300 Japanese words of level A2
Below is a complete, categorized list of Japanese vocabulary at the A2 level. Learn common verbs, nouns, and adjectives with transcription, articles, and English translations.
What is A2? Elementary
A2 builds on the basics. You can deal with routine tasks, describe your background, and talk about everyday topics in simple terms.
What you can do at A2
- ✓Communicate in simple, routine tasks needing a direct exchange of information
- ✓Describe your background, immediate environment and daily routine
- ✓Understand frequent expressions about family, shopping, work and your local area
- ✓Understand the main point in short, clear messages and announcements
- ✓Read and find specific, predictable information in daily materials like advertisements and menus
Nouns
/otouɖo/
younger brother
/imouto/
younger sister
/sofu/
grandfather (own)
/sobo/
grandmother (own)
/otto/
husband
/tsuma/
wife
/musuko/
son
/musume/
daughter
/mago/
grandchild
/oɕi/
uncle
/oba/
aunt
/itoko/
cousin
/koibito/
lover / partner
/iɕa/
doctor
/kaŋgoɕi/
nurse
/bengaɕi/
lawyer
/keːsatsɯkaɴ/
police officer
/ɕoːboːɕi/
firefighter
/ɯɴteɴɕɯ/
driver
/ɾjoːɾiɴiɴ/
cook / chef
/dʑoːɕi/
boss / superior
/buɡa/
subordinate
/doːɾʲoː/
colleague
/kjaɕi/
customer / guest
/gaikoɕiɴ/
foreigner
/jɯːmeːdʑin/
celebrity / famous person
/otona/
adult
/senshu/
athlete / player
/kashu/
singer
/haiyuu/
actor / actress
/sakka/
writer / author
/gaka/
painter / artist
/kagakuɕa/
scientist
/seːdʑika/
politician
/noːka/
farmer
/niɲɕiɴ/
neighbor
/t͡ɕiɲɕiɴ/
acquaintance
/taɲɕiɴ/
stranger / other person
/ɕiɱin/
citizen
/kokuɱin/
national / citizen
/taideso/
kitchen
/ɸɯɾo/
bath / bathtub
/toire/
toilet / restroom
/niwa/
garden / yard
/ɡenkɑ̃/
entrance / foyer
/r\u014dkawa/
hallway / corridor
/kɪndʑo/
neighborhood
/mɯɾa/
village
/toɕi/
city / urban area
/ɕɯːto/
capital city
/tɕiɸoʊ/
region / rural area
/sekai/
world
/daiɡaku/
university
/joːtɕien/
kindergarten
/tɕuːɡakkoː/
middle school
/kohkoː/
high school
/suːpaː/
supermarket
/konbini/
convenience store
/depaːto/
department store
/ɾesutoɾan/
restaurant
/kafe/
café
/yakkyoku/
pharmacy
/yūbinkyoku/
post office
/keisatsusho/
police station
/shiyakusho/
city hall
/kʲoːkai/
church
/hakɯbʊtsɯkaɴ/
museum
/doːbɯtsɯeɴ/
zoo
/jūenchi/
amusement park
/eigakan/
movie theater
/taiikukan/
gymnasium
/suizokukan/
aquarium
/minato/
port / harbor
/hashi/
bridge
/kōsaten/
intersection
/ɕiŋɡoː/
traffic light
/ɕiᵝkɑteɴ/
subway / metro
/ɕɯːɕa dʑoː/
parking lot
/ho̞te̞ɾɯ/
hotel
/ko̞ːdʑo̞ː/
factory
/no̞ːdʑo̞ː/
farm
/okɯdʑoː/
rooftop
/ɡo̞zeɴ/
morning / AM
/ɸiɾɯ/
noon / daytime
/jɯːɡata/
evening (early)
/ɕiɴja/
