Essential, Basic Japanese Vocabulary And Phrases
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Japanese vocabulary - ๅ่ช
Now that you've at least started learning the Japanese alphabet and Katakana, let's learn some basic vocabulary words and simple Japanese phrases.
I will list the Kanji, Hiragana, Romaji (the word sounded out using English letters), and the English meaning for each Japanese word or phrase. Most Japanese words have Kanji for them but I will only include the Kanji if that word is typically written that way.
Keep in mind that the Japanese language has different levels of politeness that change based on who you are talking to. I will refer to these as "ultra-formal", "formal" (or "polite form"), "normal" (or "plain form"), "informal", and "rude" (we won't be covering too much of the rude form, however).
| ๆผขๅญ - Kanji | ใฒใใใช - Hiragana | Romaji(English Letters) | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| ็ง | ใใใ | watashi | I(formal for males, normal for females) |
| ๅ | ใผใ | boku | I(normal for males) |
| ๅฝผ | ใใ | kare | he |
| ๅฝผๅฅณ | ใใฎใใ | kanojo | she |
| ใใชใ | ใใชใ | anata | you(singular/normal) |
| ใใ | ใใ | kore | this (noun) |
| ใใ | ใใ | koko | here |
| ใใฎ | ใใฎ | kono | this(descriptive - ex. this pen) |
| ใใ | ใใ | sore | that (noun) |
| ใใ | ใใ | soko | there |
| ใใฎ | ใใฎ | sono | that(descriptive - ex. that pen) |
| ไบบ | ใฒใจ | hito | person |
| ็ฌ | ใใฌ | inu | dog |
| ็ซ | ใญใ | neko | cat |
| ๅฎถ | ใใ | ie | house |
Essential Japanese phrases
| ๆผขๅญ - Kanji | ใฒใใใช - Hiragana | Romaji(English Letters) | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| ใใใใจใ | ใใใใจใ | arigatou | Thank you. (normal) |
| ใใใใจใใใใใพใ | ใใใใจใใใใใพใ | arigatou gozaimasu | Thank you. (formal) |
| ใฉใใใใใพใใฆ | ใฉใใใใใพใใฆ | douitashimashite | You're welcome. (normal) |
| ใใฏใใ | ใใฏใใ | ohayou(sounds like "Ohio") | Good morning. (informal) |
| ใใฏใใใใใใพใ | ใใฏใใใใใใพใ | ohayou gozaimasu | Good morning.(normal and formal) |
| ใใใซใกใฏ | ใใใซใกใฏ | konnichiwa | Hello. (normal) |
| ใใใฐใใฏ | ใใใฐใใฏ | konbanwa | Good evening. (normal) |
| ใใใชใ | ใใใชใ | sayonara | Goodbye. (normal) |
| ้ ๅผตใฃใฆใใ ใใ | ใใใฐใฃใฆใใ ใใ | gambatte kudasai(can also be written "ganbatte kudasai") | Hang in there |
| ๆฐใใคใใฆใใ ใใ | ใใใคใใฆใใ ใใ | ki o tsukete kudasai(can also be written "ki wo tsukete kudasai") | Be careful, Take care |