Are you planning on traveling Japan soon, but you don’t know any Japanese?  Or are you looking to learn some Japanese common words that can help you get around in Japan?

Then this blog is right up your alley, with some simple Japanese travel words as well as some transportation related phrases to help you get around Japan!

In this article, we will review the basic travel Japanese phrases Nakamura sensei teaches in the video below.

Beginner Japanese Travel Phrases – Basic Vocabulary

Before getting into some more difficult phrases, let’s take a look at some basic travel Japanese words in the appropriate context.  You may already be familiar with this vocabulary.

However Japanese words often carry slightly different meanings in different contexts.

So let’s look at some vocabulary!

大丈夫／だいじょうぶ／Daijoubu

The video below depicts a traveling Nakamura-sensei searching for their passport.

“Daijoubu” meaning “ok” or “fine”.  This extremely handy phrase is used in all sorts of situations in Japan!  And travel scenarios are no exception.

だいじょうぶですか？
Daijoubu desu ka?
Is everything ok/Are you ok?

はい、だいじょうぶです！
Hai, daijoubu desu!
Yes, I’m fine/Everything is fine!

すみません・すいません／Sumimasen ・ suimasen

“Sumimasen” meaning “please excuse me” or “pardon me”.  Another common phrase heard in various contexts in Japan!

Nakamura-sensei almost forgot her passport – but luckily the attendant got her attention with “sumimasen”.
すみません、お客様！
Sumimasen, okyaku sama!
Excuse me, miss!
And how did Nakamura-sensei respond?

ありがとうございます／Arigatou gozaimasu

“Arigatou gozaimasu” meaning “thank you” – this is a polite expression of gratitude.  The casual form shortens to “arigatou”.

え？　あー、すいません、ありがとうございます！
Eh? Ah-, suimasen, arigatou gozaimasu!
Hm? Oh, excuse me, thank you!

Perhaps a direct translation of this exchange into English sounds a bit rigid or stiff – but that’s part of what makes polite Japanese – or keigo language – polite.

どうぞ・おさきにどうぞ／ Douzo ・ O saki ni douzo

“Douzo” meaning “please” – to offer someone a favor.  “O saki ni douzo” is a way to say “after you”, and is an appropriate phrase to use with strangers.

“O saki ni” roughly translates to “first”. So it’s a little bit like saying “you first”!
Now that we have reviewed these basic words, let’s dig into some phrases!

Simple Travel Japanese Phrases

タクシーのりばはどこですか？
Where is the taxi platform?

To understand how to use this phrase, let’s first break it down.
タクシー (takushii) of course means “taxi”, and のりば (noriba) is a “terminal” or “platform”.  So タクシーのりば is a taxi stop or taxi platform. 

は (wa) is the grammar particle identifying the taxi stop as the subject of the sentence.  You can read more about は in this blog post about Japanese grammar particles!

〜はどこですか？
Where is~?

〜はどこですか (doko desu ka) is a useful question ending that simply means “where is~?”  “Doko” means where and “desu ka” is the to be verb.  The か (ka) indicates it is a question.

This phrase can be used with all sorts of other places or items, travel-related or otherwise.  Below is a short vocabulary list of some travel-related words you can use with 〜はどこですか？

バスのりば – basu noriba – bus stop
駅（えき）– eki – train station
トイレ – toire – washroom, bathroom
3番線（さんばんせん）- san ban sen – platform number 3

You can replace 3番線 with any number necessary to refer to whichever platform you need.
That’s all for today’s blog!  Remember to watch the video and subscribe 🙂

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Do you know how to use the Japanese word こと (koto)?  Maybe you have seen the word used in a textbook for the JLPT – or you may have heard it used in a Japanese conversation.  Let’s learn how to use こと in Japanese!
Actually, the word こと has several different uses in both Japanese speaking and writing.  In this article, we are going to look at 4 of them, and include videos explaining how to use them when preparing for the JLPT.  Are you studying for the JLPT?
There are 4 different uses of the Japanese word こと that we will examine in this article, which correspond to JLPT Grammar levels N4 and N3.
How to use こと contents:

• こと – Expressing “I must do~”
• ことができる – Expressing “I can do~”
• ことがある – Expressing “There are times when~”
• ことになっている – Expressing “It is expected/decided that~”

