50 Useful Japanese Phrases for Travel and Everyday Life
The most useful Japanese phrases for a trip are すみません (sumimasen, excuse me), ありがとうございます (arigatō gozaimasu, thank you), お願いします (onegai shimasu, please), …はどこですか (… wa doko desu ka, where is …?) and これをください (kore o kudasai, this one, please). Below are 50 useful Japanese phrases grouped by situation, each with romaji and a note on when to use it. They cover greetings, restaurants, shopping, trains, hotels and what to say when you do not understand.
How to read this list
Each phrase is shown in Japanese, then in romaji (Japanese written with English letters), then in English. A line over a vowel, as in arigatō, means you hold that sound a little longer. The u at the end of desu and masu is very soft, so desu sounds close to "dess".
Every phrase here is in the polite form, which is right for shops, restaurants, hotels and anyone you do not know. Where there is a casual version for friends, the note says so.
Greetings
| Japanese | Romaji | English | When to use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| おはようございます | ohayō gozaimasu | Good morning | Until about 10 or 11 am. With friends: おはよう (ohayō). |
| こんにちは | konnichiwa | Hello | Daytime greeting for people you do not know well. Rarely used with family or close colleagues. |
| こんばんは | konbanwa | Good evening | From early evening onwards. |
| はじめまして | hajimemashite | Nice to meet you | Said the first time you meet someone, usually followed by よろしくお願いします. |
| よろしくお願いします | yoroshiku onegai shimasu | Nice to meet you / Thank you in advance | No exact English match. Said when you meet someone or ask for help. |
| おやすみなさい | oyasuminasai | Good night | Said before bed. With friends: おやすみ (oyasumi). |
| じゃあ、また | jā, mata | See you later | Casual goodbye with friends. |
| さようなら | sayōnara | Goodbye | Can sound final, like you will not meet again. Everyday goodbyes are usually じゃあ、また. |
Please, thank you and sorry
| Japanese | Romaji | English | When to use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| ありがとうございます | arigatō gozaimasu | Thank you | Polite. With friends: ありがとう (arigatō). |
| どういたしまして | dō itashimashite | You're welcome | In everyday speech people often just say いえいえ (ie ie). |
| すみません | sumimasen | Excuse me / Sorry | The most useful word in Japan: to get attention, to apologise, and even to say thanks. |
| ごめんなさい | gomen nasai | I'm sorry | A personal apology, a little less formal than すみません. With friends: ごめん (gomen). |
| お願いします | onegai shimasu | Please | When you ask for something: お水、お願いします (water, please). |
| 大丈夫です | daijōbu desu | It's fine / No thank you | Also a polite way to decline, for example when offered a bag. |
When you don't understand
| Japanese | Romaji | English | When to use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| わかりません | wakarimasen | I don't understand | Also means I don't know. |
| もう一度言ってください | mō ichido itte kudasai | Could you say that again? | Even more polite: もう一度お願いします. |
| もう少しゆっくり話してください | mō sukoshi yukkuri hanashite kudasai | Could you speak more slowly? | Useful at stations and hotel desks. |
| 英語を話せますか | eigo o hanasemasu ka | Do you speak English? | Start with すみません to get their attention first. |
| 英語を話せる人はいますか | eigo o hanaseru hito wa imasu ka | Is there someone who speaks English? | Good for shops and offices with several staff. |
| 書いてもらえますか | kaite moraemasu ka | Could you write it down? | Handy for addresses, prices and times. |
| …は日本語で何と言いますか | … wa nihongo de nan to iimasu ka | How do you say … in Japanese? | Put the English word in the gap, or point at the thing. |
At a restaurant or izakaya
| Japanese | Romaji | English | When to use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 二人です | futari desu | Two people | The answer when staff ask 何名様ですか (how many people?). One person: 一人です (hitori desu). |
