Beginner‘s Japanese Lesson 1: Essential Vocabulary for Everyday Communication205

Embarking on the journey of learning Japanese can be both exciting and daunting. To lay a solid foundation, it's imperative to master the first lesson's vocabulary, which forms the building blocks for meaningful communication. In this comprehensive guide, we present the essential Japanese words from Lesson 1, providing clear explanations, pronunciation guides, and practical examples to facilitate your learning experience.

Greetings:

1. こんにちは (Konnichiwa) - Hello (general daytime greeting)
2. こんばんは (Konbanwa) - Good evening (used after sunset)
3. おはようございます (Ohayogozaimasu) - Good morning (formal, used until noon)

Introductions:

4. はじめまして (Hajimemashite) - Nice to meet you (initial encounter)
5. お名前はなんですか (Onamae wa nan desu ka) - What is your name?
6. 私の名前は...です (Watashi no namae wa ... desu) - My name is ...
7. よろしくおねがいします (Yoroshiku onegai shimasu) - It's a pleasure to meet you (formal)

Numbers:

8. 一 (ichi) - One
9. 二 (ni) - Two
10. 三 (san) - Three
11. 四 (yon) - Four
12. 五 (go) - Five

Basic Verbs:

13. あります (arimasu) - There is/are (existential verb)
14. いらっしゃいます (irasshaimasu) - There is/are (polite existential verb)
15. います (imasu) - To be (present tense, informal)
16. いますか (imasu ka) - Are you/they/he/she there? (informal)
17. 食べます (tabemasu) - To eat
18. 飲みます (nomimasu) - To drink

Pronouns:

19. 私 (watashi) - I (informal)
20. あなた (anata) - You (singular, informal)
21. 彼 (kare) - He
22. 彼女 (kanojo) - She

Everyday Objects:

23. 机 (tsukue) - Desk
24. 椅子 (isu) - Chair
25. 本 (hon) - Book
26. ペン (pen) - Pen
27. 紙 (kami) - Paper

Adjectives:

28. 大きい (ookii) - Big
29. 小さい (chiisai) - Small
30. 新しい (atarashii) - New
31. 古い (furui) - Old

Questions:

32. これは何ですか (Kore wa nan desu ka) - What is this?
33. それは何ですか (Sore wa nan desu ka) - What is that?
34. どこですか (Doko desu ka) - Where is/are ...?

Practice Sentences:

To solidify your understanding, here are some practical sentences using these essential vocabulary words:
こんにちは、私の名前はジョンです。 - Hello, my name is John.
これは本ですか？ - Is this a book?
机はどこですか？ - Where is the desk?
ペンは大きいです。 - The pen is big.
私は毎日牛乳を飲みます。 - I drink milk every day.

By thoroughly memorizing these foundational Japanese words, you will be well-equipped to engage in basic conversations and enhance your communication skills. As you progress through your Japanese learning journey, these words will serve as a sturdy foundation on which to build your language proficiency.

2025-02-12

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