You don’t need to be fluent to have an amazing trip to Japan. These 100+ essential phrases cover every situation you’ll encounter. Bookmark this page — and download Kanjijo’s lock screen widget to review phrases passively before your trip.
Basic Greetings & Essentials
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| こんにちは | konnichiwa | Hello |
| ありがとうございます | arigatou gozaimasu | Thank you (polite) |
| すみません | sumimasen | Excuse me / Sorry |
| はい / いいえ | hai / iie | Yes / No |
| お願いします | onegaishimasu | Please |
| 大丈夫です | daijoubu desu | I’m fine / It’s okay |
| 英語を話せますか？ | eigo o hanasemasu ka? | Do you speak English? |
| 日本語が少し話せます | nihongo ga sukoshi hanasemasu | I speak a little Japanese |
At the Restaurant
| Japanese | Romaji | Situation |
|---|---|---|
| メニューをお願いします | menyuu o onegaishimasu | May I have the menu? |
| これをお願いします | kore o onegaishimasu | I’ll have this (pointing) |
| おすすめは何ですか？ | osusume wa nan desu ka? | What do you recommend? |
| お会計お願いします | okaikei onegaishimasu | Check, please |
| いただきます | itadakimasu | Before eating (ritual) |
| ごちそうさまでした | gochisousama deshita | After eating (thanks for the meal) |
| アレルギーがあります | arerugii ga arimasu | I have allergies |
| ベジタリアンです | bejitarian desu | I’m vegetarian |
Transportation & Directions
| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| 〜はどこですか？ | Where is ~? |
| 駅はどこですか？ | Where is the station? |
| 〜まで、お願いします | To ~, please (taxi) |
| 切符はどこで買えますか？ | Where can I buy a ticket? |
| この電車は〜に行きますか？ | Does this train go to ~? |
| 次の駅は何ですか？ | What’s the next station? |
| 右 / 左 / まっすぐ | Right / Left / Straight ahead |
Shopping
| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| いくらですか？ | How much is this? |
| これをください | I’ll take this |
| カードは使えますか？ | Can I use a card? |
| 免税はありますか？ | Is there tax-free? |
| 試着してもいいですか？ | Can I try this on? |
| 袋は要りません | I don’t need a bag |
Emergency & Help
助けてください (tasukete kudasai) — Help, please!
警察を呼んでください (keisatsu o yonde kudasai) — Please call the police
病院はどこですか？ (byouin wa doko desu ka?) — Where is the hospital?
気分が悪いです (kibun ga warui desu) — I feel sick
パスポートをなくしました (pasupooto o nakushimashita) — I lost my passport
Pro Tips for Using Japanese in Japan
- Point and say “これをお願いします” — works 90% of the time
- すみません is your universal opener — use it to get attention, apologize, or say excuse me
- Smile + effort = respect — Japanese people appreciate any attempt at their language
- Use Kanjijo’s OCR scanner to read signs, menus, and labels you encounter
Prepare Before Your Trip
- Add travel vocabulary to Kanjijo and review daily with SRS before departure
- Lock screen widget shows one travel phrase at a time for passive learning
- OCR scanner reads restaurant menus and train signs in real time
- Mnemonic stories make key phrases unforgettable
Prepare for Your Japan Trip
Learn travel phrases with SRS, scan menus with OCR, review on your lock screen. Free on iOS.