Phrases

Japanese Phrases (Common Expressions)

Duration: 30 min

Lessons Japanese Lessons
Linguistic Japanese Vocabulary
Culture Japanese Phrases
Structure Japanese Grammar

This section contains 400 of the most used phrases in Japanese. This should help you improve your speaking, reading and writing. Exploring the whole list will make it easier to start conversations and understand what was said to you. I divided this section into 4 pages, the first 100 are listed on this page, then the rest here: phrases 2, phrases 3, phrases 4. Each page contains 100 common expressions. Going through each page should take about 30 min. Make sure to read the pronunciation and hear the audio as well. If you have any question about this course, please email me directly at Japanese Classes.

Phrases Tips

To make sure you are more likely to remember each expression, try to first to read the sentence without hearing it, then click to hear how it is prnounced, then read it out loud 3 times while imagining yourself vividly talking to somone. Also try to practice what you memorized from time to time, to make it stick.

Here are the first 100 common phrases. You will find a lot of them are about greeting someone, introducing yourself or asking where someone is from ... etc. Basically, these are expressions which you might use when starting a conversation with someone you have just met.

Phrases in Japanese

Phrases Japanese Audio
How are you? (informal)お元気ですか？ [O genki desu ka?]
How are you? (formal)いかがお過ごしですか？ [Ikaga o sugoshi desu ka?]
What's up? (colloquial) どうだい？ [Dou dai?]
I'm fine, thank you!元気です。どうも [Genki desu, doumo]
Hi!今日は！ [Kon-nichi wa!]
Good morning!お早ようございます！ [Ohayoo gozaimasu!]
Good afternoon!今日は！ [Kon nichi wa!]
Good evening!今晩は！ [Konban wa!]
And you? (informal)あなたは？ [Anata wa?]
And you? (formal)あなたは、いかがですか？ [Anata wa ikagadesuka?]
Goodいいですよ [Iidesu yo]
We speak two languages私たちは二ヶ国語を話ます。 [Watashi tachi wa nikakoku go wo hanasi masu.]
They speak four languages彼らは四ヶ国語を話します。 [Karera wa yonkakoku go wo hanasi masu.]
I visited one country私は１カ国を訪れました。 [Watashi wa ikka koku o otsozure masita.]
She visited three countries彼女は三カ国を訪れました。 [Kanojo wa sanka koku wo otozure masita.]
She has one sister彼女には一人の女兄弟がいます。 [Kanojo niwa hitori no onna kyoudai ga imasu.]
He has two sisters彼には二人の女兄弟がいます。 [Kare niwa futari no onna kyoudai ga imasu.]
Welcome!ようこそ！ [Youkoso!]
Do you like it here?あなたはここが好きですか？ [Anata wa kokoga suki desuka?]
See you later!あとで会いましょう [Ato de aimashoo]
Thank you very much!どおもありがとう [Doumo arigatou]
I really like it!それ、本当にすきです。 [Sore, hontou ni suki desu.]
Happyうれしい 　　 [Uresii]
Sadさびしい [Sabisii]
Thank you!ありがとう [arigatoo]
You're welcome! (in response to "thank you")どういたしまして [Doo itasi masite]
Have a nice day!ごきげんよう [Go kigen you]
Good night!おやすみなさい [Oyasumi nasai]
Have a good trip!良い旅を！ [Yoi tabi wo!]
It was nice talking to you!あなたとお話しして、よかったです [Anata ni ohanasi site, yokatta desu]
Am I right or wrong?私は正しい、それとも間違っている？ [Watashi wa tadasii, soretomo machigatte iru?]
Is he younger or older than you?彼はあなたより若い、それとも年寄？ [Kare wa anata yori wakai, soretomo tosiyori?]
Is the test easy or difficult?そのテストは簡単、それとも難しい？ [Sono tesuto wa kantan, soretomo mutsukasii?]
Is this book new or old?これは新書、それとも古本？ [Kore wa shinsho, soretomo furuhon?]
This is so expensive非常に高価です。 [Hijyou ni kouka desu.]

