      七日      なの・か      nanoka
8th      八日      よう・か      yōka
9th      九日      ここの・か      kokonoka
10th      十日      とお・か      tōka
11th      十一日       じゅう・いち・にち      jū ichi-nichi
12th      十二日      じゅう・に・にち      jū ni-nichi
13th      十三日      じゅう・さん・にち      jū san-nichi
14th      十四日      じゅう・よっ・か      jū yokka
15th      十五日      じゅう・ご・にち      jū go-nichi
16th      十六日      じゅう・ろく・にち      jū roku-nichi
17th      十七日      じゅう・しち・にち      jū shichi-nichi
18th      十八日      じゅう・はち・にち      jū hachi-nichi
19th      十九日      じゅう・く・にち      jū ku-nichi
20th      二十日      はつ・か      hatsuka
21st      二十一日      に・じゅう・いち・にち      ni-jū ichi-nichi
22nd      二十二日      に・じゅう・に・にち      ni-jū ni-nichi
23rd      二十三日      に・じゅう・さん・にち      ni-jū san-nichi
24th      二十四日      に・じゅう・よっ・か      ni-jū yokka
25th      二十五日      に・じゅう・ご・にち      ni-jū go-nichi
26th      二十六日      に・じゅう・ろく・にち      ni-jū roku-nichi
27th      二十七日      に・じゅう・しち・にち      nijū shichi-nichi
28th      二十八日      に・じゅう・はち・にち      ni-jū hachi-nichi
29th      二十九日      に・じゅう・く・にち      ni-jū ku-nichi
30th      三十日      さん・じゅう・にち      san-jū-nichi
31st      三十一日      さん・じゅう・いち・にち      san-jū ichi-nichi

2- Relative Vocabulary for Days

  • 今日 きょう (Kyō) : Today
  • 昨日 きのう (Kinō) : Yesterday
  • 一昨日 おととい (Ototoi) : The day before yesterday
  • 明日 あした (Ashita) : Tomorrow
  • 明後日 あさって (Asatte) : The day after tomorrow
  • 毎日 まいにち (Mainichi) : Everyday

3- Examples

  • 今日は六月一日です。
    Kyō wa roku-gatsu tsuitachi desu.
    Today is June 1st.
  • 五月五日は子供の日で、祝日です。
    Go-gatsu itsuka wa kodomo no hi de, shukujistu desu.
    May 5th is Children’s Day and it is a national holiday.
  • 私の誕生日は二月二十日です。
    Watashi no tanjōbi wa ni-gatsu hatsuka desu.
    My birthday is February 20th.
  • 4月24日の天気予報は雨です。
    Shi-gatsu ni-jū yokka no tenki yohō wa ame desu.  
    The weather forecast on April 24th is rain.

Flipping Through Pages of a Calendar

The Japanese calendar often starts on Sunday.

5. How to Say the Days of the Week in Japanese

1- Days of the Week

How to say the days of the week in Japanese is simple. All of them are named after elements and nature, and they all end with 曜日(yōbi) which denotes a day of the week.

English      Kanji      Hiragana      How to read      Meaning
Monday      月曜日      げつ ようび      gets-yōbi      月 means “moon”
Tuesday      火曜日      か ようび      ka-yōbi      火 means “fire”
Wednesday      水曜日      すい ようび      su- yōbi      水 means “water”
Thursday      木曜日      もく ようび      moku-yōbi      木 means “wood”
Friday      金曜日      きん ようび      kin-yōbi      金 means “gold”
Saturday      土曜日      ど ようび      do-yōbi      土 means “earth”
Sunday      日曜日      にち ようび      nichi-yōbi      日 means “sun”

In order to listen to the pronunciation of the days of the week in Japanese, please visit Talking about Days on our website.

2- Relative Vocabularies of Week

“Week” in Japanese is 週 (shū).

