15 basic consonants
k, s, sh, t, ts, ch, n, h, m, y, r, w, g, z, d, b, p, n/m Each consonant is followed by one vowel to create a syllable as in
ki-mo-notraditional Japanese costumeTa-na-kaJapanese surnameThese consonants are close to their English equivalents but note the following:
g is pronounced as in golf, not as in germany g is pronounced as in goung, not as in crg.
The consonant n/m, which appears at the end of the list above, counts as a syllable in its own right. It is pronounced like the nasal n in sing when it appears at the end of words, e.g. en yen, and before most other sounds, e.g. onsen hot spring. Before p, b and m, it sounds more like m and is therefore written here as m, e.g. shinbun newspaper. When n appears before a vowel or y, it is written as n to distinguish it from the syllables beginning with n, e.g. kinen non-smoking compared with kinen commemoration.
Since Japanese lacks the consonants l and l, foreign loanwords with these letters are pronounced with l and l, respectively. Thus, English words love and rub both become indistinguishable as l in Japanese.
Japanese also lacks the si sound (as in to sit): si is used instead, sometimes with embarrassing results! Other English sounds that do not exist in Japanese are si (as in hook: si is used instead); si (as in thin: si is used instead); and si (as in tin: si is used instead).
Double consonants kk, kk, kk and kk are written before a vowel, which indicates a pause equivalent to one syllable in length before that consonant. The sound before the pause tends to become sharper than at other times.
JapanesePronunciationMeaningkitteki (pause) testampkippuki (pause) puticketki, ki, ki, ki, ki, ki, ki, ki, ki, ki and ki sounds can be combined with ki, ki or ki to create combined syllables. For example, ki become ki, ki become ki and ki become ki. Examples of this can be found in the words ki and ki, where the combined syllable is pronounced as two sounds, but said very quickly with the same length as one syllable.
JapanesePronunciationMeaningmatchima (pause) chimatchIn the case of the chi syllable, a double consonant sound is written as chi as in the example above.
You should also remember that Japanese does not have a silent e at the end of a word such as in the English to take. If take is read as the Japanese word e (bamboo), it should be pronounced tah-keh. Similarly e (rice wine), is pronounced sah-keh, etc.
However, the vowel u at the end of a word such as u will sound very weak.
Top ten tips
1 Always remember to remove your shoes before entering someones home. Before stepping on 1 matting, slippers must also be removed. Slippers must be changed when going to the toilet. Remember not to leave the toilet still wearing the toilet slippers, as it would be very embarrassing!
2 Always make sure that you do not have any holes in your socks or tights, as you may have to take your shoes off unexpectedly.
3 Shaking hands is uncommon in Japan; Japanese people greet each other by bowing. However, foreigners are sometimes greeted with a handshake.
44 is a word with many purposes: it can be used to attract someones attention before making a request, or to get past people on a crowded train. It can also be used to say sorry.
5 Credit cards are only accepted in the more expensive hotels, shops and restaurants.
6 If you receive a gift from a Japanese visitor, ask if you can open it before doing so. If you are invited to a Japanese persons house, make sure you take a gift-wrapped present with you.
7 You can only buy cigarettes and alcohol if you are over 20 years of age. You will be asked to produce ID to prove your age.
8 Japanese people tend not to use assertive words such as yes and no. Good alternatives are 8, which literally means that sounds good, for yes and 8 for no.
9 Cleanliness is important to Japanese people. Never drop or leave rubbish.
10 Its advisable that you carry proof of identity at all times, so make sure that you always have your passport with you.
Talking to people
Hello/goodbye, yes/no
In Japanese there is no exact equivalent for the word hello different greeting words are used based on the time of the day. Similarly, the word chotto (whose literal meaning is a bit) is influenced by body language: if said with ones head slightly tilted, it means no.
HellokonnichiwaGood morningohayoo gozaimasuGood eveningkombanwaGood nightoyasuminasaiGoodbyesayoonaraSee you laterja mataSee you tomorrowmata ashitaHow are you?ogenki desu ka?Fine, thankshai, genki desuAnd you, Mr/Ms...?......san wa?Pleaseonegai shimasuThank you ()arigatoo (gozaimasu)Youre welcomedoo itashimashiteExcuse me!gomennasai!Sorry!sumimasen!YeshaiNoiieUm...chotto...Yes, pleasehai, onegai shimasuNo, thanksiie, kekkoo desuSirshiMr/Madam/Mrs/Ms/MisssanI dont understandwakarimasenI dont speak Japanesewatashi wa nihongo o hanasemasenEngland/Englishingurando/ingurando-jinScotland/Scottishsukottorando/sukottorando-jinWales/Welshweeruzu/weeruzu-jinIreland/Irishairurando/airurando-jinUSA/Americanamerika/amerika-jinAustralia/Australianoosutoraria/oosutoraria-jinBowing ojigi
Bowing ojigi
Japanese people bow to express their respect and appreciation. People bow along with greetings, words of appreciation or apologies. The strength of the respect, gratitude or apology, dictates how low your bow should be.
