Japanese Vocabulary Essentials

The Japanese language can be a very difficult language to master for westerners. With this level of difficulty in consideration, your Japanese host will not expect you to be a fluent speaker of the Japanese langauge. However, there are some basic Japanese vocabulary essentials that you should know. Below are just a few of them. It also makes sense to pick up a simple book or electronic translator to help you learn a bit more. The more you know, the better off you are.

Hello: “Konínichiwa”.

Good bye: “Sayonara”.

Thank You: “Arigato”.

Bathroom: “Basurumu”.

Restaurant: “Resutoran”.

Business card: “Meishi”.

The word for making a toast during dinner is “Kampai”.

The way to explain that you are happy with dinner is “Gochisou-sama-deshita”.

Excuse me: “sumimasen”.

Turn down a drink politely: “Kekko desu”.

Foreigner: “Gaijen”.

Good Morning: “Ohayo”.

Good evening: “Kon ban wa”.

Good night: “Oyasumi-nasi”.

Welcome: “Yo-koso”.

Breakfast: “Cho-shoku”.

Lunch: “Chu-shoku”.

Dinner: “Yu-shoku”.

Food: “Tabe-mono”.

Drink: “Nomi-mono”.

Dessert: “Dezaato”.

Water: “Mizu”.

Check: “Chekku”.

Hot: “Atsui”.

Cold Weather: “Sumui”.

Cold Temperature: “Tsumentai”.

Translation: “Hon-yaku”.

Japanese People: “Hihon-jin”.

Do you understand?: “Wakarimasu-ka?”

Do you not understand?: “Wakarimasen”.

Train: “Densha”.

Toilet: “Toy-re”.

Japan Printing & Graphics, Inc.