How to Use こと: JLPT N3 こと – “I Must Do~”

This is one of the four ways in which you can use こと that we discuss in this article.  As Nami-sensei explains in the video above, this particular use of the Japanese word こと means “I must do~”.
This is a JLPT N3 level grammar point.  It is often used in a commanding or authoritative voice.  In other words, it should not be used when speaking to strangers, bosses, or anyone “above” you in the Japanese social hierarchy.
こと also nominalizes verbs.  Here’s how to use it in a sentence:
Verb (short form) + こと
Verb (short form negative) + こと

Example 1:

宿題は明日までに必ず出すこと！
Shukudai wa ashita made ni kanarazu dasu koto!
The homework must be submitted by tomorrow!
In the context of the example above, the teacher is giving an assignment to the students: “The homework must be done by tomorrow”.  In this example, this is being given as a clear instruction.

Example 2:

話さないこと！
Hanasanai koto!
Don’t talk!
Example 2 is much more direct than the first.  As this is more of a scolding voice, it can sound sound rude if you aren’t using it with someone younger than your (suboordinate, underclassman, student, etc).  This sentence is a very clear command.

As previously stated, this use of こと is a way to nominalize verbs.  That being said, there are many other ways to use こと.
Let’s look at another use of こと for nominalizing verbs!

How to Use こと: JLPT N4 ことができる – “I Can Do~”

This JLPT N4 grammar point is ことができる (koto ga dekiru) – meaning “I can do~”.  The use of this grammar point is similar to that of potential form verbs.
The difference, however, is that the grammar point ことができる is more formal and polite than the potential form verbs.  Nami sensei explains this in the video above!
To use it in a sentence, the structure is as follows:
V (short form) + ことが/は + できる/できます

Example 1:

私は、少しスペイン語を話すことができます。
Watashi wa, sukoshi supein go o hanasu koto ga dekimasu.
I am able to speak a little bit of Spanish.
In this example we can see the use of 話すことができます is used instead of simply 話せます, which is the potential verb form of 話す.  However, this phrase is slightly more polite (丁寧), which means that you can use this JLPT N4 grammar when speaking about something that you can do with someone who is older than you, or a boss or supervisor at work.

Example 2:

日本語で映画を見ることができます。
Nihongo de eiga o miru koto ga dekimasu.
(I/you) can watch movies in Japanese.
Depending on the context, this grammar point can be used to talk about yourself, or someone else!

And, it’s just as polite to use it for you or someone else – it is neither 尊敬語 nor 謙譲語.  In other words, neither humble form nor honorific form.
One nice thing about this grammar point is, if your ever forget a verb’s potential form conjugation – you can merely opt instead to ことができます on the spot!

JLPT N4 ことがある – “There Are Times When~”

Grammatically, the structure of this JLPT N4 grammar point resembles the previous one.  However, the actual meaning is completely different.
Specifically, this is used either when something occurs sometimes, or to describe something that you do sometimes.  Do not use this grammar point to describe something that occurs frequently, or something that you do often.  It implies a certain degree of scarcity.
The structure is:
V (short form) + ことは/が + できる/できます

Example 1:

自転車で行くことがあります。
Jitensha de iku koto ga arimasu.
There are times when I go by bicycle.
This example is straightforward. In the context of the above video, Nami-sensei is clearly stating that most of the time she goes to work by train.  However there are some instances where she rides a bicycle, which is why she uses ことがある.
Let’s look at another example.

Example 2:

この時期は急に雨が降ることがあるから、部屋干にしよう。
Kono jiki wa kyuu ni ame ga furu koto ga arukara, heya boshi ni shiyou.
In this time of year, it sometimes rains without notice, so I’ll dry (the laundry) in my room.

