JAPN Survival Japanese Phrases: 50 Essential Expressions for Travelers
Survival Japanese Phrases: 50 Essential Expressions for Travelers
Greetings and Basics
Konnichiwa (hello, daytime), ohayou gozaimasu (good morning, polite), konbanwa (good evening), arigatou gozaimasu (thank you, polite), sumimasen (excuse me / I’m sorry, the single most useful word in Japan). For getting help: eigo de ii desu ka (is English okay?), kore wa nan desu ka (what is this?), ikura desu ka (how much?), doko desu ka (where is it?), toire wa doko desu ka (where is the toilet?). At restaurants: sumimasen to call the server, kore wo kudasai (this please), okaikei onegaishimasu (check please).
Numbers 1-10: ichi, ni, san, shi/yon, go, roku, shichi/nana, hachi, kyuu/ku, juu. Useful set phrases: daijoubu desu (it’s fine / I’m okay), wakarimasen (I don’t understand), mou ichido onegaishimasu (one more time please), nihongo ga sukoshi dake (only a little Japanese), eigo wo hanashimasu ka (do you speak English?). At departure: sayounara (goodbye, formal), ja mata (see you, casual), otsukaresama desu (good work, used when parting from colleagues).
Dining and Shopping Phrases
Itadakimasu (before eating, expresses gratitude for the meal), gochisousama deshita (after eating, thanks the cook). At shops: kore wo misete kudasai (please show me this), chotto chiisai desu (it’s a bit small), kado de ii desu ka (is card okay?), fukuro wa irimasen (I don’t need a bag). Numbers with yen: hyaku en (100 yen), sen en (1,000 yen), man en (10,000 yen). The phrase daijoubu desu spoken with a slight bow and hand wave politely declines offers.
Learning to count in Japanese unlocks pricing, ordering quantities, and understanding schedules. The numbers one through ten: ichi, ni, san, yon, go, roku, nana, hachi, kyuu, juu. For hundreds: hyaku. For thousands: sen. Combined: 3,500 is sanzen-gohyaku. At convenience stores, the cashier states the total followed by en (yen), and pressing the payment buttons becomes straightforward with number recognition. At restaurants, holding up fingers while saying the number handles ordering multiples. For dates and times, the same numbers combine with gatsu (month), nichi (day), and ji (hour) to handle most scheduling conversations. The phrase kore ikutsu? (how many of these?) combined with finger counting handles most shopping interactions.
At hotels, useful phrases include: Nimotsu wo azukete kudasai (please hold my luggage), Takushii wo yonde kudasai (please call a taxi), WiFi no pasuwaado wa nan desu ka? (what is the WiFi password?), and Chekku-auto onegaishimasu (checkout please). When lost, Sumimasen, [place name] wa doko desu ka? (excuse me, where is [place]?) combined with showing a map on your phone gets you pointed in the right direction. For shopping: Motto chiisai saizu arimasu ka? (do you have a smaller size?) and Kore wa ikura desu ka? (how much is this?). For emergencies: Tasukete kudasai (please help me), Keisatsu wo yonde kudasai (please call the police), and Byouin wa doko desu ka? (where is the hospital?). Japanese people respond warmly to any attempt at their language, and even imperfect pronunciation earns genuine smiles and patient assistance.
The cultural dimension of language use matters as much as the words themselves. Adding desu or masu endings to verbs makes speech polite. Saying sumimasen before any request shows consideration. Bowing slightly while speaking adds warmth that Japanese speakers appreciate. Even English-language interactions benefit from Japanese framing: starting with sumimasen, ending with arigatou gozaimasu, and maintaining a gentle tone. The effort of using Japanese, however imperfect, signals respect for the culture and consistently produces warmer responses than assuming English will suffice. Learning the phrase Nihongo ga jouzu desu ne (your Japanese is good) will be something you hear frequently, even with minimal ability, as Japanese people encourage any attempt at their language with genuine enthusiasm.
Related Guides
This content is for informational purposes only and reflects independent research. Details may change — verify current information before making travel plans.