  • 平日 へいじつ (Heijitsu) : Weekday
  • 週末 しゅうまつ (Shūmatsu) : Weekend
  • 今週 こんしゅう (Konshū) : This week
  • 先週 せんしゅう (Senshū) : Last week
  • 先々週 せんせんしゅう (Sensenshū) : Week before last week
  • 来週 らいしゅう (Raishū) : Next week
  • 再来週 さらいしゅう (Saraishū) : Next next week
  • 毎週 まいしゅう (Maishū) : Every week

3- Examples

  • 今週は金曜日が休みです。
    Konshū wa kin-yōbi ga yasumi desu.
    Friday is off this week.
  • 2月4日は月曜日です。
    Ni-gatsu yokka wa getsu-yōbi desu.
    February 4th is Monday.
  • 来週の土曜日は結婚記念日です。
    Raishū no do-yōbi wa kekkon kinenbi desu.
    Saturday of next week is a marriage anniversary.
  • 月曜日から金曜日まで仕事で忙しいです。
    Getsu-yōbi kara kin-yōbi made shigoto de isogashii desu.
    I am busy with work from Monday to Friday.

Person Writing on a Calendar Planner

Saturdays and Sundays are usually off at work and school in Japan, but some schools have classes on Saturdays and some people work on weekends.

6. Practical Phrases to Talk about Dates in Japanese

1- Appointments / Reservations

  • 2月14日は何か予定ありますか。
    Ni-gatsu jū-yokka wa nani ka yotei arimasu ka.
    Do you have any plans for February 14th?
  • 土曜日と日曜日の週末なら空いています。
    Do-yōbi to nichi-yōbi no shūmatsu nara aite imasu.
    I am free on weekends, Saturday and Sunday.
  • 12月25日に予約は取れますか。
    Jū ni-gatsu ni-jū go-nichi ni yoyaku wa toremasu ka.
    Can I make a reservation for December 25th?
  • 7月13日に予約をお願いします。
    Shichi-gatsu jū san-nichi ni yoyaku o onegai shimasu.
    Please make a reservation for July 13th.

Table with Reserved Sign On It

When you make an appointment or reservation, make sure you mention the date in addition to the day of the week.

2- Asking / Answering Questions

  • 今日は何日の何曜日ですか。
    Kyō wa nan-nichi no nan-yōbi desu ka.
    What day is it today?

    今日は3月10日の日曜日です。
    Kyō wa san-gatsu tōka no nichi-yōbi desu.
    Today is March 10th and Sunday.

  • あなたの誕生日はいつですか。
    Anata no tanjōbi wa itsu desu ka.
    When is your birthday?

    私の誕生日は8月7日です。
    Watashi no tanjōbi wa hachi-gatsu nanoka desu.
    My birthday is August 7th.

  • いつから学校が始まりますか。
    Itsu kara gakkō ga hajimarimasu ka.
    When does your school start?

    私の学校は4月1日に始まります。
    Watashi no gakkō wa shi-gatsu tsuitachi ni hajimarimasu.
    My school starts on April 1st.

7. Conclusion: How JapanesePod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

I hope this article about reading dates in Japanese is helpful for you to improve your Japanese. The date is one of the most important counters when it comes to numbers. There are a variety of Japanese counter words for each object, action, or event that you should also learn.

If you’d like to learn more about the Japanese language, you’ll find more useful content on JapanesePod101.com. We provide a variety of free lessons for you to improve your Japanese language skills.

On our YouTube channel, you’ll enjoy learning the Japanese language by watching videos and listening to actual Japanese pronunciation.

Before you go, let us know in the comments how you feel about reading dates in Japanese now! Do you feel like you know your way around Japanese calendar dates and saying dates in Japanese? Why not practice telling dates in Japanese by dropping us a comment with today’s date?

We always look forward to hearing from you!

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Talk About Family in Japanese: Father-in-Law and More!

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Learning a foreign language isn’t only about the language itself, but also about its culture, customs, and society. Family is the minimum unit of a social group, and it’s important to understand its characteristics as this is closely related to culture and customs.

When you learn how to explain your family in Japanese, it helps to expand your vocabulary and improve your communication skills in Japanese.

Compared to English, there are many more words to describe family members in Japanese. These words are according to age and the style (formal and informal). For example, what is a Japanese father-in-law called?

Let’s learn how to describe family in Japanese at JapanesePod101.com. Here’s our list of the most useful Japanese words and family member terms, as well as important information about family in Japan.