In this other example from Nami-sensei’s video, she is talking about hanging her laundry and she describes the current season this way.  Even though it may not rain all the time, there are times where it rains suddenly without notice.  So she put her laundry in her room to dry.
雨が降ることがあります！

JLPT N3 ことになっている – “It is Expected/Decided That~”

This JLPT N3 Grammar point is a bit more nuanced use of the word こと.  The translation can vary between something being expected, something being “decided” (like an unspoken rule), or something being scheduled.
It often points to an external locus of authority, which is very “Japanese” in nature.  This indicates that the deciding variable is not something that the speaker has control over – very passive in nature.
As with the other grammar points, to structure this grammar point in a sentence, utilize the plain form.
V (short form or short form negative + ことになっている／なっています

Example 1:

東京へ出張に行くことになっています。
Tokyo e shucchou ni iku koto ni nateimasu.
I am going on a business trip to Tokyo.
In this example from the above video, Nami-sensei is politely stating that she already has a business trip to Tokyo scheduled.  This is a polite way of declining the lunch invitation.  She is ambiguous about whether she scheduled the business trip herself, or if it was scheduled for her by someone else.

Example 2:

携帯電話を使ってはいけないことになっています。
Keitai denwa o tsukatte wa ikenai koto ni natteimasu.
There is a rule that you cannot use your cellphone.
This is a more direct sentence that uses ことになっている.  While it still points to an external locus of authority, this usage is very straightforward.  There is a rule in place, and it is to be followed.
Can you think of other uses of the word こと?  Let us know on Twitter, our Youtube channel, or Instagram!

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Did you know that the Japanese language makes far more use of passive language and passive verbs than English?  Read about how to use Japanese passive voice in this article!
If you are new to studying Japanese – or maybe you are at a more intermediate level – this blog post will be of use to you.
In this article we will provide an overview of the passive voice in Japanese and also give you some examples.  Further, we will show you how to conjugate verb groups into passive form. You can also check out our complete Conjugation Kit for Mastering Passive Verbs.
Contents:

• What is the Japanese Passive Voice?
• Conjugating Verb Group 2
• Verb Group 3
• Verb Group 1

What is the Passive Voice in Japanese?

The passive voice in Japanese is used for various reasons.  One reason is that both the Japanese language and Japanese culture are very indirect – as a result, the passive voice is more frequently used in Japan than in some other countries.  When speaking Keigo, it is often more polite to use the passive – or even potential – form in many circumstances.
In Japanese, the passive voice also is used when the speaker wants to inject the sentence with emotion.  For example, Japanese speakers often use the passive voice in situations where they want to convey a sense that they are a “victim”.  In other words, they use the passive voice to describe when something bad has happened to them.
There are many instances where a tranliteration of active voice in English to active voice in Japanese can come out sounding unnatural.
Another use for the passive voice in Japanese is when talking about inanimate objects.  For example, sentences such as “that bridge was built in 1990″/あの橋は1990年に造られた.  In these sentences, the speaker is describing something about an inanimate object.  For this we use passive voice both in English and in Japanese.
However in this article, we will focus on using the passive voice in the “victim” context.  In other words, when an action is done to you by someone or something.

How to Use the Passive Voice

How do we use these passive form verbs?  Let’s look at a few examples before we look at conjugations!
僕の昼ご飯は兄に食べられちゃった！
Boku no hiru-gohan wa ani  ni taberarechatta!
I had my lunch eaten by my older brother!
Now the first thing you may notice is that this sentence translation looks strange in English.  However, in Japanese this is perfectly natural.  In fact, to say:
兄は僕の昼ご飯を食べた
Ani wa boku no hiru-gohan o tabeta
My brother ate my lunch.
…Sounds somewhat unnatural and emotionless in Japanese.
The passive form on the other hand adds more emotion, and often identifies the speaker as the “victim” in the sentence.  In other words, the speaker clarifies by using the passive voice that something happened to him or her.
Going back to the example above, here is a grammatical breakdown of how the sentence is structured.
僕の昼ご飯は兄に食べられちゃった！
So notice the structure: Subject/speaker + は(wa)／が(ga) + action doer + に(ni) + passive form verb.
In other words, think about it this way.  An action is done to the speaker or subject by the action doer, indicated by the particle に(ni). Again, this passive language in Japanese is charged with more feeling, and expresses that the speaker is conveying their emotions with this form.

Now let’s move on to conjugating the different verb groups!  We will begin with verb groups 2 and 3 before looking at group 1.  This is because 2 and 3 are easier to conjugate, while group 1 has more verbs.  For more information, check out our Mastering Passive Verb conjugation kit!

