Basic Sentences

Question 1

‘Thank you very much’ - emphatic and formal.

Answer 1

Doomo arigatoo gozaimasu.

Question 2

‘Thank you’ - polite but more conversational.

Answer 2

Arigatoo gozaimasu.

Question 3

‘Thanks’ - more casual/said in passing.

Answer 3

Arigatoo.

Question 4

‘Thank you for your hard work!’

Answer 4

Otsukaresamadeshita.

Question 5

‘Please, be kind to me’ - formal version.

Answer 5

Doozo yoroshiku.

Question 6

‘Please give me kindness’ - formal version.

Answer 6

Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.

Question 7

‘Be kind to me’ - more casual but not impolite.

Answer 7

Yoroshiku.

Question 8

‘My name is John’ - insert your own name instead.

Answer 8

Watashi no namae wa Jon desu.

Question 9

‘I am John’ - insert your own name instead.

Answer 9

Watashi wa Jon desu.

Question 10

‘How do you do? My name is John. Please give me kindness’ - basic introduction when meeting for the first time.

Answer 10

Hajimemashite.
Watashi no namae wa Jon desu. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.

Question 11

‘I am Australian’ - insert your own country instead.

Answer 11

Watashi wa Oosutoraria(jin) desu.

Question 12

‘I am not American’ - insert another country where appropriate.

Answer 12

Watashi wa Amerika(jin) ja arimasen.

Question 13

‘Your country, where is it?’

Answer 13

(O)kuni wa doko desuka.

Question 14

‘Are you Japanese?’ - insert another country where appropriate.

Answer 14

Anata wa Nihon(jin) desuka.

Question 15

‘No I am not American. I am Australian’ - insert another country where appropriate.

Answer 15

Iie. Watashi wa Amerika(jin) ja arimasen. Watashi wa Oosutoraria(jin) desu.

Question 16

‘Yes, that is right.’

Answer 16

Hai soo desu.

Question 17

‘No, that is not right.’

Answer 17

Iie chigaimasu.

Question 18

Question - ‘Is Jane English?’

Response - ‘No, that is not right.’ Jane is Australian.’

Answer 18

Question - Jeen-san wa Irigisu(jin) desuka.

Response - Iie chigaimasu. Jeen-san wa Oosutoraria(jin) desu.

Question 19

‘John is a driver’ - insert another name or occupation where appropriate.

Answer 19

Jon-san wa untenshu desu.

Question 20

‘Jane is a doctor’ - insert another name or occupation where appropriate.

Answer 20

Jeen-san wa isha desu.

Question 21

‘Where is Jane’s occupation?’

‘Your job, what is it?’

Answer 21

Doko ga Jeen-san no shokugyoo desuka.

Shigoto wa nan desuka.

Question 22

‘Where is your occupation?’

Answer 22

Shokugyoo wa doko desuka.

Question 23

‘Your name, what is it?’

Answer 23

(O)namae wa nan desuka.

Question 24

‘My mobile telephone number is 0400 000 000’ - insert your own number where appropriate.

Answer 24

Watashi no kei tai denwa no bango wa zero - yon - zero - zero (no) zero - zero - zero (no) zero - zero - zero desu.

Question 25

'What is your mobile telephone number?'

Answer 25

Anata no kei tai denwa no bango wa nan desuka.

Question 26

'What is John's mobile telephone number?'

Answer 26

Jon-san no kei tai denwa no bango wa nan desuka.

Question 27

'Now, what time is it?'

Answer 27

Ima nan(ji) desuka.

Question 28

'Your birthday is when?'

Answer 28

Anata no tanjoobi wa itsu desuka.

Question 29

'Today, is my birthday.'

Answer 29

Kyoo wa watashi no tanjoobi desu.

Question 30

'My birthday is 2023 - 06 - 01' - insert another date where appropriate.

Answer 30

Watashi no tanjoobi wa ni-sen ni-juu-san (nen) roku(gatsu) tsuitachi desu.

