Starting Japanese can feel overwhelming with three writing systems and complex grammar. The fastest way to feel progress? Learn the 100 most useful words first. These will let you understand signs, menus, and basic conversations in Japan.
Essential Greetings (10 words)
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| こんにちは | konnichiwa | hello (daytime) |
| おはようございます | ohayou gozaimasu | good morning |
| こんばんは | konbanwa | good evening |
| ありがとうございます | arigatou gozaimasu | thank you |
| すみません | sumimasen | excuse me / sorry |
| はい | hai | yes |
| いいえ | iie | no |
| お願いします | onegaishimasu | please |
Numbers 1-10
| Japanese | Romaji | Number |
|---|---|---|
| 一 (いち) | ichi | 1 |
| 二 (に) | ni | 2 |
| 三 (さん) | san | 3 |
| 四 (よん) | yon | 4 |
| 五 (ご) | go | 5 |
| 六 (ろく) | roku | 6 |
| 七 (なな) | nana | 7 |
| 八 (はち) | hachi | 8 |
| 九 (きゅう) | kyuu | 9 |
| 十 (じゅう) | juu | 10 |
Essential Daily Words
- 水 (みず / mizu) — water
- 食べ物 (たべもの / tabemono) — food
- 電車 (でんしゃ / densha) — train
- 駅 (えき / eki) — station
- 学校 (がっこう / gakkou) — school
- 仕事 (しごと / shigoto) — work/job
- 家 (いえ / ie) — house/home
- 友達 (ともだち / tomodachi) — friend
- 時間 (じかん / jikan) — time
- お金 (おかね / okane) — money
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TheLernen has 1000+ Japanese words organized by category with hiragana, romaji, and audio. Start learning with spaced repetition — free, no account needed.
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