Why Bother?
Even 50 words dramatically improves your Japan experience. Japanese people appreciate any attempt, however imperfect.
Essential Phrases
| Japanese | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ありがとうございます | Arigatou gozaimasu | Thank you (formal) |
| すみません | Sumimasen | Excuse me / Sorry |
| はい | Hai | Yes |
| わかりません | Wakarimasen | I don’t understand |
| これをください | Kore o kudasai | This one please |
| いくらですか | Ikura desu ka | How much? |
| おかんじょうをください | Okanjou o kudasai | The bill please |
| おいしい | Oishii | Delicious |
Katakana Tip
Katakana is used for foreign words — learn it in 2–3 days. コーヒー (koohii) = coffee, ビール (biiru) = beer. Appears on menus everywhere.
Google Translate camera (download Japanese offline) reads menus in real-time.