Question 31

'Today, is it Jane's birthday?' - insert another name or time expression where appropriate.

Answer 31

Kyoo wa Jeen-san no tanjoobi desuka.

Question 32

'The bathroom, where is it?'

Answer 32

(O)tearai wa doko desuka.

Question 33

'Danger - look out!'

Answer 33

Abunai.

Question 34

'Take care' - be careful.

Answer 34

Kiotsukete.

Question 35

'Take care of yourself' - look after your health.

Answer 35

(O)daijini.

Question 36

'So long' (but come back) - said to household member when they are leaving.

Answer 36

Itte rasshai.

Question 37

'So long' (I am coming back) - said to household member when they are leaving.

Answer 37

Itte mairimasu.

Question 38

'I am back' - said to household members when arriving back home.

Answer 38

Tadaima.

Question 39

'Welcome home' - said to household members who are returning home.

Answer 39

(O)kaeri nasai.

Question 40

'How are you?' - said formally when there is reason to suspect person has been unwell/has been going through hardship, or you have not seen them for a long time.

Answer 40

(O)genki desuka.

Question 41

'Fine thank you' - response to (o)genki desuka.

Answer 41

Arigatoo gozaimasu. Genki desu.

Question 42

'Congratulations!'

Answer 42

Omedetoo gozaimasu.

Question 43

'You are welcome.'

Answer 43

Doo itashimashite.

Question 44

'Wait just a moment please.'

Answer 44

Chotto matte kudasai.

Question 45

'Once more please' - could you repeat that once more please?

Answer 45

Moo ichido onegaishimasu.

Question 46

'Excuse me for going before you.'

Answer 46

Osakini.

Question 47

'Please go before me.'

Answer 47

Doozo osakini.

Question 48

'Impossible.'

Answer 48

Dame desu.

Question 49

'Keep your chin up!' - said as encouragement.

Answer 49

Gambatte kudasai.

Question 50

'Are you okay?' - more casual/conversational than (o)genki desuka.

Answer 50

Daijoobu desuka.

Question 51

'Yes, I am okay' - response to daijoobu desuka.

Answer 51

Hai daijoobu desu.

Question 52

'How old are you?'

Answer 52

Nan sai - meaning 'what age.' Use eye contact there is no need to form a complex sentence.

Question 53

'I agree with you.'

Answer 53

Soo desu ne (short ne sound).

Question 54

'Let me think.'

Answer 54

Soo desu ne (long ne sound).

Question 55

'Is it?/Is that right?’

Answer 55

Soo desuka (rising intonation).

Question 56

'I see.’

Answer 56

Soo desuka (flat intonation).

Question 57

'Ummm.'

Answer 57

Anoo (or Ettoo).

Question 58

'Here is the Japanese language class room.'

Answer 58

Koko wa nihongo kurasu no heya desu.

Question 59

'Here is the Japanese language class.'

Answer 59

Koko wa nihongo kurasu desu.

Question 60

'Here is not my room.'

Answer 60

Koko wa watashi no heya ja arimasen.

Question 61

'I love it.'

Answer 61

Dai suki desu.

Question 62

'This food, I love it.'

Answer 62

Kono tabemono wa dai suki desu.

Question 63

'Anywhere.'

Answer 63

Dokomo.

Question 64

'Anything.'

Answer 64

Nanimo.

Question 65

‘Nobody’

Answer 65

Daremo.

Question 66

'I am sorry. I did not understand.'

Answer 66

Gomen'nassai. Wakarimasendeshita.

Question 67

'Once more please' (or Could you repeat that?).

Answer 67

Moo ichido onegaishimasu.

Question 68

'Please speak slowly.'

Answer 68

Yukkurihanashite kudasai.

Question 69

Question - were you able to do? Answer - yes was able. Answer - no was not able. Answer - Not yet.

Answer 69

Question - Dekimashita ka. Answer - Hai dekimashita. Answer - Iie dekimasendeshita. Answer - Mada desu.