873 everyday words with readings, romaji, and native audio
Audio
Japanese
Romaji
Meaning
天気が寒くなりましたてんきがさむくなりました
tenki ga samuku narimashita
The weather got/became cold — [something] became [noun form of i adjective] —> format = replace i adjective last i with -ku + narimashita
日本語が上手になりましたにほんごがじょうずになりました
nihongo ga jouzu ni narimashita
[He/you] have become/gotten good at Japanese [He/you] have become/gotten skilled at Japanese — [something] became [noun form of na adjective] —> format = add ni after na adj + narimashita — jouzu should never be used on yourself but acceptable to be used on others (tokui is better when talking about yourself)
あの女の人はきれいになりましたあのおんなひとはきれいになりました
ano onna no hito wa kirei ni narimashita
That woman became pretty ( polite ) — [something] became [noun form of na adjective kirei ] —> format = add ni after na adj + narimashita — use onna no hito for this
鳥は空を高く飛びますとりはそらをたかくとびます
tori wa sora wo takaku tobimasu
The bird flies high in the sky — [something] + [noun form of i adjective] + [verb] —> format = replace i adjective last i with -ku + [verb]
学校のジムで早く走りますがっこうのジムではやくはしります
gakkou no jimu de hayaku hashirimasu
I run fast at the school gym — [something] + [noun form of i adjective] + [verb] —> format = replace i adjective last i with -ku + [verb]
私は雑誌を静かに読みますわたしはざっしをしずかによみます
watashi wa zasshi wo shizuka ni yomimasu
I read the magazine quietly I read magazines quietly — [something] + [noun form of na adjective] + [verb] —> format = add ni after na adj + [verb]
私は日本語をきれいに書きますわたしはにほんごをきれいにかきます
watashi wa nihongo wo kirei ni kakimasu
I write Japanese beautifully — [something] + [noun form of na adjective] + [verb] —> format = add ni after na adj + [verb]
A: nihongo ga jouzu desu ne. B: arigatou gozaimasu. Demo, mada mada desu.
A: Your japanese is good, (isn’t it) B: Thank you, but not yet, not yet! / I still have a long way to go — Japanese often modestly downplay compliments to show humility so make sure you reply to compliments this way! — mada mada adds emphasis on something not happening yet
得意とくい
tokui
skilled, skillful (with subjective confidence) — tokui is used when talking about your own skills and strengths that you subjectively feel confident about instead of jouzu — this is bc tokui is more humble while jouzu sounds more boastful because it means objectively skilled rather than subjectively
私は歌が得意ですわたしはうたがとくいです
watashi wa uta ga tokui desu
I am skilled/good at singing — tokui used when talking about your own skills because it is more modest — tokui = subjective ; jouzu = objective
彼は歌が上手ですかれはうたがじょうずです
kare wa uta ga jouzu desu
He is skilled at singing — jouzu is used when praising someone else's skills instead of tokui because now we want to be as kind as possible!
私は料理が得意ですわたしはりょうりがとくいです
watashi wa ryouri ga tokui desu
I am good at cooking — tokui used when talking about your own skills because it is more modest — tokui = subjective ; jouzu = objective
彼女は料理が上手ですかのじょはりょうりがじょうずです
kanojo wa ryouri ga jouzu desu
She is good/skilled at cooking — jouzu is used when praising someone else's skills instead of tokui because now we want to be as kind as possible! — tokui = subjective ; jouzu = objective
生まれるうまれる
umareru
to be born (no direct object)
育つそだつ
sodatsu
to be raised, grow (no direct object) — masu form = sodachimasu
私はカリフォルニアで生まれましたわたしはカリフォルニアでうまれました
Watashi wa Kariforunia de umaremashita
I was born in California ( polite )
日本で育ちましたにっぽんでそだちました
nihon de sodachimashita
I was raised in Japan I grew up in Japan
私はカリフォルニアで生まれて日本で育ちましたわたしはカリフォルニアでうまれてにっぽんでそだちました
watashi wa Kariforunia de umarete nihon de sodachimashita
I was born in California and raised/grew up in Japan ( polite ) — first verb takes te form to chain with second verb (non te form) to combine 2 clauses — in English we would just use "and" but in Japanese, we use te form to connect 2 clauses
一年 前 に、初めて 日本 に 来ましたいちねんまえに、はじめてにっぽんにきました
ichi nen mae ni, hajimete nihon ni kimashita
I came to Japan for the first time one year ago — [time] + mae = [time] + ago —> ex. 5 years ago = go nen mae — hajimete = for the first time
初めてはじめて
hajimete
for the first time
日本は初めてですにっぽんははじめてです