midnight / late night
/ɕɯːmatsu/
weekend
/heːdʑɯtsɯ/
weekday
/haɾɯ/
spring
/na.tsɯ/
summer
/a.kʲi/
autumn / fall
/ɸɯ.jɯ/
winter
/jɔteɪ/
schedule / plan
/jakuɕɔkɯ/
promise / appointment
/kʲi.kɑɴ/
period / duration
/kʲi.ɡeɴ/
deadline
/ɕoː.ɾaɪ/
future
/kɑ.ko/
past
/ɡeɴ.zaɪ/
present / now
/mɯ.kɑ.ɕi/
old days / long ago
/saɪfu/
wallet
/meɡane/
glasses / spectacles
/boːɕi/
hat / cap
/jɯbiwa/
ring
/mafuraa/
scarf
/seifuku/
uniform
/futon/
futon / bedding
/makura/
pillow
/moufu/
blanket
/tana/
shelf
/reizouko/
refrigerator
/sentakuki/
washing machine
/denshirenji/
microwave oven
/ea kon/
air conditioner
/denchi/
battery
/kusuri/
medicine / drug
/houtai/
bandage
/jitensha/
bicycle
/basu/
bus
/densha/
train
/takushii/
taxi
/hikoːki/
airplane
/ɸɯne/
ship / boat
/tɕiɯɕɯ/
map
/ɛmpʲiɯtsɯ/
pencil
/keɕiɡomɯ/
eraser
/hako/
box
/ɸɯkɯɾo/
bag / sack
/saɾa/
plate / dish
/koppɯ/
cup / glass
/t͡ɕaɰɯaɴ/
rice bowl
/haɕi/
chopsticks
/nabe/
pot
/hoʊtɕoː/
kitchen knife
Other Words
/o̞koɾu/
to get angry
/o̞doɾo̞ku/
to be surprised
/tsukaɾeɾu/
to get tired
/sen.ta.ku/
to do laundry
/aɴkiɾu/
to memorize by heart
/maniɑu/
to be on time / make it
/jakuniɾatsu/
to be useful / helpful
/kʲiutukeru/
to be careful / watch out
/akiramenai/
to not give up
/teɴiɴ/
store clerk
/ɕatɕoː/
company president
/nihoɴdʑiɴ/
Japanese person
/roːdʑin/
elderly person
/wakamono/
young person
/dʑindʑa/
Shinto shrine
/o̞teɾa/
Buddhist temple
/bidʑɯtsɯkaɴ/
art museum
/ɡetsɯjoːbi/
Monday
/kaɯjoːbi/
Tuesday
/sɯiɯjoːbi/
Wednesday
/mokɯjoːbi/
Thursday
/kiɰ̃ɯjoːbi/
Friday
/dojoːbi/
Saturday
/ɲitɕjoːbi/
Sunday
/raigetsu/
next month
/sengetsu/
last month
/maɪɕɯː/
every week
/maɪnen/
every year
/tɕokɯɡo/
immediately after
/kaɸin/
flower vase
Verbs
/ahɯku/
to walk
/to̞maɾu/
to stop
/o̞koɾɯ/
to happen / occur
/kawaɾɯ/
to change (intrans.)
/tsuɾɯɡu/
to continue
/kimeru/
to decide
/kanʑiɾɯ/
to feel / sense
/miɾɯseɾu/
to show
/akɯ/
to open (intrans.)
/ɕimaɾɯ/
to close (intrans.)
/ɕi̥meɾɯ/
to close (trans.)
/toru/
to take / grab
/kasu/
to lend
/kariru/
to borrow
/watasu/
to hand over / pass
/okuru/
to send
/toɖoku/
to reach / be delivered
/hiku/
to pull / draw
/oɕu/
to push / press
/kiɾu/
to cut
/arau/
to wash
/naoɕu/
to fix / repair
/kowasu/
to break / destroy
/otosu/
to drop
/hirou/
to pick up
/sagasu/
to look for / search
/mitsɯkɛɾɯ/
to find
/erabu/
to choose / select
/fɯɛɾɯ/
to increase
/heɾɯ/
to decrease
/agaɾɯ/
to rise / go up
/sahɡaru/
to fall / go down
/ireɾu/
to put in / insert
/dasu/
to take out / submit
/tsukeɾu/
to attach / turn on
/kesu/
to erase / turn off
/tsɯkɯ/
to arrive
/hanareru/
to leave / separate
/atsumeru/
to collect / gather
/atsumaru/
to gather (intrans.)
