With only a few core Japanese phrases, you’ll be capable to talk so many concepts, even if you happen to’re a newbie!
These 101 core Japanese phrases are the phrases you must be taught now, whether or not you’re a newbie or intermediate Japanese learner. They embrace pronouns, nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and conjugations.
This isn’t your common newbie’s glossary. It’s an inventory of the commonest phrases to start out with if you happen to’re learning by the word-frequency methodology.
10 Primary Japanese Phrases to Get You Began
If you happen to’re solely going to be taught 10 core Japanese phrases from this text, stroll away with these:
- はい (hai) – “sure”
- いいえ (iie) – “no” or “you’re welcome”
- おはようございます (ohayō gozaimasu) – “good morning”
- こんにちは (konnichiwa) – “howdy” or “good afternoon”
- こんばんは (konbanwa) – “good night”
- じゃね (ja ne) – “bye”
- すみません (sumimasen) – “excuse me”
- お願いします (o-negai shimasu) – “please”
- ありがとうございます (arigatō gozaimasu) – “thanks”
- わかりません (wakarimasen) – “I don’t perceive”
These are largely greetings and set phrases. You gained’t must know something about Japanese grammar to make use of these. So subsequent, we’ll discuss vocabulary!
You possibly can pair the core phrases you be taught subsequent with important Japanese phrases and phrases for learners. Combining the vocabulary and phrases in these two articles will assist ensure you know the phrases and phrases you’ll hear on a regular basis! Plus they’ll show you how to make primary sentences.
You’ll be manner forward of the sport, so carry on studying for extra vocabulary!
The 8 Core Japanese Pronouns
Japanese pronouns are essential to know, though regardless that they’re core phrases, you’ll most frequently hear and use the highest three on this checklist. In Japanese, pronouns are normally understood from context and never mentioned except they’re vital for clarification.
You’ll additionally discover I didn’t embrace “you” (あなた, “anata”) on this checklist. That’s as a result of it’s normally averted except in a context the place the particular person has no title (like in a music or a textbook instance).
Any time you’d say “you” in English, you’ll use the particular person’s title adopted by “-san” (-さん), equivalent to “Tanaka-san” (田中さん).
- これ / この (ore / Kono) – “This” or “This ___ (factor/particular person)”
- それ / その (Sore / Sono) – “That / It” or “That ___ (factor/particular person)”
- あれ / あの (Are / Ano) – “That over there” or “That ___ (factor/particular person) over there”
- 私 / 僕 (Watashi / Boku) – “I” (私 is gender impartial, whereas 僕 is masculine.)
- 彼 (Kare) – “He”
- 彼女 (Kanojo) – “She”
- 私たち (Watashitachi) – “We”
- 彼ら (Karera) – “They”
The 42 Core Japanese Nouns
Which Japanese nouns are most useful to be taught?
Everybody has totally different phrases they are saying essentially the most based mostly on each day life. You need to undoubtedly take time to create your individual script and checklist of phrases you typically say, so you’ll be able to memorize them.
Based mostly on frequency lists, these are the phrases you’ll almost definitely hear or use. After all, nouns for time, transportation, and common phrases for location and folks high the checklist for usefulness in getting by.
Professional tip: Most single kanji have a number of readings, particularly when mixed with different kanji. Their English phrase which means stays the identical, although. I’ve included the commonest manner or methods to learn them in Romaji (English characters to spell Japanese phrases). Wish to know extra about kanji? Then begin right here.
Don’t fear about that for now, however simply know there could also be – and normally are – extra methods, when you get farther in your research.
Core Japanese Phrases for Time
First, we’ll go over some helpful Japanese phrases to speak about time and length.
- 年 (Toshi or Nen) – “Yr”
- 月 (Getsu or Tsuki) – “Month” and “Moon”
- 日 (Nichi or Hello) – “Day” and “Solar”
- 週 (Shuu) – “Week”
- 今日 (Kyou) – “At present”
- 明日 (Ashita) – “Tomorrow”
- 昨日 (Kinou) – “Yesterday”
- 時間 (Jikan) – “Time” (As in, a time-frame.)
- 分 (Enjoyable or Bun) – “Minute”
- 時 (Ji or Toki) – “Hour” or “Time”
- 今 (Ima) – “Now”
- 前 (Mae) – “Earlier than”
- 後 (Ato) – “After”
To be taught much more, take a look at our article about days of the week in Japanese!
king Podcast:
The 8 Core Japanese Conjunctions and Connectors
It’s at all times useful to know easy methods to join your sentences with conjunctions.