Table of Contents

  1. Family in Japan – Cultural Perspective
  2. Basic Family Terms
  3. Terms of Relatives
  4. Family Terms as a Married Person
  5. Endearment Terms
  6. How to Describe Family and Ask Question about Family in Japanese
  7. Conclusion: How Japanesepod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

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1. Family in Japan – Cultural Perspective

Family Quotes

Before we move onto the actual family vocabulary, it’s important that we go over family roles in Japanese culture, family values in Japanese society, and the importance of family in Japanese culture. This will give you a better idea of what to expect from Japanese families, and give more context to the Japanese family vocabulary and phrases you’re going to learn!

1- Traditional and Modern Family in Japan

The traditional Japanese family is characterized by the 家 (Ie) or family system, which is literally translated as “household.” It refers to a home and family’s lineage, which bestows importance of kinship and loyalty to their family.

Each member of a family is expected to serve their family’s interests (rather than the individual’s) as a priority. The Japanese family is traditionally patriarchal and a household usually consists of grandparents, their son, his wife, and their children. The eldest son is expected to inherit the household assets, and he’s responsible for taking care of his parents when they get old.

In the modern Japanese family, however, the influence of the traditional ie system isn’t as strong as it used to be. A 核家族 (kaku kazoku) or “nuclear family” is very common nowadays, and consists of two parents and their children, typically centering on a married couple.

While a married couple is expected to live together with a husband’s parents in the traditional Japanese family, grandparents don’t live with a kaku kazoku in a modern Japanese family (although they are visited often).

2- Becoming a Family in Japan (Marriage)

In Japan, the 戸籍 (Koseki) or “family registration system” is mandatory to all households. It requires that the family records all changes in family composition and identity, such as births, deaths, marriages, divorces, acknowledgements of paternity, adoptions, and disrupted adoptions.

It’s required to register one person as the head of a household, and the rest of the members in a household must have the same surname as that of the head. Once a couple gets married, spouses are obligated to have the same surname, and registration of different surnames is not allowed.

Due to the traditional system and the importance of kinship as custom, marriage isn’t only a matter of the bride and groom, but also of their extended family. It’s expected that extended families from both sides are going to have a “family relationship” once a couple gets married in Japan. As such, relationships with one’s in-laws become important.

3- Expressions of Family in Japan

There are various words to name family members in Japanese.

Japanese vocabulary words to describe family count age difference, and there are particular names related to age. This is because age is regarded as one of the most important attributions in the Japanese society, which is greatly influenced by the concept of Confucianism that states seniority is highly respected.

As relationships with in-laws are also culturally important, there are particular names for them as well.

In addition, there are variations of how to express family members, ranging from very casual to formal. Which ones to use depend on the occasion.

Let’s dive into the details in the following sections, and get you started with common family words in Japanese.

2. Basic Family Terms

Family Words

Now, it’s time to learn some basic Japanese words for family members. These are the words you’ll most often hear and use!

1- Basic Family Vocabularies

The formal terms are usually used for official occasions and in written form, while the informal terms are commonly used in casual situations (orally) as well as when calling a family member.

 

English Formal Informal
I / me 私(わたし
watashi
father 父(ちち お父さん
chichi o-tō-san
mother 母(はは) お母さん
haha o-kā-san
older sister 姉(あね) お姉さん / お姉ちゃん
ane o-nee-san / o-nee-chan
younger sister 妹(いもうと)
imōto
older brother 兄(あに) お兄さん / お兄ちゃん
ani o-nii-san / o-nii-chan
younger brother 弟(おとうと)
otōto
grandfather 祖父(そふ) おじいさん / おじいちゃん
sofu o-jii-san / o-jii-chan
grandmother 祖母(そぼ) おばあさん / おばあちゃん
sobo o-bā-san / o-bā-chan
great grandfather 曽祖父 (そうそふ) ひいおじいさん/ ひいおじいちゃん
sōsofu hii-o-jii-san / hii-o-jii-chan
great grandmother

曽祖母(そうそぼ) ひいおばあさん/ ひいおばあちゃん
sobo hii-o-bā-san / hii-o-bā-chan
grandchild(ren) 孫 (まご)
mago
great grandchild(ren) ひ孫(ひまご)
himago

 

Family Leaving Home

Average modern Japanese families usually have 1 or 2 children.