Conjugating the Japanese Passive Voice: Group 2

We will start with group 2 because it is the easiest to conjugate! Let’s learn how to turn group 2 verbs into passive form and use them in a sentence.
These are verbs like 食たべる (to eat) and 見みる (to see).  Let’s look at the conjugations – and then we can look at some example sentences!
For group 2 verbs, the conjugation is very easy!  Just remove the る off the end and replace it with られる
Here are some group 2 verbs in this chart below.

Plain verb	Passive form	English meaning
食べる (taberu)	食べられる (taberareru)	“to eat”, passive form
見る (miru)	見られる (mirareru)	“to see”, passive form
出る (deru)	出られる (derareru)	“to go out”, passive form

Verb Conjugation: Group 3

Irregular Verbs

In case you didn’t know, Japanese verb group 3 has only 2 verbs:  する meaning “to do”, and 来る meaning “to do”.
There is no particular rule for conjugating these two, so you simply have to memorize the conjugations. Thankfully, 2 is not that many!  Let’s look at how to conjugate these below. 

Plain verb	Passive form	English meaning
する (suru)	される (sareru)	“to do”, passive form
来る (kuru)	来られる (korareru)	“to come”, passive form

Verb Conjugation: Group 1

This group has the most variations of the Japanese verb groups.  These are verbs that end in the う sound that aren’t る (with a few exceptions).
We won’t be able to cover all of the verbs, but let’s look at a few to get the feel for conjugating group 1 Japanese verbs.

Plain verb	Passive form	English meaning
買う (kau)	買われる (kawareru)	“to buy”, passive form
飲む (nomu)	飲まれる (nomareru)	“to drink”, passive form
行く (iku)	行かれる (ikareru)	“to go”, passive form
泳ぐ (oyogu)	泳がれる (oyogareru)	“to swim”, passive form
押す (osu)	押される (osareru)	“to push”, passive form
帰る (kaeru)	帰られる (kaerareru)	“to go home”, passive form

帰る – “to go home” is one of the exceptions.  Clearly this verb ends in る, but it is not a group 2 verb.  This is something to bear in mind when conjugating as group 1 “ru” verbs can follow rules different from the group 2 verbs.
For more on verb groups, watch the video below!
Or get full access to mastering verb conjugation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqio2xqKMg4

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Want to know a list of popular Japanese anime phrases that you can use in real life? Yes, you can learn Japanese from anime — but only if you do it right. The thing is, a lot of students mindlessly copy phrases they found on their favorite anime TV shows and films, but if you sound too much like an anime character, you’re in for a cringefest. At best, you’re stuck with saying “~senpai” and “eto“.

Here’s the problem: most anime — especially the seinen or shounen genre — use too-casual slang phrases. Apply them in real life, and you may sound like a yankee (Japanese juvenile deliquent), which isn’t the first impression you’d want to give to your Japanese friends.

In this blog post, we figured we’d share some natural Japanese anime phrases. They’re easy and, most of all, common. They’re perfect for beginners to mimic without being at risk of sounding stiff. You’ll hear them in popular series, like Naruto, Attack on Titan and Demon Slayer.

Here are the top 20 Japanese anime phrases that you can use to converse with your Japanese friends.

Note: Before we go further into the article, note that this article will mostly use hiragana, so prior knowledge of them is a must. If you’re still learning them, don’t worry — take a look at our hiragana chart to review them.

1. あきらめないで: Never give up!

The spirit of fighting and never giving up is the core of every action-packed or hero-themed anime. Think Naruto, Attack on Titan and Haikyuu. When you’re on the verge of giving up, think, “I can’t give up (あきらめないで)!” When your Japanese friend is struggling to learn English, encourage them by saying the popular anime phrase “あきらめないで.“

あきらめなくてよかった!
Akiramenaide yokatta!
I’m glad I didn’t give up!

Check out: 100 Common Words You’ll Find in Anime

2. ちょっとまって (ください): Wait a moment!

Another basic Japanese anime phrase you’ll find across all genres: ちょっとまって. It’s a casual, shortened form of ~てください, which means to “please do something”. ちょっとまってください is more polite, but it can still sound like you’re ordering someone.