As in English, there are tons of conjunctions and connectors to start out a sentence, however these are most typical.
Right here’s one to notice: その時 (Sono toki). It means “at the moment” in Japanese, however doesn’t actually translate correctly into English. It’s nearer to saying “when that occurred,” “whereas that was happening,” “after which,” or “in the meantime” in English whereas explaining what occurs subsequent in a narrative.
- しかし (Shikashi) – “Nonetheless”
- また (Mata) – “Additionally”
- その後 (Sono ato) – “After that”
- その時 (Sono toki) – “At the moment”
- 場合は (Baai wa) – “If you happen to” or “If this occurs”
- 例えば (Tatoeba) – “For instance”
- それから (Sorekara) – “Then”
- だから (Dakara) – “So”
Core Japanese Phrases for Locations
Listed below are some helpful Japanese phrases that can assist you get from place to position:
- 家 (Ie or Uchi) – “residence”
- 出身 (Shusshin) – “Hometown”
- トイレ / お手洗い (Toire / Otearai) – “Rest room”
- 店 (Mise or Ya) – “Store”
- 日本 (Nihon) – “Japan”
- 国 (Kuni or Koku) – “Nation”
- 学校 (Gakkou) – “Faculty”
- 大学 (Daigaku) – “Faculty”
- 駅 (Eki) – “(Practice) Station”
- 線 (Sen) – “Line”
- 電車 (Densha) – “Practice”
- 地下鉄 (Chikatetsu) – “Subway”
- 車 (Kuruma) – “Automotive”
- 部屋 (Heya) – “Room”
- 町 (Machi) – “City”
- 所 / 場所 (Tokoro / Basho) – “Place”
- 中 (Naka or Chuu) – “Center,” or “Inside”
- 外 (Soto or Gai) – “Outdoors”
By the way in which, that can assist you get impressed to progress in your Japanese research, take a look at Benny’s begin to his Japanese problem!
Different Core Japanese Phrases
Listed below are another cool Japanese phrases that’ll be tremendous helpful in a wide range of conversations!
- 語 (Go) – “Language” (Mix it with different phrases like: 言語 (gengo, “language”), 単語 (tango, “phrases”), 日本語 (Nihongo, “Japanese”), 英語 (Eigo, “English”), スペイン語 (Supeingo, “Spanish”).)
- 水 (Mizu) – “Water”
- 映画 (Eiga) – “Film”
- テレビ (Terebi) – “TV”
- 家族 (Kazoku) – “Household”
- 人 (Hito or Nin) – “Particular person”
- 物 (Mono) – “Factor (tangible)”
- こと (Koto) – “Factor (intangible)”
- 名前 (Namae) – “Title”
- 他 (Hoka) – “Different”
- ため (Tame) – “For” or “With regard to”
If you happen to’d wish to be taught extra cool Japanese phrase, take a look at our article about must-know Japanese slang!
Additionally, I don’t have time to cowl it right here, however query nouns like “what” and “the place” are additionally tremendous essential in Japanese! I’ve acquired you coated in one other article all about Japanese query phrases.
The 23 Core Japanese Verbs
You will get by saying so much in Japanese with just a few verbs, particularly the primary one on this checklist: する (suru). This verb means “to do” by itself. However, it additionally combines with nouns to imply “to do ____”.
For instance, you’ll be able to mix する with nouns like 勉強 (benkyou, “examine”) to create 勉強する (benkyou suru, “to review”). It’s an excellent useful and versatile verb, even when it’s one of many two irregular verbs for conjugation.
However isn’t that good? Japanese solely has 2 irregular verbs – する and 来る (kuru, “to return”).
- する (Suru) – “To do”
- です (Desu) – “To be” or “it’s”
- なる (Naru) – “To turn into”
- ある (Aru) – “There’s” for inanimate objects and crops.
- いる (Iru) – “There’s” for dwelling issues, like people and animals.
