Japanese language - conversation guide

Small guide for conversation in Japanese language

Here you can find pronunciations for Japanese words and phrases: numbers, colors, pronouns, size, time, calendar, salutation, useful expressions, travel, at the hotel, in town, at the restaurant, at shopping.

Exemples for pronunciations:
ah - sounds as in hah
ai - sounds as in aikido
ee - sounds as in sleep
eh - sounds as in heh
ei - sounds as in say
i - sounds as in living
mi - sounds as in demigod
ni - sounds as in enigma
oh - sounds as in oh
oi - sounds as in toy
oo - sounds as in good
shi - sounds as in ship
u - sounds as in cushion



Numbers

one = ee-chi
two = nee
three = sahn
four = shee
five = goh
six = roh-ku
seven = shi-chi
eight = hah-chi
nine = koo
ten = joo
eleven = joo-ee-chi
twelve = joo-nee
thirteen = joo-sahn
fourteen = joo-shee
fifteen = joo-goh
twenty = ni-joo
thirty = sahn-joo
forty = yohn-joo
fifty = goh-joo
sixty = roh-ku-joo
seventy = nah-nah-joo
eighty = hah-chi-joo
ninety = kyoo-joo
100 = hyah-ku
200 = ni-hyah-ku
1000 = sen
10000 = ee-chi-mahn



Colors

white = shi-roh
black = ku-roh
red = ah-kah
blue = ah-oh
green = mi-doh-ri
yellow = ki-ee-roh
pink = pin-ku
purple = mu-rah-sah-ki
gray = gu-rei
brown = chah-ee-roh



Pronouns

I = wah-tah-ku-shi
you = ah-nah-tah
he = kah-reh
she = kah-noh-joh
they = kah-reh-rah
we = wah-tah-ku-shi-tah-chi
my, mine = wah-tah-ku-shi-noh
your = ak-nah-tah-noh
his = kah-reh-noh
this = koh-reh
that = ah-reh
that person = ah-noh-hi-toh



Size

big = oh-kee
small = chee-sai
half = hahn-boon
plenty = tah-ku-sanh
a little = su-koh-shi
a little small = su-koh-shi chee-sai
a little large = su-koh-shi oh-kee



Time

hour = kahn
watch = toh-kei
What time is it? = nahn-ji des-kah?
one o’clock = ee-chi-ji
half past one = ee-chi-ji-hahn
3:15 = sahn-ji joo-goh-foon
one hour = ee-chi-ji-kahn
five minutes = goh-foon
ten minutes = jip-poon
fifteen minutes = joo-goh-foon
twenty minutes = ni-jip-poon
thirty minutes = sahn-jip-poon
forty minutes = yohn-jip-poon
fifty minutes = goh-jip-poon



Calendar

last week = sen-shoo
next week = rai-shoo
last month = sen-geh-tsu
next month = rai-geh-tsu
this year = koh-toh-shi
last year = kyoh-nen
next year = rai-nen
today = kyoh
this morning = keh-sah
now = ee-mah
not now = ee-mah deh-nai
this afternoon = kyoh-noh-goh-goh
tonight = kohn-bahn (or: kohn-yah)
tomorrow = ah-su (or: ah-shi-tah)
until tomorrow = ah-su-mah-den
daytime = hiru-mah
nighttime = yoh-ru
yesterday = ki-noh (or: sah-ku-ji-tsu)
last night = sah-ku-yah (or: ki-noh-noh-yoh-ru)
day before yesterday = oh-toh-toi



Week's days

Sunday = ni-chi-yoh
Monday = geh-tsu-yoh
Tuesday = kah-yoh
Wednesday = sui-yoh
Thursday = moku-yoh
Friday = kin-yoh
Saturday = doh-yoh



Year's months

January = ee-chi-gah-tsu
February = ni-gah-tsu
March = sahn-gah-tsu
April = shee-gah-tsu
May = goh-gah-tsu
June = roh-ku-gah-tsu
July = shi-chi-gah-tsu
August = hah-chi-gah-tsu
September = koo-gah-tsu
October = joo-gah-tsu
November = joo-ee-chi-gah-tsu
December = joo-ni-gah-tsu



