50 Common Japanese Phrases for Beginners (A1)
🇯🇵 Japanese · 50 cards · A1 · by Haruka Sato
These are the phrases you will hear on your first day in Japan, roughly in the order you will need them: greetings, thank you and sorry, the fixed lines around meals and leaving the house, then the questions that get you through a shop or a station.
Two things trip my students up. First, politeness: すみません covers "excuse me", "sorry" and even "thank you", while ごめんなさい is a real apology to someone close to you. Second, set phrases like よろしくお願いします and お疲れ様です have no clean English equivalent, so learn the situation, not the translation. Every card gives you kanji, the kana reading and romaji. Say each one out loud before you flip it.
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How to use this deck
Flip through the cards, then switch to Quiz. Tap the play button on any row to hear it. The full table below is there to read, print or copy into your own flashcard app.
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All 50 cards
| # | Japanese | Pronunciation | English | Example | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | おはようございます Polite. Drop ございます with friends and family: おはよう. Used until about 10 or 11 a.m., but coworkers say it at any hour when they arrive. | Ohayō gozaimasu | good morning | おはようございます、今日は早いですね。 Good morning, you're early today. | |
| 2 | こんにちは Written with は (not わ). Daytime only, and slightly distant — you would not say it to your own family. | Konnichiwa | hello, good afternoon | こんにちは、いい天気ですね。 Hello, nice weather, isn't it? | |
| 3 | こんばんは Also written with は. Used from dusk onwards, and only as a greeting when you arrive, never when you leave. | Konbanwa | good evening | こんばんは、遅くなってすみません。 Good evening, sorry I'm late. | |
| 4 | おやすみなさい Casual form: おやすみ. Said before sleeping or when parting late at night. | Oyasuminasai | good night | もう寝ますね。おやすみなさい。 I'm going to bed now. Good night. | |
| 5 | さようなら Heavier than English "goodbye" — it suggests a long separation. For daily partings use またね or 失礼します. | Sayōnara | goodbye | さようなら、また来年会いましょう。 Goodbye, let's meet again next year. | |
| 6 | またね Casual — friends and family only. Variants: また明日 (see you tomorrow), じゃあね. | Mata ne | see you | じゃあ、またね! Okay, see you! | |
| 7 | ありがとうございます Polite. Casual: ありがとう. Once the favour is finished, ありがとうございました is very common. | Arigatō gozaimasu | thank you | 手伝ってくれてありがとうございます。 Thank you for helping me. | |
| 8 | どういたしまして A bit formal and textbook-ish. In real conversation people more often answer いえいえ or とんでもないです. | Dō itashimashite | you're welcome | いえいえ、どういたしまして。 Not at all, you're welcome. | |
| 9 | すみません The most useful word in this deck: it calls a waiter, apologises lightly, and thanks someone for trouble taken. In speech it often sounds like すいません. | Sumimasen | excuse me, sorry | すみません、お水をもらえますか。 Excuse me, could I get some water? | |
| 10 | ごめんなさい A genuine apology to someone you know. Casual: ごめん. Too casual for a customer or a boss — use 申し訳ありません there. | Gomennasai | I'm sorry | 遅れてごめんなさい。 Sorry I'm late. | |
| 11 | はい Also means "here you go" when handing something over, and "I'm listening" during a conversation. | Hai | yes | はい、私は学生です。 Yes, I'm a student. | |
| 12 | いいえ Fairly formal and direct. Casually people say ううん or いや. | Iie | no | いいえ、まだ食べていません。 No, I haven't eaten yet. | |
| 13 | お願いします Reading: おねがいします. Use it when ordering or asking someone to do something. Casual: お願い. | Onegai shimasu | please (when asking for something) | コーヒーを一つお願いします。 One coffee, please. | |
| 14 | どうぞ You offer with どうぞ; you request with お願いします. Don't mix them up. | Dōzo | please, go ahead, here you are | どうぞ、こちらへ。 Please, this way. | |
| 15 | 初めまして Reading: はじめまして. First meeting only, and normally followed by your name and よろしくお願いします. | Hajimemashite | nice to meet you | 初めまして、隣に引っ越してきた佐藤です。 Nice to meet you, I'm Sato, I've just moved in next door. | |
| 16 | よろしくお願いします Reading: よろしくおねがいします. No clean English equivalent — a set phrase for starting any relationship or request. Casual: よろしく. | Yoroshiku onegai shimasu | nice to meet you, I look forward to working with you | 来週からよろしくお願いします。 I look forward to working with you from next week. | |
