![\"japanese](\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/6\/TR-Young-Japanese-person-smiling-on-the-street.jpg\" "\\"japanese")
<\/a><\/p>\n1. ohayou gozaimasu<\/em> (\u304a\u306f\u3088\u3046\u3054\u3056\u3044\u307e\u3059) \u2014 Good morning<\/strong><\/p>\n The casual version of this greeting<\/a> is ohayou<\/em> (\u304a\u306f\u3088\u3046). In a workplace, someone greeting a colleague for the first time that day might use this phrase even if the clock reads 7 p.m.<\/p>\n 2. konnichiwa <\/em>(\u3053\u3093\u306b\u3061\u306f) \u2014 Hello \/ Good afternoon\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Konnichiwa<\/em> can be used any time of day as a general greeting, but it\u2019s most commonly used between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.<\/p>\n 3.<\/strong> konbanwa <\/strong><\/em>(<\/strong>\u3053\u3093\u3070\u3093\u306f)<\/strong> \u2014 Good evening<\/strong><\/p>\n From 5 p.m. onwards, you use konbanwa <\/em>to greet people. Note that, in this case, \u306f is read as “wa” rather than “ha.”<\/p>\n 4. hisashiburi <\/em>(\u4e45\u3057\u3076\u308a) \u2014 It\u2019s been a while<\/strong><\/p>\n Use this for someone you haven’t seen in a long time.<\/p>\n 5. o genki desu ka?<\/em> (\u304a\u5143\u6c17\u3067\u3059\u304b\uff1f) \u2014 How are you?<\/strong><\/p>\n This is a polite way to ask someone how they are.<\/p>\n 6. genki desu<\/em> (\u5143\u6c17\u3067\u3059) \u2014 I’m fine<\/strong><\/p>\n Likewise, this is the most polite response to o genkidesu ka<\/em>?<\/em><\/p>\n 7. o namae wa nan desu ka?<\/em> (\u304a\u540d\u524d\u306f\u4f55\u3067\u3059\u304b\uff1f) \u2014 What\u2019s your name?<\/strong><\/p>\n This is a polite way to ask someone for their name. The more informal version is O namae wa?<\/i> (\u304a\u306a\u307e\u3048\u306f?) \u2014 Your name is\u2026?<\/p>\n 8. … desu<\/em> (…\u3067\u3059) \u2014 I am … \/ It is \u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n Think of desu<\/em><\/a> as roughly equivalent to the English word \u201cto be.\u201d Unlike \u201cto be,\u201d desu <\/em>stays the same regardless of the subject.<\/p>\n For example:\u00a0<\/p>\n You can append this word to adjectives like:<\/p>\n Notice in the native Japanese pronunciation that the su <\/em>is hardly audible. So, when you say desu<\/em>, it sounds more like “dess” than “de-soo.”<\/p>\n 9. watashi wa … desu <\/em>(\u79c1\u306f…\u3067\u3059) \u2014 I am …<\/strong><\/p>\n This is the politest way to introduce yourself. For example:<\/p>\n Watashi wa Pouru desu.<\/em> Be careful not to overuse watashi <\/em>wa <\/em>beyond introductions, though. In most cases, “your name\/subject + -desu<\/em>” will suffice if it’s clear from the context who or what you’re referring to.<\/p>\n 10. … karakimashita <\/em>(… \u304b\u3089\u6765\u307e\u3057\u305f) \u2014 I\u2019m from …\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Simply use this to describe what country you\u2019re from. Here\u2019s a list of some countries in Japanese:<\/p>\n Many others are almost identical in Japanese, such as:<\/p>\n If you don\u2019t know how to say your country\u2019s name, say it in English\u2014chances are, people will understand where you mean.