Common Words & Phrases

These words and expressions are useful when greeting friends daily.

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Language Words

英語

eigo
English

日本語

nihongo
Japanese (language)

日本

nihon
Japan

Question Words

何

nani
what

これは何？

kore wa nani?
What's this?

だれ

dare
who

だれですか？

dare desu ka?
Who is that?

いつ

itsu
when

いつきますか？

itsu kimasu ka?
When will (you) come?

どこ

doko
where

店はどこですか？

mise wa doko desu ka?
Where is the store?

どう

dou
how

ピザはどうですか？

piza wa dou desu ka?
How about pizza?
(or you could be asking, "How is your pizza?")

どうして

doushite
why

どうして行きませんでしたか？

doushite ikimasen deshita ka?
Why didn't you go?

People Words

日本人

nihon jin
Japanese (person)

アメリカ人

amerika jin
American (person)

カナダ人

kanada jin
Canadian (person)

イギリス人

igirisu jin
English (person)

オーストラリア人

o-sutoraria jin
Australian (person)

韓国人

kankoku jin
Korean (person)

中国人

chuugoku jin
Chinese (person)

Pronouns

私

watashi
I, me

私の

watashi no
my

あなた

anata
you

あなたの

anata no
your (possessive)

私たち

watashi tachi
we; us

私たちの

watashi tachi no
our; ours (plural possessive)

あなたたち

anata tachi
you (plural)

あなたたちの

anata tachi no
yours (plural possessive)

彼

kare
he; him

彼の

kare no
his (possessive)

彼女

kanojo
she; her

彼女の

kanojo no
her; hers (possessive)