10 Basic Japanese Words to Get You Started

If you’re only going to learn 10 core Japanese words from this ar cle, walk away with these:

はい (hai) – “yes”

いいえ (iie) – “no” or “you’re welcome”

おはようございます (ohayō gozaimasu) – “good morning”

こんにちは (konnichiwa) – “hello” or “good a ernoon”

こんばんは (konbanwa) – “good evening”

じゃね (ja ne) – “bye”

すみません (sumimasen) – “excuse me”

お願いします (o-negai shimasu) – “please”

ありがとうございます (arigatō gozaimasu) – “thank you”

わかりません (wakarimasen) – “I don’t understand”

Japanese Romaji English Audio

はい hai “yes”

いいえ iie “no” or “you’re welcome”

おはようございます ohayō gozaimasu “good morning”

こんにちは konnichiwa “hello” or “good a ernoon”

こんばんは konbanwa “good evening”

じゃね ja ne “bye”

すみません sumimasen “excuse me”

お願いします onegaishimasu “please”

ありがとうございます arigatō gozaimasu “thank you”

わかりません wakarimasen “I don’t understand”

The 8 Core Japanese Pronouns

Japanese pronouns are important to know, although even though they are core words, you will most
o en hear and use the top three on this list. In Japanese, pronouns are usually understood from context
and not said unless they’re necessary for clarifica on.

You’ll also no ce I didn’t include “you” (あなた, “anata”) in this list. That’s because it’s usually avoided
unless in a context where the person has no name (like in a song or a textbook example).

Any me you would say “you” in English, you’ll use the person’s name followed by “-san” (-さん), such
as “Tanaka-san” (田中さん).

これ / この (ore / Kono) – “This” or “This ___ (thing/person)”

それ / その (Sore / Sono) – “That / It” or “That ___ (thing/person)”

あれ / あの (Are / Ano) – “That over there” or “That ___ (thing/person) over there”

私 / 僕 (Watashi / Boku) – “I” (私 is gender neutral, while 僕 is masculine.)

彼 (Kare) – “He”

彼女 (Kanojo) – “She”

私たち (Watashitachi) – “We”

彼ら (Karera) – “They”

Japanese Romaji English Audio

これ / この Kore / Kono This / This ___ (thing/person)

それ / その Sore / Sono That / It / That ___ (thing/person)

あれ / あの Are / Ano That over there / That ___ (thing/person) over there

私 / 僕 Watashi / Boku I (私 is gender neutral, while 僕 is masculine.)

彼 Kare He

彼女 Kanojo She

私たち Watashitachi We

彼ら Karera They

The 42 Core Japanese Nouns

Which Japanese nouns are most helpful to learn?

Everyone has different words they say the most based on daily life. You should definitely take me to
create your own script and list of words you o en say, so you can memorize them.

Based on frequency lists, these are the words you’ll most likely hear or use. Of course, nouns for me,
transporta on, and general words for loca on and people top the list for usefulness in ge ng by.

Pro p: Most single kanji have mul ple readings, especially when combined with other kanji. Their
English word meaning stays the same, though. I’ve included the most common way or ways to read them
in Romaji (English characters to spell Japanese words). Want to know more about kanji? Then start here.

Don’t worry about that for now, but just know there may be – and usually are – more ways, once you get
farther in your studies.

Core Japanese Words for Time

First, we’ll go over some useful Japanese words to talk about me and dura on.

年 (Toshi or Nen) – “Year”

月 (Getsu or Tsuki) – “Month” and “Moon”

日 (Nichi or Hi) – “Day” and “Sun”

週 (Shuu) – “Week”

今日 (Kyou) – “Today”

明日 (Ashita) – “Tomorrow”

昨日 (Kinou) – “Yesterday”

時間 (Jikan) – “Time” (As in, a me frame.)

分 (Fun or Bun) – “Minute”

時 (Ji or Toki) – “Hour” or “Time”

今 (Ima) – “Now”

前 (Mae) – “Before”
後 (Ato) – “A er”

Japanese Romaji English Audio

年 Toshi or Nen Year

月 Getsu or Tsuki Month / Moon

日 Nichi or Hi Day / Sun

週 Shuu Week

今日 Kyou Today

明日 Ashita Tomorrow

昨日 Kinou Yesterday

時間 Jikan Time (As in, a me frame.)

分 Fun or Bun Minute

時 Ji or Toki Hour / Time

今 Ima Now

前 Mae Before

後 Ato A er

The 8 Core Japanese Conjunc ons and Connectors

It’s always helpful to know how to connect your sentences with conjunc ons.

As in English, there are tons of conjunc ons and connectors to start a sentence, but these are most
common.

Here’s one to note: その時 (Sono toki). It means “at that me” in Japanese, but doesn’t really translate
properly into English. It’s closer to saying “when that happened,” “while that was going on,” “and then,”
or “meanwhile” in English while explaining what happens next in a story.

しかし (Shikashi) – “However”

また (Mata) – “Also”

その後 (Sono ato) – “A er that”

その時 (Sono toki) – “At that me”

場合は (Baai wa) – “If you” or “If this happens”

例えば (Tatoeba) – “For example”

それから (Sorekara) – “Then”

だから (Dakara) – “So”

Core Japanese Words for Places

Here are some useful Japanese words to help you get from place to place:

家 (Ie or Uchi) – “home”

出身 (Shusshin) – “Hometown”

トイレ / お手洗い (Toire / Otearai) – “Bathroom”

店 (Mise or Ya) – “Shop”

日本 (Nihon) – “Japan”

国 (Kuni or Koku) – “Country”

学校 (Gakkou) – “School”

大学 (Daigaku) – “College”

駅 (Eki) – “(Train) Sta on”

線 (Sen) – “Line”

電車 (Densha) – “Train”

地下鉄 (Chikatetsu) – “Subway”

車 (Kuruma) – “Car”

部屋 (Heya) – “Room”

町 (Machi) – “Town”

所 / 場所 (Tokoro / Basho) – “Place”

中 (Naka or Chuu) – “Middle,” or “Inside”

外 (Soto or Gai) – “Outside”

Japanese Romaji English Audio

語 Go Language (Combine it with other words like: 言語 (gengo, “language”), 単語 (tango,

“words”), 日本語 (Nihongo, “Japanese”), 英語 (Eigo, “English”), スペイン語 (Supeingo, “Spanish”).)
水 Mizu Water

映画 Eiga Movie

テレビ Terebi TV

家族 Kazoku Family

人 Hito or Nin Person

物 Mono Thing (tangible)

こと Koto Thing (intangible)

名前 Namae Name

他 Hoka Other

ため Tame For / In regards to

By the way, to help you get inspired to progress in your Japanese studies, check out Benny’s start to his
Japanese challenge!

