By Sharon & Petunia Much credits to fluentu.com Why Should I learn Japanese? Perhaps you're at that point where you're considering starting something new, like learning Japanese, but you're not quite sure if it's worth the effort. Lea…
Perhaps you're at that point where you're considering starting something new, like learning Japanese, but you're not quite sure if it's worth the effort. Learning a language like Japanese seems daunting initially, but it comes with immense rewards. Whether you're planning to visit Japan, are fascinated by its pop culture through anime and manga, or are interested in Japan's technological and business landscape, knowing the language can ease your experiences and open doors.
This blog is organized into three main learning sections:
Everyday Phrases
Hiragana & Katakana
Pronouns
Additionally, there are two more sections at the end:
Cultural Insight
Conclusion
Everyday Phrases and Greetings
174 Essential Japanese Words and Phrases for Daily Life in Japan
CONTENTS
Greetings and Starters
Basic Conversation
Japanese Pronouns
Saying "Yes" and "No"
Saying "I Don't Understand"
Saying "Please"
Saying "Thank You" and "You're Welcome"
Saying "Sorry" and "Excuse Me"
Saying "Goodbye"
Basic Question Words
Travel Vocabulary
Phrases for Dining at a Restaurant
Shopping in Japanese
Phrases for Home
Phrases for Casual Conversations
Japanese Slangs
PRONOUNS
In English, addressing someone is straightforward with "I" and "you." But in Japanese, selecting the right personal pronoun is a subtle art. Whether you choose "watashi," "boku," or "atashi" can shape not just your words, but how you express your identity and connect with others. Each choice carries its own tone and cultural significance, revealing layers of who you are.
Japanese writing relies on three core scripts: hiragana, katakana, and kanji.
Kanji (漢字) isn't your typical alphabet. Instead, it's a collection of logographic symbols borrowed from Chinese. These characters are used to write most Japanese nouns, verbs, and adjectives. While there are about 50,000 kanji in total, don't worry—you only need to know a few thousand for everyday use.
Hiragana and katakana are simpler, phonetic alphabets, each with fewer than 50 characters. Unlike kanji, these scripts work more like the English alphabet, where each character stands for a specific sound. Though learning two new alphabets might sound challenging, consider this: in English, we have 104 different letter forms when you count uppercase, lowercase, print, and cursive —so hiragana and katakana are definitely within reach!
The great thing is that hiragana and katakana share the same sounds. For example, in hiragana, こ sounds like "ko," ん like "n," に like "ni," ち like "chi," and は in this context is pronounced as "wa." Put them together, and you get こんにちは, which reads as "Konnichiwa." Simple enough, right? And with both scripts representing the same sounds, you're just learning two ways to write them.
Having a solid vocabulary is essential for developing a strong foundation in any language. For those just starting out, it's beneficial to concentrate on categories that pop up in daily conversations, like:
Food: Get to know common food items like ごはん (gohan - rice), さかな (sakana - fish), and おちゃ (ocha - tea).
Numbers: Learn basic numbers like いち (ichi - one), に (ni - two), and さん (san - three).
Colours: Begin with simple colors like あお (ao - blue), あか (aka - red), and しろ (shiro - white).
Family Terms: Familiarize yourself with family related words like はは (haha - mother), ちち (chichi - father), and あね (ane - older sister).
Making a list of 20 easy words from these categories, along with their English meanings and Hiragana/Katakana forms, can help lay a strong foundation. It's a great idea to create your own flashcards for each word. Using digital flashcard apps like Anki or traditional physical flashcards can be really helpful.
Example Vocabulary List
ごはん (gohan) - rice
さかな (sakana) - fish
いち (ichi) - one
に (ni) - two
あお (ao) - blue
あか (aka) - red
はは (haha) - mother
ちち (chichi) - father
いぬ (inu) - dog
ねこ (neko) - cat
みず (mizu) - water
ともだち (tomodachi) - friend
いえ (ie) - house
でんわ (denwa) - telephone
しろ (shiro) - white
くるま (kuruma) - car
はな (hana) - flower
てがみ (tegami) - letter
おちゃ (ocha) - tea
ひこうき (hikouki) - airplane
Make sure to review these words often and gradually add new ones to your list.