We recommend saying ちょっとまって to your friends — or at least someone your age. For example, when your friend is walking too fast, you can say ちょっとまって!

Another indirect translation of this word is the English equivalent of “give me one second”. Technically, it holds the same meaning as “wait a moment”, but in Japanese, “one second” is “いちびょう”. It’s not culturally (nor contextually) understood. One way to avoid a few imaginary question marks is by making sure the direct translation (English-Japanese) is accurate.

急いで！電車に間に合わないよ！
Isoide! Densha ni maniawanai yo!
Hurry up! We won’t make it on time for the train!

ちょっと待って！
Chotto matte!
Wait a moment!

Check out: The difference between ください and おねがいします.

3. よかった: Thank goodness!

There’s a lot of translation to the Japanese adjective よかった. It’s the past tense of the word 良い, which can be both read as よい and いい.

Keep in mind that you can interpret よかった with a few things. The closest expression to in English is “Thank goodness” or “I”m glad.” In anime shows or films, you can see parents exclaim よかった when they found their lost child.

Another instance would be when someone finds their lost phone or wallet. They would sigh and exclaim “よかった!”

Alternatively, you can say よかったね～ which can mean, “Good for you,” or, “That’s great!”

財布をなくしてしまったと思ったけど、テブルの上にあった！
Saifu o nakushite shimatta to omotta kedo, teburu no ue ni atta!
I thought I lost my wallet, but it was above the table!

よかったね！
Yokatta ne!
I’m so glad to hear that!

Check out: 100 Most Common Japanese Adjectives You Need to Know

4. しかたない or しょうがない: Can’t be helped

The meaning of this Japanese anime phrase is quite straightforward. The kanji しかた means “method” or “way”. ない is the casual form of ありません, which is a negative form of the verb あります. A more grammar-accurate form of しかたない is しかたがない, which directly translates to “There is no way.”

The phrase means, “It can’t be helped”, and is used to indicate something is a foregone conclusion in a negative sentence.

For example, when you have to cancel a trip due to bad weather, there’s nothing you can do, so you’ll say しかたない or しょうがない.

Keep in mind that this common anime phrase is a casual expression, used between coworkers and friends. Don’t turn it into a formal form (しかたがありません) and expect to sound professional at work.

5. りょうかい: Roger!

りょうかい or りょうかいです can be used informally with your friends or family! It is an affirmation that means “Yes, I’ve got it!”

It is used to indicate that you understand something and you will execute on the person’s request. For example, when your mom asks you to buy eggs from the supermarket, you can use りょうかい or りょうかいです。

宿題を終わってから、必ず提出をください。
Shukudai o owattekara, kanarazu teishutsu o kudasai.
After you finished the homework, please submit it.

りょうかい！
Ryoukai!
Understood!

6. ちがう: Not right, the wrong way

The word 違う means “wrong”, and you’d usually use it to deny or refute something. Like よかった, Japanese people tend to use this in a lot of situations. It can simply mean “No,” “That’s not it,” or “It’s different.”

Your Japanese friend would say ちがう if you said something wrong or if they disagree on something. The more polite form of this verb is ちがいます. Japanese society practices being agreeable, so you might want to avoid (explicitly) contradicting someone in a formal setting. The last thing you’d want is to prove a point to your Japanese boss.

自分のシャツ、これでしょう？
Jibun no shatsu, kore deshou?
This is my shirt, right?

違う！ それは私の!
Chigau! Sore wa watashi no!
No! That’s mine.

7. がんばって: I (You) will do the best!

You will come across one of these Japanese anime phrases very often. The word ganbatte stems from the verb ganbaru, or 頑張る (がんばる), which means “To do one’s best” or “Hang in there!”

The phrase がんばって (formally がんばってください) is used to encourage people to try hard. It can also be interpreted as “Good luck”. You can often hear people shouting がんばって in sports matches and marathons in Japan.

A more casual way to say がんばって is がんばれ

もう諦めたいよ。
Mou akirametai yo.
I want to give up already.

あと少し！頑張ってください！
Ato sukoshi! Ganbatte kudasai!
A little bit more! Hang in there!