Other Core Japanese Words

Here are some other cool Japanese words that’ll be super useful in a variety of conversa ons!

語 (Go) – “Language” (Combine it with other words like: 言語 (gengo, “language”), 単語 (tango,
“words”), 日本語 (Nihongo, “Japanese”), 英語 (Eigo, “English”), スペイン語 (Supeingo, “Spanish”).)

水 (Mizu) – “Water”

映画 (Eiga) – “Movie”

テレビ (Terebi) – “TV”

家族 (Kazoku) – “Family”

人 (Hito or Nin) – “Person”

物 (Mono) – “Thing (tangible)”

こと (Koto) – “Thing (intangible)”

名前 (Namae) – “Name”

他 (Hoka) – “Other”

ため (Tame) – “For” or “In regards to”

The 23 Core Japanese Verbs

You can get by saying a lot in Japanese with a few verbs, especially the first one on this list: する (suru).
This verb means “to do” on its own. But, it also combines with nouns to mean “to do ____”.

For example, you can combine する with nouns like 勉強 (benkyou, “study”) to create 勉強する
(benkyou suru, “to study”). It’s a super helpful and versa le verb, even if it’s one of the two irregular
verbs for conjuga on.

But isn’t that nice? Japanese only has 2 irregular verbs – する and 来る (kuru, “to come”).

する (Suru) – “To do”

です (Desu) – “To be” or “it is”

なる (Naru) – “To become”

ある (Aru) – “There is” for inanimate objects and plants.

いる (Iru) – “There is” for living things, like humans and animals.

言う (Iu) – “To say”

行く (Iku) – “To go”

出来る (Dekiru) – “To be able to do” or “can do”

見る (Miru) – “To see”

送る (Okuru) – “To send”

持つ (Motsu) – “To have” or “to hold”

待つ (Matsu) – “To wait”

会う (Au) – “To meet”

呼ぶ (Yobu) – “To call” (as in call out or call over to someone–calling someone on the phone is 電話する
denwa suru)

置く (Oku) – “To put”

受ける (Ukeru) – “To receive”

作る (Tsukuru) – “To make”

着く (Tsuku) – “To arrive”

使う (Tsukau) – “To use”

学ぶ (Manabu) – “To learn”

食べる (Taberu) – “To eat”

飲む (Nomu) – “To drink”

帰る (Kaeru) – “To return home”

Japanese Romaji English Audio

する Suru To do

です Desu To be / It is

なる Naru To become

ある Aru There is (for inanimate objects and plants)

いる Iru There is (for living things, like humans and animals)

言う Iu To say

行く Iku To go

出来る Dekiru To be able to do / Can do

見る Miru To see

送る Okuru To send

持つ Motsu To have / To hold

待つ Matsu To wait

会う Au To meet

呼ぶ Yobu To call (as in call out or call over to someone–calling someone on the phone is 電話する
denwa suru)

置く Oku To put

受ける Ukeru To receive

作る Tsukuru To make

着く Tsuku To arrive

使う Tsukau To use

学ぶ Manabu To learn

食べる Taberu To eat

飲む Nomu To drink

帰る Kaeru To return home

The 20 Core Japanese Adjec ves and Adverbs

Add more words in Japanese to help with descrip ons! Here are the most common Japanese adjec ves
and adverbs.

Take note of すごい (sugoi) – “amazing.” It’s so commonly used, it means many things. “Cool,” “wow,”
“that’s crazy,” etc. It’s a catch-all exclama on and is o en used in reply to stories or when shown
something (like yummy food, beau ful scenery, or a cool picture).

 多い (Ooi) – “Many”

 たくさん (Takusan) – “Lots of”

 少ない (Sukunai) – “Few”

 遠い (Tooi) – “Far”

 近い (Chikai) – “Near”

 小さい (Chiisai) – “Small”

 大きい (Ookii) – “Big”

 良い (Yoi) – “Good”

 悪い (Warui) – “Bad”

 きれいな (Kirei na) – “Clean” and “Pre y”

 醜い (Minikui) – “Ugly”

 難しい (Muzukashii) – “Difficult”

 簡単な (Kantan na) – “Easy”

 うまい (Umai) – “Skilled”

 美味しい (Oishii) – “Delicious”

 まずい (Mazui) – “Disgus ng”

 大丈夫な (Daijoubu na) – “All right”

 すごい (Sugoi) – “Amazing”

 楽しい (Tanoshii) – “Enjoyable” or “Pleasant”

 とても (Totemo) – “Very”

Japanese Romaji English Audio

多い Ooi Many

たくさん Takusan Lots of

少ない Sukunai Few

遠い Tooi Far

近い Chikai Near

小さい Chiisai Small

大きい Ookii Big

良い Yoi Good

悪い Warui Bad

きれいな Kirei na Clean / Pre y

醜い Minikui Ugly

難しい Muzukashii Difficult

簡単な Kantan na Easy

うまい Umai Skilled

美味しい Oishii Delicious

まずい Mazui Disgus ng

大丈夫な Daijoubu na All right

すごい Sugoi Amazing

楽しい Tanoshii Enjoyable / Pleasant

とても Totemo Very

The 8 Core Japanese Conjunc ons and Connectors

It’s always helpful to know how to connect your Japanese sentences with conjunc ons.
As in English, there are tons of conjunc ons and connectors to start a sentence, but these are most
common.

Here’s one to note: その時 (Sono toki). It means “at that me” in Japanese, but doesn’t really translate
properly into English. It’s closer to saying “when that happened,” “while that was going on,” “and then,”
or “meanwhile” in English while explaining what happens next in a story.

 でも (Demo) – “But”

 また (Mata) – “Also”

 その後 (Sono ato) – “A er that”

 その時 (Sono toki) – “At that me”

 場合は (Baai wa) – “If you” or “If this happens” (usually prefaced by その sono or この kono,
men oned above)

 例えば (Tatoeba) – “For example”

 それから (Sorekara) – “Then”

 だから (Dakara) – “So”

Japanese Romaji English Audio

でも Demo But

また Mata Also

その後 Sono ato A er that

Sono
その時 At that me
toki

If you / If this happens (usually prefaced by その sono or この kono,

場合は Baai wa
men oned above)

例えば Tatoeba For example

それか
Sorekara Then
ら

だから Dakara So

Telling me

The first rule of me in telling me in Japanese is to learn the suffix a ached that differen ates between
minutes, seconds, hour (o’clock).

