Basic English to Japanese Words and Phrases

Yes ➔ Hai / はい

Yes (informal) ➔ Ee / ええ

That's right ➔ Sou desu / そうです

No ➔ Iie / いいえ

How are you? ➔ O-genki desu ka? / おげんきですか / お元気ですか

I'm fine ➔ Genki desu / げんきです / 元気です

Let us have a nice relationship ➔ Yoroshiku onegai shimasu / よろしくおねがいします / よろしくお願いします ➔ This phrase has many meanings. When it is said during a first meeting, it means "Let us have a nice relationship", "Please treat me well". It can also be said when asking for a favor, meaning "Please", "Make it so", "I'm leaving it up to you", "Thank you for your consideration".

For a more detailed explanation including a video, please see our Vocabulary: Yoroshiku Onegai Shimasu page.

I (male or female) ➔ Watashi / わたし / 私

I (female) ➔ Atashi / あたし

I (male) ➔ Boku / ぼく / 僕

I (male) ➔ Ore / おれ / 俺

My ➔ Watashi no (わたしの, 私の) / Atashi no (あたしの) / Boku no (ぼくの, 僕の) / Ore no (おれの, 俺の)

Click here for a more detailed explanation of How to Say I and My in Japanese.

What is your name? ➔ O-namae wa nan desu ka? / お名前は何ですか

My name is (name) ➔ Watashi no namae wa (name) desu / 私の名前は(name)です

I am (name) ➔ Watashi wa (name) desu / 私は(name)です

I'm sorry ➔ Gomen (nasai)* / ごめんなさい

Excuse me / I am sorry / Thank you ➔ Sumimasen / すみません (It's an all purpose word for many occasions.)

Who ➔ Dare / 誰

Who are you? ➔ Anata wa dare? / あなたは誰

Who is it? ➔ Donata desu ka? / どなたですか

What ➔ Nani / 何

What's this? ➔ Kore wa, nan desu ka?

What's this called (in Japanese)? ➔ Kore wa, (Nihongo de) nan to iimasu ka?

When ➔ Itsu / いつ

When is it? ➔ Sore wa itsu desu ka? / それはいつですか

Where ➔ Doko

Where are you? ➔ Doko ni imasu ka? / どこにいますか

Why ➔ Naze / なぜ

Thanks ➔ Domo / どうも

Thank you ➔ Arigatou (gozaimasu)** / ありがとうございます

Thank you very much ➔ Domo arigatou (gozaimasu)** / どうもありがとうございます

You're welcome ➔ Doitashimashite / どういたしまして / どう致しまして

Good luck / Give it your best (words of encouragement) ➔ Ganbatte kudasai

Good luck ➔ Ganbarou / がんばろう

I don't understand ➔ Wakarimasen / わかりません

Do you speak English? ➔ Eigo o hanasemasuka? / 英語を話せますか

Do you understand English? ➔ Eigo o rikai shite imasu ka? / 英語を理解していますか

Do you know English? ➔ Eigo wa wakarimasu ka? / 英語はわかりますか

I can't speak Japanese (well) ➔ Nihongo (yoku) hanasemasen

I don't speak (much) Japanese ➔ Nihongo wa (amari) hanase masen

What is your phone number? ➔ Denwa bango wa nan ban desu ka?

What is your cell phone number? ➔ Keitai denwa bangou wo oshiete moraemasenka? / 携帯電話番号を教えてもらえませんか

My number is (number) ➔ Denwa bango wa (number) desu

Look out / Dangerous ➔ Abunai / あぶない

Be careful ➔ Ki o tsukete / きをつけて

Help! ➔ Tasukete! / 助けて

Help me! ➔ Watashi o tasukete! / 私を助けて!

Please help ➔ Tasukete kudasai / たすけてください / 助けてください

Excuse me, can you help me please? ➔ Sumimasen ga, tasukete itadakemasen ka?

Where is the bathroom? ➔ Toire wa doko desu ka / トイレはどこですか