Essential Japanese Phrases
The whole Japanese travel deck, free to read and grouped by situation. Each row shows the romaji and the meaning. Three play native audio here.
Essential Japanese Travel Phrases
The Japanese phrases travelers use most — greetings, getting around, ordering food, shopping, numbers, and emergencies — each with natural Japanese, romaji pronunciation, a usage example, and native-speaker audio.
59 cards with native audio. Read them all free on the deck page.
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Greetings
| Japanese | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| こんにちは | konnichiwa | Hello / Good afternoon | |
| おはようございます | ohayō gozaimasu | Good morning (polite) | |
| こんばんは | konbanwa | Good evening | |
| おやすみなさい | oyasuminasai | Good night | |
| さようなら | sayōnara | Goodbye | |
| またね | mata ne | See you later (casual) | |
| はじめまして | hajimemashite | Nice to meet you | |
| お元気ですか | o-genki desu ka | How are you? |
Basic Phrases
| Japanese | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| はい | hai | Yes | |
| いいえ | iie | No | |
| ありがとうございます | arigatō gozaimasu | Thank you (polite) | |
| どういたしまして | dō itashimashite | You're welcome | |
| すみません | sumimasen | Excuse me / Sorry | |
| ごめんなさい | gomen nasai | I'm sorry | |
| お願いします | onegai shimasu | Please | |
| 大丈夫です | daijōbu desu | It's okay / I'm fine | |
| わかりました | wakarimashita | I understand / Got it | |
| わかりません | wakarimasen | I don't understand | |
| 日本語が話せません | nihongo ga hanasemasen | I can't speak Japanese | |
| 英語を話せますか | eigo o hanasemasu ka | Do you speak English? |
Directions
| Japanese | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| トイレはどこですか | toire wa doko desu ka | Where is the toilet? | |
| 駅はどこですか | eki wa doko desu ka | Where is the station? | |
| 右 | migi | Right | |
| 左 | hidari | Left | |
| まっすぐ | massugu | Straight ahead | |
| ここ | koko | Here |
Transportation
| Japanese | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 電車 | densha | Train | |
| バス | basu | Bus | |
| タクシー | takushī | Taxi | |
| 空港 | kūkō | Airport | |
| 切符 | kippu | Ticket |
Food & Drink
| Japanese | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 水 | mizu | Water | |
| お茶 | o-cha | Tea | |
| コーヒー | kōhī | Coffee | |
| ビール | bīru | Beer | |
| ご飯 | gohan | Rice / Meal | |
| メニューをください | menyū o kudasai | The menu, please | |
| おいしい | oishii | Delicious | |
| いただきます | itadakimasu | Said before eating (thanks for the meal) | |
| お会計をお願いします | o-kaikei o onegai shimasu | The check, please |
Shopping
| Japanese | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| いくらですか | ikura desu ka | How much is it? | |
| これをください | kore o kudasai | I'll take this one, please | |
| 高い | takai | Expensive | |
| 安い | yasui | Cheap |
Numbers
| Japanese | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 一 | ichi | One (1) | |
| 二 | ni | Two (2) | |
| 三 | san | Three (3) | |
| 四 | yon | Four (4) | |
| 五 | go | Five (5) | |
| 六 | roku | Six (6) | |
| 七 | nana | Seven (7) | |
| 八 | hachi | Eight (8) | |
| 九 | kyū | Nine (9) | |
| 十 | jū | Ten (10) |
Emergency
| Japanese | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 助けて | tasukete | Help! | |
| 病院 | byōin | Hospital | |
| 警察 | keisatsu | Police | |
| 薬局 | yakkyoku | Pharmacy | |
| 医者を呼んでください | isha o yonde kudasai | Please call a doctor |
Frequently asked questions
How many Japanese phrases do I need as a traveler?
A core of about 30 to 50 phrases — greetings, thank you and excuse me, directions, ordering food, and numbers — covers most everyday situations in Japan.
Is Japanese pronunciation hard for English speakers?
Japanese pronunciation is fairly consistent — each syllable is short and evenly stressed. The romaji here gets you close; native audio is the fastest way to sound natural.
Do people in Japan speak English?
In major cities and tourist areas you will find some English signage and staff, but a handful of Japanese phrases makes trains, restaurants, and shops far smoother and is always appreciated.
Keep learning Japanese
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