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Common Japanese Words & Phrases

873 everyday words with readings, romaji, and native audio

AudioJapaneseRomajiMeaning
どっちの方が美味しいですかほうおいしいですか docchi no hou ga oishii desu ka Which one (of 2) is tastier? ( casual question word ) — docchi = 2 options (casual) — dochira = 2 options (formal) — dore = 3 or more options
これとそれ、どっちのほうが美味しいですかこれとそれ、どっちのほうがおいしいですか kore to sore, docchi no hou ga oishii desu ka Between this and that, which is more delicious? ( casual question word ) Which is more delicious, this or that? ( casual ) — hint: decide whether to use dore, dochira, or docchi — は particle marker not necessary in beginning
「Tasty」 は日本語で何と言いますか「Tasty」はにほんごでなんといいますか "Tasty" wa nihongo de nan to iimasu ka How do you say tasty in Japanese?
完璧ですかんぺきです kanpeki desu [it's] perfect
"Beer" は日本語で何と言いますか"Beer"はにほんごでなんといいますか "Beer" wa nihongo de nan to iimasu ka How do you say "beer" in Japanese?
おすすめの生ビールは何ですかおすすめのなまびーるはなんですか osusume no nama biiru wa nan desu ka What draft beer do you recommend?
すみません、注文できますかちゅうもんできますか sumimasen, chuumon dekimasu ka Excuse me, can I order? ( more casual but with -masu form ) Excuse me, can I place an order?
すみません、注文してもいいですかすみません、ちゅうもんしてもいいですか sumimasen, chuumon shite mo ii desu ka excuse me, is it okay if I order? ( polite ) excuse me, may I order? ( polite )
お湯はありますかおゆはありますか oyu wa arimasu ka Do you have hot water? — は particle sets the topic and implies you're asking about hot water in contrast to other things —> use at a restaurant — More natural if you're wondering if hot water exists somewhere (e.g., a self-service area, hotel room)
カードで払えますかカードではらえますか kaado de haraemasu ka Can I pay by card?
カードは使えますかカードはつかえますか kaado wa tsukaemasu ka Can I use a (credit/debit) card?
すみません、このバスはなんば駅行きですかすみません、これはなんばえきいきのバスですか sumimasen, kono basu wa Namba-eki iki desu ka? Excuse me, is this the bus bound for/going to Namba Station?
ビールをもう一杯くださいビールをもう一はいください biiru wo mou ippai kudasai 1 more beer please Another beer please — mou = another, again — ippai = one glass/cup (counter for glass/cups) — kudasai or onegai shimasu = please
予約なしで入れますかよやくなしではいれますか yoyaku nashi de hairemasu ka Can I enter without a reservation? — used to ask if you can do a walk-in without a reservation
ウォークインできますか wouku-in dekimasu ka Can I do a walk-in? — be careful walk-in is not a commonly understood word in Japanese! This might not be as good of a phrase as can I enter without a reservation but it sure is easy in a pinch!
このレストランは開いていますかこのレストランはあいていますか kono resutoran wa aite imasu ka Is this restaurant open? — aku (to open) te form + imasu = ____ imasu
席は空いていますかせきはあいていますか seki wa aite imasu ka Are there any available seats? — aku (to open) te form + imasu = ____ imasu
変更へんこう henkou change, modification — commonly used when talking about changing reservations, schedules, plans, settings, or details
すみません、7時の予約に行けません。8時に変更できますかすみません、7じのよやくにいけません。8じにへんこうできますか sumimasen, shichi ji no yoyaku ni ikemasen. Hachi ji ni henkou dekimasu ka Excuse me, I can't make it to the 7 o'clock reservation. Can [we] change it to 8 o'clock?
おかわりできますか okawari dekimasu ka Can I get another serving/refill?
飯山駅から野沢温泉までタクシーを呼んでもらえますかいいのやまえきからのざわおんせんまでタクシーをよんでもらえますか iiyama eki kara Nozawa Onsen made takushii wo yonde moraemasu ka Could you please call a taxi for me from Iiyama Station to Nozawa Onsen for me? ( Polite receive morau verb ) Could I receive the favor of you calling a taxi for me from Iiyama Station to Nozawa Onsen? ( Polite receive morau verb ) — yomu te form (to call) chains to next verb — moraemasu = can be received (by speaker) — moraemasu ka = can you please do something for me? —> more polite than kuremasu ka — also less direct and softer than kudasai
その店は開いていますかそのみせはあいていますか sono mise wa aite imasu ka Is that store open?