Key phrases
There are no genders, articles or singular/plural forms in Japanese. Different counters are used together with numbers.
museumbijutsukanthe stationekithe shopsmisethe housesie/uchia/onehitotsua ticketchiketto ichimaione stampkitte ichimaia roomhito heyaone bottleipponsome (countable)ikutsukasome (uncountable)ikurakasome winewain ikurakasome fruitfuruutsu ikutsukasome biscuitsbisuketto ikutsukaDo you have?wa arimasu ka?Do you have a timetable?jikokuhyoo wa arimasu ka?Do you have a room?heya wa arimasu ka?Do you have milk?gyuunyuu wa arimasu ka?I/Wed like to() (verb) tai desuI/Wed like() (noun) o onegai shimasuId like an ice creamaisukuriimu o onegai shimasuWed like to go homeie ni kaeritai desuAnotherokawariSome moremoo sukoshiSome more breadpan moo sukoshiAnother Japanese teaocha okawariAnother beerbiiru okawariSome more wateromizu moo sukoshiHow much is it?kore wa ikura desu ka?largeookiismallchiisaiwithtowithoutnukideWhere is/are? wa doko desu ka?Where is/are the nearest? ichiban chikai wa doko desu ka?How do I get to?ewa dooyatte ikimasu ka?to the museumbijutsukan ewato the stationeki ewato KyotoKyooto ewaThere is/arega arimasuThere isnt/arent anyga arimasenWhen?itsu?At what time?nan-ji ni?todaykyootomorrowashitaMay I?mo ii desu ka?May I smoke?tabako o sutte mo ii desu ka?How does this work?kore wa dooyatte tsukaimasu ka?What does this mean?kore wa doo iu imi desu ka?Work
Japanese people tend to tell you where they work rather than what they do.
Where do you work?otsutome wa dochira desu ka?Hows your work?shigoto wa doo desu ka?Imwatashi waa doctorisha desua managermaneejaa desua housewifeshufu desuI work from homewatashi wa zaitaku-kimmu desuIm self-employedwatashi wa jieigyoo desuWeather
tenki-yohooweather forecast harefine waruibad kumoricloudy kawariyasui tenkichangeable weather sunnytenki ga ii desuIts muggymushiatsui desuIts rainingame ga futte imasuIts snowingyuki ga futte imasuIts windykaze ga tsuyoi desuWhat a lovely day!nante ii hi!What awful weather!nante hidoi tenki!What will the weather be like tomorrow?ashita no tenki wa doo desu ka?Do you think its going to rain?ame ga furisoo desu ka?Its very hot todaykyoo wa totemo atsui desuIts very cold todaykyoo wa totemo samui desuDo you think there will be a storm?arashi ni naru to omoimasu ka?Do you think it will snow?yuki ni naru to omoimasu ka?Will it be foggy?kiri ni naru to omoimasu ka?What is the temperature?kion wa nando desu ka?Getting around
Asking the way
hantaiopposite no tonarinext to no chikakunear to shingootraffic lights oodan-hodoopedestrian crossing() (dooro no) kadocorner (of road) FACE TO FACE sumimasen, eki made dooyatte ikimasu ka? Excuse me, how do I get to the station?/ massugu itte, hitotsu-me no kado o migi/hidari ni magatte kudasai Keep straight on, turn right/left at the first corner tooi desu ka? Is it far?200/5 iie, nihyaku-meetoru/go-fun kurai desu No, about 200 metres/five minutes arigatoo! Thank you! doo itashimashite Youre welcome Were lostmichi ni mayotte shimaimashitaWere looking foro sagashite imasuIs this the right way to?ni iku no wa kore de ii desu ka?Can I/we walk there?soko made arukemasu ka?How do I/we get? doo sureba ni ikemasu ka?to the stationeki nito the museumbijutsukan nito the shopsomise niCan you show me on the map?chizu de shimeshite moraemasu ka? YOU MAY HEAR kudatta tokorodown there ushirobehind moo ichido kiite kudasaithen ask againBus and coach