Useful phrases and words in Japanese

*The links below will take you to Google Translate, where you can press the 🔈 button to hear how these words and phrases are pronounced in Japanese.

BASICS:

Excuse me/I'm sorry - Sumimasen

Yes - Hai

No - iie

Please - Onegai shimasu

Hotel - Hoteru

Entrance - iriguchi

Exit - Deguchi

Map - Chizu

Right - Migi

Left - Hidari

MONEY:

ATM - Ē-tī-emu

Cash - Genkin

Credit card - Kurejitto kādo

How much does it cost? - ikura desu ka?

TRANSPORT:

Train Station - Eki

Train - Densha

Bus Stop - Basutei

Bus - Basu

Ticket - Kippu

Taxi - Takushi

Platform (used for train, bus, taxi) - Noriba

Airport - Kūkō

Airplane - Hikōki

Luggage - Nimotsu

Bicycle - Jitensha

Bicycle Rental - Renta saikuru

Car - Kuruma

Car rental - Rentakā

Parking - Pākingu　or　 Chūshajō

Parking ticket - Chūsha-ken

FOOD:

Restaurant - Resutoran

Menu - Menyū

Do you have an Enligsh menu? - Eigo menyū arimasu ka?

Food - Tabemono

Drinks - Nomimono

Water - Mizu

Reservation - Yoyaku

I have a reservation - Yoyaku ga arimasu

Bill - Okaikei

Breakfast - Chō shoku

Launch - Ranchi

Dinner - Yū-han

Recommendation - Osusume

Is it open? - Aite imasu ka?

Delicious - Oishii

Allergy - Are-ru-gī

Without (something) - (something) Nashi

*You can ask for a specific ingredient to be left out of your dish by using the phrase above — just add the name of the ingredient before "nashi." For example:

Without egg (tamago) - Tamago nashi

Set meal - Setto　or　Tei-shoku

Single item (instead of a set meal) - Tan-pin

*In a restaurant, you might be asked which you’d prefer — a set meal or just the main dish.

BEING POLITE 🙇🙇‍♀️

Hello (used during the day) - Kon'nichiwa

Good morning - Ohayō gozai masu

Good evening - Konbanwa

Thank you - Arigatō gozai masu

Please (can be used at the end of any request) - Onegai shimasu

MOST useful pharases:

Where is (_) ? - (_) Doko desu ka?

When you’re looking for something specific (like a restaurant, toilet, ATM, bus stop, and so on), just add the word for what you’re looking for at the beginning of the phrase above:

Where is the bathroom? - Toire doko desu ka?

Where is the Train Station? - Eki doko desu ka?

Where is the ATM - Ē-tī-emu doko desu ka?

Do you speak English? - Eigo hanasemasu ka?

Is there anyone who can speak English? - Eigo hanaseru hito imasu ka?

I don't understand - Wakarimasen

Please help me - Tetsudatte kudasai

What is this? - Kore nan desu ka

EMERGENCY:

Police - Keisatsu

Hospital - Byō-in

Ambulance - Kyū-kyū-sha

*Disclaimer: I’ve deliberately removed some particles from certain phrases to make them a bit shorter and easier to remember, especially for those encountering Japanese for the first time.