 O’clock or on the hour in Japanese is denoted by the suffix “-ji” 時

 Minutes in Japanese is denoted by the suffix “-fun” or “-pun” 分

 to express the me, we first say the hours, then the minutes, then add desu です

 The suffix Han 半 means half

 In Japanese, there’s no special word for quarter hours. For example to say quarter past one
(1:15) you say ichi-ji juu-go fun.

1. Midnight — Reiji — 零時

2. 4:30 (half past four) — yo-ji han — 時半

3. 8:42 (eighteen minutes to nine) — hachi-ji yonjuu-ni fun

4. am (in the morning) — gozèn — 午前

5. pm (in the a ernnoon in Japanese) — gogo — 午後

6. 1:30 — Ichi Ji han — いち時半

7. 2:30 — Ni Ji han — に時半

8. 3:30 — San Ji han — さん時半

9. 4:40 — Yo Ji han — よん時半

10. 5:30 — Go Ji han — ご時半

11. 1 o’clock — Ichi Ji — いち時

12. 2 o’clock — Ni Ji — に時

13. 3 o’clock — San Ji — さん時

14. 4 o’clock — Yo Ji — よん時

15. 5 o’clock — Go Ji — ご時

16. 6 o’clock — Roku Ji — ろく時

17. 7 o’clock — Hichi Ji or Shichi Ji —しち時

18. 8 o’clock — Hachi Ji — はち時

19. 9 o’clock — Ku Ji — く時

20. 10 o’clock — Ju- Ji — じゅう時

21. 11 o’clock — Ju-ichi Ji — じゅういち時

22. 12 o’clock — Ju-ni Ji — じゅうに時

時間通りに仕事ができるように、午後3時半前に出発する必要があります。 —> Jikandōrini
shigoto ga dekiru yō ni, gogo 3-jihan mae ni shuppatsu suru hitsuyō ga arimasu. I need to leave before
half past three pm so that I can make it to work on me.

１時間余分に寝たらいいのに。 —> 1-Jikan yobun ni netara īnoni; I wish I had an hour extra of sleep.

Telling me

The first rule of me in telling me in Japanese is to learn the suffix a ached that differen ates between
minutes, seconds, hour (o’clock).

 O’clock or on the hour in Japanese is denoted by the suffix “-ji” 時

 Minutes in Japanese is denoted by the suffix “-fun” or “-pun” 分

 to express the me, we first say the hours, then the minutes, then add desu です

 The suffix Han 半 means half

 In Japanese, there’s no special word for quarter hours. For example to say quarter past one
(1:15) you say ichi-ji juu-go fun.

1. Midnight — Reiji — 零時

2. 4:30 (half past four) — yo-ji han — 時半

3. 8:42 (eighteen minutes to nine) — hachi-ji yonjuu-ni fun

4. am (in the morning) — gozèn — 午前

5. pm (in the a ernnoon in Japanese) — gogo — 午後

6. 1:30 — Ichi Ji han — いち時半

7. 2:30 — Ni Ji han — に時半

8. 3:30 — San Ji han — さん時半

9. 4:40 — Yo Ji han — よん時半

10. 5:30 — Go Ji han — ご時半

11. 1 o’clock — Ichi Ji — いち時

12. 2 o’clock — Ni Ji — に時

13. 3 o’clock — San Ji — さん時

14. 4 o’clock — Yo Ji — よん時

15. 5 o’clock — Go Ji — ご時

16. 6 o’clock — Roku Ji — ろく時

 17. 7 o’clock — Hichi Ji or Shichi Ji —しち時

18. 8 o’clock — Hachi Ji — はち時

19. 9 o’clock — Ku Ji — く時

20. 10 o’clock — Ju- Ji — じゅう時

21. 11 o’clock — Ju-ichi Ji — じゅういち時

22. 12 o’clock — Ju-ni Ji — じゅうに時

時間通りに仕事ができるように、午後3時半前に出発する必要があります。 —> Jikandōrini

shigoto ga dekiru yō ni, gogo 3-jihan mae ni shuppatsu suru hitsuyō ga arimasu. I need to leave before
half past three pm so that I can make it to work on me.

１時間余分に寝たらいいのに。 —> 1-Jikan yobun ni netara īnoni; I wish I had an hour extra of sleep.

1. Doctor — isha — 医者

2. Nurse — kango shi — 看護師

3. Den st — shikai — 歯科医

4. Scien st — kagaku sha — 科学者

5. Hairdresser — biyou shi — 美容師

6. Teacher — kyoushi or sensei — 教師, 先生

7. Singer — kashu — 歌手

8. Driver — unten shu — 運転手

9. Photographer — shashin ka — 写真家

10. Author or Writer — sakka — 作家

11. Producer/director — enshutsu ka — 演出家

12. Architect — kenchiku ka — 建築家

13. Policeman — kei kan, keisatsu kan — 警官, 警察官

14. Chef — chouri shi — 調理師

15. Head chef — ryouri chou — 料理長

16. Judge — saiban kan — 裁判官

17. Lawyer — bengo shi — 弁護士

18. Accountant — kaikei shi — 会計士

 19. Fireman — shoubou shi — 消防士

20. Shop assistant/salesperson — ten in — 店員

21. Researcher — kenkyuu in — 研究員

22. Temporary worker — hakensha in — 派遣社員

23. Actor — haiyuu — 俳優

24. Actress — joyuu — 女優

25. Barber — rihatsu shi, sanpatsuya, tokoya — 理髪師, 散髪屋, 床屋

26. Sports coach or movie director — kantoku — 監督

27. Reporter — kisha — 記者

28. Unemployed person — mushoku sha — 無職者

29. Pilot — pairo o — パイロット

30. Real estate agent — fudousan gyousha — 不動産業者

店員は彼女が完璧な靴を見つけるのを手伝いました —> Ten’in wa kanojo ga kanpekina kutsu o

mitsukeru no o tetsudaimashita; The salesperson helped her find the perfect shoe

床屋は町で最高です —> Tokoya wa machi de saikōdesu; The barber is the best in town.

1. Do you like sports? — Supootsu ga suki desu ka — スポーツが好きですか。

2. Do you play tennis? — Tenisu o shimasu ka — テニスをしますか。

3. Sports — supo-tsu —スポーツ

4. Exercise/sports — undou — 運動

5. Physical educa on — taiiku — 体育

6. Basketball — basuke o booru — バスケットボール

7. Volleyball — baree booru — バレーボール

8. Tennis — tenisu — テニス

9. Badminton — badominton — バドミントン

10. Shogi / Japanese Chess — shougi — 将棋

11. Golf — gorufu — ゴルフ

12. American football — amerikan fu obooru — アメリカンフットボール

13. Rugby — ragubii — ラグビー

 14. Soccer — sakkaa — サッカー

15. Swimming — suiei — 水泳

16. Horseriding — jouba — 乗馬

17. Skiing — sukii — スキー

18. Ska ng — sukeeto — スケート

19. Ice hockey — aisu hokkee — アイスホッケー

20. Boxing — bokushingu — ボクシング

21. Wrestling — resuringu — レスリング

22. Judo — juudou — 柔道

23. Sumo wrestling — sumou — 相撲

24. Karate — karate — 空手

25. Gymnas cs — taisou — 体操

26. Ping-pong / Table Tennis — pinpon — ピンポン

27. Mountain Climbing — tozan — 登山

水泳は難しいスポーツです —> Suiei wa muzukashī supōtsudesu; Swimming is a difficult sport.

