most used japanese phrases when i was in japan!

going to japan and need to learn basic japanese phrases? i got you! before visiting japan, i looked up basic japanese phrases and memorised more than i even needed so this is a really compressed list of phrases i actually used when i was there!

tbh you don’t really need to learn japanese before going to japan, if they can’t speak/understand english, you can simply use google translate. i used it once in a store and the person understood the google translate immediately.

1. thank you - arigatou gozaimasu

i used this the most often while i was in japan. like if i was given a dollar everytime i said it, i’d be rich LOL. i don’t think you need explanations on how to use ‘thank you’ soooo

2. excuse me - sumimasen

i used phrase while going through a crowd of people. kinda like saying ‘sorry i’m passing through, please let me through’ or like ‘sorry excuse me’ or as aunties in coffee shops would say ‘后面烧’ (behind hot) HAHAHAH

3. sorry - gomen

i used this phrase when i accidentally banged into someone or accidentally stepped on their foot

4. yes - hai

i picked this up after a few times paying at cashiers. the most context that i used this was when they asked if i needed a bag and then i’d say ‘hai’. of course u can also just nod your head but i felt this was easier for them.

4.5. no - iie

the same context as ‘yes’ but i used this less often

5. good morning

when someone greets you in the lift or anywhere else, u can say this back to them

📎numbers📎

this is often used when u order food. like they’ll ask for the quantity. you could also use ur fingers but i also felt this was easier for them also HAHA i only memorised one to five since there were only five members in my family. so i’d recommend u to maybe just learn according to how many people are in ur family

one - ichi

two - ni

three - san

four - shi

five - go

six - roku

seven - shichi

eight- hatchi

nine - kyuu/ku

ten - juu

📎bonus (good to know but i didn’t apply it)📎

1. hello - konnichiwa

i actually didn’t use this phrase at all when i was in japan surprisingly

2. goodbye - sayonora

i think i didn’t use this phrase either is because when i leave shops, i’d say ‘arigatou gozaimasu’ (thank you) instead

3. thank you for the meal - itadakimasu

this phrase was too hard for me to pronounce😭 but fortunately we didn’t eat at any bar counters in front of the chefs so i’d just say ‘arigatou gozaimasu’ when they served us our food.

4. i would like ______ please - _______ o kudusai

i didn’t use this either because when ordering, i’d just point to the item i want

5. i don’t understand japanese - nihongo

i didn’t use this also because they can recognise us as foreigners immediately HAHAHA

📌extra things you might wanna know: when u order at starbucks, there’s english on the menu so just point to what you want and they’ll take out 3 cups of different sizes and let u choose, just gotta point to the cup too. idk but maybe depending on the store but once you’re done paying, go to the pick up area and hand them ur receipt and they’ll make ur drink.