<\/p>\n 11. suki desu<\/em> (\u597d\u304d\u3067\u3059) \u2014 I like it<\/strong><\/p>\n You can say what you like by adding … ga suki desu<\/em> (\u304c\u597d\u304d\u3067\u3059). For example:<\/p>\n Okashi ga suki desu. 12. ii desu yo <\/em>(\u3044\u3044\u3067\u3059\u3088) \u2014 It\u2019s good<\/strong><\/p>\n You\u2019ll also often hear ii yo<\/em> (\u3044\u3044\u3088), especially from women\/girls.<\/p>\n 13. suki dewa <\/em>arimasen<\/i> (\u597d\u304d\u3067\u306f\u3042\u308a\u307e\u305b\u3093) \u2014 I don\u2019t like it<\/strong><\/p>\n The less formal version would be suki dewa nai <\/em>(\u597d\u304d\u3067\u306f\u306a\u3044).<\/p>\n 14. dame desu <\/em>(\u30c0\u30e1\u3067\u3059) \u2014 It\u2019s no good\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n In more casual conversation, you can also say just:<\/p>\n 15. takusan<\/em> (\u305f\u304f\u3055\u3093) \u2014 A lot<\/strong><\/p>\n Takusan <\/em>is similar to ooi<\/em> (\u591a\u3044). The main difference is that takusan <\/em>can function as a noun, adjective<\/a> or adverb<\/a>, while ooi<\/em> is only an adjective. For example:<\/p>\n Kooen ni hana ga takusan<\/strong> arimasu. 16. sukoshi<\/em> (\u5c11\u3057) \u2014 A little<\/strong><\/p>\n Here\u2019s an example of it in use:<\/p>\n Koohii ni satou wo sukoshi<\/strong> onegaishimasu. 17. ima nanji desu ka? <\/em>(\u4eca\u4f55\u6642\u3067\u3059\u304b\uff1f) \u2014 <\/em>What time is it?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n In casual situations, saying ima nanji?<\/em> (\u4eca\u4f55\u6642\uff1f) will work just fine. You’re probably already noticing that desu <\/em>can be changed or even dropped in casual situations.<\/p>\n 18. … ji desu <\/em>(…\u6642\u3067\u3059) \u2014<\/em> It\u2019s … o\u2019clock<\/strong><\/p>\n This, plus a number, is all you need to tell the time<\/a>! For example:<\/p>\n Ichiji desu. 19. nihongo de hanashimashou <\/em>(\u65e5\u672c\u8a9e\u3067\u8a71\u3057\u307e\u3057\u3087\u3046) \u2014 Let\u2019s talk in Japanese<\/strong><\/p>\n Once you kick off a convo with this phrase, make sure you’re ready to do a lot of talking!<\/p>\n By the way, when you see or hear a verb paired with the suffix -mashou <\/em>(-\u307e\u3057\u3087\u3046), it suggests that someone is trying to get you to do the verb prior to -mashou<\/em>.<\/p>\n 20. yoroshiku onegaishimasu <\/em>(\u3088\u308d\u3057\u304f\u304a\u9858\u3044\u3057\u307e\u3059)<\/strong> \u2014 Nice to meet you<\/strong><\/p>\n Yoroshiku onegaishimasu<\/em> doesn’t have a direct English translation, but it can often be interpreted as “Please (do this favor for me),” “I am counting on you” or “I leave it to you.” You’ll often hear this from people making requests, starting a new relationship or asking for someone’s cooperation.<\/p>\n Japanese has a wide variety of pronouns<\/a> you can use, helping you make your sentences more direct when you\u2019re referring to yourself<\/a>, your friend or your friend\u2019s boyfriend.<\/p>\n 21. watashi<\/em> (\u79c1) \u2014 I (all genders)<\/strong><\/p>\n Watashi <\/em>is the go-to in polite situations. It\u2019s sometimes pronounced watakushi<\/em> (\u308f\u305f\u304f\u3057) for extra formality, and some female speakers may shorten it to atashi<\/em> (\u3042\u305f\u3057) in casual settings. No matter the pronunciation, though, they all use the character \u79c1 in writing.