ラグビーはアメリカ合衆国で最も人気があります —> Ragubī wa Amerikagasshūkoku de mo omo

ninki ga arimasu; Rugby is most popular in the United States of America.

1. Music — ongaku — 音楽

2. Hometown — shusshin — 出身

3. Home — ie or uchi — 家

4. Shop — mise — 店

5. Car — kuruma — 車

6. Family — kazoku — 家族

7. Bathroom — toire — トイレ

8. Movie — eiga — 映画

9. How are you? — O-genki desu ka — おげんきですか。

10. Do you speak English? — Eigo o hanasemasu ka — えいごをはなせますか。

 11. I’m fine. Thank you — Genki desu — げんきです。

12. What is your name? — O-namae wa nan desu ka — おなまえはなんですか。

13. I don’t understand — Wakarimasen — わかりません。

14. What did you say? — Nante iimashita ka — なんていいましたか。

15. Does anyone here speak English? — Koko ni eigo o hanaseru hito wa imasu ka — ここに えい
ごおはなせるひとはいますか。

16. I understand you perfectly — Yoku wakarimasu — よくわかります。

17. Can you speak more slowly? — Mo o yukkuri hanashite kudasai — もっと ゆっくりはなし
てください。

18. I am very glad to meet you — Oaidekite ureshī desu — おあいできて うれしいです。

19. I only speak a li le Japanese — Watashi wa nihongo ga sukoshi shika hanasemasen — わたしは
にほんごがすこししか はなせません。

20. I’m sorry — Sumimasen — すみません。

21. That’s all right — Dai jōbu desu — だいじょうぶです。

22. I understand you — Wakarimasu — わかります。

23. I do not speak English — Eigo wa hanasemasen — えいごは はなせません。

24. Unfortunately, I speak only a li le Japanese — Watashi wa nihongo ga sukoshi shika

hanasemasen — わたしは にほんごがすこししかはなせません。

25. Good weather, huh! — Ii tenki desu ne — いい天気ですね！

Now that we’ve learned quite a large selec on of vocabulary, let’s end with a couple sentences that
relate to learning a new language.

新しい言語を学ぶことは挑戦的ですが、それだけの価値があります —> Atarashī gengo o manabu

koto wa chōsen-tekidesuga, soredake no kachi ga arimasu; Learning a new language is challenging but
worth it.

もっと日本人のネイティブスピーカーと交流したいです。—> Mo o nihonjin no nei busupīkā to

kōryū shitaidesu; I wish to interact with more Japanese na ve speakers.

Kanji Hiragana/Katakana Reading

English

1 refrigerator 冷蔵庫 れいぞうこ reizōko

2 freezer 冷凍庫 れいとうこ reitōko

3 microwave 電子レンジ でんしれんじ denshi renji

4 air condi oner 冷房機/クーラー れいぼうき/クーラー reibōki / kūrā

5 heater 暖房機 だんぼうき danbōki

6 laundry machine 洗濯機 せんたくき sentakuki

7 hair dryer ー ドライヤー doraiyā

8 TV ー テレビ terebi

Examples

冷凍庫から氷と、冷蔵庫から飲み物を出してください。
Reitōko kara kōri to, reizōko kara nomimono o dashite kudasai.
Please take out ice from the freezer and drinks from the refrigerator.

お風呂の後はドライヤーで髪を乾かします。
O-furo no ato wa doraiyā de kami o kawakashimasu.
A er taking a bath, I dry my hair with a hair dryer.

私はテレビを見ることが好きです。
Watashi wa terebi o miru koto ga suki desu.
I like watching TV.

電子レンジと洗濯機が壊れたので困っています。
Denshi renji to sentakuki ga kowareta node koma e imasu.
I’m upset because the microwave and laundry machine broke.

Kanji Hiragana/Katakana Reading

English

9 computer ー コンピューター conpyūtā

10 laptop ー ノートパソコン nōto pasokon

11 tablet ー タブレット tabure o

12 cellphone 携帯電話 けいたいでんわ keitai denwa

13 headphone ー ヘッドホン heddohon

14 charger 充電器 じゅうでんき jyūdenki

15 wifi ー ワイファイ waifai

16 app ー アプリ apuri

17 website ー ウェブサイト webusaito

18 file ー ファイル fairu

19 account ー アカウント akaunto

20 password ー パスワード pasuwādo

Examples

私はタブレットよりもノートパソコンの方が好きです。
Watshi wa tabure o yori mo nōto pasokon no hō ga suki desu.
I like laptops more than tablets.

ワイファイのパスワードは何ですか。
Waifai no pasuwādo wa nan desu ka.
What is the wifi password?

あなたの携帯電話の充電器を使ってもいいですか。
Anata no keitai denwa jyūdenki o tsuka e mo ii desu ka.
Can I use your mobile phone charger?

Kanji Hiragana/Katakana Reading

English

21 airplane 飛行機 ひこうき hikōki

22 train 電車 でんしゃ densha

23 subway 地下鉄 ちかてつ chikatetsu

24 bus – バス basu

25 taxi – タクシー takushī

26 bicycle 自転車 じてんしゃ jitensha

27 sta on 駅 えき eki

28 bus stop バス停 ばすてい basutei

29 airport 空港 くうこう kūkō

30 traffic light 信号 しんごう shingō

31 intersec on 交差点 こうさてん kōsaten

32 road 道/道路 みち/どうろ michi/dōro

Example

一番近いバス停はどこですか。
Ichi-ban chikai basutei wa doko desu ka.
Where is the nearest bus stop?

私の町には地下鉄はありません。
Watashi no machi ni wa chikatetsu wa arimasen.
There is no subway in my town.

信号のある交差点を左に曲がります。
Shingō no aru kōsaten o hidari ni magarimasu.
Turn le at the intersec on which has a traffic light.