2- More Vocabulary

  • 家族 かぞく (Kazoku) : family
  • 両親 りょうしん (Ryōshin) : parents (father & mother)
  • 親 おや (Oya) : parent(s)
  • 子供 こども (Kodomo) : child(ren)
  • 兄弟 きょうだい (Kyōdai) : brothers
  • 姉妹しまい (Shimai) : sisters

3- Examples

Here are some examples of Japanese phrases for family, so you have a better idea how to use the vocabulary above.

  • 私の家族は、お母さん、お父さん、私、弟の4人家族です。
    Watashi no kazoku wa, o-kā-san, o-tō-san, watashi, otōto no yo-nin kazoku desu.
    My family has four members: mother, father, me, and my younger brother.
  • 私は姉と妹がいる3姉妹です。
    Watashi wa ane to imōto ga iru san-shimai desu.
    I have an older sister and a younger sister, and we are three sisters.
  • 私は兄と姉がいます。
    Watashi wa ani to ane ga imasu.
    I have an older brother and an older sister.
  • 私は祖父と祖母が大好きです。
    Watashi wa sofu to sobo ga daisuki desu.
    I like my grandfather and grandmother very much.

To listen to the pronunciation of basic family terms, please visit Must-Know Terms for Family Members on our website.

Also, if you would like to know more about Japanese numbers, please visit our Japanese Numbers article.

Mother and Daughter Smiling

The bond between a mother and a daughter is often very strong.

3. Terms of Relatives

1- Vocabulary for Relatives

  • 親戚 しんせき (Shinseki) : relatives
  • 叔父 おじ (Oji) : uncle
  • 叔母 おば (Oba) : aunt
  • 甥 おい (Oi) : nephew
  • 姪 めい (Mei) : niece
  • いとこ (Itoko) : cousin

2- Examples

  • 私の親戚は全員東京に住んでいます。
    Watashi no shinseki wa zen’in Tōkyō ni sunde imasu.
    All my relatives live in Tokyo.
  • 私は5人いとこがいます。
    Watashi wa go-nin itoko ga imasu.
    I have five cousins.
  • 私の叔父と叔母は教師です。
    Watashi no oji to oba wa kyōshi desu.
    My uncle and my aunt are teachers.
  • 私の姪は5歳で、甥は2歳です。
    Watashi no mei wa go-sai de, oi wa ni-sai desu.
    My niece is five years old and my nephew is two years old.

4. Family Terms as a Married Person

1- Vocabulary to Know as a Married Person

  • 結婚 けっこん (Kekkon) : marriage
  • 既婚 きこん (Kikon) : married
  • 未婚 みこん (Mikon) : unmarried
  • 離婚 りこん (Rikon) : divorce
  • 夫 おっと (Otto) : husband
  • 妻 つま (Tsuma) : wife
  • 息子 むすこ (Musuko) : son
  • 娘 むすめ (Musume) : daughter
  • 義理の ぎりの (Giri no) : in-law

In order to express “XXX in-law,” add 義理の (Giri no) in front of XXX (the family member).

For example:

  • 義理の両親 (Giri no ryōshin) : parents-in-law
  • 義理の父 (Giri no chichi) : father-in-law
  • 義理の母 (Giri no haha) : mother-in-law
  • 義理の兄 (Giri no ani) : older brother-in-law
  • 義理の弟 (Giri no otōto) : younger brother-in-law
  • 義理の姉 (Giri no ane) : older sister-in-law
  • 義理の妹 (Giri no imōto) : younger sister-in-law

2- Examples

  • 私は夫と娘が1人います。
    Watashi wa otto to musume ga hitori imasu.
    I have a husband and one daughter.
  • 私の義理の父と母は大阪に住んでいます。
    Watashi no giri no chichi to haha wa Ōsaka ni sunde imasu.
    My father and mother in-law live in Osaka.
  • 私は既婚者で子供が2人います。
    Watashi wa kikonsha de kodomo ga futari imasu.
    I am married and I have two children.
  • 私の義理の両親は、私の息子におもちゃを買いました。
    Watashi no giri no ryōshin wa, watashi no musuko ni omocha o kaimashita.
    My parents-in-law bought a toy for my son.