Other variations include 頑張りましょう (“Let’s work hard together”) and 頑張ってくれ (“Do your best for me”).

8. いやだ: No way!

The phrase いやだ means “No way” or “Not a chance.” It simply means refusal to do something or you do not want to do it. It shows the speaker’s negative feelings, and it’s generally used to express something that is detestable or unpleasant. For example, if you are forced to go to a haunted house, you can say “いやだ”!

In spoken conversations where people speak fast (and cut things short), いやだ can turn into its colloquial form やだ.

ボクちゃん、野菜食べてくれる？
Boku-chan, yasai tabete kureru?
Little boy, can you eat your vegetables?

やだ！
Ya da!
No!

Check out: The Use of “Boku” for Young Boys

10. すげえ or すごい: Awesome!

Although the Japanese language isn’t gendered, there is a certain speaking preference used by boys, like specific Japanese first-person pronouns that are perceived as “masculine”. すげえ is mainly used by boys, and it is super casual. The word stems from すごい, but instead of an ending that sounds like “oi”, they’d drag the vowel into a long “ee”.

Instances such as if you are a boy, when your Japanese friend scored highly on an exam, you can say すげえ! You can use すごい when you feel happy about your friend’s accomplishment, “ええ？すごいじゃん!”

Check out: 20 Ways to Use Sugoi

11. しんじられない: I don’t believe it!

Have you ever taken a leap of faith — and actually succeeded? You can express your state of shock by saying 信じられない alone or add a よ particle at the ending to magnify your disbelief.

Let’s say that your friend is cooking for you, and you’ve heard that they are not a good cook. However, when you try their dish and find that it’s actually delicious, you might exclaim “I can’t believe it!”

信じられないほど美味しい！
Shinjirarenai hodo oishii!
I can’t believe it’s delicious!

Part Two

In this second part of Japanese phrases from anime that have real-world use cases, we introduce you to ten more phrases from anime.

11. 相変あいかわらず: As usual

This is a Japanese phrase (or part of a phrase) that is commonly used to describe specific people or their behavior. The kanji for aikawarazu (相変わらず) first uses 相, which means: “mutual” or “together”. The second kanji in the word is 変わる which means “to change”. Put them together and you get “as usual” or “Without changing~”.

The phrase 相変わらず can be used for both making positive or negative judgments towards something or someone. In anime, you’ll find people can use it when they’re impressed or when they’re disappointed at a character’s unchanging attitude.

相変わらず彼女が美しい。
Aikawarazu kanojo ga utsukushii.
She is pretty as ever.

相変わら彼が酷い。
Aikawarazu kare ga hidoi.
He is as cruel as always.

12. ドキドキ: My heart is racing!

This is a Japanese onomatopoeia that describes the sound of your heart thumping.  In particular, it’s used when you are nervous or flustered during an interaction with a crush.

You may have heard this multiple times if you watch romantic-comedy anime. Japanese people love onomatopoeia, and they often use repetitive words (such as doki doki).

Maybe doki doki doesn’t sound exactly like a heartbeat, but it’s pretty close.  If you find yourself feeling nervous and notice your heart thumping, instead of using kinchou (緊張), you can use ドキドキ to describe your emotions.

先美人と話したんで、めっちゃドキドキだったよ！
Saki bijin to hanashitan de, meccha dokidoki datta yo!
I was talking to a pretty girl just now, and my heart was racing!

13. 任まかせて下ください: Leave it to me!

You have most likely heard this phrase in several different anime.  You can use this in any situation where you are stepping in to help. The casual form you may have heard is 任せとけ (makasetoke) or 任せて(makasete). Both mean “leave it to me” or “I’ll handle this!”

Although you may have heard this used in anime fight scenes, you can of course use it in everyday situations. To use it at work, say the polite version 任せてください (makasete kudasai).

14. 気きを付つけて: Take care

Simply put, ki o tsukete means “take care”, or “be safe.”  Since this uses the te-form, it is also a command or request.  But in Japanese, these “commands” are not so strict.  It’s like a friendly comment. To make it polite, add ください on the end (as with many Japanese phrases).

コンビニ行ってきますよ。
Konbini itte kimasu.
I’m going. tothe konbini (and returning).