Kanji Hiragana/Katakana Reading

English

33 menu ー メニュー menyū

34 waiter/waitress 店員 てんいん ten’in

35 bill 会計 かいけい kaikei

36 fork ー フォーク fōku

37 knife ー ナイフ naifu

38 spoon ー スプーン supūn

39 chops cks 箸箸 はし hashi

40 water 水 みず mizu

41 vegetables 野菜 やさい yasai

42 beef 牛肉 ぎゅうにく gyūniku

43 pork 豚肉 ぶたにく butaniku

44 chicken 鶏肉 とりにく toriniku

Examples

ベジタリアンのメニューはありますか。
Bejitarian no menyū wa arimasu ka.
Do you have a vegetarian menu?

お箸の使い方を教えてください。
O-hashi no tsukaikata o oshiete kudasai.
Please teach me how to use chops cks.

私は豚肉を食べられません。
Watashi wa butaniku o taberaremasen.
I can’t eat pork.

Kanji Hiragana/Katakana Reading

English

45 elementary school 小学校 しょうがっこう shōgakkō

46 middle school 中学校 ちゅうがっこう shōgakkō

47 high school 高校 こうこう kōkō

48 college/university 大学 だいがく daigaku

49 student 生徒/学生 せいと/がくせい seito/gakusei

50 teacher 先生/教師 せんせい/きょうし sensei/kyōshi

51 major 専攻 せんこう senkō

52 degree 学位 がくい gakui

53 exam 試験 しけん shiken

54 homework 宿題 しゅくだい shukudai

Examples

あなたの専攻は何ですか。
Anata no senkō wa nan desu ka.
What is your major?

彼女は小学校の先生です。
Kanojo wa shōgakkō no sensei desu.
She is a teacher at an elementary school.

私は宿題を終えた後に遊びに行きます。
Watashi wa shukudai o oeta ato ni asobi ni ikimasu.
I will go and play a er finishing my homework.

Kanji Hiragana/Katakana Reading

English

55 doctor 医師 いし ishi

56 nurse 看護師 かんごし kangoshi

57 lawyer 弁護士 べんごし bengoshi

58 chef 料理人 りょうりにん ryōrinin

59 businessperson 実業家 じつぎょうか jitsugyōka

60 police officer 警察官 けいさつかん keisatsukan

61 firefighter 消防士 しょうぼうし shōbōshi

62 engineer 技術者 ぎじゅつしゃ gijutsusha

63 civil servant 公務員 こうむいん kōmuin

64 accountant 会計士 かいけいし kaikeishi

Examples

消防士になるのは難しいですか。
Shōbōshi ni naru no wa muzukashii desu ka.
Is it difficult to become a firefighter?

私は警察官になりたいです。
Watashi wa keisatsukan ni naritai desu.
I want to become a police officer.

公務員の職業は安定しているので人気です。
Kōmuin no shokugyō wa antei shite iru node ninki desu.
The occupa on of civil servant is popular because it is stable.

Kanji Hiragana/Katakana Reading

English

65 family 家族 かぞく kazoku

66 mother 母/お母さん はは/おかあさん haha/o-kā-san

67 father 父/お父さん ちち/おとうさん chichi/o-tō-san

68 parent 親 おや oya

69 daughter 娘 むすめ musume

70 son 息子 むすこ musuko

71 grandma 祖母 そぼ sobo

72 grandpa 祖父 そふ sofu

Examples

私の母は看護師です。
Watashi no haha wa kangoshi desu.
My mother is a nurse.

私の家族は5人家族です。
Watashi no kazoku wa go-nin kazoku desu.
My family has five family members.
彼女の息子は6歳です。
Kanojo no musuko wa roku-sai desu.
Her son is six years old.

Kanji Hiragana/Katakana Reading

English

73 body 体 からだ karada

74 head 頭 あたま atama

75 shoulder 肩 かた kata

76 arm 腕 うで ude

77 leg 足 あし ashi

78 chest 胸 むね mune

79 abdomen 腹 はら hara

80 face 顔 かお kao

81 eye 目 め me

82 nose 鼻 はな hana

83 mouth 口 くち kuchi

84 ear 耳 みみ mimi

Examples

風邪を引いたので頭が痛いです。
Kaze o hiita node atama ga itai desu.
I have a headache because I caught a cold.

体を動かす運動は健康に良いです。
Karada o ugokasu undō wa kenkō ni ii desu.
Exercise that moves your body is good for health.

彼女は可愛い大きな目を持っています。
Kanojo wa kawaii ōkina me o mo e imasu.
She has cute big eyes.
 Kanji Hiragana/Katakana Reading
English

85 today 今日 きょう kyō

86 yesterday 昨日 きのう kinō

87 tomorrow 明日 あした kinō

88 Monday 月曜日 げつようび getsu-yōbi

89 Tuesday 火曜日 かようび ka-yōbi

90 Wednesday 水曜日 すいようび sui-yōbi

91 Thursday 木曜日 もくようび moku-yōbi

92 Friday 金曜日 きんようび kin-yōbi

93 Saturday 土曜日 どようび do-yōbi

94 Saturday 日曜日 にちようび nichi-yōbi

95 day 日 にち/ひ nichi/hi

96 week 週 しゅう shū

97 month 月 つき/げつ tsuki/getsu

98 year (as unit) 年 とし/ねん toshi/nen

99 hour 時間 じかん jikan

100 minute 分 ふん fun

Examples

明日は金曜日です。
Ashita wa kin-yōbi desu.
Tomorrow is Friday.

結果を出すまで2年と5ヶ月かかりました。
Kekka o dasu made ni-nen to go-kagetsu kakarimashita.
It took two years and five months to achieve the result.
私は今日３時間歩きました。
Watashi wa kyō san-jikan arukimashita.
I walked three hours today.

English Reading Kanji Hiragana

meet au 会う あう

learn manabu 学ぶ まなぶ

push osu 押す おす

pull hiku 引く ひく

Class 2: Ru-Verbs

出る (deru) ：come out Casual Polite

Stem de

出-る 出-ます
Basic Form
de-ru de-masu

出-ない 出-ません
Nega ve Form
de-nai de-masen

The verb 出る (deru), meaning “come out,” has the stem de and the suffix ru. The suffix conjugates and
changes as it did above. It’s similar to u-verbs, but slightly different.

Ru-verb Examples

English Reading Kanji Hiragana

teach oshieru 教える おしえる

exist
iru いる いる
(living things)

sleep neru 寝る ねる

answer kotaeru 答える こたえる

Class 3: Irregular Verbs

Don’t worry too much! There are only two Japanese irregular verbs.