Seasons

spring = hah-ru
summer = nah-tsu
autumn = ah-ki
winter = fu-yu



Salutation

hello = moh-shi-moh-shi
good morning = oh-hah-yoh go-zai-mah-su
good day, good afternoon = kohn-ni-chi-wah
good evening = kohn-bahn-wah
good night, sleep well = oh-yah-su-mi nah-sai
good bye = sah-yoh nah-rah



Useful expressions

yes = hai
no = ee-yeh
please = doh-zoh
Hurry! = ha-yah-ku! ee-soi-deh!
Please hurry! = ee-soi-deh ku-dah-sai
fine, great = kek-koh deh-su
quickly = hah-yah-ku
right away = ee-mah su-gu
slowly = yook-ku-ri
not yet = mah-dah deh-su
Please wait a while. = shi-bah-rah-ku maht-teh ku-dah-sai.
Do you speak English? = ei-goh woh han-nah-shi mah-su-kah?
Do you understand English? = ei-goh-gah wah-kah-ri mah-su-kah?
I speak Japanese a little. = ni-hohn-goh-woh su-koh-shi han-nah-shi mah-su.
I do not understand it. = wah-kah-ri mah-sen.
I understand it. = wah-kah-ri mah-su.
How are you? = ee-kah-gah des-kah?
I'm fine, thank you. = ah-ri-gah-toh gen-ki-deh-su.
You look well. = gen-ki rah-shee des-neh.
I do not feel well. = ki-boon gah wah-rui deh-su.
I'm glad to meet you. = doh-zoh yoh-roh-shi-ku.
My name is John. = wah-tah-ku-shi-noh nah-mah-eh-wah John deh-su.
Please pardon me. = goh-men ku-dah-sai. (or: shi-tsu-rei shi-mah-shi-tah)
Thank you. = ah-ri-gah-toh goh-zai-mah-su.
You're welcome. = doh-ee-tah-shi mah-shi-teh.
Come again. = mah-tah ee-rahs-shai
What is this? = koh-reh-wah nahn-des-kah?
What is that? = ah-reh-wah nahn-des-kah?
Who is that person? = ah-noh-hi-toh-wah dah-reh des-kah?
Who is there? = doh-nah-ta des-kah?
Is that so? = soh-des-kah?
Yes, it is so. = hai, soh-deh-su.
It is all right. = yoh-ro-shee deh-su.
It is difficult. = mu-zu-kah-shii deh-su.
Do you have a match? = mahc-chi-gah ah-ri-mah-su-kah?
I have none. = ah-ri-mah-sen.
Yes, I have. = hai, ah-ri-mah-su.
Where are you going? = doh-koh-ni yu-ki-mah-su-kah?
Please come here. = koh-chi-rah-ni-ki-teh ku-dah-sai.
This is good. = koh-reh-wah yoi deh-su.
This is very good. = koh-reh-wah toh-teh-moh yoi deh-su.
This is the best. = koh-reh-wah ee-chi-bahn yoi deh-su.
You've been very helpful. = goh-ku-roh sah-mah.
You have been very kind to me. = ee-roh oh-seh-wah-ni nah-ri mah-shi-tah.



Travel

address = joo-shoh
airplane = hi-koh-ki
airport = hi-koh-joh (or: koo-koh)
baggage = ni-moh-tsu
my baggage = wah-tah-ku-shi-noh ni-moh-tsu
bus = bah-su
Call a taxi. = tak-ku-shee-woh yohn-deh ku-dah-sai.
envelope = foo-toh
map = chi-zu
name = nah-mah-eh
passport = ryoh-ken
porter = ah-kah-boh
post-office = yoo-bin-kyoh-ku
ticket = kip-pu
return ticket = oh-fu-ku kip-pu
subway = chi-kah-teh-tsu
train = ki-shah (or: den-shah)
train station = eh-ki



