Learning a handful of useful phrases will give you the confidence to speak, travel, work, or study in Japan. This long guide collects the most important daily phrases, grouped by real situations, with clear notes on when and how to use them.

Introduction — why phrases matter

Short, natural phrases open doors faster than perfect grammar. When you know how to greet, ask for help, order food, and say thank you, people respond kindly and you learn faster. Practice these phrases aloud, try them in short role-plays, and repeat them until they feel natural.

Basic greetings and polite phrases

• おはようございます — ohayou gozaimasu — Good morning (polite)

• こんにちは — konnichiwa — Hello / Good afternoon

• こんばんは — konbanwa — Good evening

• おやすみなさい — oyasumi nasai — Good night

• はじめまして — hajimemashite — Nice to meet you (first time meeting)

• どうぞよろしくおねがいします — douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu — Nice to meet you / Please take care of me (polite)

• ありがとう／ありがとうございます — arigatou / arigatou gozaimasu — Thank you / Thank you (polite)

• すみません — sumimasen — Excuse me / Sorry / Thank you when calling attention

• いいえ — iie — No / You’re welcome (in response to thanks)

• どういたしまして — dou itashimashite — You’re welcome

Usage tips:

• Use ございます (gozaimasu) to be polite in public / workplace situations.

• すみません is extremely useful — use it to get someone’s attention, to apologize, or to thank someone who helped you.

Introducing yourself

• わたしのなまえは ____ です — watashi no namae wa ____ desu — My name is ____

• ____ とよんでください — ____ to yonde kudasai — Please call me ____

• にほんごをべんきょうしています — nihongo o benkyou shiteimasu — I am studying Japanese

• どうぞよろしく — douzo yoroshiku — Nice to meet you (short)

Quick example:

わたしのなまえはりさです。どうぞよろしく。

watashi no namae wa Risa desu. douzo yoroshiku.

My name is Risa. Nice to meet you.

Asking for help and directions

• すみません、ちょっといいですか — sumimasen, chotto ii desu ka — Excuse me, can I ask something?

• 〜はどこですか — 〜 wa doko desu ka — Where is 〜?

• えきはどこですか — eki wa doko desu ka — Where is the station?

• まっすぐいってください — massugu itte kudasai — Please go straight

• 右／左にまがってください — migi / hidari ni magatte kudasai — Turn right / left please

• このちずをみせてください — kono chizu o misete kudasai — Please show me this map

• ちょっとまってください — chotto matte kudasai — Please wait a moment

Usage tips:

• Start with すみません to be polite.

• Use 〜はどこですか to ask for places and add the place word before は.

At a restaurant / ordering food

• いらっしゃいませ — irasshaimase — Welcome (said by staff)

• メニューをおねがいします — menyuu o onegaishimasu — Menu, please

• これをください — kore o kudasai — I’ll have this, please (pointing)

• おすすめは何ですか — osusume wa nan desu ka — What do you recommend?

• ごちゅうもんはおきまりですか — gochuumon wa okimari desu ka — Are you ready to order?

• みずをください — mizu o kudasai — Water, please

• おかいけいをおねがいします — okaikei o onegaishimasu — The bill, please

• おいしかったです — oishikatta desu — It was delicious

Sample short dialogue:

• てんいん: いらっしゃいませ。

ten’in: irasshaimase.

• あなた: メニューをおねがいします。

anata: menyuu o onegaishimasu.

• てんいん: ごちゅうもんは？

ten’in: gochuumon wa?

• あなた: これをください。

anata: kore o kudasai.

Shopping phrases

• これをください — kore o kudasai — I’ll take this

• いくらですか — ikura desu ka — How much is it?

• もうすこしやすくなりますか — mou sukoshi yasuku narimasu ka — Can it be a little cheaper? (use carefully)

• かいものをしたいです — kaimono o shitai desu — I want to shop / I want to buy

• クレジットカードはつかえますか — kurejitto kaado wa tsukaemasu ka — Can I use a credit card?

• かたちはみほんをみせてください — [note: simpler phrase] ためしにつかってもいいですか — tameshi ni tsukatte mo ii desu ka — Can I try it on? (for clothes/shoes)

Usage tips:

• Carry some cash — many small shops accept cash only.

• いくらですか is essential and very polite if followed with すみません to get attention.

At the train station / transportation

• えきまでどうやっていきますか — eki made dou yatte ikimasu ka — How do I get to the station?

• 〜いきのでんしゃはどれですか — 〜iki no densha wa dore desu ka — Which train goes to 〜?

• つぎのえきはどこですか — tsugi no eki wa doko desu ka — What is the next station?

• きっぷをください — kippu o kudasai — Ticket, please

• このばすは〜にいきますか — kono basu wa 〜 ni ikimasu ka — Does this bus go to 〜?

• のりかえはひつようですか — norikae wa hitsuyou desu ka — Is a transfer necessary?

Quick tip:

• Say 〜まで when asking how to go to a specific place (e.g., えきまで).