<\/p>\n 22. boku <\/em>(\u50d5) \u2014 <\/em>I (usually male)<\/strong><\/p>\n Boku<\/em> is mostly used by men and boys when they\u2019re among friends. Nowadays, some girls use boku<\/em> as well, which gives off an air of tomboyish-ness.<\/p>\n 23. ore <\/em>(\u4ffa) \u2014 I (male)<\/strong><\/p>\n While boku<\/em> is sometimes used by girls, ore<\/em> is an exclusively male pronoun. It gives off a bit of a rough image, so it\u2019s only used among close friends in casual situations.<\/p>\n 24. jibun<\/em> (\u81ea\u5206) \u2014 <\/em>Myself \/ Yourself \/ Themselves<\/strong><\/p>\n Jibun<\/em> is used to refer to a sense of self. It can also take a variety of forms, like:<\/p>\n Also, it’s a more polite way of referring to someone else.<\/p>\n 25. anata<\/em> (\u3042\u306a\u305f) \u2014 You<\/strong><\/p>\n Anata<\/em> translates to \u201cyou,\u201d but it’s not used in the same way it is in English<\/a>. Most of the time, Japanese omits \u201cyou\u201d altogether, favoring a person\u2019s name instead. This form can be used as a term of endearment between couples.<\/p>\n 26. kimi<\/em> (\u541b) \u2014 You<\/strong><\/p>\n Kimi<\/em> is largely used to talk to someone of lower status than yourself, such as a boss talking to their employees. It\u2019s also used to add some pizzazz to writing, such as in the hit movie \u201cKimi no na wa\u201d<\/a> <\/em>(\u541b\u306e\u540d\u306f) \u2014 Your Name.<\/p>\n 27. kare <\/em>(\u5f7c) \u2014 He \/ him<\/strong><\/p>\n While the Japanese language does favor using a person\u2019s name over second- or third-person pronouns, using kare<\/em> is perfectly okay. Plus, kare<\/em> can also refer to someone\u2019s boyfriend.<\/p>\n 28. kanojo<\/em> (\u5f7c\u5973) \u2014 She \/ her<\/strong><\/p>\n This is the feminine counterpart of kare.<\/em> Like kare,<\/em> k<\/em>anojo<\/em> can also be used to refer to a girlfriend.<\/p>\n 29. tachi<\/em> (…\u305f\u3061) \u2014 \u201c… and company\u201d (pluralizes pronouns)<\/strong><\/p>\n To turn a pronoun into a plural, just add -tachi<\/em>. For example:<\/p>\n 30. kore <\/em>(\u3053\u308c) \u2014 <\/em>This<\/strong><\/p>\n This is used to refer to something close to the speaker.<\/p>\nBasic Conversation<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n\n
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\n\u79c1\u306f\u30dd\u30fc\u30eb\u3067\u3059\u3002
\nI am Paul.<\/p>\n\n
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\n<\/strong><\/em>\u304a\u83d3\u5b50\u304c\u597d\u304d\u3067\u3059<\/strong>\u3002\u00a0
\nI like sweets.<\/p>\n\n
\n<\/em>\u516c\u5712\u306b\u82b1\u304c\u305f\u304f\u3055\u3093<\/strong>\u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059\u3002\u00a0
\nThere are lots of flowers in the park<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\n<\/em> \u30b3\u30fc\u30d2\u30fc\u306b\u7802\u7cd6\u3092\u3059\u3053\u3057<\/strong>\u304a\u9858\u3044\u3057\u307e\u3059\u3002\u00a0
\nA little sugar in my coffee, please. \u00a0<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong><\/em>\u4e00\u6642\u3067\u3059<\/strong>\u3002\u00a0
\nIt\u2019s 1 o\u2019clock.\u00a0<\/p>\nJapanese Pronouns<\/h2>\n
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