At the hotel

bath = bah-su (or: fu-roh)
comb = ku-shi
hat = boh-shi
western hotel = hoh-teh-ru
Japanese hotel = ryoh-kahn
key = kah-gi
maid = joh-choo-sahn
razor blades = ahn-zen kah-mi-soh-ri-noh hah
reservations = yoh-yah-ku
room = heh-yah
soap = sek-ken
toilet = toi-reh (or: ben-joh)
tooth-brush = hah-bu-rah-shi
tooth-paste = hah-mi-gah-ki
towel = tah-oh-ru



In town

I want to go... = ... ni yu-ki-tai deh-su.
I am going... = ... ni yu-ki mah-su.
Don't you want to go to...? = ... ni yu-ki mah-sen-kah?
I want to see the... = ... woh mi-tai deh-su.
Where? = doh-koh?
Where is the...? = wah doh-koh des-kah?
Please take me to the... = ... ni tsu-reh-teh it-teh ku-dah-sai.
right = mi-gi
left = hi-dah-ri
far = toh-ee
Is it far? = toh-ee des-kah?
It is far. = toh-ee deh-su.
near = chi-kai
Is it near? = chi-kai des-kah?
It is near. = chi-kai deh-su.
church = kyoh-kai
concert = kohn-sah-toh
dancing = dahn-su
drug store = yahk-kyoh-ku
doctor = ee-shah
geisha girl = gei-shah
hospital = byoh-in
sumo = su-moh
movies = ei-gah
museum = hah-ku-bu-tsu-kahn
park = koh-en
police-station = kei-sah-tsu-shoh
river = kah-wah
road = mee-chi
seacoast = kai-gahn
beautiful scenery = ki-rei-nah keh-shi-ki
sightseeing = ken-bu-tsu
temple = oh-teh-rah
theater = geh-ki-joh
town = mah-chi
a night club = nai-toh ku-rah-bu
cabaret = kyah-bah-rei



At the restaurant

breakfast = choh-shoh-ku
dining-room = shoh-ku-doh
food = tah-beh-moh-noh
Japanese food = nip-pohn-ryoh-ri
Western food = sei-yoh-ryoh-ri
menu = meh-nyoo
lunch = choo-shoh-ku
restaurant = resu-toh-rahn
Japanese restaurant = ryoh-ri-yah
supper = yoo-shoh-ku
Please give me water. = mi-zu-woh ku-dah-sai.
I am hungry. = oh-nah-kah-gah sui-teh ee-mah-su.
I am not hungry. = oh-nah-kah-gah sui-teh ee-mah-sen.
Please have some. = doh-zoh.
This is delicious. = koh-reh-wah oi-shee deh-su.
What is this? = koh-reh-wah nahn-des-kah?
I want some more. = moh-su-koh-shi ee-tah-dah-ki mah-su.
I have had enough. = moh tah-ku-sahn deh-su.



At shopping

antiques = koht-toh-hin
brocade = ni-shi-ki oh-ri
bamboo ware = tah-keh zai-ku
camera shop = kah-meh-rah ten
cosmetics = keh-shoh-hin
cigarettes = tah-bah-ko
ceramics = seh-toh moh-noh (or: toh-ki)
dolls = nin-gyoh
embroidery = shi-shoo
folk art = min-gei-hin
footware = hah-ki-moh-noh
fur = ke-gah-wah
handicraft = shu-gei-hin
jewelry = hoh-se-ki
lighter = rai-tah
pearls = shin-ju
plates = sah-rah
shopping = kai-moh-noh
silk clothes = ki-nu oh-ri-moh-noh
scrolls = kah-keh-moh-noh
souvenirs = oh-mi-yah-geh
toys = oh-moh-chah
Please show me some... = ... woh mi-seh-teh ku-dah-sai.
Please give me... = ... woh ku-dah-sai.
I'll take this. = koh-reh-woh ee-tah-dah-ki mah-su.
I'll take it. = ee-tah-dah-ki mah-su.
How much is it? = ee-ku-rah des-kah?
I will come back for it. = toh-ri-ni ki-mah-su.