もうシャワーを浴びましたもうシャワーをあびました mou shawaa wo abimashita I already showered ( polite ) — useful in an onsen if you’ve already showered but… honestly just shower there anyways so they don’t judge you
これとそれの違いは何ですかこれとそれのちがいはなにですか sore to kore no chigai wa nan desu ka What is the difference between this and that? literal: As for this and that's difference, what is it?
現金げんきん genkin cash
沖縄は東京ほど人が多くないですおきなわはとうきょうほどひとがおおくないです okinawa wa toukyou hodo hito ga ookunai desu There are not as many people in Okinawa as in Tokyo As for Okinawa, there are not as many people there as in Tokyo — hodo = not as many as
イギリスはアメリカほど広くないですイギリスはアメリカほどひろくないです igirisu wa amerika hodo hirokunai desu Britain is not as big/wide/spacious as America
サラダは刺身ほどおいしくないですサラダはさしみほどおいしくないです sarada wa sashimi hodo oishikunai desu Salad is not as delicious as Sashimi
自転車は電車ほど速くないですじてんしゃはでんしゃほどはやくないです jitensha wa densha hodo hayakunai desu A bike is not as fast as a train
英語は日本語ほど難しくないですえいごはにほんごほどむずかしくないです eigo wa nihongo hodo muzukashikunai desu English is not as difficult as Japanese
英語と日本語と、どちらのほうが易しいですかえいごとにほんごと、どちらのほうがやさしいですか eigo to nihongo to, dochira ga yasashii desu ka Which is easier, English or Japanese? ( polite ) — yasashii = easy
アメリカと日本と どちらのほうが広いですかアメリカとにほんとどちらのほうがひろいですか amerika to nihon to dochira no hou ga hiroi desu ka Which is larger/wider, the US or Japan? ( polite )
アメリカのほうが広いですアメリカのほうがひろいです amerika no hou ga hiroi desu The US is larger/wider
スポーツの中で何が一番上手ですかスポーツのなかでなにがいちばんじょうずですか supootsu no naka de nani ga ichiban jouzu desu ka What sport are you best at? Out of all the sports, what are you most skilled at? — [thing] no naka de = of all the [things] — jouzu = skilled
バドミントンが一番得意ですバドミントンがいちばんとくいです badominton ga ichiban tokui desu I'm best at [playing] badminton — tokui = good at (better and more humble than jouzu when talking about yourself) — jouzu = skilled, good at (more strong of a word so use only when talking about others)
花の中で何が一番きれいですかはなのなかでなにがいちばんきれいですか hana no naka de nani ga ichiban kirei desu ka Among flowers, what is the most beautiful? — kirei = beautiful
桜が一番きれいですさくらがいちばんきれいです sakura ga ichiban kirei desu Sakura (cherry blossom) is the most beautiful
家族の中で誰が一番優しいですかかぞくのなかでだれがいちばんやさしいですか kazoku no naka de dare ga ichiban yasashii desu ka Who is the nicest/gentlest in your family? Among/of your family, who is the nicest/gentlest?
一年の中でいつが一番暑いですかいちねんのなかでいつがいちばんあついですか ichi nen no naka de itsu ga ichiban atsui desu ka When is the hottest time of the year? In a year, when is it the hottest?
果物の中で何が一番好きですかくだもののなかでなにがいちばんすきですか kudamono no naka de nani ga ichiban suki desu ka What fruit do you like the best/most? Out of all the fruits, what do you like the best/most?
スイカが一番好きですスイカがいちばんすきです suikaga ichiban suki desu I like watermelons the best/most
動物の中でどれが一番かわいいですかどうぶつのなかでどれがいちばんかわいいですか doubutsu no naka de dore ga ichiban kawaii desu ka Among animals, which is the cutest?
