Japanese Vocabulary for Travel86

Traveling to Japan can be an exciting and enriching experience, but it can also be a bit daunting if you don't speak the language. To help you get around and make the most of your trip, here is a basic vocabulary list of essential Japanese phrases for travelers.

Greetings and Introductions* こんにちは (konnichiwa): Hello (good day)
* こんばんは (konbanwa): Hello (good evening)
* おはようございます (ohayo gozaimasu): Good morning
* さようなら (sayonara): Goodbye
* どうもありがとうございます (domo arigato gozaimasu): Thank you very much
* はじめまして (hajimemashite): Nice to meet you

Getting Around* 電車 (densha): Train
* バス (basu): Bus
* タクシー (takushii): Taxi
* 地下鉄 (chikatetsu): Subway
* 乗り換え (norikae): Transfer
* 切符 (kippu): Ticket
* 駅 (eki): Station
* 空港 (kuukou): Airport
* 道 (michi): Road

Accommodation* ホテル (hoteru): Hotel
* 旅館 (ryokan): Traditional Japanese inn
* ゲストハウス (gesutohausu): Guesthouse
* 部屋 (heya): Room
* 予約 (yoyaku): Reservation
* チェックイン (chekkuin): Check-in
* チェックアウト (chekkuauto): Check-out

Food and Drink* レストラン (resutoran): Restaurant
* カフェ (kafe): Cafe
* 食事 (shokuji): Meal
* 飲み物 (nomimono): Drink
* お水 (o-mizu): Water
* お茶 (o-cha): Tea
* ビール (biiru): Beer
* 日本酒 (nihonshu): Sake

Shopping* お土産 (omiyage): Souvenir
* お店 (mise): Store
* レジ (reji): Cash register
* いくらですか (ikura desu ka): How much is it?
* クレジットカードは使えますか (kurejittokaado wa tsukaemasuka): Do you accept credit cards?

Emergencies* 警察 (keisatsu): Police
* 病院 (byouin): Hospital
* 救急車 (kyuusha): Ambulance
* 火事 (kaji): Fire
* 泥棒 (dorobou): Thief
* 困りました (komarimashita): I'm lost/I need help

Other Useful Phrases* はい (hai): Yes
* いいえ (iie): No
* すみません (sumimasen): Excuse me
* トイレはどこですか (toire wa doko desu ka): Where is the toilet?
* 道に迷いました (michi ni mayoi mashita): I'm lost
* 日本語が話せません (nihongo ga hanase masen): I don't speak Japanese

Tips for Using Japanese* Japanese is a very polite language, so it's important to use honorifics when addressing people. For example, instead of saying "konnichiwa," you would say "konnichiwa, Tanaka-san" to someone with the last name Tanaka.
* Japanese has a different word order than English, so be prepared to hear sentences that sound backwards at first. For example, the Japanese for "I am going to the store" is "watashi wa mise ni ikimasu."
* Japanese uses a different writing system than English, so it can be helpful to learn a few basic characters before you go. This will help you with things like reading signs and menus.

ConclusionBy learning a few basic Japanese phrases, you can make your trip to Japan much more enjoyable and rewarding. Even if you don't speak Japanese fluently, simply making an effort to communicate in the local language will be appreciated by the Japanese people you meet.

2024-11-09

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