nihon wa hajimete desu
It's my first time in Japan — hajimete = for the first time
友達に会ってから、図書館に行きましたともだちにあってから、としょかんにいきました
tomodachi ni atte kara, toshokan ni ikimashita
After meeting with friends, I went to the library After meeting my friend, I went to the library — [te form verb] + kara, = after [verb],
洗濯してから、部屋を掃除しましたせんたくしてから、へやをそうじしました
sentaku shite kara, heya wo souji shimashita
After doing the laundry, I cleaned [my] room — [te form verb] + kara, = after [verb],
牛乳を飲んでから、卵を一つ食べましたぎゅうにゅうをのんでから、たまごをひとつたべました
gyuunyuu wo nonde kara, tamago wo hitotsu tabemashita
After drinking milk, I ate 1 egg — [te form verb] + kara, = after [verb],
昨夜音楽を聞いてから、寝ましたゆうべおんがくをきいてから、ねました
yuube ongaku wo kiite kara, nemashita
After listening to music last night, I went to sleep — [te form verb] + kara, = after [verb],
まだ私のことが好きですかまだわたしのことがすきですか
mada watashi no koto ga suki desu ka
Do you still like me? — mada: still, yet — watashi no koto: about me --> commonly used in Japanese when talking about feelings or thoughts toward another person. You MUST have "no koto" when talking about how one feels about the other
間違えるまちがえる
machigaeru
to make a mistake, fail at something (direct object)
違うちがう
chigau
to differ, be wrong (no direct object) — ____ is more about the state of being different or incorrect, while まちがう is about the act of making a mistake
最高さいこう
saikou
awesome, the best, maximum/supreme ( casual ) — describes the highest quality or rank or casually describes something as amazing or awesome
もういい
mou ii
1. That's enough, I'm done (angry, irritated tone) 2. It's fine, don't worry about it (more relaxed, casual tone)
ううん
uun
no ( casual )
私の趣味は、絵を書くことですわたしのしゅみは、えをかくことです
watashi no shumi wa, e wo kaku koto ga suki desu
My hobby is drawing/painting pictures (koto form) — koto is more formal than no for nominalizing verbs
私の趣味は、ゲームをすることですわたしのしゅみは、ゲームをすることです
watashi no shumi wa, geemu wo suru koto desu
My hobby is playing video games (koto form) — koto is more formal than no
私の趣味は、絵を書くのですわたしのしゅみは、えをかくのです
watashi no shumi wa, e wo kaku no desu
My hobby is drawing pictures (の form) My hobby is painting pictures (の form) — の is more casual than koto
私の趣味は、ゲームをするのですわたしのしゅみは、ゲームをするのです
watashi no shumi wa, geemu wo suru no desu
My hobby is playing video games (no form) — no is more casual than koto
私の趣味は、日本の映画とアニメを見るのですわたしのしゅみは、にほんのえいがとアニメをみるのです
watashi no shumi wa, nihon eiga to anime wo miru no desu
My hobby is watching Japanese movies and anime (の form) — no is more casual than koto
もう三つお願いしますもうみっつおねがいします
mou mittsu onegai shimasu
3 more (of something eg sushi) please — use onegai shimasu for this card even though kudasai can work just fine as a more casual option — great, natural way to order more drinks! Use whichever number that fits the situation
もう３杯お願いしますもう３はいおねがいします
mou san bai onegai shimasu
3 more drinks please ( polite ) — kudasai also works instead of onegaishimasu — hai/bai/pai counter for drinks and beverages
あかねさんの趣味は映画とアニメを見ることですあかねさんのしゅみはえいがとアニメをみることです
Akane San no shumi wa eiga to anime wo miru koto desu
Akane's hobby is watching movies and anime (koto)
すごく
sugoku
really, very, extremely, super — adverb form of sugoi
わたしは泳ぐことがすごく好きですわたしはおよぐことがすごくすきです
watashi wa oyogu koto ga sugoku suki desu
I really like swimming (koto form) — koto is more formal than no noun form
わたしは泳ぐのがすごく好きですわたしはおよぐのがすごくすきです
watashi wa oyogu no ga sugoku suki desu
I really like swimming (の form, casual) — use verb + no noun form! — verb + no = more casual than verb + koto
日本に行ったとき、21歳でしたにっぽんにいったとき、にじゅういっさいでした
nihon ni itta toki, ni juu issai deshita
When I went to Japan, I was 21 years old. — toki = when
私 は 買い物 を する 時、たくさん 買います。わたしはかいものをするとき、たくさんかいます。
watashi wa kaimono wo suru toki, takusan kaimasu ( polite )
When I shop, I buy a lot. — toki = when
父が帰った時、食べます。ちちがかえったとき、たべます。
chichi ga kaetta toki, tabemasu
When [my] father has returned home, I [will] eat. When [my] father returns home, I [will] eat. — toki = when — kaeru must be in past tense because your dad has to complete the action of returning home in order for him to actually be home so you can eat. It can NOT be in present tense!