この店はおいしくて安いですこのみせはおいしくてやすいです kono mise wa oishikute yasui desu This store/restuarant is tasty and cheap — i adj te form = replace final i with kute to chain with more adjectives — use mise for this card ( resutoran also works)
彼は優しくて明るいですかれはやさしくてあかるいです kare wa yasashikute akarui desu He is kind/gentle and cheerful — i adj te form = replace final i with kute to chain with more adjectives
この公園は静かできれいですこのこうえんはしずかできれいです kono kouen wa shizuka de kirei desu This park is quiet and beautiful — add で after na adj to chain it with more adjectives
この料理は簡単でおいしいですこのりょうりはかんたんでおいしいです kono ryouri wa kantan de oishii desu This dish is easy [to make] and delicious — use kantan — na adj te form = add de after na adj to chain with more adj
李さんは元気で親切な人ですりさんはげんきでしんせつなひとです ri san wa genki de shinsetsu na hito desu Mr. Lee is an energetic and kind/considerate person — shinsetsu = kind/considerate — na adj te form = add de after na adj to chain with more adjectives — add na after na adj when modifying a noun
私の出身は北海道で、仕事は医者ですわたしのしゅっしんはほっかいどうで、しごとはいしゃです watashi no shusshin wa hokkaidou de, shigoto wa isha desu I am from Hokkaido, and my job is a doctor literal: my origin is Hokkaido and my job is a doctor — use で to connect 2 nouns/attributes of the same subject in a sentence
私の猫は息子で友達ですわたしのねこはむすこでともだちです watashi no neko wa musuko de tomodachi desu My cat is my son and my friend — use で to connect 2 nouns/attributes of the same subject in a sentence
このでんしゃは東京駅に行きますかこのでんしゃはとうきょうえきにいきますか kono densha wa toukyou eki ni ikimasu ka Does this train go to Tokyo Station?
これを読んでもらえますかこれをよんでもらえますか kore wo yonde moraemasu ka would you please read this (for me)? ( polite receive morau verb ) Can I receive the favor of you reading this (for me)? — moraemasu = can be received (by speaker) — moraemasu ka = can you please do something for me? —> more polite than kuremasu ka — also less direct and softer than kudasai
この席に座ってもらえますかこのせきにすわってもらえますか kono seki ni suwatte moraemasu ka would you please sit in this seat for me? ( polite receive morau verb ) May I receive the favor of you sitting in this seat? — suwaru = to sit — ni marks seat as the place to sit — moraemasu = can be received (by speaker) — moraemasu ka = can you please do something for me? —> more polite than kuremasu ka — also less direct and softer than kudasai
ちょっと待ってもらえますかちょっとまってもらえますか chotto matte moraemasu ka Would you please wait a moment (for me)? ( polite receive morau verb ) literal: Could I receive the favor of you waiting a moment? — moraemasu = can be received (by speaker) — moraemasu ka = can you please do something for me? —> more polite than kuremasu ka — also less direct and softer than kudasai
もっとゆっくり言ってもらえますかもっとゆっくりいってもらえますか motto yukkuri itte moraemasu ka Would you (please) speak more slowly (for me)? ( polite receive morau verb ) Can I please receive the favor of you speaking more slowly? — moraemasu = can be received (by speaker) — moraemasu ka = can I please receive a favor from you? —> more polite than kuremasu ka — also less direct and softer than kudasai
田中さんは日本人で教師ですたなかさんはにっぽんじんできょうしです tanaka san wa nihonjin de kyoushi desu Mr. Tanaka is Japanese and a teacher — use で to connect 2 nouns/attributes of the same subject in a sentence — kyoushi = teacher
飲み物を冷たくしましたのみものをつめたくしました nomimono wo tsumetaku shimashita I made the drink cold — tsumetai = cold (to touch) -> tsumetaku = noun form — I made [something] + [noun form of i adjective] —> format = replace i adjective last i with -ku + shimashita
部屋を涼しくしましたへやをすずしくしました heya wo suzushiku shimashita I made the room cool — すずしい = cool (weather, large body of water) — I made [something] + [noun form of i adjective] —> format = replace i adjective last i with -ku + shimashita
部屋をきれいにしましたへやをきれいにしました heya wo kirei ni shimashita I made the room pretty/clean (I cleaned the room) — I made [something] + [na adjective] —> format = add ni after na adj + shimashita
問題を簡単にしましたもんだいをかんたんにしました mondai wo kantan ni shimashita I made the problem easy (I simplified the problem) — I made [something] + [noun form of na adjective] —> format = add ni after na adj + shimashita
いらっしゃい irasshai Welcome! ( casual ) — casual and friendly way to welcome friends or guests into a place like your home — not as formal as irasshaimase or youkoso (greeting a guest from far away)