Learning Japanese can feel overwhelming at first, but mastering basic greetings and essential vocabulary is a great way to start. Whether you’re planning a trip to Japan, interacting with Japanese speakers, or just curious about the language, these words and phrases will help you build a solid foundation.
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Mastering Basic Japanese Greetings and Essential Words
Basic Japanese Words for Greetings
| Japanese | Pronunciation | Meaning |
| おはようございます | Ohayou gozaimasu | Good morning (formal) |
| こんにちは | Konnichiwa | Hello/ good afternoon |
| こんばんは | Konbanwa | Good evening |
| おやすみなさい | Oyasuminasai | Goodnight (formal) |
| ありがとうございます | Arigatou gozaimasu | Thank you |
| すみません | Sumimasen | Excuse me/ sorry |
| ごめんなさい | Gomennasai | Sorry (formal) |
| はい | Hai | Yes |
| いいえ | Iie | No |
Cultural Tip: In Japan, bowing while saying greetings is a common practice and shows respect. Try incorporating a slight bow when greeting people.
Talking About Family in Japanese
| Japanese | Pronunciation | Meaning |
| わたし | Watashi | I/me |
| あなた | Anata | You |
| お母さん | おかあさん Okaasan | Mother |
| お父さん | おとうさん Otousan | Father |
| お爺さん | おじいさん Ojiisan | Grandfather |
| お婆さん | おばあさん Obaasan | Grandmother |
| おじさん | Ojisan | Uncle |
| おばさん | Obasan | Aunt |
| お兄さん | おにいさん Oniisan | Older brother |
| お姉さん | おねえさん Oneesan | Older sister |
| 弟 | おとうと Otouto | Younger brother |
| 妹 | いもうと Imouto | Younger sister |
Did you know? The use of honorifics like “-san” adds politeness and respect to family terms.
Counting in Japanese: Numbers 1-10
| Japanese | Pronunciation | Meaning |
| 一 | いち Ichi | One |
| 二 | に Ni | Two |
| 三 | さん San | Three |
| 四 | し/よん Shi/yon | Four |
| 五 | ご Go | Five |
| 六 | ろく Roku | Six |
| 七 | しち/なな Shichi/nana | Seven |
| 八 | はち Hachi | Eight |
| 九 | きゅう Kyuu | Nine |
| 十 | じゅう Juu | Ten |
Tip: “Shi” (four) is sometimes avoided because it sounds like the word for “death” in Japanese.
Months of the Year in Japanese
| Japanese | Pronunciation | Meaning |
| 一月 | いちがつ Ichigatsu | January |
| 二月 | にがつ Nigatsu | February |
| 三月 | さんがつ Sangatsu | March |
| 四月 | しがつ Shigatsu | April |
| 五月 | ごがつ Gogatsu | May |
| 六月 | ろくがつ Rokugatsu | June |
| 七月 | しちがつ Shichigatsu | July |
| 八月 | はちがつ Hachigatsu | August |
| 九月 | くがつ Kugatsu | September |
| 十月 | じゅうがつ Juugatsu | October |
| 十一月 | じゅういちがつ Juuichigatsu | November |
| 十二月 | じゅうにがつ Juunigatsu | December |
Days of the Week & Times of the Day in Japanese
| Japanese | Pronunciation | Meaning |
| 月曜日 | げつようび Getsuyoubi | Monday |
| 火曜日 | かようび Kayoubi | Tuesday |
| 水曜日 | すいようび Suiyoubi | Wednesday |
| 木曜日 | もくようび Mokuyoubi | Thursday |
| 金曜日 | きんようび Kinyoubi | Friday |
| 土曜日 | どようび Doyoubi | Saturday |
| 日曜日 | にちようび Nichiyoubi | Sunday |
| 昨日 | きのう Kinou | Yesterday |
| 今日 | きょう Kyou | Today |
| 明日 | あした Ashita | Tomorrow |
| 朝 | あさ Asa | Morning |
| 昼 | ひる Hiru | Noon |
| 夕方 | ゆうがた Yuugata | Evening |
| 夜 | よる Yoru | Night |
Quick Fact: The days of the week are named after natural elements such as the moon (Getsu) and fire (Ka).
Must-Know Japanese Adjectives
| Japanese | Pronunciation | Meaning |
| 楽しい | たのしい Tanoshii | Happy |
| 悲しい | かなしい Kanashii | Sad |
| 高い | たかい Takai | High/expensive |
| 低い | ひくい Hikui | Low |
| 安い | やすい Yasui | Cheap |
| 早い | はやい Hayai | Fast/early |
| 遅い | おそい Osoi | Slow |
| 忙しい | いそがしい Isogashii | Busy |
| 美味しい | おいしい Oishii | Delicious |
| 不味い | まずい Mazui | Awful |
| 甘い | あまい Amai | Sweet |
| 塩っぱい | しょっぱい Shoppai | Salty |
| 酸っぱい | すっぱい Suppai | Sour |
| 苦い | にがい Nigai | Bitter |
| 辛い | からい Karai | Hot/ spicy |
| 熱い | あつい Atsui | Hot |
| 暖かい | あたたかい Atatakai | Warm |
| 冷たい | つめたい Tsumetai | Cold |
| 明るい | あかるい Akarui | Bright |
| 暗い | くらい Kurai | Dark |
Try This: Describe your meal using these adjectives next time you eat Japanese food!
Common Japanese Verbs for Daily Use
| Japanese | Pronunciation | Meaning |
| する | Suru | To do |
| 見る | みる Miru | To see |
| 聞く | きく Kiku | To listen |
| 話す | はなす Hanasu | To talk/speak |
| 言う | いう Iu | To say |
| 書く | かく Kaku | To write |
| 食べる | たべる Taberu | To eat |
| 飲む | のむ Nomu | To drink |
| 歩く | あるく Aruku | To walk |
| 走る | はしる Hashiru | To run |
| 座る | すわる Suwaru | To sit |
| 立つ | たつ Tatsu | To stand |
Practice Tip: Create sentences combining verbs with nouns, like “ごはんを食べる” (Gohan o taberu – I eat rice).
Food Japanese Vocabulary
| Japanese | Pronunciation | Meaning |
| 食べ物 | たべもの Tabemono | Food |
| 飲み物 | のみもの Nomimono | Drinks |
| ご飯 | ごはん Gohan | Rice/meal |
| 水 | みず Mizu | Water/cold water |
| お湯 | おゆ Oyu | Hot water |
| 肉 | にく Niku | Meat |
| 野菜 | やさい Yasai | Vegetable |
| 魚 | さかな Sakana | Fish |
| ラーメン | Ra-men | Ramen |
| 寿司 | すし Sushi | Sushi |
| おにぎり | Onigiri | Onigiri |
For the next step after learning these basic Japanese words, equip yourself with basic Japanese grammar.
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