| 17 | お元気ですか Reading: おげんきですか. Not a daily greeting like English "how are you" — ask someone you haven't seen for a while. | Ogenki desu ka | how are you? | ご家族のみなさん、お元気ですか。 How is everyone in your family? | |
| 18 | 元気です Reading: げんきです. おかげさまで ("thanks to you") is the standard polite addition. | Genki desu | I'm fine | はい、おかげさまで元気です。 Yes, I'm fine, thank you. | |
| 19 | お名前は何ですか Reading: おなまえはなんですか. The お is honorific — never use it about your own name. | Onamae wa nan desu ka | what's your name? | 失礼ですが、お名前は何ですか。 Excuse me, but what's your name? | |
| 20 | 私は〜です Reading: わたしは〜です. Fill the blank with your name, nationality or job. Japanese speakers usually drop 私は once the topic is clear. | Watashi wa ~ desu | I am ~ | 私はアメリカ人です。 I'm American. | |
| 21 | お久しぶりです Reading: おひさしぶりです. Casual: 久しぶり (ひさしぶり). | Ohisashiburi desu | long time no see | お久しぶりです、三年ぶりですね。 Long time no see — it's been three years. | |
| 22 | いただきます Said by everyone before a meal, even when eating alone. Literally "I humbly receive". | Itadakimasu | thanks for the food (said before eating) | わあ、おいしそう。いただきます。 Wow, looks delicious. Let's eat. | |
| 23 | ごちそうさまでした Say it to whoever cooked, and also to restaurant staff on your way out. Casual: ごちそうさま. | Gochisōsama deshita | thank you for the meal (said after eating) | ごちそうさまでした、とてもおいしかったです。 Thank you for the meal, it was delicious. | |
| 24 | おいしいです Casual: おいしい. うまい means the same but sounds rough and is used mostly by men. | Oishii desu | it's delicious | このラーメン、本当においしいです。 This ramen is really delicious. | |
| 25 | 行ってきます Reading: いってきます. Said when leaving home or the office, implying you will come back. | Ittekimasu | I'm off, see you later | じゃあ、学校に行ってきます。 Right, I'm off to school. | |
| 26 | 行ってらっしゃい Reading: いってらっしゃい. Said by the person staying behind. | Itterasshai | have a good day, take care (reply to 行ってきます) | 行ってらっしゃい、傘を忘れないでね。 Have a good day, don't forget your umbrella. | |
| 27 | ただいま Also used when returning to the office after an errand. Polite version: ただいま戻りました. | Tadaima | I'm home | ただいま、おなかすいた! I'm home — I'm starving! | |
| 28 | おかえりなさい Casual: おかえり. | Okaerinasai | welcome home (reply to ただいま) | おかえりなさい、ご飯できてるよ。 Welcome home, dinner's ready. | |
| 29 | お疲れ様です Reading: おつかれさまです. Workplace all-purpose greeting: hello, goodbye and thank you in one. Use お疲れ様でした when the work is over. | Otsukaresama desu | thanks for your hard work | 今日もお疲れ様です。 Thanks for your hard work again today. | |
| 30 | 失礼します Reading: しつれいします. Say it when entering someone's room, leaving the office (お先に失礼します) or ending a phone call. | Shitsurei shimasu | excuse me (on entering or leaving) | 失礼します、少しよろしいですか。 Excuse me, do you have a moment? | |
| 31 | わかりました Casual: わかった. To a boss or client, 承知しました is more professional (shop and hotel staff say かしこまりました to customers). | Wakarimashita | I understand, got it | わかりました、すぐにやります。 Got it, I'll do it right away. | |
| 32 | わかりません Covers both "I don't understand" and "I have no idea". Casual: わからない. | Wakarimasen | I don't understand, I don't know | この漢字の意味がわかりません。 I don't understand what this kanji means. | |
| 33 | もう一度お願いします Reading: もういちどおねがいします. Politer: もう一度言っていただけますか。 | Mō ichido onegai shimasu | once more, please | 聞こえなかったので、もう一度お願いします。 I couldn't hear you, so once more, please. | |
| 34 | ゆっくり話してください Reading: ゆっくりはなしてください. Adding もう少し (a little more) softens the request. | Yukkuri hanashite kudasai | please speak slowly | もう少しゆっくり話してください。 Please speak a little more slowly. | |
| 35 | 英語が話せますか Reading: えいごがはなせますか. Start with すみません or あの so it doesn't sound abrupt. | Eigo ga hanasemasu ka | can you speak English? | あの、英語が話せますか。 Um, can you speak English? | |
| 36 | これは何ですか Reading: これはなんですか. 何 is read なん before です/で, の and た-sounds; elsewhere it is なに. | Kore wa nan desu ka | what is this? | これは何ですか。魚ですか。 What is this? Is it fish? | |
| 37 | いくらですか Point at the item and say just いくらですか — that is enough in any shop. | Ikura desu ka | how much is it? | このTシャツはいくらですか。 How much is this T-shirt? | |
| 38 | トイレはどこですか お手洗い is the politer word for トイレ. Swap in 駅 (station) or 出口 (exit) to ask for anything: 〜はどこですか. | Toire wa doko desu ka | where is the toilet? | すみません、トイレはどこですか。 Excuse me, where is the toilet? | |
