Learn Nihongo, learn Japanese vocabulary, grammar and kanji
When staying in Japan for a certain amount of time you may have to go to the hospital. A few of them, especially in big cities such as Tokyo or Osaka have english speaking staff but most of the time it is not the case that is why a little basic sentences to describe your symptoms might be useful.
Please let us know if we forgot anything!
Survival vocabulary:
What experiences did you make with Japanese hospitals? Would like to share with us your experiences?
When you travel to Japan you will most likely stay at a hotel. Although most hotels nowadays have English language skills it might be useful to know a few phrases in Japanese – especially when traveling apart from the typical tourist locations.
Survival vocabulary
| English | Romaji | Furigana |
Kanji |
| air conditioner | eakon | エアコン | エアコン |
| bed | beddo | ベッド | ベッド |
| blanket | moufu | もうふ | 毛布 |
| body soap | bodii soopu | ボディーソープ | ボディーソープ |
| check-in | chekku in | チェックイン | チェックイン |
| check-out | chekku auto | チェックアウト | チェックアウト |
| double room | daburu | ダブル | ダブル |
| elevator | elebeeta | エレベータ | エレベータ |
| extra bed | tsuika beddo | ついかベッド | 追加ベッド |
| hair dryer | doraiyaa | ドライヤー | ドライヤー |
| hot spring bath | onsen | おんせん | 温泉 |
| hotel | hoteru | ホテル | ホテル |
| Japanese style room | washitsu | わしつ | 和室 |
| Japanese style hotel | ryokan | りょかん | 旅館 |
| key | kagi | かぎ | 鍵 |
| non smoker | kin-en | きんえん | 禁煙 |
| reception | furonto (front) | フロント | フロント |
| reservation | yoyaku | よやく | 予約 |
| room | heya | へや | 部屋 |
| room charge | shukuhakudai | しゅくはくだい | 宿泊代 |
| room number | heya bango | へやばんごう | 部屋番号 |
| safety deposit box | kinko | きんこ | 金庫 |
| shampoo | shanpuu | シャンプー | シャンプー |
| shaver | higesori | ひげそり | 髭剃り |
| shower | shawaa | シャワー | シャワー |
| single room | shinguru | シングル | シングル |
| smoker | kitsu-en | きつえん | 喫煙 |
| soap | sekken | せっけん | 石鹸 |
| tissues | tisshuu peepaa | ティッシュペーパー | ティッシュペーパー |
| toilet | toire | トイレ | トイレ |
| toilet paper | toiretto peepa | トイレットペーパー | トイレットペーパー |
| tooth brush | ha burashi | はブラシ | 歯ブラシ |
| tooth paste | hamigaki | はみがき | 歯磨き |
| towel | taoru | タオル | タオル |
| TV | terebi | テレビ | テレビ |
| twin room | tsuin ruumu | ツインルーム | ツインルーム |
| valuables | kichouhin | きちょうひん | 貴重品 |
Survival phrases
| Kanji | 朝食は含まれていますか？ |
| Furigana | ちょうしょくはふくまれていますか？ |
| Romaji | choushoku wa fukumarete imasu ka? |
| English | Is breakfast included. |
| Kanji | 部屋を変えて下さい。 |
| Furigana | へやをかえてください。 |
| Romaji | heya o kaete kudasai. |
| English | Please change the room. |
| Kanji | 部屋を変えて下さい。 |
| Furigana | へやをかえてください。 |
| Romaji | heya o kaete kudasai. |
| English | Please change the room. |
| Kanji | 朝食はどこですか？ |
| Furigana | ちょうしょくはどこですか？ |
| Romaji | choushoku wa doko desuka? |
| English | Where is breakfast? |
| Kanji | 朝食は何時ですか？ |
| Furigana | ちょうしょくはなんじですか？ |
| Romaji | choushoku wa nanji desuka? |
| English | What time is breakfast? |
| Kanji | カードでいいですか？ |
| Furigana | カードでいいですか？ |
| Romaji | kaado de ii desuka? |
| English | Can I use credit cards? |
| Kanji | 領収書下さい。 |
| Furigana | りょうしゅうしょください。 |
| Romaji | ryoushuusho kudasai. |
| English | Can I have a receipt? |
| Kanji | この荷物を預かって下さい。 |
| Furigana | このにもつをあずかってください。 |
| Romaji | kono nimotsu wo azukatte kudasai. |
| English | Can you please keep this luggage. |
| Kanji | 預けた荷物を返して下さい。 |
| Furigana | あずけたにもつをかえしてください。 |
| Romaji | azuketa nimotsu o kaeshite kudasai. |
| English | Please return my luggage. |
What experiences did you make with Japanese hotels? Do you have some funny stories you would like to share with us?