5. Endearment Terms

Parents Phrases

In addition to the formal and informal terms for family, there are also more casual vocabulary words that you can call family members. It may vary from household to household, or on what kind of relationships there are between family members, but here are some examples. Just note that these are typically used in Japanese family relationships that are close.

1- Father

  • パパ (Papa) : papa

Like in English, “papa” is a common name to call a father in Japan, especially when children are very small. However, most Japanese people don’t use papa as they grow up.

  • 父ちゃん (Tō-chan) : dad

This term includes a nuance of cute and comical affection.

  • おやじ (Oyaji) : dad

This term is usually used by sons who are post-adolescent age. When they become adults, they often feel embarrassed to call their father papa or o-tō-san. This term also indicates a nuance of close affection.

2- Mother

  • ママ (Mama) : mama

Just like papa, mama is used especially when children are still small.

  • 母ちゃん (Kā-chan) : mom

This is the version of tō-chan used for mothers.

  • お袋 (Ofukuro) : mom

This is the mother version of oyaji.

3- Grandfather

  • じじ (Jiji) : grandpa

Grandchildren and their parents usually call a grandfather by this term when the grandchildren are still small. It indicates a nuance of cute affection.

  • じーじ (Jīji) : grandpa

This is very similar to jiji, but the first ji is pronounced longer.

4- Grandmother

  • ばば (Baba) : grandma

This is the grandmother version of jiji.

  • ばーば (Bāba) : grandma

This is the grandmother version of jīji.

Elderly Couple

Grandparents often have endearing nicknames when they have grandchildren.

6. How to Describe Family and Ask Question about Family in Japanese

Most of the time, there’s no problem with talking about family and relatives. When it comes to marital status and children, however, it can be a delicate matter. It can sometimes be inappropriate to ask someone about his/her marital status or if they have children, unless he/she is open and willing to talk. This is especially true for a woman in her 30s.

Here are some example questions and answers related to family.

Q:
何人家族ですか。
Nan-nin kazoku desu ka.
How many family members do you have?

A:
お父さん、お母さん、お姉ちゃん、私の4人家族です。
O-tō-san, o-kā-san, o-nee-chan, watashi no yo-nin kazoku desu.
I have four family members: father, mother, older sister, and me.

—–

Q:
兄弟はいますか。
Kyōdai wa imasu ka.
Do you have brothers and sisters?

*When asking a question, kyōdai can also refer to sisters.

A:
私は姉と弟がいます。
Watashi wa ane to otōto ga imasu.
I have an older sister and a younger brother.

—–

Q:
結婚していますか。
Kekkon shite imasu ka.
Are you married?

A:
はい、妻と子供が2人います。
Hai, tsuma to kodomo ga futari imasu.
Yes, I have a wife and two children.

—–

Q:
孫はいますか。
Mago wa imasu ka.
Do you have grandchildren?

A:
はい、私は孫が6人います。
Hai, watashi wa mago ga roku-nin imasu.
Yes, I have six grandchildren.

—–

Q:
ご両親はお元気ですか。
Go-ryōshin wa o-genki desu ka.
How are your parents?

*It’s polite to put go in front of ryōshin when you talk about someone’s parents.

A:
はい、私の父と母は元気です。
Hai, watashi no chichi to haha wa genki desu.
Yes, my father and mother are doing well.

—–

For more about self-introductions, please visit Introducing Yourself in Japanese on our website.

7. Conclusion: How Japanesepod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

I hope this article about family in Japanese culture is useful and that it helps to improve your Japanese communication skills.

If you would like to learn more about the Japanese language, you’ll find more useful content on JapanesePod101.com. We provide a variety of free lessons for you to improve your Japanese language skills. For example, Must-Know Terms for Family Members is helpful if you want to practice family terms in Japanese with audio.

We also have YouTube channel: JapanesePod101. It’s always fun to learn Japanese by watching videos and listening to actual Japanese pronunciation.

Before you go, let us know in the comments if there are any family terms you still want to know! And to practice, write a short paragraph about your family in basic Japanese. We look forward to hearing from you!

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Japanese Travel Phrases for an Enjoyable Trip to Japan

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Are you traveling to Japan and want to learn practical Japanese travel phrases? This article is designed to help you learn the most useful Japanese words for travel.