| 39 | 今何時ですか Reading: いまなんじですか. Softer to a stranger: 今何時か分かりますか。 | Ima nanji desu ka | what time is it now? | すみません、今何時ですか。 Excuse me, what time is it now? | |
| 40 | ちょっと待ってください Reading: ちょっとまってください. Casual: ちょっと待って. Shop staff will say 少々お待ちください to you. | Chotto matte kudasai | please wait a moment | ちょっと待ってください。今、財布を出します。 Please wait a moment. I'm getting my wallet out. | |
| 41 | 大丈夫です Reading: だいじょうぶです. Doubles as a soft refusal — at a register it usually means "no thank you". | Daijōbu desu | it's fine, I'm okay, no thanks | 袋は大丈夫です。ありがとうございます。 I don't need a bag, thanks. | |
| 42 | 助けてください Reading: たすけてください. Emergencies only. For everyday help say 手伝ってもらえますか (could you give me a hand?). | Tasukete kudasai | please help me | 誰か、助けてください! Somebody, please help! | |
| 43 | 気をつけて Reading: きをつけて. Casual as it stands; polite: 気をつけてください. Said to someone leaving or travelling. | Ki o tsukete | take care, be careful | 夜道は暗いから、気をつけてね。 The street is dark at night, so take care. | |
| 44 | 頑張って Reading: がんばって. Casual; polite: 頑張ってください. Avoid it with someone already exhausted or ill. | Ganbatte | good luck, do your best | 明日の試験、頑張ってね。 Good luck with tomorrow's exam. | |
| 45 | すごい Casual. In polite speech use すごいですね. Spoken emphatically it often stretches to すご〜い. | Sugoi | amazing, wow | 一人で作ったの?すごい! You made it by yourself? Amazing! | |
| 46 | 本当ですか Reading: ほんとうですか. Casual: 本当? or, as most people actually say it, ほんと? | Hontō desu ka | really? | え、本当ですか。信じられません。 Huh, really? I can't believe it. | |
| 47 | そうですね Also a stalling phrase while you think. Note the difference: そうですか means "oh, is that so?" | Sō desu ne | that's right, I agree | そうですね、私もそう思います。 That's right, I think so too. | |
| 48 | いいですね Casual: いいね. Careful — いいです on its own often means "no thanks". | Ii desu ne | that sounds good, nice | 週末に映画?いいですね。 A movie at the weekend? Sounds good. | |
| 49 | なるほど Neutral to casual. To a boss or client it can sound like you are judging them; say そうなんですね or おっしゃるとおりです instead. | Naruhodo | I see, that makes sense | なるほど、そういう意味ですか。 I see, so that's what it means. | |
| 50 | これをください Your standard shop and restaurant line while pointing. In speech the を is usually dropped: これください。 | Kore o kudasai | I'll take this one, please | これをください。二つお願いします。 I'll take this, please. Two of them. |
Haruka Sato
Native Japanese · Speaks English, Korean
Osaka-born, Tokyo-based. I help English speakers get past hiragana into real conversation. Every card has kanji, kana and romaji, because you need all three at the start.
Published
Questions about this deck
- What's the difference between すみません and ごめんなさい?
- すみません (sumimasen) is the all-purpose polite phrase: it gets a stranger's attention, apologises for small inconveniences, and even says thank you when someone goes out of their way for you. ごめんなさい (gomennasai) is a sincere personal apology to family, friends or classmates, and it is too casual for a customer or a boss — in business Japanese you would say 申し訳ありません instead.
- When should I say さようなら instead of またね?
- Rarely. さようなら suggests you will not see the person for a long time, so adults mostly keep it for genuine farewells; schoolchildren say it to teachers. In daily life use またね or また明日 with friends, お疲れ様です or お先に失礼します when leaving work, and just ありがとうございました when leaving a shop or restaurant.
- Why does よろしくお願いします have no fixed English translation?
- Because it marks a situation, not a meaning. At a first meeting it works as "nice to meet you", at the start of a project it is "I look forward to working with you", and at the end of a request email it means "thanks in advance for taking care of this". Learn those three situations and say it automatically; translating it word by word will only confuse you.
- Do I need the kanji for these phrases as a beginner?
- Greetings like こんにちは, ありがとう, ただいま and すみません are normally written in hiragana, so kana alone will get you through them. But 大丈夫, 元気, 失礼します, お疲れ様です and 気をつけて turn up in kanji on signs, in chat messages and at work, which is why every card here shows the kanji form plus its kana reading and Hepburn romaji.
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