| メニューをお願いします | menyū o onegai shimasu | The menu, please | Many restaurants also have picture menus or plastic food displays. |
| 英語のメニューはありますか | eigo no menyū wa arimasu ka | Do you have an English menu? | Common in big cities and tourist areas. |
| おすすめは何ですか | osusume wa nan desu ka | What do you recommend? | A good way to find the dish a place is known for. |
| …をください | … o kudasai | …, please (I'd like …) | これをください (this one, please) works with pointing. |
| 私はベジタリアンです | watashi wa bejitarian desu | I'm vegetarian | Many dishes use dashi, a fish stock, so ask about it too. |
| お水をいただけますか | omizu o itadakemasu ka | Could I have some water? | Water and green tea are usually free. |
| いただきます | itadakimasu | (said before eating) | Said before a meal, a little like grace. No exact English match. |
| ごちそうさまでした | gochisōsama deshita | Thank you for the meal | Said after eating, to your host or to the staff as you leave. |
| お会計をお願いします | okaikei o onegai shimasu | The bill, please | You often pay at the till by the door, not at the table. |
Shopping and the konbini
| Japanese | Romaji | English | When to use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| これはいくらですか | kore wa ikura desu ka | How much is this? | Prices usually include tax, but check for 税込 (tax included). |
| カードで払えますか | kādo de haraemasu ka | Can I pay by card? | Cards are widely accepted, but some small places take cash only. |
| これにします | kore ni shimasu | I'll take this | Also これをください. |
| 袋をもらえますか | fukuro o moraemasu ka | Could I have a bag? | Shops charge a few yen for plastic bags. |
| …を探しています | … o sagashite imasu | I'm looking for … | Show a photo on your phone to make it easier. |
Trains and directions
| Japanese | Romaji | English | When to use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| …はどこですか | … wa doko desu ka | Where is …? | Put any place in front: 駅はどこですか (where is the station?). |
| トイレはどこですか | toire wa doko desu ka | Where is the toilet? | More polite: お手洗いはどこですか (otearai wa doko desu ka). |
| 駅はどこですか | eki wa doko desu ka | Where is the station? | Station staff are used to helping visitors. |
| 切符はどこで買えますか | kippu wa doko de kaemasu ka | Where can I buy a ticket? | Most visitors use a rechargeable IC card such as Suica or PASMO. |
| これは…行きの電車ですか | kore wa … iki no densha desu ka | Is this the train to …? | 京都行き (Kyōto-iki) means bound for Kyoto. |
| 何番線ですか | nan-bansen desu ka | Which platform? | Platforms are numbered: 3番線 is platform 3. |
| ここで止めてください | koko de tomete kudasai | Stop here, please | Said to a taxi driver. Taxi doors open and close by themselves. |
Hotels and sightseeing
| Japanese | Romaji | English | When to use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| チェックアウトは何時ですか | chekkuauto wa nan-ji desu ka | What time is checkout? | Check-in is often from 3 pm. |
| ここに荷物を預けてもいいですか | koko ni nimotsu o azukete mo ii desu ka | Can I leave my luggage here? | Hotels usually keep bags before check-in and after checkout. |
| 朝食は付いていますか | chōshoku wa tsuite imasu ka | Is breakfast included? | When booking, look for 朝食付き (chōshoku-tsuki, breakfast included). |
| 写真を撮ってもいいですか | shashin o totte mo ii desu ka | Can I take photos? | Ask at temples, shrines and small shops. Some places do not allow photos inside. |
Help and health
| Japanese | Romaji | English | When to use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 助けて！ | tasukete! | Help! | For emergencies. In Japan, call 110 for the police and 119 for an ambulance or fire. |
| 手伝ってもらえますか | tetsudatte moraemasu ka | Can you help me? | For everyday help, like carrying a bag or finding an address. |
| 気分が悪いです | kibun ga warui desu | I feel unwell | Pharmacies are marked 薬局 or 薬 (kusuri, medicine). |
Four mistakes visitors make
- Saying sayōnara for every goodbye. It can sound final. With friends say じゃあ、また (jā, mata). Leaving a shop, a simple ありがとうございます is enough.
