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Hugh Cann has lived in Japan for the last 16 years – if there’s a conversation to be had or topic to be discussed in Japanese, we’re pretty sure he’s had it! Luckily for us, he’s put together this handy beginner’s guide to Japanese so nothing gets lost in translation.
Beginner’s guide to Japanese
Visiting a foreign country is always exciting, but to some degree it can also be a daunting experience. There are new sights, food and transportation to get your head around. Not to mention the interaction with locals with their etiquette, and social rules and regulations.
Language can be intrinsic to some of these experiences, and there is great satisfaction to be taken from being able to communicate one-on-one.
The Japanese Language
Around 130 million people speak Japanese – it’s the ninth most widely spoken language in the world. Outside Japan, there are approximately 5 million people who speak Japanese with some degree of fluency – predominantly descendants of Japanese emigrants in Hawaii, Brazil and other parts of the Americas.
Grammar
It is a unique language in many ways, but it does have the advantage of having relatively simple grammar. Unlike some of the complex European languages, there aren’t any complicating factors such as gender articles, and it doesn’t make distinctions between plural and singular. Rules for verbs and adjectives are simple and almost free of exceptions and nouns appear always in the same form.
Pronunciation
Pronunciation poses little problems to most learners. The biggest difficulty are accents, which do exist, but to a much lower extent than in the Chinese language; if you come from a Latin-based language the only difficulty is not accenting.
One thing they do share with the English language are homonyms, words that are pronounced the same way, but have different meanings. Rules are often based around the relationship and status of the people talking. For instance, there are more than five different words for the English word “I”, which are used differently depending on the context.
For formal situations, a honorific language level, keigo, is still in common use. But for many people, including native speakers, this doesn’t impact day to day interaction or get in the way of non-Japanese people engaging.
In fact, the Japanese notions of wa or harmony affords non-Japanese native speakers respect no matter clumsily they speak, simply because they have made the effort to try.
Speaking
As aforementioned, the Japanese have less accents than many other languages:
a: as in mat > mada / yet
i: as in hid > ima / now
u: as in put > muzukashii / difficult
e: as in bed > sumimasen / excuse me
o: as in cot > gomen nasai / I’m sorry
Accents occur mainly in stresses where there is a double consonant:
tanoshikatta / it was fun
or when the o is followed by an u effectively “stretching” the o sound:
arigatou / thankyou *most simply pronounced as arigatoh
Basic and Useful Phrases
Using even a basic level of the language in a country one is visiting really changes and enhances the experience.
Eigo / English language
hai / Yes
iie / No
doko? / Where?
ikura? / How much?
kippu / Ticket
(domo) arigatoh / Thank you (very much)
toire / Toilet
tabemono / food
nomimono / drink
o-mizu / water
Mixing it up:
Eigo / English language
konnichiwa / hello
sayonara / goodbye
ja ne / bye/later
watashi wa ……….. desu / My name is ……………..
anatano namae wa nan desu ka? / What is your name?
yoroshiku onegaishimasu / Pleased to meet you
genki desu ka / How are you?
genki desu / fine
igirisu jin desu / I’m English
furansu jin desu / I’m French
amerika jin desu / I’m American
eigo wa wakarimasu ka? / Do you understand English?
shashin o totte ii desu ka? / Can I take your photograph?
nihon ga daisuki / Japan’s great!
aishite-iru / I love you
takusan / lots
sukoshi / a little
A bit more adventurous:
sumimasen, chikatetsu wa doko desu ka / Excuse me, where is the subway/underground?
eki wa doko desu ka / Where is the train station?
aiteiru heya wa arimasu ka / Do you have any vacancies?
kore wa ikura desu ka/ How much is this?
nama biiru futatsu kudasai / two draught beers, please
nama biiru / draught beer
oishii / delicious
eigo no menyu wa arimasu ka / Is there an English menu?
ohkii / / big
chiisai / small
ne? / isn’t it?
kuukou kudasai / Take me to the airport please
Miyako Hoteru kudasai / To the Miyako Hotel, please
ryoshusho kudasai / Please give me a receipt
Numbers:
ichi / 1
ni / 2
san / 3
shi/yon / 4
go / 5
roku / 6
nana / 7
hachi / 8
kyu / 9
ju / 10
ni-ju / 20
go-ju / 50
hyaku / 100
ni-hyaku / 200
go-hyaku / 500
sen / 1,000
ni-sen / 2,000
go-sen / 5,000
ichi-man / 10,000
ni-man / 20,000
go-man / 50,000
Currency:
En / Japanese Yen
roku-man ni-sen go-hyaku nana-ju yon en / 62,574 yen
**Cultural curiosity: Japanese tend to use yon and avoid using the word shi for the number four as it is also a homonym for the word for death.
I hope this beginner’s guide to Japanese proves of interest and helps in some way in enhancing your experience with the extraordinary Japanese culture. Have a look at this website to find out a bit more about the writing system.
Fancy flexing these phrases in situ? Check out our Best of Japan self-guided adventure to marvel at the bright lights of Tokyo, see Kyoto’s shrines and temples and sink into a hot spring bath in Hakone. Nihon ga daisuki!