It’s always good to learn basic words when you travel to a foreign country. Not only does it make getting around easier, but it also allows you to enjoy communicating with the locals.

In general, Japanese people are not so good at speaking English, free wifi services aren’t very prevalent (especially outside of the central cities), and Japan is still more of a cash-based society than you may think. However, Japanese people are very kind; they’ll listen to you patiently and do their best to help. So just use these basic Japanese travel phrases to talk to Japanese people when you want to ask something.

When you speak even a little bit of Japanese, locals will appreciate your effort and will be more friendly. Here’s JapanesePod101’s list of practical Japanese travel phrases for your travels to Japan!

Table of Contents

  1. Greeting/Communication
  2. Asking for Directions
  3. Shopping
  4. Restaurants
  5. When You Need Help
  6. Conclusion: How JapanesePod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

Log

1. Greeting/Communication

Airplane Phrases

To begin our list of essential Japanese travel phrases, we’ll go over greetings and basic travel phrases in Japanese for solid communication. These simple Japanese travel phrases can make a world of difference in your conversations and overall experience in Japan.

1- こんにちは

  • Romanization: Kon’nichiwa
  • English Translation: Hello

In terms of must-know Japanese travel phrases, you probably already know that this is the most common Japanese greeting word. You can say this to anybody for any occasion during the daytime.

2- はい/いいえ

  • Romanization: Hai / Iie
  • English Translation: Yes / No

Hai is “Yes” and it’s pronounced like the English word “Hi.” In Japan, saying yes also means that you understand. Iie is “No” and it’s pronounced ‘EE-eh.’

3- ありがとうございます

  • Romanization: Arigatō gozaimasu
  • English Translation: Thank you

Arigatō gozaimasu is the polite way to say “Thank you” in Japanese, and you can use this for any occasion. In case of a casual situation, you can just say Arigatō, or even more casually, Dōmo (どうも) which means “Thanks.”

4- いいえ、いりません

  • Romanization: Iie, irimasen
  • English Translation: No, thank you.

It literally means “No, I don’t need it,” in Japanese. At a restaurant, say this phrase when a waiter offers to fill your glass of water and you don’t want more.

5- すみません

  • Romanization: Sumimasen
  • English Translation: I’m sorry / Excuse me

This word is usually used to say “sorry” or “excuse me”. Say this when you bump into someone in a crowd or when you ask someone for directions. Japanese people also use this to mean “thank you,” in some cases, such as when someone picks up something you dropped.

6- お願いします

  • Romanization: Onegai shimasu
  • English Translation: Please

When you request something, it’s polite to say Onegai shimasu. When someone offers you something and says please, she/he would say Dōzo (どうぞ) in Japanese.

7- 私はXXです

  • Romanization: Watashi wa XX desu.
  • English Translation: I am XX.

Watashi is “I,” wa is “am/is/are,” and desu is a present-tense word that links subjects and predicates; it’s placed at the end of a sentence. You can put your name, or your nationality, such as: Watashi wa Amerika-jin desu (私はアメリカ人です) which means “I am American.”  

Many Different Flags

8- 私は日本語がわかりません

  • Romanization: Watashi wa nihongo ga wakarimasen.
  • English Translation: I don’t understand Japanese.

Nihongo is stands for the Japanese language, and Wakarimasen means “I don’t understand.” If you don’t know something, you can just say Wakarimasen meaning “I don’t know.”

9- 英語を話せますか

  • Romanization: Eigo o hanasemasu ka
  • English Translation: Can you speak English?

This is one of the most useful Japanese phrases for travelers. Eigo means “English,” Hanasemasu is a polite way to say “I speak,” and ka is a word that you add to the end of a complete sentence to make a question.

10- 英語でお願いします

  • Romanization: Eigo de onegai shimasu
  • English Translation: English, please.

This is another important Japanese travel phrase. De is the particle, and in this case it means “by” or “by means of.” The phrase literally translates as “English by please.” You can also say M saizu de onegai shimasu (Mサイズでお願いします) which means “Medium size, please.”

2. Asking for Directions

Preparing to Travel

One of the most important Japanese travel phrases you should know are directions. Here are some useful vocabulary words and two Japanese language travel phrases you need to know!

