80 Easy Japanese Words and Phrases To help improve your Japanese vocabulary

phrases uses

ありがとうございます - Thank You

We all know the phrase ありがとう, yet it's always a bit nerve-wracking to use it for the first time. When being polite it's best to use ありがとうございます as a general way to express your gratitude, while ありがとう is a quick and friendly way to say "thanks!" A friend might just thank you with どうも (doumo - thanks), and you'll see あり[ari], the abbreviated form of ありがとう, often enough on Japanese message boards.

ください - Please (Requesting)

There are a few different ways to say "please" in Japanese. The word ください is used when making requests as in, please hurry (急いでください - isoide kudasai) or can I please have a coffee? (コーヒーをください - koohii o kudasai).

どうぞ - Please (Offering)

A common way to offer something is by using the word どうぞ (douzo - please). This is like saying, "Please go ahead." Whether you're ushering someone through the door before you, or offering a coworker some delicious snacks, どうぞ will definitely come in handy.

お疲れ様です (おつかれさまです) - Thank You for Your Efforts

If you haven't heard your coworkers use this a thousand times already... then you must not be in Japan yet! The expression お疲れ様です is often said when you, or someone else, finishes their work as a parting sentiment. Although it's translated as "thanks for all your hard work today" or "thank you for your efforts," you can think of it as saying, "That's a wrap for the day."

失礼します(しつれいします) - Excuse Me for My Rudeness

Another office-related expression, 失礼します, is used when you're leaving a room. It's similar to saying "Sorry to have bothered you" or "Sorry that I interrupted." Really, it's just a polite way to excuse yourself from a room. You can also end a formal or polite phone call with 失礼します.

すみません - Excuse Me, I'm Sorry, Thank you

This is your three-in-one go-to expression! Learn this, memorize it, treat it like it's your baby. The word すみません is often used to say "Excuse me" (if you need help getting directions or need to squeeze by someone) and "Sorry" (when you accidentally nudge someone on the subway).

It can also be said as a "thank you" when you've troubled someone (Think: "Thanks for letting me put you out"). This is used a lot when climbing into a cab: すみません。成田空港までお願いします (sumimasen. narita kuukou made onegaishimasu - "Thanks (for stopping). To Narita Airport, please.")

ごめんなさい - Sorry

Among family members, friends and in casual situations, ごめんなさい replaces すみません when saying sorry. You can use the less formal ごめん[gomen] and ごめんね [gomen ne] among those who are close to you.