At a hotel / accommodation

• 予約をしてあります — yoyaku o shite arimasu — I have a reservation

• チェックインをおねがいします — chekku in o onegaishimasu — I’d like to check in, please

• チェックアウトはなんじですか — chekku auto wa nanji desu ka — What time is check-out?

• Wi-Fiはありますか — waifai wa arimasu ka — Is there Wi-Fi?

• けしょうひんはありますか — keshouhin wa arimasu ka — Do you have toiletries? (or simpler: せんたくきはありますか — sentakuki wa arimasu ka — Is there a washing machine?)

• たすけてください — tasukete kudasai — Please help me (use in urgent assistance)

Emergencies and health

• たすけてください — tasukete kudasai — Please help me

• けがをしました — kega o shimashita — I am injured

• びょういんはどこですか — byouin wa doko desu ka — Where is the hospital?

• くすりがひつようです — kusuri ga hitsuyou desu — I need medicine

• けんこうほけんしょうをみせてください — kenkou hoken shou o misete kudasai — Please show your health insurance card (useful if someone asks)

Important:

• In emergencies, call 119 in Japan for ambulance and fire, 110 for police.

Making small talk — polite everyday sentences

• いいてんきですね — ii tenki desu ne — Nice weather, isn’t it?

• おしごとはどうですか — oshigoto wa dou desu ka — How is work?

• にほんのたべものがすきです — nihon no tabemono ga suki desu — I like Japanese food

• どこからきましたか — doko kara kimashita ka — Where are you from?

• どのくらいにほんにいますか — dono kurai nihon ni imasu ka — How long will you be in Japan?

Usage tips:

• Keep tone polite with です/ます forms when talking to strangers or older people.

Common polite and casual forms (quick guide)

• Polite (safe with strangers): 〜です、〜ます (desu, masu)

• Casual (friends): Plain form (たべる, いく) — learn after you’re comfortable

Examples:

• たべます — tabemasu — I eat (polite)

• たべる — taberu — I eat (casual)

Short dialogues (practice these aloud)

1) At a cafe

• てんいん: いらっしゃいませ。なににしますか。

ten’in: irasshaimase. nani ni shimasu ka.

• あなた: コーヒーをください。あとたまごサンドをください。

anata: koohii o kudasai. ato tamago sando o kudasai.

• てんいん: はい、かしこまりました。

ten’in: hai, kashikomarimashita.

2) At a train station ticket counter

• てんいん: どちらまでですか。

ten’in: dochira made desu ka.

• あなた: しぶやまでいきたいです。きっぷをください。

anata: shibuya made ikitai desu. kippu o kudasai.

• てんいん: しょうしょうおまちください。

ten’in: shoushou omachi kudasai.

3) Asking for help on the street

• あなた: すみません、ちょっときいてもいいですか。

anata: sumimasen, chotto kiite mo ii desu ka.

• ひと: はい、なんですか。

hito: hai, nan desu ka.

• あなた: トイレはどこですか。

anata: toire wa doko desu ka.

Practical tips to remember these phrases

• Practice aloud for 5–10 minutes every day. Speaking builds muscle memory.

• Use shadowing: listen to a short audio (native speaker) and repeat immediately.

• Make flashcards with phrase (ひらがな), romaji, and short note about when to use.

• Role-play with a friend: one plays staff, the other a customer. Swap roles.

• Learn phrases in short groups (e.g., 5 phrases per day) and use them the same day.

30-day mini plan for daily phrases (simple)

• Day 1–3: Greetings, polite expressions, self-intro

• Day 4–7: Restaurant phrases and ordering

• Day 8–11: Directions and station phrases

• Day 12–15: Shopping and prices

• Day 16–19: Hotel and accommodation

• Day 20–23: Emergencies and health phrases

• Day 24–27: Small talk and casual phrases

• Day 28–30: Practice all with short dialogues and review

Goal: Use each group in a short role-play or real situation by the end of the week.

Helpful resources (quick)

• Apps: Minnanokyoushi.com, Anki (for flashcards), NHK Easy News (for listening / reading practice)

• Youtube: short phrase lessons and pronunciation practice (search for “Japanese daily phrases hiragana”)

• Textbooks: phrasebooks and travel Japanese guides are useful for situational expressions

FAQs

• Q: Should I learn kanji now?

A: For daily survival phrases, kanji is not required. Focus on speaking and hiragana first, then slowly add kanji.

• Q: How formal should I speak?

A: Start polite (です/ます). Use casual forms with close friends only.

• Q: What if I make mistakes?

A: People appreciate the effort. Correct gently and try again. Saying すみません and then repeating is fine.

Conclusion — your next steps

Start using these phrases today. Pick one situation (restaurant or station) and practice 10 phrases until you can say them naturally. Record yourself, compare with native spoken examples, and repeat. Small, steady practice beats big, infrequent study sessions.

Essential Japanese Daily Phrases for Beginners