Listening and Speaking Practice
To get used to the natural flow and rhythm of the language, it's ideal to engage with content from native speakers.
Watch YouTube channels, or anime with Japanese audio. Listening to real conversations will help improve your pronunciation, intonation, and sentence structure. Beginners can start with materials designed for learners, which feature slower and simpler speech.
Example Resources: NHK World Easy Japanese, JapanesePod101, and anime with subtitles.
Practicing speaking out loud without hesitation, repeating sentences from audio clips, podcasts, or videos can greatly enhance your pronunciation and build your confidence. A useful method is shadowing, where you mimic a speaker to match their rhythm and intonation.
Also, consider recording your speaking practice. Listen to the recordings and compare your pronunciation to that of native speakers.
Cultural Insights
Let us now dwell on a bit of Japan's Culture & Customs.
More specifically, let's talk about manners.
Mannerisms form a fundamental aspect of a culture. Japanese mannerisms have a certain warmth, characterized with elegance and grace. Here are some necessary mannerisms which are expected to be followed while interacting with Japanese individuals.
Bowing
In Japan, bowing is a formal way to greet. When you meet someone for the first time or are addressing a higher authority, you must bow and show your respect.
Bowing can also serve as a form of apology, depending upon the situation's severity and the social hierarchy involved.
Removing Shoes
In Japan, it is a strict practice to remove shoes before entering a house, reflecting a deep cultural emphasis on cleanliness.
Upon the arrival of the guests, the host provides them with a designated pair of slippers for indoor use. Shoes must be placed in a neat way, facing the door.
It is considered impolite to be barefoot. Socks should be worn underneath the slippers. Nonetheless, slippers must be removed before stepping onto a tatami mat.
Honorifics
The Japanese language follows the method of keishō (敬称), which includes honorific suffixes and prefixes which must be used while in conversation with someone. Suffixes are often gender-specific at the end of names, while prefixes are attached to the beginning of many nouns. Honorific suffixes are self-explanatory as they show the speaker's level in the general social hierarchy and tell us about the dynamics of the relationship.
Tea Ceremony
Another Prominent Japanese Cultural Activity is Tea Ceremony
The Japanese tea ceremony (known as sadō/chadō (茶道, 'The Way of Tea') or chanoyu (茶の湯)) is a ceremonial activity in which one prepares and presents "matcha" (抹茶) or "powdered green tea", the procedure of which is called "temae (点前)".
Sen no Rikyu is credited with revolutionizing and elevating the practice into an art form. In 1500, he redefined the tea house rules and tea ceremony procedures, refining them according to the aesthetic principles of wabi.
When attending a tea ceremony, wearing traditional Japanese attire is preferred.
The setting for the tea ceremony is typically enveloped by a garden, which fosters a tranquil spirit and calms the mind.
The ceremony is usually conducted in a traditional tatami room.
Humility and gratitude are essential emotions. One should bow before and after sitting on the tatami in a seiza position.
The tea is prepared before the guests using various utensils, including the tea whisk (chasen), tea container (natsume), tea scoop (chashaku), tea bowl, sweets container, kettle, and brazier.
A Japanese sweet is offered before the tea. After preparation of the tea, the host places it onto the tatami mat towards the guest.
The guest is expected to lift the tea bowl with the right hand, cover it with the left palm, rotate it clockwise approximately 90 degrees, sip the tea slowly, and then return the tea bowl to the tatami mat upon finishing. After enjoying the tea, one should bow to express gratitude.
conclusion
We are pretty bad at conclusions, so let's keep it simple.
We sincerely hope you had as much fun reading this as we did putting it together! It was really insightful to write this blog and dive into Japanese language and culture. Thanks for checking it out—let's keep learning and enjoying this journey together! ありがとう (Arigatou)!
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