Survival Cards
A few helpful phrases for the first time visitors.
Greetings
- Morning
- good morning -- ohayo gozaimasu
- Afternoon (until dark)
- good afternoon (i.e. hello) -- konnichiwa
- Evening (after dark)
- good evening (i.e. hello) -- konbanwa
- How do you do? -- hajimemashite
- How are you? -- ogenki desuka
- I'm fine -- genkidesu
- Thank you -- arigato gozaimasu
- Excuse me -- sumimasen
- Goodbye -- sayonara, bai bai
- Goodnight -- oyasumi nasai
- I don't understand -- wakarimasen
- Do you speak English? -- eigo ga hanasemasuka
Emergency/trouble
- Please call an ambulance -- kyu kyu sha wo yonde kudasai
- I need to go to a hospital -- byoin ni ikitai
- I've lost my (article)?
- (article) wo nakushimashita
At the station/post office
- I want to mail this letter/postcard to (place name).
- kono tegami/hagaki wo (place name) ni okuritainodesuga
- How long will it take? -- dorekurai kakarimasuka
- I want to insure this package -- hoken wo kaketainodesuga
- sea mail -- funabin
- air mail -- kokubin
- express -- sokutatsu
- parcel -- kozutsumi
- stamp -- kitte
- postcard -- hagaki
- I'd like a one-way/round ticket to (place name).
- (place name) made katamichi/ofuku wo kudasai
- What time does the train leave? -- itsu hassha shimasuka
- How long will the trip take? -- dorekurai kakarimasuka
- What platform should I wait on? -- nanbansen desuka
- sleeper train -- shindaisha
- reserved seating -- shiteiseki
- non-reserved seating -- jiyuseki
- non-smoking car -- kinensha
- 1st class seating -- gurinsha
Ordering
- I'd like to have (order name) -- (order name) wo kudasai
- Do you have (order name)? -- (order name) wa arimasuka
- water -- mizu
- ice -- kori
- beer -- biru
- coffee -- kohi
- fork -- foku
- spoon -- supun
- Serapately (as in paying a bill) -- betsu betsu desu
- Together (as in paying a bill) -- issho desu
Shopping
- How much is this? -- kore wa ikuradesuka
- Do you have this in a smaller/larger size? -- chiisai/okii saizu wa arimasuka
- Do you have this in any other colors? -- hokano irowa arimasuka
- Could you give me a discount? -- oyasuku narimasenka
- I'd like to have one/two of these. -- hitotsu/futatsu kudasai
Asking the way
- I'd like to go here. (showing a map or address) -- Koko ni ikitainodesuga
- Please show me where (place name) is. -- (place name) wa dokodesuka
- police station -- koban
- pharmacy -- yakkyoku
- telephone -- denwa
- hospital -- byoin
- hotel -- hoteru
- post office -- yubin kyoku
- bus -- basu
- streetcar -- densha
- train -- ressha
- taxi or cab -- takushi
- toilet -- toire
On a bus
- Where do I get off for (place name)? -- (place name) wa dokode orimasuka
On a taxi
- I'd like to go to (place name)? -- (place name) made onegaishimasu
- Where am I? -- koko wa dokodesuka
- Please drive slowly -- yukkuri ittekudasai
- How far is it? -- doregurai tooidesuka?
If you are confused, open a map. Japanese people are very helpful and soon one will come to your rescue.