15 greetings and phrases you can definitely use when traveling to Japan

When you travel to Japan, you are bound to run into trouble or get lost. However, if you memorize at least some Japanese, you will be able to converse with Japanese people there and resolve any problems you may have.

In this article, we will introduce 15 phrases for different situations that you should remember when traveling to Japan.

Greetings

1. Good morning.(ohayogozaimasu)

2. Hello (konnichiha)

3. Good evening(konbanha)

In Japan, the greeting words change depending on the time of day.

"Good morning" in the morning

"Hello" at noon

At night, say “Good evening'' to each other.

4. Good night(oyasuminasai)

Before going to bed at night, say “good night” to each other.

5. Thank you(arigatogozaimasu)

This phrase can be used when you want to express your gratitude to someone.

"Thank you" is fine, but "Thank you very much" is more polite.

Both the person saying this word and the person receiving it feel happy.

6. Sorry(suimasen)

There are two ways to use this word.

One is to say "I'm sorry" when apologizing.

The rest is what you say when addressing someone you don't know. The nuance is similar to the English "Excuse me."

When you're lost

When traveling to Japan, there are many times when you will get lost. Here we will introduce some useful phrases when asking for help from Japanese people nearby.

7. Can I ask you something? (otazunesitemo iidesuka?)

Use this phrase when you are lost and want to ask someone. It's okay to say, "Excuse me."

If you ask a passerby, you may be refused, so ask someone at a nearby information center or shop.

8. Where is this? (kore ha nandesuka?)

There are times when you want to go to a destination but don't know where you are. At that time, use this phrase while showing the map.

9. Where is 〜? (〜ha dokodesuka?)

This phrase is used to know the location of a destination.

Please enter the location of your destination in 〜.

10. Please repeat. (mo ichidoonegaisimasu)

There may be times when you can't understand what the other person is saying, so use this phrase in those cases.

restaurant

11. Do you have a menu with 〜 words? (〜no menu haarimasuka?)

There are very few restaurants in Japan that have menus for foreign tourists.

Therefore, please enter your language in 〜 and ask a nearby store clerk.

12. Which products do you recommend? (osusumenosyohin ha doredesuka?)

When ordering, ask the staff for this phrase. You're sure to discover delicious Japanese cuisine that you didn't know about.

13. What is this? (kore ha nandesuka?)

Use this phrase when you don't know which dish is on the menu or what dish you received.

14. Please pay the bill. (okaikei wo onegaisimasu)

This phrase is used when you have finished your meal and want to pay. Simply crossing the index fingers of both hands to make an X shape and showing it to the clerk is a signal to pay.

15. Can I pay separately? (kobetu ni okaikei dekimasuka?)

Use this phrase when you only want to pay for the food you ordered.

summary

When you visit Japan, please actively use these Japanese phrases to communicate with Japanese people. It's sure to be a nice trip.

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