The Japanese course
Learn Japanese ten words at a time
ๆฅๆฌ่ช
Ten games of ten words: the hundred most useful Japanese words and expressions you could live on for years, from greetings and ordering food to numbers, small talk and getting around. Play a lesson in the box beside its words, and the next one starts itself.
Japanese challenge
Do you know the essentials? 25 quick questions from across the course. Score high and you are ready for the trip.
Japanese ยท Lesson 1 of 10
Greetings and politeness
Hello, thanks, please: the ten openers everything else builds on.
- ใใใซใกใฏkon-nee-chee-WAH
- Hello
- ใใyah
- Hi
- ใใฏใใใใใใพใo-ha-YOH go-zai-mas
- Good morning
- ใใใใฟใชใใo-ya-SU-mi na-sai
- Good night
- ใใใใจใใใใใพใa-ri-ga-TOH go-zai-mas
- Thank you very much
- ใใใใจใa-ri-GA-toh
- Thanks
- ใฉใใใใใพใใฆdoh ee-ta-shi-MASH-teh
- You're welcome
- ใ้กใใใพใo-ne-GAI shi-mas
- Please
- ใใฟใพใใsu-mi-ma-SEN
- Excuse me
- ใใใใชใsa-YOH-na-ra
- Goodbye
Japanese ยท Lesson 2 of 10
Order anything by pointing
One beer please, one of these please, the bill: survive any menu.
- ใใผใซใใฒใจใคใ้กใใใพใBEE-ru o hi-TOH-tsu o-ne-GAI shi-mas
- One beer, please
- ใใใใฒใจใคใ้กใใใพใko-REH o hi-TOH-tsu o-ne-GAI shi-mas
- One of these, please
- ใณใผใใผใใ้กใใใพใKOH-hee o o-ne-GAI shi-mas
- One coffee, please
- ใตใใคใ้กใใใพใfu-TA-tsu o-ne-GAI shi-mas
- Two, please
- ใใใใใ้กใใใพใo-ka-WA-ri o-ne-GAI shi-mas
- One more, please
- ใใใใงใใEE-ku-ra des-KAH
- How much is it?
- ใไผ่จใ้กใใใพใo-kai-KEH o-ne-GAI shi-mas
- The bill, please
- ไปฅไธใงใee-JOH des
- That's everything
- ไนพๆฏkan-PAI
- Cheers!
- ใๅคงไบใซo-DAI-ji ni
- Bless you
Japanese ยท Lesson 3 of 10
Yes, no and the essentials
The tiny words that carry half of every conversation.
- ใฏใhai
- Yes
- ใใใee-EH
- No
- ๅคงไธๅคซใงใdai-JOH-bu des
- Okay
- ใใใงใใEE des-yoh
- Sure, no problem
- ใใใใพใใwa-ka-ri-ma-SEN
- I don't know
- ใใใใพใใwa-ka-ri-ma-SEN
- I don't understand
- ่ฑ่ชใ่ฉฑใใพใใEH-go o ha-na-SEH-mas-KAH
- Do you speak English?
- ๅฐใsu-KO-shi
- A little
- ใใกใใmo-chi-RON
- Of course
- ๅคงไธๅคซใงใdai-JOH-bu des
- Everything is fine
Japanese ยท Lesson 4 of 10
Numbers and money
Counting, prices, paying by card or cash.
- ใใกEE-chee
- One
- ใซnee
- Two
- ใใsahn
- Three
- ใใ ใjoo
- Ten
- ใฒใใhya-KU
- One hundred
- ใใsen
- One thousand
- ๅen
- Yen
- ใซใผใใงKAH-do deh
- By card
- ็พ้ใงgen-KIN deh
- In cash
- ใใใEE-ku-ra
- How much?
Japanese ยท Lesson 5 of 10
At the supermarket
Bread, milk, a bag, nothing else thanks: the checkout routine.
- ใใณpahn
- Bread
- ็ไนณgyoo-NYOO
- Milk
- ใใผใบCHEE-zu
- Cheese
- ๆฐดmi-ZU
- Water
- ่ขfu-KU-ro
- A bag?
- ใใใพใใa-ri-MAS-kah
- Do you have...?
- ใฉใใงใใDOH-ko des-KAH
- Where is...?
- ใใko-REH
- This one
- ไปฅไธใงใee-JOH des
- Nothing else
- ใฉใใDOH-mo
- Thanks (at the register)
Japanese ยท Lesson 6 of 10
Cafe and restaurant
A table, the menu, a compliment to the kitchen.