- 言う (Iu) – “To say”
- 行く (Iku) – “To go”
- 出来る (Dekiru) – “To have the ability to do” or “can do”
- 見る (Miru) – “To see”
- 送る (Okuru) – “To ship”
- 持つ (Motsu) – “To have” or “to carry”
- 待つ (Matsu) – “To attend”
- 会う (Au) – “To satisfy”
- 呼ぶ (Yobu) – “To name” (as in name out or name over to somebody–calling somebody on the cellphone is 電話する denwa suru)
- 置く (Oku) – “To place”
- 受ける (Ukeru) – “To obtain”
- 作る (Tsukuru) – “To make”
- 着く (Tsuku) – “To reach”
- 使う (Tsukau) – “To make use of”
- 学ぶ (Manabu) – “To be taught”
- 食べる (Taberu) – “To eat”
- 飲む (Nomu) – “To drink”
- 帰る (Kaeru) – “To return residence”
By the way in which, if you happen to’d wish to be taught extra about easy methods to use these cool Japanese verbs, take a look at our article all about Japanese verb conjugation!
The 20 Core Japanese Adjectives and Adverbs
Add extra phrases in Japanese to assist with descriptions! Listed below are the commonest Japanese adjectives and adverbs.
Pay attention to すごい (sugoi) – “superb.” It’s so generally used, it means many issues. “Cool,” “wow,” “that’s loopy,” and many others. It’s a catch-all exclamation and is usually utilized in reply to tales or when proven one thing (like yummy meals, stunning surroundings, or a cool image).
- 多い (Ooi) – “Many”
- たくさん (Takusan) – “Plenty of”
- 少ない (Sukunai) – “Few”
- 遠い (Tooi) – “Far”
- 近い (Chikai) – “Close to”
- 小さい (Chiisai) – “Small”
- 大きい (Ookii) – “Large”
- 良い (Yoi) – “Good”
- 悪い (Warui) – “Dangerous”
- きれいな (Kirei na) – “Clear” and “Fairly”
- 醜い (Minikui) – “Ugly”
- 難しい (Muzukashii) – “Troublesome”
- 簡単な (Kantan na) – “Straightforward”
- うまい (Umai) – “Expert”
- 美味しい (Oishii) – “Scrumptious”
- まずい (Mazui) – “Disgusting”
- 大丈夫な (Daijoubu na) – “All proper”
- すごい (Sugoi) – “Superb”
- 楽しい (Tanoshii) – “Satisfying” or “Nice”
- とても (Totemo) – “Very”
Talking of adverbs, in Japanese, there are such a lot of onomatopoeia which perform as adverbs (and typically adjectives or verbs)! You possibly can add extra coloration to your speech by studying about Japanese onomatopoeia.
It’ll additionally assist if you happen to be taught your Japanese numbers
It’s simpler to be taught to make use of these if you get uncovered to Japanese. You possibly can hear about how I used Netflix to select up most of my colloquial vocabulary on this episode of the Language Hacking Podcast:
The 8 Core Japanese Conjunctions and Connectors
It’s at all times useful to know easy methods to join your Japanese sentences with conjunctions.
As in English, there are tons of conjunctions and connectors to start out a sentence, however these are most typical.
Right here’s one to notice: その時 (Sono toki). It means “at the moment” in Japanese, however doesn’t actually translate correctly into English. It’s nearer to saying “when that occurred,” “whereas that was happening,” “after which,” or “in the meantime” in English whereas explaining what occurs subsequent in a narrative.
- でも (Demo) – “However”
- また (Mata) – “Additionally”
- その後 (Sono ato) – “After that”
- その時 (Sono toki) – “At the moment”
- 場合は (Baai wa) – “If you happen to” or “If this occurs” (normally prefaced by その sono or この kono, talked about above)
- 例えば (Tatoeba) – “For instance”
- それから (Sorekara) – “Then”
- だから (Dakara) – “So”
Strengthen Your Japanese Core with the Most Widespread Japanese Phrases
Now that you understand the 111 core Japanese phrases that can assist you get began, put them to make use of and grasp them!
You can begin making use of them with Japanese language alternate companions.
Or, you possibly can attempt taking the Fluent in 3 Months Bootcamp to stage up your Japanese in 90 days.
Different implausible choices to maintain leveling up your Japanese embrace the JapanesePod101.com collection and StoryLearning Japanese!
The instructions you’ll be able to take for studying Japanese are limitless. However now that you simply’ve acquired your core phrases, you’ll be able to work out what’s finest for you and begin making use of it.
Yet another tip: If you happen to haven’t but, discover ways to learn and perceive Hiragana and Katakana. It can show you how to discover ways to pronounce Japanese phrases correctly and can make studying simpler.
From right here, begin studying phrases which might be most related to your individual private each day speech. If you happen to’re in search of different sources to take a look at, head over to our Japanese sources web page, or give the articles down under a learn.
Authentic article by Catlin Sacasas, up to date by the Fluent in 3 Months group.