1- Vocabulary

  • 駅 (Eki) : Station
  • 地下鉄 (Chikatetsu) : Subway/Metro
  • トイレ (Toire) : Toilet
  • 銀行 (Ginkō) : Bank
  • 切符売り場 (Kippu uriba) : Ticket machine/Office
  • 観光案内所 (Kankō annaijo) : Tourist information office
  • 入口 (Iriguchi) : Entrance
  • 出口 (Deguchi) : Exit
  • 右 (Migi) : Right
  • 左 (Hidari) : Left
  • まっすぐ (Massugu) : Straight
  • 曲がる (Magaru) : Turn
  • 交差点 (Kōsaten) : Intersection
  • 角 (Kado) : Corner

2- XXはどこですか

  • Romanization: XX wa doko desu ka
  • English Translation: Where is XX?

Doko means “where” and you replace XX with the name of where you want to go.

For example

  • Toire wa doko desu ka (Where is the toilet?)
  • Deguchi wa doko desu ka (Where is an exit?)

3- XX e wa dō ikeba ii desu ka (XXへはどう行けばいいですか) : How can I go to XX?

  • Romanization: XX e wa dō ikeba ii desu ka
  • English Translation: How can I go to XX?

is “how,” e is “to,” and ikeba ii can be translated as “good to go.” When you want to know how you can get somewhere, replace XX with where you want to go.

For example:

  • Eki e wa dō ikeba ii desu ka (How can I go to the station?)
  • Ginkō e wa dō ikeba ii desu ka (How can I go to the bank?)

4- Other Examples

1. この道をまっすぐ行きます (Kono michi o massugu ikimasu.):Go straight on this street.

Kono michi is “this street” and ikimasu is the polite way to say “Go.” O is a Japanese postpositional particle which indicates an object (in this case, kono michi).

2. 次の角を右へ曲がります (Tsugi no kado o migi e magarimasu.):Turn right at the next corner.

Tsugi no kado means “next corner” and magarimasu is the polite way to say “Turn.” E is another postpositional particle that indicates direction; this can be translated as the English word “to.”

3. 交差点を渡って左へ行きます (Kōsaten o watatte hidari e ikimasu.):Cross an intersection and go to the left (direction).

Watatte is a conjugated form of wataru which means “cross.”

3. Shopping

Basic Questions

You’ll definitely love shopping when traveling in Japan, and some of the best Japanese phrases for travel are those related to this fun past-time. Knowing some useful Japanese words will make your shopping even more enjoyable.

1- XXはありますか

  • Romanization: XX wa arimasu ka
  • English Translation: Do you have XX?

When you’re at a store and looking for something, you can use this phrase by replacing XX with what you want.

2- いくらですか

  • Romanization: Ikura desu ka
  • English Translation: How much is it?

This is probably one of the most useful Japanese words for traveling and shopping. You can say Ikura desu ka in many situations, such as when you’re shopping, buying tickets, paying for a taxi, etc.

3- 免税できますか

  • Romanization: Menzei dekimasu ka
  • English Translation: Can you do a tax exemption?

Did you know that, as a traveler, you can get a sales tax exemption when you purchase things greater than 5,000 yen? Menzei is “tax exempted” and dekimasu means “can do.” Don’t forget to say this when you buy something big!

4- これは何ですか

  • Romanization: Kore wa nan desu ka
  • English Translation: What is this?

Kore is “this” and nan is another form of nani which means “what.” There are many unique foods, gadgets, and things which are unique to Japan, so when you wonder what it is, point to it and say this phrase.

5- これを買います

  • Romanization: Kore o kaimasu
  • English Translation: I’ll buy this.

Kaimasu is the conjugation of the verb kau, which means “buy.”

6- カードは使えますか

  • Romanization: Kādo wa tsukaemasu ka
  • English Translation: Can I use a credit card?

Kādo is “card” and you pronounce it just like the English word “card.” Tsukaemasu is a conjugation of the potential form of the verb tsukau which means “use.” This phrase is useful when you want to use your card at small shops and restaurants.

Man and Woman Shopping

4. Restaurants

Japan has an array of delicious foods, of which sushi and ramen are just the tip of the iceberg. Amazingly, Tokyo is the city with the most Michelin-starred restaurants in the world, for several consecutive years. Enjoy yummy food at restaurants with useful Japanese words for restaurants and easy Japanese travel phrases related to food.

