Japanese Phrases — Essential Sentences

Real sentences you can use from day one. Click ▶ to hear any phrase spoken aloud. The Japanese is shown in hiragana/kanji — try reading it before you click!

Why learn phrases first?

Learning phrases before you have finished studying grammar is one of the most effective things you can do as a beginner. A phrase like sumimasen (excuse me) or ikura desu ka? (how much is it?) can be used immediately and correctly in a real situation — the grammar behind it comes later, once you have a concrete example to attach it to. This is the opposite of the traditional classroom approach, where grammar rules are taught first and applied to invented sentences, and for most adult learners the phrase-first approach produces faster practical results.

Phrases also give you early confidence. Japanese people are, in general, genuinely pleased when a non-Japanese speaker attempts the language — even a single well-delivered greeting shifts the mood of an interaction. You do not need to wait until your Japanese is polished before it becomes useful. The phrases on this page are enough to navigate a trip to Japan, survive a first meeting with a Japanese speaker, and make a strong positive impression.

How politeness works in Japanese

Japanese has a built-in politeness system, and it affects almost every phrase you use. The two levels you need to know as a beginner are polite form and casual form.

Polite form (-masu verbs, -desu endings) is the default for speaking to anyone you do not know well: shop staff, teachers, colleagues, strangers on the street. Almost every phrase in the table above uses polite form. If in doubt, use polite form — it is never offensive to be too formal.

Casual form (plain verb endings, no desu) is used with close friends, family, and people younger than you. Switching too early to casual Japanese with someone you have just met can feel abrupt or rude. As a learner, sticking to polite form in all but the most relaxed situations is the safe choice.

There is also a third register — keigo (敬語), or honorific Japanese — used in formal business settings, customer service, and when speaking to someone significantly senior to you. You do not need to produce keigo as a beginner, but it helps to recognise it when you hear it.

The phrases that matter most — and why

Not all phrases are equal. A few from the table above are so versatile and so frequently needed that they are worth understanding in depth, not just memorising.

すみません (sumimasen) is the most useful single word in the Japanese language for a visitor. It covers excuse me (getting someone’s attention), I’m sorry (minor apology), and thank you (when someone has gone out of their way). In a restaurant, すみません signals a waiter. Walking past someone, it excuses you. Receiving change from a shopkeeper, it acknowledges the small kindness. One word, a dozen situations.

よろしくお願いします (yoroshiku onegai shimasu) has no direct English equivalent, which is why it appears so often in phrase lists with awkward translations. It expresses something like “I place myself in your care” or “I look forward to working with you” — used at the end of an introduction, when asking a favour, when starting a project with someone, or when parting after an arrangement has been made. Once you start using it, you will notice Japanese speakers use it constantly.

わかりません (wakarimasen) — “I don’t understand” — is the phrase that keeps a conversation honest. Using it early, before you are lost, prevents a situation where you nod along and then have no idea what has just happened. Japanese speakers will almost always respond by slowing down, rephrasing, or offering another approach. Pair it with ゆっくり話してください (yukkuri hanashite kudasai — please speak slowly) and you have a workable recovery toolkit for almost any breakdown in communication.

いくらですか？ (ikura desu ka?) — how much is it? — is essential for shopping, taxis, and any situation where a price is not clearly displayed. Japan is increasingly cashless, but prices in markets, at stalls, and in some smaller restaurants are still quoted verbally. Having this phrase ready avoids the awkwardness of pointing at a price tag and hoping for the best.

Pronunciation tips

Japanese pronunciation is more consistent than English — once you know how each sound works, the rules hold without many exceptions.

Every syllable is (roughly) equal length. English is a stress-timed language where some syllables are stretched and others clipped; Japanese is mora-timed, meaning each unit takes approximately the same amount of time to say. Saying arigato with English stress (a-RIG-a-to) sounds wrong; keeping all four syllables even (a-ri-ga-to) sounds right.

Long vowels matter. おおきい (ōkii, big) and おきい are different words — the long ō is genuinely longer, not just emphasised. In romanisation this is marked with a macron (ō, ū). When you hear phrases with long vowels, try to hold them for roughly twice the length of a short vowel.

The R sound is its own thing. Japanese r is not the English r or the Spanish rolled r — it is a light tap of the tongue against the ridge behind the upper teeth, somewhere between an English r, l, and d. Listen to the audio for ありがとう and pay attention to the り (ri) — that tap is the target.

Double consonants signal a pause. In words like きって (kitte, stamp) the double t represents a short silent pause before the consonant releases. It is distinct from a single t — leaving it out changes the word.

Frequently asked questions

How do you say thank you in Japanese? The standard polite form is ありがとうございます (arigatō gozaimasu). In casual contexts with friends or family, ありがとう (arigatō) is sufficient. どうも (dōmo) is an even shorter informal acknowledgement, roughly equivalent to “cheers” or “thanks”. For formal situations or when someone has done something significant, ありがとうございます is always the right choice.

What does すみません mean? すみません (sumimasen) is one of the most versatile words in Japanese. It functions as “excuse me” when getting someone’s attention or passing in a tight space, as “I’m sorry” for minor inconveniences, and as a polite acknowledgement when someone has helped you. In practice it is the first word out of most Japanese people’s mouths in dozens of everyday situations, and it should be one of the first phrases any learner internalises.

What does よろしくお願いします mean? よろしくお願いします (yoroshiku onegai shimasu) is often translated as “nice to meet you” or “I’m counting on you”, but neither fully captures it. It is an expression of goodwill and trust directed at the person you are speaking with — used at the end of an introduction, when beginning a project together, when making a request, or when parting after agreeing to something. There is no single English equivalent, which is why it is best understood through context rather than translation.

Do Japanese people appreciate it when foreigners speak Japanese? Generally, yes — very much so. Making an effort in Japanese, even imperfectly, is almost universally well received. Many Japanese people will switch to English if they sense you are struggling, not to dismiss your Japanese but because they want the interaction to go smoothly; this can be gently redirected with 日本語で話しましょう (Nihongo de hanashimashō — let’s speak in Japanese). Persisting politely is not rude.

Is Japanese hard to pronounce? The sound system of Japanese is actually simpler than English for many learners — there are only about 46 basic syllable sounds compared with English’s 44+ phonemes in far more complex combinations. The trickier elements are pitch accent (words change meaning based on which syllable has a high pitch) and the mora-timed rhythm. Neither needs to be perfect for basic communication; a few focused listening sessions with native audio goes a long way.

What is the most important Japanese phrase to learn first? すみません (sumimasen) for practical utility, and ありがとうございます (arigatō gozaimasu) for politeness. Between them they cover the majority of brief interactions a visitor will have. If you learn only two things before a trip to Japan, make it those two.

Ready to move beyond phrases? The Japanese Unlocked course builds from these foundations into full sentences, grammar, and conversation — available as a PDF download, Kindle eBook, or paperback.