Common Japanese Phrases Flashcards
こんにちは
Hello
おはようございます
Good Morning (A formal way to greet someone in the morning, you’ll use this with co-workers, strangers, or superiors. With friends and family, you can shorten it by saying (おはよう! : “‘Morning!”)
こんばんは
Good Evening
______-さんも?
And you?
ごめんなさい
I’m sorry
(It is less “excuse me” and more “I’m truly sorry from the bottom of my heart.” Use it if you knocked something over and broke it, not if you interrupted someone’s stroll to ask for directions. You can also say it more casually as, ごめんね (“sorry”).
すみません
I’m sorry/excuse me
(You can use this for anything from apologising for stumbling into someone on the train to asking for help or asking for people to move out of your way.)
ありがとうございます
Thank you
(There are several ways to say thank you, but this is the most polite way. With friends, you can say ありがとう or ども
どういたしまして
Your welcome
よろしくおねがいします
I’m in your debt!
(This isn’t used in its literal sense most of the time; it’s a way to say “thank you” to someone you are counting on or indebted to. For example, if you’re starting out at a new job in Japan, you might introduce yourself and then add this at the end. You might also use it if you’ve asked someone a favour, such as to show you around or give you directions.)
いただきます
Let’s dig in
Say this before meals as a way to politely say you’re going to begin enjoying your food.
どこですか
Where is it?
今何時ですか (いまなんじですか)
What time is it now?
When asking a stranger, sayすみません first to get their attention
はい,うん
Yes
You use はい when speaking formally, and うん when speaking with friends
いいえ,ううん
No
(Like with “yes,” いいえ is more formal, and ううん is casual. You don’t actually hear いいえ that often though, because it’s too direct in formal situations. Instead, you say “ちょっと…” (Chotto: “It’s a bit… [inconvenient, not good for me]”)
まだまだ
Not yet