うん。気をつけてね！
Un. Ki o tsukete ne!
Okay. Be careful!

15. びっくりする: To be shocked/surprised

Bikkuru suru means to be shocked or surprised.  This word is used across all anime genres and shows of many kinds!  Suru is sometimes omitted, but either way, the sentiment is the same.

16. 面倒めんどくさい: What a pain!

Alright, we know you know this one.  Mendokusai is used to express frustration.  Pretty straightforward, めんどくさい just means “what a pain”, and used for situations that are inconvenient or something you would rather not deal with.

It’s not heavy enough to be used for very serious matters – mostly just frustrating or potentially stressful scenarios.

17. ぎりぎり: Just in time

This is another Japanese onomatopoeia that literally means something along the lines of “just barely”.  It is often used with time measurements, such as to be ぎりぎりセーフ (girigiri seefu), which means to “just barely be safe” – or “just barely made it”.

終電にギリギリのところで間に合った。
Shuuden ni girigiri no tokoro de maniatta.
I was just in time for the last train.

ギリギリのところで間に合う。
Girigiri no tokoro de maniau.
I just made it under the wire.

18. 申もうし訳わけございません: I am deeply sorry

Possibly one of the most practical phrases on this list for polite scenarios, 申し訳ございません (moushi wake gozaimasen) is a very formal and sincere apology often used in business or customer service situations.

This phrase utilizes the humble form keigo. It literally translates to “I have no excuse” and should be used for very serious apologies.  It is important in Japanese culture to also express your apology with your body language.  This means bowing deeply and showing your face.

19. とりあえず: For now

This is usually used at the beginning of a Japanese sentence to mean, “meanwhile, I will …” or “for now”.  Although it often appears in anime,  you can use this in a variety of different situations.

It can be used in either casual or formal settings. It is often used in business settings to complement explanations.

20: 久ひさしぶり: Long time no see!

久しぶり (hisashiburi) is one of the commonly used Japanese anime phrases that means “long time no see” in English. There isn’t a set time span for using this phrase, as it’s highly subjective.

Use this with friends or family. Or, if you want to be polite, you can say お久しぶりです. Adding the お at the beginning and the です at the end makes it more formal!

お久しぶりです。お元気ですか？
Ohisashiburi desu. Ogenki desu ka?
Long time no see. How are you?

Is it possible to learn Japanese through anime?

Yes, it’s possible to learn Japanese through anime as long as you use it as a supplement to your regular Japanese learning materials and resources.

How effective is learning Japanese through anime?

Learning Japanese through anime can be effective, especially for improving your listening comprehension and picking up new vocabulary, but it’s important to also study Japanese grammar and practice speaking and writing in Japanese.

What are some good anime to watch for learning Japanese?

Some good anime to watch for learning Japanese include “Your Name,” “Spirited Away,” “Attack on Titan,” “One Piece,” “Naruto,” and “Death Note.”

Should I watch anime with English subtitles or Japanese subtitles?

It’s recommended to watch anime with Japanese subtitles as this can help you improve your reading comprehension and pronunciation.

How can I improve my Japanese listening skills with anime?

To improve your Japanese listening skills with anime, try listening to the dialogue multiple times, pausing and rewinding when necessary, and practicing shadowing to improve your pronunciation and intonation.

What are some common Japanese phrases used in anime?

Some common Japanese phrases used in anime include “arigatou” (thank you), “sumimasen” (excuse me), “ohayou” (good morning), “daijoubu” (it’s okay), and “gomennasai” (I’m sorry).

Are there any online resources for learning Japanese with anime?

Yes, there are many online resources for learning Japanese with anime, including websites like Animelon and FluentU, and YouTube channels such as Japanese Ammo with Misa and Nihongo con Teppei.

Can I learn japanese by only watching anime?

It’s not recommended to learn Japanese by only watching anime, as it’s important to have a well-rounded approach to language learning that includes studying Japanese grammar, practicing speaking and writing, and using various learning materials and resources. While anime can be a fun and engaging supplement to your Japanese learning, it’s not a comprehensive or structured way to learn the language on its own. Additionally, some anime use slang or colloquial language that may not be appropriate in formal settings or everyday conversation

Start taking Japanese lessons and master anime phrases!

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