The stems of the verbs change according to the conjuga ng forms. There are only two verbs, so let’s
memorize them!
  来る (kuru)：come

来る (kuru) ：come Casual Polite

Stem ku / ko / ki

来-る 来-ます
Basic Form く-る き-ます
ku-ru ki-masu

来-ない 来-ません
Nega ve Form こ-ない き-ません
ko-nai ki-masen

 する (suru)：do

する (suru) ：do Casual Polite

Stem su / shi

す-る し-ます
Basic Form
su-ru shi-masu

し-ない し-ません
Nega ve Form
shi-nai shi-masen

The Japanese verb する (suru), meaning “do,” is a very handy word which can o en turn a noun into a
verb when it’s added next to the noun.

For example:

 勉強 (benkyō) ＋ する (suru) = to study

studying (do)

 参加 (sanka) ＋ する (suru) = to par cipate

par cipa on (do)

 感謝 (kansha) ＋ する (suru) = to thank/appreciate

apprecia on/gra tude (do)

Now that you have a be er idea of how to conjugate different types of verbs, let’s move on to our
Japanese verbs list!
2. Ac on Verbs: Physical

To start, here are the most common Japanese verbs of mo on.

English Japanese Reading Kanji Hiragana

see / look / watch miru 見る みる

hear / listen kiku 聞く きく

say iu 言う いう

walk aruku 歩く あるく

run hashiru 走る はしる

eat taberu 食べる たべる

drink nomu 飲む のむ

take toru 取る とる

use tsukau 使う つかう

move ugoku 動く うごく

hold / grab tsukamu 掴む つかむ

sit suwaru 座る すわる

stand tatsu 立つ たつ

wear kiru 着る きる

take off (clothes/shoes) nugu 脱ぐ ぬぐ

work hataraku 働く はたらく

wake up okiru 起きる おきる

go iku 行く いく

come kuru 来る くる

bend mageru 曲げる まげる

English Japanese Reading Kanji Hiragana

search sagasu 探す さがす

read yomu 読む よむ

play asobu 遊ぶ あそぶ

get on (vehicle) noru 乗る のる

get off (vehicle) oriru 降りる おりる

start hajimeru 始める はじめる

finish oeru 終える おえる

open akeru 開ける あける

close shimeru 閉める しめる

stop tomeru 止める とめる

put oku 置く おく

wait matsu 待つ まつ

rest yasumu 休む やすむ

learn manabu 学ぶ まなぶ

give ataeru 与える あたえる

visit otozureru 訪れる おとずれる

leave saru 去る さる

depart shuppatsu suru 出発する しゅっぱつする

arrive tōchaku suru 到着する とうちゃくする

sell uru 売る うる

buy kau 買う かう

live ikiru 生きる いきる

die shinu 死ぬ しぬ
3. Ac on Verbs: Mental

These everyday Japanese verbs are essen al for expressing ac ons that aren’t physical or immediately
tangible. Take a look!

know Japanese Reading Kanji Hiragana

know shiru 知る しる

think kangaeru 考える かんがえる

imagine sōzō suru 想像する そうぞうする

feel kanjiru 感じる かんじる

like konomu 好む このむ

dislike kirau 嫌う きらう

love aisuru 愛する あいする

hate nikumu 憎む にくむ

believe shinjiru 信じる しんじる

expect kitai suru 期待する きたいする

understand rikai suru 理解する りかいする

remember omoidasu 思い出す おもいだす

agree dōi suru 同意する どういする

laugh warau 笑う わらう

cry naku 泣く なく

get angry okoru 怒る おこる

feel sad kanashimu 悲しむ かなしむ

wish / hope negau 願う ねがう

get surprised odoroku 驚く おどろく

forget wasureru 忘れる わすれる

sa sfy manzoku suru 満足する まんぞくする

know Japanese Reading Kanji Hiragana

doubt utagau 疑う うたがう

decide kimeru 決める きめる

no ce kizuku 気づく きづく

To check your pronuncia on of Japanese verbs with audio, see our page about the 25 Most Commonly
Used Verbs.

4. Other Verbs

You’re almost done! There are just a few more Japanese language verbs you should know.

English Japanese Reading Kanji Hiragana

appear arawareru 現れる あらわれる

remain kieru 消える きえる

remain nokoru 残る のこる

return kaeru 帰る かえる

check kakunin suru 確認する かくにんする

increase fueru 増える ふえる

decrease heru 減る へる

carry hakobu 運ぶ はこぶ

get dry kawaku 乾く かわく

get wet nureru 濡れる ぬれる

wash arau 洗う あらう

get dirty yogoreru 汚れる よごれる

indicate shimesu 示す しめす

enjoy tanoshimu 楽しむ たのしむ

fall ochiru 落ちる おちる

English Japanese Reading Kanji Hiragana

win katsu 勝つ かつ

lose makeru 負ける まける

break kowasu 壊す こわす

fix naosu 直す なおす

cross wataru 渡る わたる

change kawaru 変わる かわる

send okuru 送る おくる

receive uketoru 受け取る うけとる

5. Japanese Auxiliary Verbs: 助動詞 (Jodōshi)

The Japanese 助動詞 (Jodōshi), which translates as “auxiliary verb,” is a func onal type of word with
some varia ons. By adding an auxiliary verb, the meaning of the preceding word will be modified.

For example:

 感じる (kanjiru) : “feel” + させる (saseru) [causa ve verb]

= 感じさせる (kanjisaseru) : “make (you) feel”

 食べる (taberu) : “eat” + られる (rareru) [ability]

= 食べられる (taberareru) : edible

Here are some of the Japanese auxiliary verbs:

Japanese Reading Hiragana Usage / Meaning / Example

Causa on

(sa)seru (ら)れる 食べさせる

tabesaseru
to make (one) eat

Passive / Ability, etc.

(ra) reru (ら)れる
食べられる
Japanese Reading Hiragana Usage / Meaning / Example

taberareru
edible / being eaten

Nega on

nai / nu / n (よ)う 食べない

tabenai
(I do) not eat

Voli on

yō (よ)う 食べよう
tabeyō
I will eat / Let’s eat

Desire

tai / tagaru たい / たがる 食べたい

tabetai
I want to eat

Similarity

yō da ようだ 食べるようだ
taberu yō da
it looks like (she/he) eats

Hearsay

sō da そうだ 食べるそうだ
taberu sō da
they say that (she/he) eats

Hearsay / Behavior

rashii らしい 食べるらしい

taberu rashii
they say that (she/he) may eat

Predica on / Politeness (copula)

da / desu・masu だ / です・ます
食べます
Japanese Reading Hiragana Usage / Meaning / Example

tabemasu
(I) eat

6. Verb Usage: How Japanese Verbs Work

Japanese language verb conjuga on pa erns differ for u-verbs, ru-verbs, and irregular verbs.

Because many frequently used Japanese words are in this category, let’s take a look at an example for u-
verbs.