/hakobu/
to carry / transport
/platsɯ/
to put / place
/mat\u016bsu/
to stand
/suwaru/
to sit down
/oyogu/
to swim
/tobu/
to fly / jump
/nageru/
to throw
/ukeru/
to receive / take (exam)
/kuraberu/
to compare
/niru/
to resemble
/sawaru/
to touch
/nambaʊ/
to line up
/naraberu/
to arrange / line up
/kakuninsuru/
to confirm / check
/junbisuru/
to prepare
/set͡sumeː ɕuɾu/
to explain
/sankaɕi/
to participate
/tɕʲuːmon/
to order (food/goods)
/keːkaku ɕuɾu/
to plan
/kʲiɾokʷɯ ɕuɾu/
to record / document
/çʲoːɡeɴ ɕuɾu/
to express
/souzouɕiɾu/
to imagine
/renrakuɕiɾu/
to contact
/soudanɕiɾu/
to consult / discuss
/hōkokuɕiɾu/
to report
/hōzonsuru/
to save / preserve
/toːɾokʷɯ ɕuɾu/
to register
/hantai ɕuɾu/
to oppose / object
/sanseː ɕuɾu/
to agree / support
/hapːjoː ɕuɾu/
to announce / present
/ɕiɾabeɾu/
to investigate / look up
/utaɯ/
to sing
/asoɓu/
to play / hang out
/odoɾɯ/
to dance
/egaɯ/
to draw / paint
/toɾɯ/
to take (photo)
/ɾjoːkɔː/
to travel
/hikkosʊ/
to move (house)
/ɾeɴɕuː ɕuɾu/
to practice
/tameɕʊ/
to try / test
/ɕi̥ppaɪɕuɾu/
to fail
/seɪkɔːsɯru/
to succeed
/ɕinpaiɯru/
to worry
/joɯakusɯru/
to reserve / book
/kotowaru/
to refuse / decline
/aja̠maɾu/
to apologize
/ho̞meɾu/
to praise
/joɾoko̞bu/
to rejoice / be pleased
/nayamu/
to worry / agonize
/akiɾameɾu/
to give up
/ɡaɴbaɾu/
to do one's best
/keɡkoɴsuɾu/
to marry
/umaɾeu/
to be born
/ɕiɴu/
to die
/soɗatsu/
to grow up
/soɗateɾu/
to raise / bring up
/tasukeɾu/
to help / save
/ɕinɟɯɾu/
to believe / trust
/utagaɯ/
to doubt / suspect
/jɯɾɯsu/
to forgive / allow
/mandoɾɯ/
to protect / keep
/kæɾɯ/
to change (trans.)
/au/
to match / suit / fit
/katɕɯ/
to win
/mageɾu/
to lose / be defeated
/kayoɯ/
to commute / attend
/toːɾu/
to pass through
/watɑɾu/
to cross
/magɑɾu/
to turn / bend
/jasumu/
to rest / be absent
/kansaɕaɾu/
to thank / be grateful
/sonkeɪsɯɾu/
to respect / admire
/doryoku suru/
to make an effort
/tsuɕuɕɯɾɯ/
to concentrate
/ɯnɖoːɕɯɾɯ/
to exercise
/ɾjoːɾiɕɯɾɯ/
to cook
/soːdʑiɕɯɾɯ/
to clean
/teɴɸaɕiɾu/
to call (phone)
/keɴsakuɾu/
to search (online)
/hoɴjaɡuɾu/
to translate
/moushikomu/
to apply / sign up
/tsukiɑu/
to date / go out with
/tanɔʃimu/
to enjoy
/odɔɾokaseɾɯ/
to surprise (someone)
/kaɛsɯ/
to return / give back
/tatɯ/
to cut off / quit
/mitomeɾɯ/
to recognize / admit
/ɾaineɴ/
next year
/kyonen/
last year
/raishuu/
next week
/senshuu/
last week
/mainichi/
every day
/kɔtɔɕi/
this year
/kɔnɕɯː/
this week
/saɪkin/
recently / lately
/tebukuro/
gloves
How to learn A2 vocabulary
- 1.Group new words by topic (home, work, travel) to remember them in context.
- 2.Practise short dialogues out loud to build automatic phrases.
- 3.Add the most common verbs and their basic conjugations.
- 4.Start reading simple graded readers or children's books to build reading stamina.
Frequently asked questions
How many words at A2?+
About 1,000–1,200 words let you handle most everyday A2 situations.
Is A2 enough to travel?+
Yes — A2 covers most travel and daily-life needs, though conversations stay simple.
What is the difference between A1 and A2?+
A1 is survival basics; A2 lets you handle routine situations and describe things in simple terms.
Should I start speaking with native speakers at A2?+
Yes, but keep it low-pressure. Focus on simple exchanges, asking for directions, or ordering food. Native speakers will appreciate the effort.