More Sentences

English Japanese Audio
Languages
I don't speak Korean私は韓国語が話せません。 [Watasi wa Kankoku go ga hanase masen.]
I love the Japanese language私は日本語が好きです。 [Watasi ha Nihon go ga suki desu.]
I speak Italian私はイタリア語が話せます。 [Watasi wa Itaria-go ga hanase masu.]
I want to learn Spanish私はスペイン語を習いたい。 [Watasi wa Supein-go wo narai tai.]
My mother tongue is German母の母語はドイツ語です。 [Haha no bogo wa Doitsu-go desu.]
Spanish is easy to learnスペイン語を習うのは容易です。 [Supein go wo narau nowa youi desu.]
Origins
He has a Moroccan rug彼はモロッコの絨毯を持っています。 [Kare wa Morokko no jyuutan wo motte imasu.]
I have an American car私はアメリカ車を持っています。 [Watasi wa Ameriak sha wo motte imasu.]
I love French cheese私はフランスのチーズが好きです。 [Watasi wa Furansu no chiizu ga suki desu.]
I'm Italian私はイタリア人です。 [Watasi wa Itaria jin desu.]
My father is Greek私の父はギリシャ人です。 [Watasino chichi ha Girisha jin desu.]
My wife is Korean私の妻は韓国人です。 [Watashi no tsuma wa Kankoku jin desu.]
Countries
Have you ever been to India?あなたはインドへ行ったことがありますか？ [Anata wa Indo e itta koto ga arimasuka?]
I came from Spain私はスペイン出身です。 [Watasi wa Supein shusshin desu.]
I live in America私はアメリカに住んでいます。 [Watashi wa Amerika ni sunde imasu.]
I want to go to Germany私はドイツへ行きたい。 [Watasi wa Doitsu e ikitai.]
I was born in Italy私はイタリアで生まれました。 [Watasi wa Itaria de umare masita.]
Japan is a beautiful country日本は美しい国です。 [Nihon wa utsukusii kuni desu.]
Long time no see久し振り [hisasi buri]
I missed you会いたかった [aita katta]
What's new?何か変わったことは？ [nanika kawatta koto wa?]
Nothing new変わったことは何もない。 [kawatta koto wa nani mo nai.]
Make yourself at home!お楽にしてください！ [orakni shite kudasai!]
Have a good tripよい旅を [yoi tabi wo]
Can I practice Italian with you?私はあなたとイタリア語を練習できますか？ [Watasi wa anata to Itaria go wo renshuu dekimasu ka?]
I speak French but with an accent私はフランス語を話しますがなまりがあります。 [Watasi wa Furansu go wo hanasi masu ga namari ga arimasu.]
I was born in Miami私はマイアミで生まれました。 [Watasi wa Maiami de umare masita.]
I'm from Japan私は日本出身です。 [Watasi wa nihon shusshin desu.]
The letter is inside the book手紙は本の内側にあります。 [Temami wa hon no uchigawani arimasu.]
The pen is under the deskペンは机の下にあります。 [Pen wa tsukue no sita ni arimasu.]
Directions方向、方角 [houkou, hougaku]
Can I help you?どうかされましたか？ [Douka sare masitaka?]
Can you help me?お願いがあるのですが？ [Onegai ga aru no desuga?]
Can you show me?見せてもらえますか？ [Misete morae masuka?]
Come with me!私について来てください。 [Watashi ni tsuite kite kudasai.]
Downtown (city center)繁華街（町の中心地域） [hannka gai (machi no chuusin chiiki)]
Excuse me! (to ask someone)すみません！（人に尋ねごとをする場合） [Sumimasen! (Hito ni tazume-goto wo suru baai)]
Go straight真直ぐ行ってください。 [Massugu itte kudasai.]
How can I get to the museum? 博物館への道順を教えてもらえませんか？ [Hakubutsu kann eno michijun wo oshiete moraemasen ka?]
How long does it take to get there?そこへ行くのに時間はいくらかかりますか？ [Sokohe yuku noni jikan wa ikura kakari masuka?]
I'm lost道に迷ってしまった。 [Michi ni mayotte simatta.]
I'm not from hereここから来たのではありません。 [Koko kara kita no dewa arimasen.]
It's far from hereここからは遠いです。 [Koko kara wa tooi desu.]
It's near hereここから近くです。 [Koko kara chikaku desu.]
One moment please!ちょっと待って！ [Chotto matte!]
Turn left左にまがる。 [Hidari ni magaru]
Turn right右にまがる。 [Migi ni magaru]

Questions?

If you have any questions, please contact me If you simply want to ask a question, please Japanese contact form on the header above.

Here are the rest of the Japanese phrases: phrases 2, phrases 3, phrases 4. You can also simply click on one of the links below or go back to our Learn Japanese homepage.

Lessons Japanese Lessons
Linguistic Japanese Vocabulary
Culture Japanese Phrases
Structure Japanese Grammar