The conjuga on pa ern for the verb 書く (kaku), meaning “write,” is as follows:

Conjuga on Kanji Usage / Meaning

kakAnai 書かない Nega ve Form

kakImasu 書きます Polite Form

kaIta 書いた Ta- Form

kakU 書く Dic onary Form

kakU toki 書くとき A ribu ve Form

kakEba 書けば Condi onal Form

kakE 書け Impera ve Form

kakO 書こう Sugges on Form (“Let’s-“)

 Level of
Reading Kanji Hiragana Gender Characteris cs
Formality

わたく Very formal and polite personal pronoun o en used in

watakushi 私 very formal both
し very official occasions.

Used by both genders in formal occasions, such as at the

formal / workplace. This is the most commonly used word for “I,”
watashi 私 わたし both
informal but it’s o en omi ed in a sentence. In informal
situa ons, this is typically used by women.

This is the casual version of watashi and it’s used by

atashi ー あたし informal female younger females in conversa ons. However, it can sound
a bit childish and unsophis cated.

Used by males of all ages, but very o en by kids and

younger men. It gives an impression of humbleness.
boku 僕 ぼく informal male
This can also be used as a second-person pronoun
toward li le boys (English equivalent: “kid”).

Frequently used by men in informal se ngs, such as

very among family and friends. It sounds very masculine. This
ore 俺 おれ male
informal can be very rude when it’s used in formal occasions or in
front of respectable/senior people.

2. How to Say “You”

Level of
Reading Kanji Hiragana Gender Characteris cs
Formality

This is almost equivalent to the English word “you.”

However, it’s not o en used as the subject in a sentence,
and it’s o en omi ed. It’s more common to use a person’s
formal / name with a Japanese honorific, such as 様 (sama) or さん
anata 貴方 あなた both
informal (san), to express “you” in formal contexts. In addi on,
wives o en call their husbands by this Japanese pronoun.
When used this way, it’s comparable to the English words
“dear” or “darling.” Kanji is rarely used.

O en used to call subordinates and peers in informal

se ngs. It can also be affec onate and polite when used
kimi 君 きみ informal both by a boyfriend/husband to call his girlfriend/wife. It’s
impolite and inappropriate when used with
respectable/senior people or strangers. The Kanji 君 can
 Level of
Reading Kanji Hiragana Gender Characteris cs
Formality

also be read as kun when it’s added next to a male’s name

as a casual and affec onate honorific word.

O en used by men. It expresses that the speaker has a

superior status or age, and it’s very rude to use this toward
very both / senior people and in formal se ngs. It’s also used among
omae お前 おまえ
informal male close friends to call peers. In addi on, husbands frequently
call their wives by this pronoun, which is comparable to
the female use of anata.

It’s a short version of anata, but it sounds very impolite

and implies a sense of contempt. It can also be used
very
anta ー あんた both between people in a very close rela onship. It’s very rude
informal
and inappropriate to use toward senior people and in
formal se ngs.

The historical origin of this word was very formal, but it’s
used today as a very rude way to call another person. It
very rude
kisama 貴様 きさま both has a sense of extreme hos lity from the speaker. You’ll
and hos le
o en hear this in 時代劇 (jidaigeki) (samurai warrior)
drama shows.

How to Say “He” and “She”

Does Japanese have gendered pronouns? Sort of. Here’s what we mean:

Reading Kanji Hiragana Level of Formality

kare 彼 かれ formal / informal

kanojo 彼女 かのじょ formal / informal

The Japanese pronouns for the third person are above. However, they’re not used like they are in
English.

Na ve Japanese people prefer to use the person’s name, or to describe them as あの人 (ano hito),
meaning “that person,” which makes it unnecessary to indicate gender.

In informal se ngs, 彼 (kare) means “boyfriend” and 彼女 (kanojo) means “girlfriend.”

2. 1st, 2nd, 3rd Person Plural

In order to make Japanese personal pronouns plural, a suffix is added to them.

The suffix can be ～達 (-tachi ), ～方 (-gata), or ～ら (-ra), depending on which word comes in front.
Meaning Suffix Reading Level of Formality

We -tachi watashi-tachi neutral / formal

You [plural] -tachi anata-tachi neutral / formal

You [plural] -gata anata-gata formal

They [he, plural] -ra kare-ra neutral / formal

They [she, plural] -ra kanojo-ra neutral / formal

The suffix 達 (-tachi) can be added to most of the nouns that refer to people and animals. For example,
動物達(dōbutsu-tachi) means “animals.”

Possessive Forms

To make Japanese possessive pronouns, add the suffix の (〜no) to the pronouns.

Meaning Reading

mine watashi no

yours anata no

his kare no

hers kanojo no

ours watashi-tachi no

theirs kare-ra no

4. Reflec ve or Intensive Forms

To make Japanese reflexive pronouns or intensive forms, add the suffix 自身 (〜jishin) to the pronouns.

Meaning Reading

myself watashi jishin

yourself anata jishin

himself kare jishin

herself kanojo jishin

ourselves watashi-tachi jishin

Meaning Reading

themselves kare-ra jishin

Demonstra ve pronouns in Japanese are typically wri en in Hiragana. Further, Japanese demonstra ve
pronouns are easy to remember as they’re categorized in groups depending on their degree of distance
from the speaker or listener.

Words that:

 begin with こ (ko-) indicate something close to the speaker.

 begin with そ (so-) indicate some distance from the speaker or something close to the listener.

 begin with あ (a-) indicate far distance.

Meaning Reading Hiragana Notes

this kore これ near speaker

it sore それ near listener

that are あれ distant from both speaker and listener

these kore-ra これら near speaker

sore-ra / それら/ near listener /

those
are-ra あれら distant from both speaker and listener

here koko ここ near speaker

there soko そこ near listener

over there asoko あそこ distant from both speaker and listener

3. Japanese Interroga ve Pronouns

Similar to demonstra ve pronouns, most of the Japanese interroga ve pronouns begin with ど (do-) or
だ (da-).

Meaning Reading Kanji Hiragana

what nani 何 なに

which dono / dore ー どの/どれ

Meaning Reading Kanji Hiragana

who dare 誰 だれ

whom dare ni 誰に 誰に

whose dare no 誰の だれの

when itsu ー いつ

why naze ー なぜ

Keep in mind that “whose” is a possessive form of “who,” and the rules of the Japanese possessive forms
also apply:

誰 (dare) meaning “who” + の (〜no) = 誰の (dare no) meaning “whose.”

Japanese Indefinite Pronouns

In the Japanese language, “everyone/everybody” and “anyone/anybody” are both translated as 誰でも
(dare demo) in some contexts.