- ใตใใใงใfu-ta-RI des
- A table for two
- ใกใใฅใผใใ้กใใใพใMEH-nyoo o o-ne-GAI shi-mas
- The menu, please
- ใจในใใฌใใฝใใฒใจใคes-pu-RES-so o hi-TOH-tsu
- One espresso
- ใฐใฉในใฏใคใณgu-RA-su WA-in
- A glass of wine
- ็ใใผใซNA-ma BEE-ru
- Draft beer
- ๅฎ้ฃteh-SHOH-ku
- The set meal
- ใใใใใงใoy-SHEE des
- It's delicious
- ๆฐทใชใใงkoh-RI NA-shi deh
- Without ice
- ๆใกๅธฐใใงmo-chi-ka-EH-ri deh
- To take away
- ใใกใใใใพใงใใgo-chi-soh-sa-ma DESH-ta
- Thank you for the meal
Japanese ยท Lesson 7 of 10
Small talk and neighbors
How are you, nice day, see you soon: superficial and proud of it.
- ใๅ ๆฐใงใใo-GEN-ki des-KAH
- How are you? (polite)
- ๅ ๆฐ๏ผGEN-ki
- How are you? (casual)
- ๅ ๆฐใงใGEN-ki des
- I'm fine
- ใใชใใฏ๏ผa-NA-ta wah
- And you?
- ใใๅคฉๆฐใงใใญee TEN-ki des-NEH
- Nice weather today
- ๆใใงใใญa-TSU-ee des-NEH
- It's hot, isn't it?
- ใพใไผใใพใใใma-TA ai-ma-SHOH
- See you soon
- ใใใฐใใฏkon-ban-WAH
- Good evening
- ใๅฎถๆใซใใใใgo-KA-zo-ku ni yo-ro-SHI-ku
- Say hi to the family
- ใฏใใใพใใฆha-ji-meh-MASH-teh
- Nice to meet you
Japanese ยท Lesson 8 of 10
Getting around
Left, right, the station, one ticket, where is the toilet.
- ใใคใฌใฏใฉใใงใใTOY-reh wa DOH-ko des-KAH
- Where is the toilet?
- ๅทฆhi-da-RI
- Left
- ๅณmi-GI
- Right
- ใพใฃใใmas-SU-gu
- Straight ahead
- ใใko-KO
- Here
- ้ง EH-ki
- Train station
- ไฝ็ช็ทใงใใnan-ban-SEN des-KAH
- Which platform?
- ๅ็ฌฆใไธๆใ้กใใใพใkip-PU o ichi-MAI o-ne-GAI shi-mas
- One ticket, please
- ใใใฏ...ใซ่กใใพใใko-REH wa ... ni i-ki-MAS-kah
- Does this go to...?
- ใใใงๆญขใใฆใใ ใใko-KO deh to-MEH-teh ku-da-sai
- Stop here, please
Japanese ยท Lesson 9 of 10
Time and days
Today, tomorrow, later, the weekend.
- ไปๆฅKYOH
- Today
- ๆๆฅash-TA
- Tomorrow
- ๆจๆฅki-NOH
- Yesterday
- ไปEE-ma
- Now
- ใใจใงA-toh-deh
- Later
- ไปไฝๆใงใใEE-ma NAN-ji des-KAH
- What time is it?
- ๆๆๆฅgets-YOH-bi
- Monday
- ๅๆๆฅdo-YOH-bi
- Saturday
- ๆฅๆๆฅnichi-YOH-bi
- Sunday
- ้ฑๆซshoo-MA-tsu
- The weekend
Japanese ยท Lesson 10 of 10
Help and emergencies
The words you hope to never need.
- ๅฉใใฆ๏ผtas-KEH-teh
- Help!
- ๅป่ ใๅผใใงใใ ใใi-SHA o YON-deh ku-da-sai
- Call a doctor
- ่ญฆๅฏkeh-SA-tsu
- Police
- ่ฌๅฑyak-KYO-ku
- Pharmacy
- ็ ้ขbyoh-IN
- Hospital
- ้ใซ่ฟทใใพใใmi-CHI ni ma-yoy-MASH-ta
- I'm lost
- ๆฐๅใๆชใใงใki-BUN ga wa-RU-ee des
- I don't feel well
- ็งใฎๆบๅธฏwa-ta-shi no keh-TAI
- My phone
- ใชใใใพใใna-ku-shi-MASH-ta
- I lost it
- ็ทๆฅใงใkin-KYOO des
- It's urgent