250+ Anime Words and Phrases to Speak Like a True Aficionado

The language learning community is divisive on whether you can learn Japanese from anime. On one hand it’s an incredibly fun and versatile medium, with tons of options for everyone, and on the other, it uses many stylized forms of conversation, so you risk not learning “real” Japanese like you’d hear on the streets.

Whatever you think about this issue, there’s no doubt that anime has some very fun turns of speech. Whether you’re looking to learn Japanese through anime, or you want to be able to watch Japanese anime without subtitles, this post has you covered.

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Anime Genre Names

From a space-adventuring superhero fighter to the wholesome relationship between a boy and the tiny girl who’s replaced his hand, there’s an anime out there for you. Whether you like romance, adventure, horror or something else entirely, here are some of the most common Japanese anime genres, and how to say them in Japanese:

Honorifics and Titles

Reader-chan, if you watch anime, you’ll soon become very well-versed in honorifics and special titles of status. Here are some of the most common ones you’ll hear:

Pronoun Use in Anime

Japanese pronouns have some unique qualities that set them apart from English. The way you refer to yourself and others can have layers of complexities that you might not expect. Here are important ones to note:

Character Type Terms

A dere is a character archetype, describing a character that exhibits contrasting emotions or behavior. So what’s a tsundere? Find out below, along with a number of other character types it would be wise to know before you fall head-over-heels with that sweet-seeming yandere.

Common Anime Words and Phrases

These are words and phrases you’ll almost definitely hear while watching anime!

And if you’re a fan of learning vocabulary with fun videos, you may also enjoy learning even more common words and phrases through the videos on FluentU.

FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.

You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app or Android app.

P.S. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)

 

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Famous Anime Catchphrases

Who said that line? These often meme-d anime catchphrases pop up on the internet pretty often. You might be familiar with them even if you’ve never watched an anime!

Anime Battle Cries

Get into the fighting spirit as you learn these anime battle cries. Rah!

Whether you’re a seasoned otaku or just starting your anime journey, these anime words and phrases will unlock a deeper understanding of the fun and sometimes insane world of anime Japanese.

And One More Thing...

If you love learning Japanese with authentic materials, then I should also tell you more about FluentU.

FluentU naturally and gradually eases you into learning Japanese language and culture. You'll learn real Japanese as it's spoken in real life.

FluentU has a broad range of contemporary videos as you'll see below:

FluentU makes these native Japanese videos approachable through interactive transcripts. Tap on any word to look it up instantly.

All definitions have multiple examples, and they're written for Japanese learners like you. Tap to add words you'd like to review to a vocab list.

And FluentU has a learn mode which turns every video into a language learning lesson. You can always swipe left or right to see more examples.

The best part? FluentU keeps track of your vocabulary, and gives you extra practice with difficult words. It'll even remind you when it’s time to review what you’ve learned. You'll have a 100% personalized experience.

Start using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)