You don't need to speak Japanese to travel in Japan — but knowing these 50 phrases will make your trip smoother and more enjoyable.
You don't need to speak Japanese to travel in Japan — but knowing these 50 phrases will make your trip smoother and more enjoyable.
Greetings
| English | Japanese | Romanization |
|---|
| Hello | こんにちは | Konnichiwa |
| Good morning | おはようございます | Ohayō gozaimasu |
| Good evening | こんばんは | Konbanwa |
| Goodbye | さようなら | Sayōnara |
| See you later | またね | Mata ne |
| Thank you | ありがとうございます | Arigatō gozaimasu |
| Thank you (casual) | ありがとう | Arigatō |
| Excuse me | すみません | Sumimasen |
| I'm sorry | ごめんなさい | Gomen nasai |
| Yes | はい | Hai |
| No | いいえ | Iie |
Basic Communication
| English | Japanese | Romanization |
|---|
| I don't understand | わかりません | Wakarimasen |
| I don't speak Japanese | 日本語が話せません | Nihongo ga hanasemasen |
| Do you speak English? | 英語を話せますか？ | Eigo wo hanasemasu ka? |
| Please speak slowly | ゆっくり話してください | Yukkuri hanashite kudasai |
| Please write it down | 書いてください | Kaite kudasai |
| One more time | もう一度 | Mō ichido |
| What does this mean? | これはどういう意味ですか？ | Kore wa dō iu imi desu ka? |
Getting Around
| English | Japanese | Romanization |
|---|
| Where is...? | ○○はどこですか？ | ○○ wa doko desu ka? |
| Train station | 駅 | Eki |
| Subway | 地下鉄 | Chikatetsu |
| Bus stop | バス停 | Basu-tei |
| Airport | 空港 | Kūkō |
| Right | 右 | Migi |
| Left | 左 | Hidari |
| Straight | まっすぐ | Massugu |
| Near | 近い | Chikai |
| Far | 運い | Toi |
| Map | 地図 | Chizu |
Eating & Drinking
| English | Japanese | Romanization |
|---|
| Water, please | お水をください | O-mizu wo kudasai |
| Menu, please | メニューをください | Menyū wo kudasai |
| This, please | これをください | Kore wo kudasai |
| Delicious! | おいしい！ | Oishii! |
| Check, please | お会計お願いします | Okaikei onegaishimasu |
| I can't eat... | ○○が食べられません | ○○ ga taberaremasen |
| Vegetarian | ベジタリアン | Bejitarian |
| No pork | 豚肉なし | Buta niku nashi |
| I'm allergic to... | ○○アレルギーがあります | ○○ arerugī ga arimasu |
| Thank you for the meal | ごちそうさまでした | Gochisōsama deshita |
Shopping
| English | Japanese | Romanization |
|---|
| How much? | いくらですか？ | Ikura desu ka? |
| Too expensive | 高すぎます | Takasugimasu |
| Can I use a credit card? | クレジットカードは使えますか？ | Kurejitto kādo wa tsukaemasu ka? |
| Tax-free | 免税 | Menzei |
| Receipt, please | レシートをください | Reshīto wo kudasai |
| Bag, please | バッグをください | Baggu wo kudasai |
Emergencies
| English | Japanese | Romanization |
|---|
| Help! | 助けて！ | Tasukete! |
| Call an ambulance | 救急車を呼んでください | Kyūkyūsha wo yonde kudasai |
| Call the police | 警察を呼んでください | Keisatsu wo yonde kudasai |
| I'm lost | 道に迷いました | Michi ni mayoimashita |
| Where is the hospital? | 病院はどこですか？ | Byōin wa doko desu ka? |
Polite Endings
Add these to make any phrase more polite:
| Ending | Usage |
|---|
| ～です (desu) | Formal "is/am/are" |
| ～ます (masu) | Formal verb ending |
| ～ください (kudasai) | "Please" |
| ～すみません (sumimasen) | "Excuse me" / "I'm sorry" |
| ～ありがとうございます (arigatō gozaimasu) | "Thank you" |
Tips
- Sumimasen is your magic word — use it for everything (getting attention, apologizing, thanking)
- English signs are everywhere in major cities — you'll be fine
- Point and smile — works in restaurants and shops
- Google Translate camera — point at Japanese text for instant translation
- Don't stress — Japanese people appreciate any effort to speak their language