In a nega ve sentence using indefinite pronouns such as “no one/nobody,” “nowhere,” and “nothing,” a
nega ve form is typically: も…ない (...mo…nai …).

Meaning Reading Kanji Hiragana

everyone /
minna / dare demo 皆/誰でも みんな/だれでも
everybody

doko demo /
everywhere ー どこでも/どこにも
doko ni mo

everything subete / zenbu 全て/全部 すべて/ぜんぶ

someone /
dare ka 誰か だれか
somebody

somewhere doko ka ー どこか

something nani ka 何か なにか

no one /
dare mo…nai 誰も…ない だれも…ない
nobody

nowhere doko ni mo…nai ー どこにも…ない

Meaning Reading Kanji Hiragana

nothing nani mo…nai 何も…ない なにも…ない

anyone /
dare demo 誰でも だれでも
anybody

doko demo /
anywhere ー どこでも/どこにも
doko ni mo

anything nan demo 何でも なんでも

5. Examples

Now that we’ve come to the end of this Japanese pronouns list, here are some example sentences using
Japanese pronouns.

1. Personal Pronouns

 あなたと私は東京出身で、彼と彼女は大阪出身です。

Anata to watashi wa Tōkyō shusshin de, kare to kanojo wa Ōsaka shusshin desu.

You and I are from Tokyo, and he and she are from Osaka.

 年上の人に向かって「お前」や「貴様」と呼ぶことはとても失礼です。

Toshiue no hito ni muka e “omae” ya “kisama” to yobu koto wa totemo shitsurei desu.

It is very rude to call an elder person omae and kisama.

 私達は明日、君の誕生日会へ行きます。

Watashi-tachi wa ashita, kimi no tanjōbi kai e ikimasu.

We will go to your birthday party tomorrow.

2. Demonstra ve Pronouns

 それをここに持ってきてください。

Sore o koko ni mo e kite kudasai.

Please bring it here.

 これらの本はあそこの棚へ戻してください。

Kore-ra no hon wa asoko no tana e modoshite kudasai.

Please put these books back on the shelf over there.

 彼らはここからあなたの家へ出発しました。
Kare-ra wa koko kara anata no ie e shuppatsu shimashita.

They departed to your home from here.

3. Interroga ve Pronouns

 私はなぜあそこに行かなければならないか分かりません。

Watashi wa naze aoko ni ikanakereba naranai ka wakarimasen.

I don’t understand why I have to go there.

 誰に向かって話しているのですか。

Dare ni muka e hanashite iru no desu ka.

To whom are you talking?

 あそこのあの靴は誰のですか。

Asoko no ano kutsu wa dare no desu ka.

Whose shoes are those there?

4. Indefinite Pronouns

 彼女はどこかに全てを置いてきました。

Kanojo wa doko ka ni subete o oite kimashita.

She le everything somewhere.

 誰もあのような変な服を持っていないでしょう。

Dare mo ano yō na hen na fuku o mo e inai deshō.

No one would have strange clothes like that.

 誰かが彼にここで何でも食べていいと伝えました。

Dare ka ga kare ni koko de nan demo tabete ii to tsutaemashita.

Somebody told him that he could eat anything here.

The Ul mate List Of Japanese Preposi ons

English Kanji Hiragana Romaji

about 約 やく yaku
English Kanji Hiragana Romaji

above 上に うえに ue ni

according to によると ni yoru to

across 横切って よこぎって yokogit te

a er 後に あとに atoni

against に対して に たいし て ni taishi te

among の間に の あいだ に no aida ni

around の周りに の まわり に no mawari ni

as として toshite

as far as 限り かぎり kagiri

as well as だけでなく dake de naku

at に ni

because of のために no tame ni

before 前 まえ mae

behind 後ろに うしろに ushiro ni

below 下に したに shita ni

beside 横に よこ に yoko ni
English Kanji Hiragana Romaji

between の間に の あいだ に no aida ni

beyond 越えて こえ て koe te

by によって niyo e

close to の近くに の ちかく に no chikaku ni

despite にもかかわらず ni mo kakawara zu

down 下に した に shita ni

due to の ため に no tame ni

during 間に あいだ に aida ni

except 除いて のぞい て nozoi te

except for を除いて を のぞい て wo nozoi te

for のために no tame ni

from から kara

in 中で なかで naka de

in addi on to に加えて に くわえて ni kuwae te

in front of の前に の まえ に no mae ni

in spite of にもかかわらず ni mo kakawara zu

English Kanji Hiragana Romaji

inside 内部で ないぶ で naibu de

inside of の中に の なかに no naka ni

instead of の代わりに の かわり に no kawari ni

into 中に なか に naka ni

near 近くに ちかく に chikaku ni

near to の近くに の ちかく に no chikaku ni

next 次の つぎ の tsugi no

next to の隣に の となり に no tonari ni

of の no

on 上に うえ に ue ni

on behalf of に代わって に かわって ni kawat te

opposite 反対の はんたい の hantai no

out 外で そと で soto de

outside 外側で そと がわ で soto gawa de

outside of の外側に の そと がわ に no soto gawa ni

over 上に うえ に ue ni
English Kanji Hiragana Romaji

per ごとに goto ni

plus と to

prior to の前に の まえ に no mae ni

round 周りに まわり に mawari ni

since から kara

than より yori

through まで made

to に ni

toward に向かって に むかって ni mukat te

under 下に した に shita ni

unlike とは違って と は ちがって to wa chigat te

un l まで made

up 上に うえ に ue ni

with と to

without なし で nashi de

話さない Nega ve plain

hansanai
English Kanji Hiragana Romaji

さ 話さなかった hanasanaka a Past nega ve plain form

さ 話さなければ hanasanakereba Condi onal (if) nega ve form

さ 話される hanasareru Passive form

さ 話させる hanasaseru Causa ve (make/let someone do some

さ 話させられる hanasaserareru Causa ve passive form

し 話します hanashimasu Polite form

し 話しません hanshimasen Nega ve polite form

し 話している hanashiteiru Con nuous plain form

し 話しています hanashiteimasu Con nuous polite form

し 話した hanashita Past plain form

し 話しました hanashimashita Past polite form

English Kanji Hiragana Romaji

し 話しませんでした hanashimasen deshita Past nega ve polite form

し 話しましょう hanashimashō Voli onal polite form (let’s)

し 話しなさい hanashinasai Impera ve polite form (order to do)

す 話す (hanasu – to speak) Plain form (present and future tense fo

す 話すな hanasuna Impera ve form (order not to do)

せ 話せる hanaseru Poten al form (can do)

せ 話せ hanase Impera ve form (order to do)

せ 話せば hanaseba Condi onal (if) form

そ 話そう hanasō Voli onal form (let’s)