Essential Japanese Phrases for Travellers
Japan is accessible for non-Japanese speakers, but knowing even a handful of phrases transforms your experience. Japanese people warmly welcome any sincere effort at the language.
Pronunciation Basics
- Vowels: a=’ah’, i=’ee’, u=’oo’, e=’eh’, o=’oh’
- Double vowels: oo hold the sound twice as long
- Silent vowels: ‘u’ at end of words barely voiced (desu = ‘des’)
- R sound: Between English L and R, tongue taps the ridge behind upper teeth
Greetings
- Ohayou gozaimasu – Good morning
- Konnichiwa – Hello / Good afternoon
- Konbanwa – Good evening
- Hajimemashite – Nice to meet you
- Sayounara / Ja ne – Goodbye / See you later
Politeness and Thanks
- Arigatou gozaimasu – Thank you very much
- Sumimasen – Excuse me / I’m sorry (most versatile phrase in Japanese)
- Gomen nasai – I’m sorry (apology)
- Daijoubu desu – It’s okay / No problem
- Itadakimasu – Said before eating (gratitude for the meal)
- Gochisousama deshita – Said after finishing a meal
Getting Around
- [Place] wa doko desu ka? – Where is [place]? (e.g. Toire wa doko desu ka = Where is the toilet?)
- [Place] ni ikitai desu – I want to go to [place]
- Massugu / Migi / Hidari – Straight ahead / Right / Left
- [Place] made onegaishimasu – To [place] please (taxis)
- Koko de tomete kudasai – Please stop here (taxi)
Restaurants and Ordering
- Sumimasen! – Excuse me (to get a waiter’s attention)
- Kore wo kudasai – I’ll have this (point at menu)
- [Number] nin desu – [Number] people (futari=2, sannin=3)
- Okaikei onegaishimasu – The bill please
- Oishii! – Delicious!
- Watashi wa [food] allergy ga arimasu – I have a [food] allergy
- Niku nashi de onegaishimasu – Without meat please
Shopping
- Ikura desu ka? – How much is it?
- Kore wo misete kudasai – Please show me this
- Kore ni shimasu – I’ll take this
- Fukuro wa irimasen – I don’t need a bag
- Kado de haraemasu ka? – Can I pay by card?
- Tax free dekimasu ka? – Can I get tax free? (purchases over 5,000 yen)
Accommodation
- Yoyaku shite imasu – I have a reservation
- Namae wa [name] desu – My name is [name]
- Chekku in onegaishimasu – Check in please
- Wifi no pasuwado wa nan desu ka? – What is the WiFi password?
Emergency and Health
- Tasukete! – Help!
- Kyuukyuusha wo yonde kudasai – Please call an ambulance
- Itai desu – It hurts
- Byouin wa doko desu ka? – Where is the hospital?
- Eigo ga hanasemasu ka? – Do you speak English?
Numbers (Essential)
- 1=ichi, 2=ni, 3=san, 4=yon, 5=go, 6=roku, 7=nana, 8=hachi, 9=kyuu, 10=juu
- 100=hyaku, 1,000=sen, 10,000=ichi-man
The Single Most Useful Word
Sumimasen works in an extraordinary range of situations: to get someone’s attention, to apologise for a minor inconvenience, to call a waiter, to pass through a crowd. If you learn only one word before travelling to Japan, make it sumimasen.
Translation Apps
Google Translate’s camera mode can read menus, signs, and handwritten notes in real time. Download the Japanese language pack for offline use. DeepL provides excellent Japanese translations for longer texts.