うちに帰った時、電話をかけますね。うちにかえったとき、でんわをかけますね。
uchi ni kaetta toki, denwa wo kakeru ne
I'll call [you] when I return home, okay? literal: When I have returned home, I will call [you], okay? — toki = when — kaeru must be past tense here as well because you cannot call someone to tell them you are home if you have not already completed the action of kaeru. Hence it must be in past tense
あなたが来た時、言いますあなたがきたとき、いいます
anata ga kita toki, iimasu
When you come, I will tell you literal: When you have come, I will tell you — toki = when — iimasu = to say, tell — anata = you — kuru (to come) must be in past tense (kita) because you need to have already completed the action to be told the information
あなた が 来た 時、何 が あった か を 言いますあなたがきたとき、なにがあったかをいいます
anata ga kita toki, nani ga atta ka wo iimasu
When you come, I will tell you what happened When you have come, I will tell you what happened — toki = when — iimasu = to say, tell — anata = you — kuru (to come) must be in past tense (kita) because you need to have already completed the action to be told the information — nani ga atta = what happened (literal = what was there) — nani ga atta ka = clause (what happened?) that is targeted by iimasu to mean "[what happened?] is what I will tell you"
子ども の 時は、ゲーム を たくさん していましたこどものときは、ゲームをたくさんしていました
kodomo no toki wa, geemu wo takusan shite imashita
When I was a child, I used to play a lot of (video) games ( polite ) — ゲーム = games, video games — toki = when — nouns must have の before toki — used to = shite imashita (past ongoing state)
十六歳の時、じゅうろくさいのとき、
juu rokusai no toki,
When I [was] 16 years old, — toki = when — nouns must have の before toki
二日 前 に 東京 に いました。ふたつまえにとうきょうにいました。
futatsu mae ni toukyou ni imashita
I was in Tokyo 2 days ago — use the day counter rather than ototoi for this card
一日前に京都にいました。いちいちにちまえにきょうとにいました。
ichi nichi mae ni kyouto ni imashita
I was in Kyoto 1 day ago — use the day counter instead of kinou for this card
私が小さかった時、わたしがちいさかったとき、
watashi ga chisakatta toki,
When I was small/little, — when using toki with an い adjective, you cannot put the a の after the い adj
暑い時は水をたくさん飲んでくださいあついときはみずをたくさんのんでください
atsui toki wa mizu wo takusan nonde kudasai
When it's hot, please drink lots of water — when using toki with an い adjective, you cannot put the a の after the い adj — takusan = a lot — nonde = drink (nomu te form)
家がきれいな時、幸せですいえがきれいなとき、しあわせです
ie ga kirei na toki, shiawase desu
When [my] house [is] clean, [I] am happy — for な adj, な must be placed before toki
幸せな時、優しいですしあわせなとき、やさしいです
shiawase na toki, yasashii desu
When I'm happy, I'm kind/gentle — for な adj, な must be placed before toki
私 は マンガ を 読む の が すごく 好き ですわたしはマンガをよむのがすごくすきです
watashi wa manga wo yomu no ga sugoku suki desu
I REALLY like reading manga (の form) — use no ga form rather than koto form for this example — sugoku = really, very, extremely
静かにしてくださいしずかにしてください
shizuka ni shite kudasai
Please be quiet — shizuka = quiet — shite = command form of suru (to do)
Practice JLPT