Japan is one of the greatest (but expensive) places for shopping in the world. The mix of traditional and contemporary culture is fantastic and especially Tokyo offers so many shopping districts and high class malls. Since most shop clerks do not speak English it is very useful to know a few sentences in Japanese to get what you want.
With the exception of western Japan (Osaka) it is not common to negotiate prices. However, you can always try and as a foreigner you sometimes can get some discount.
| English | Romaji | Furigana |
Kanji |
| How much is it? | ikura desuka? | いくらですか？ | いくらですか？ |
| I will take this. | kore kudasai. | これください。 | これ下さい。 |
| Do you take credit cards? | kaado de ii desuka? | カードでいいですか？ | カードでいいですか？ |
| Is there a bigger size? | ookii no arimasuka? | おおきいのありますか？ | 大きいのありますか？ |
| Is there a smaller size? | chiisai no arimasuka? | ちいさいのありますか？ | 小さいのありますか？ |
| Can I have a discount? | waribiki onegai shimasu. | わりびきおねがいします。 | 割引お願いします。 |
What are you looking for when you go shopping in Japan?
Even if you don’t speak a word of Japanese, knowing a few common greetings will help breaking the ice with your Japanese counterparts. This is a list of very common Japanese greetings you can apply in various situations. This article also covers a few basic Japanese manners related to greetings.
Greetings
| English | Romaji | Furigana |
Kanji |
| Good morning | ohayou gozaimasu | おはようございます | お早うございます |
| hello | konnichi wa | こんにちは | 今日は |
| good evening | konban wa | こんばんは | 今晩は |
| Good night | oyasumi nasai | おやすみなさい | お休みなさい |
| Good bye | sayonara | さよなら | さよなら |
| Welcome | youkoso | ようこそ | ようこそ |
Related patterns
| English | Romaji | Furigana |
Kanji |
| How are you? | ogenki desuka? | おげんきですか？ | お元気ですか？ |
| What’s new? | saikin dou desuka? | さいきんどうですか？ | 最近どうですか？ |
| I am fine. | genki desu. | げんきです。 | 元気です。 |
| See you later | mata kondo | またこんど | また今度。 |
Exchanging business cards
There are a few basic rules on how to exchange business cards in Japan. First of all you exchange business cards with two hands. When receiving the other persons business card you should contemplate it for a few seconds. During this time you confirm the name as well as the title, so that you get an understanding on where this person stands in relation to the other participants. It is also considered polite to say a word about the other person (e.g. Your offices are in a convenient place, etc.)
When you sit at the conference table you arrange the business cards in front of you so that they match the order of the people sitting in front of you. This can be a bit difficult when many people attend a meeting.
You never write something on the business cards in front the people you received them from. This is considered as rude and I have only seen very highly ranked people doing this. Later on you of course are free to write any useful information on the business card.
You sometimes might not be sure if you have met a person before. Not handing over your business card would be rude, but not recognizing the other person does also not send a good message. In this case you address the person, when you realize that you met before you mention that your business card has changed. Japanese always want to have the latest version of your business card.
Bowing
In Japan people bow to each other when exchanging greetings. The degree of the bow expresses the level of respect towards the other person. In general bowing by about 15% is regarded as sufficient – especially for foreigners.
There are differences between the way women and men bow. Whereas men keep their hands at the side of the body, women put the hands in front of the body.
Do you have experience with Japanese manners? Tell us more about it.
You do not need to be fluent in Japanese in order to get along in Japan. More and more places are bi-lingual and transportation systems are nowadays are designed to also suit foreigners. However, as everywhere in the world things are easier when you make a small effort and learn some basics. This guide of survival Japanese teaches you the essentials to get along in key situations, find your way whilst traveling and get what you want in Japanese restaurants.
Not all articles are yet published. We will add the missing ones step by step but wanted to start sharing contents as soon as possible.
Self introduction
Japanese greetings
Shopping
–
Using the train
Useful signs
Using the taxi
Hotels
–
Ramen
Yakitori
Yakiniku
Sushi
NIHONGO ICHIBAN 