1- Vocabulary

  • 英語のメニュー (Eigo no menyū) : English menu
  • ベジタリアンのメニュー (Bejitarian no menyū) : Vegetarian menu
  • 豚肉を含まないメニュー (Butaniku o fukumanai menyū) : Menu without pork
  • 水 (Mizu) : Water
  • 白/赤ワイン (Shiro / Aka wain) : White / Red wine

2- XXはありますか

  • Romanization: XX wa arimasu ka
  • English Translation: Do you have XX?

When you want to ask if the restaurant has something you want, say this phrase (replacing XX with what you want).

For example:

  • Eigo no menyū wa arimasu ka (Do you have an English menu?)
  • Aka wain wa arimasu ka (Do you have red wine?)

3- XXをください

  • Romanization: XX o kudasai
  • English Translation: Can I have XX?

This is another very useful phrase. Simply replace XX with what you want. You can also use this versatile phrase in various occasions, such as when shopping, choosing something, etc.

For example:

  • Kore o kudasai (Can I have this?)
  • Mizu o kudasai (Can I have water?)

4- お会計お願いします

  • Romanization: O-kaikei onegai shimasu
  • English Translation: Check, please.

O-kaikei means “check.” In Japan, people often cross their index fingers in front of their face as a gesture to indicate “check, please” at casual restaurants. However, when you’re at a nice restaurant, simply tell a waiter: O-kaikei onegai shimasu.

5. When You Need Help

Survival Phrases

Sometimes you get faced with unexpected emergencies while you’re traveling. Japan is famous for being one of the safest countries in the world, but you might fall very ill or be caught in a great earthquake.

1- Vocabularies

  • 警察 (Keisatsu) : Police
  • 病院 (Byōin) : Hospital
  • 救急車 (Kyūkyūsha) : Ambulance
  • ドラッグストア/薬局 (Doraggu sutoa / Yakkyoku) : Drug Store/Pharmacy
  • タクシー (Takushī) : Taxi

2- XXを呼んでください

  • Romanization: XX o yonde kudasai
  • English Translation: Can you call XX?

When you’re severely ill or in case of emergency, let people know by using this phrase. Japanese people will kindly help you.

For example:

  • Yūkyūsha o yonde kudasai (Can you call an ambulance?)
  • Keisatsu o yonde kudasai (Can you call the police?)

3- どこでインターネットを使えますか

  • Romanization: Doko de intānetto o tsukaemasu ka
  • English Translation: Where can I use the internet?

Although large cities in Japan provide free public wifi at major stations, metros, and cafes, you may need to find internet access in smaller cities. Remember that there will be kind Japanese people who will share their personal hotspots, or look things up for you with their own phones, as well.

4- 電話を貸してください

  • Romanization: Denwa o kashite kudasai
  • English Translation: Can I use your phone?

Denwa is “phone” and kashite is a conjugation word of kasu, which means “lend.” This phrase is literally translated as “Please lend (me) a phone.”

5- 助けてください

  • Romanization: Tasukete kudasai
  • English Translation: Please help me.

I believe this phrase is the last thing you would ever use in Japan, but in case something does happen, this is useful survival Japanese for tourists.

Japanese Landmark

6. Conclusion: How JapanesePod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

I hope this article of Japanese travel phrases is helpful and that you’ll enjoy your trip to Japan!

If you would like to learn more about the Japanese language, you’ll find more useful content on JapanesePod101.com. We provide a variety of free lessons for you to improve your Japanese language skills.

We also have YouTube channel: JapanesePod101. It’s fun to learn Japanese through watching videos and listening to actual Japanese pronunciation, so we recommend you check it out!

Don’t forget to study with our free Japanese vocabulary lists, read more insightful blog posts like this one, and download our mobile apps to learn anywhere, anytime! Whatever your reason for learning Japanese, know that we’re here to help and you can do it! Keep in mind that the best way to learn Japanese phrases for travel is repetition and practice.

Before you go, let us know in the comments how you feel about using these useful travel phrases in Japanese after reading this article. More confident, or still a little confused about something? Feel free to ask questions in the comments!

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