- Calling people あなた (anata). It means you, but Japanese speakers usually use the person's name with さん (san) instead. あなた can sound cold or too direct.
- Leaving a tip. Tipping is not part of Japanese culture, and staff may run after you to return the money. Good service is simply expected.
- Only saying ありがとう to staff. It is not rude, but ありがとうございます is the safer, polite choice with people you do not know.
A short conversation at a restaurant
| Who | What they say | In English |
|---|---|---|
| Staff | いらっしゃいませ！何名様ですか？ (irasshaimase! nanmei-sama desu ka?) | Welcome! How many people? |
| You | 二人です。 (futari desu.) | Two people. |
| Staff | こちらへどうぞ。 (kochira e dōzo.) | This way, please. |
| You | 英語のメニューはありますか？ (eigo no menyū wa arimasu ka?) | Do you have an English menu? |
| Staff | はい、どうぞ。 (hai, dōzo.) | Yes, here you are. |
| You | おすすめは何ですか？ (osusume wa nan desu ka?) | What do you recommend? |
| Staff | 天ぷら定食がおすすめです。 (tenpura teishoku ga osusume desu.) | We recommend the tempura set meal. |
| You | じゃあ、それを二つください。 (jā, sore o futatsu kudasai.) | Then two of those, please. |
| You | お会計をお願いします。 (okaikei o onegai shimasu.) | The bill, please. |
| Staff | 二千四百円です。 (nisen yonhyaku en desu.) | That's 2,400 yen. |
| You | カードで払えますか？ (kādo de haraemasu ka?) | Can I pay by card? |
| Staff | はい、大丈夫です。 (hai, daijōbu desu.) | Yes, that's fine. |
| You | ごちそうさまでした。 (gochisōsama deshita.) | Thank you for the meal. |
Quick quiz
Try to answer before you open each one.
You want to get a waiter's attention. What do you say?
Show the answer
すみません (sumimasen).
How do you ask where the toilet is?
Show the answer
トイレはどこですか (toire wa doko desu ka).
What do you say before you start eating?
Show the answer
いただきます (itadakimasu).
A shop assistant offers you a bag and you do not need one. What can you say?
Show the answer
大丈夫です (daijōbu desu), it's fine, thank you.
Should you leave a tip at a restaurant in Japan?
Show the answer
No. Tipping is not expected, and staff may try to give the money back.
How to remember these phrases
Reading a list once is a good start, but most of it will be gone in a few days. Three habits make phrases stick:
- Say them out loud. Japanese sounds are fairly regular, so copying the audio a few times goes a long way.
- Learn a few at a time. Five to ten phrases a day is plenty. Start with greetings and the restaurant section.
- Review them just before you forget. Come back to each phrase after a day, then a few days, then a week.
LanguaCards does the last part for you: it brings each phrase back at the right time, with audio on every card. If you are preparing for the JLPT, the same phrases are a good start on the JLPT N5 vocabulary list, and the LanguaCards Japanese dictionary explains the key greetings in more depth.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most useful Japanese phrases for travel?
Sumimasen (excuse me), arigatō gozaimasu (thank you), onegai shimasu (please), … wa doko desu ka (where is …?), kore o kudasai (this one, please), eigo o hanasemasu ka (do you speak English?) and okaikei o onegai shimasu (the bill, please).
How do you say thank you in Japanese?
Arigatō gozaimasu is the polite form and the one to use with shop and restaurant staff. Arigatō on its own is casual, for friends and family.
What does sumimasen mean?
Sumimasen means excuse me or sorry. It is also used to get someone's attention, such as a waiter, and sometimes to say thank you when someone has gone out of their way for you.
Do I need to speak Japanese to travel in Japan?
No. Signs in big cities and on trains are often in English too. A few polite phrases still make a real difference, especially in restaurants, small shops and outside the main cities.
Should I learn romaji, hiragana or kanji first?
Romaji lets you start speaking straight away. Hiragana is worth learning early because it is used everywhere and only has 46 basic characters. Kanji comes gradually as you learn words.