60 Essential Japanese Phrases for Daily Conversation (With Romaji)

These sixty phrases cover most of what a beginner needs for a normal day in Japan. Learn them by saying them, not by reading them.

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Illustration with the kanji for conversation and speech bubbles with common phrases
What you need to know

60 Essential Japanese Phrases for Daily Conversation (With Romaji)

You do not need thousands of words to have a conversation in Japanese. You need a small core of phrases, said with confidence, and the ability to ask when you do not understand. This list groups sixty essential phrases by situation, gives romaji for pronunciation, and ends with a method for moving them from a list into your mouth. Each group is short enough to learn in a day and practical enough to use the same evening.

Greetings and politeness that Japanese people use every single day

Small-talk and understanding phrases that keep conversations going

Shopping, directions, restaurant, and emergency phrases for real situations

A practice method so the phrases come out when you need them

Greetings

JapaneseRomajiEnglish
おはようございます。Ohayō gozaimasu.Good morning.
こんにちは。Konnichiwa.Hello. Good afternoon.
こんばんは。Konbanwa.Good evening.
おやすみなさい。Oyasuminasai.Good night.
はじめまして。Hajimemashite.Nice to meet you.
お元気ですか？Ogenki desu ka?How are you?
元気です。Genki desu.I am fine.
お久しぶりです。Ohisashiburi desu.Long time no see.
ただいま。Tadaima.I am home.
お帰りなさい。Okaerinasai.Welcome home.

Politeness and thanks

JapaneseRomajiEnglish
ありがとうございます。Arigatō gozaimasu.Thank you.
どういたしまして。Dō itashimashite.You are welcome.
すみません。Sumimasen.Excuse me. Sorry. Thank you for the trouble.
ごめんなさい。Gomennasai.I am sorry.
お願いします。Onegaishimasu.Please. (requesting)
どうぞ。Dōzo.Please, go ahead. Here you are.
失礼します。Shitsurei shimasu.Excuse me. (entering or leaving)
お疲れ様です。Otsukaresama desu.Thanks for your hard work. (colleagues)

About yourself and small talk

JapaneseRomajiEnglish
私は〇〇です。Watashi wa ___ desu.I am ___.
〇〇から来ました。___ kara kimashita.I am from ___.
日本語を勉強しています。Nihongo o benkyō shite imasu.I am studying Japanese.
日本は初めてです。Nihon wa hajimete desu.This is my first time in Japan.
いい天気ですね。Ii tenki desu ne.Nice weather, isn't it?
暑いですね。Atsui desu ne.It is hot, isn't it?
趣味は何ですか？Shumi wa nan desu ka?What are your hobbies?
おすすめはありますか？Osusume wa arimasu ka?Do you have a recommendation?

Understanding and asking

JapaneseRomajiEnglish
分かりました。Wakarimashita.I understand. Got it.
分かりません。Wakarimasen.I do not understand.
もう一度お願いします。Mō ichido onegaishimasu.Once more, please.
ゆっくり話してください。Yukkuri hanashite kudasai.Please speak slowly.
英語を話せますか？Eigo o hanasemasu ka?Can you speak English?
これは何ですか？Kore wa nan desu ka?What is this?
〇〇は日本語で何と言いますか？___ wa nihongo de nan to iimasu ka?How do you say ___ in Japanese?
ちょっと待ってください。Chotto matte kudasai.Please wait a moment.

Shopping

JapaneseRomajiEnglish
これはいくらですか？Kore wa ikura desu ka?How much is this?
これをください。Kore o kudasai.This one, please.
試着してもいいですか？Shichaku shite mo ii desu ka?May I try it on?
カードは使えますか？Kādo wa tsukaemasu ka?Can I use a card?
袋はいりません。Fukuro wa irimasen.I do not need a bag.
ほかの色はありますか？Hoka no iro wa arimasu ka?Do you have other colours?

Directions and transport

JapaneseRomajiEnglish
駅はどこですか？Eki wa doko desu ka?Where is the station?
トイレはどこですか？Toire wa doko desu ka?Where is the toilet?
ここから遠いですか？Koko kara tōi desu ka?Is it far from here?
この電車は新宿に行きますか？Kono densha wa Shinjuku ni ikimasu ka?Does this train go to Shinjuku?
まっすぐ行ってください。Massugu itte kudasai.Please go straight.
右に曲がってください。Migi ni magatte kudasai.Please turn right.

Restaurants and cafes

JapaneseRomajiEnglish
二人です。Futari desu.Two people.
メニューをお願いします。Menyū o onegaishimasu.The menu, please.
これを一つお願いします。Kore o hitotsu onegaishimasu.One of this, please.
お水をください。Omizu o kudasai.Water, please.
お会計お願いします。Okaikei onegaishimasu.The bill, please.
ごちそうさまでした。Gochisōsama deshita.Thank you for the meal.

Emergencies and health

JapaneseRomajiEnglish
助けてください。Tasukete kudasai.Please help me.
気分が悪いです。Kibun ga warui desu.I feel sick.
病院はどこですか？Byōin wa doko desu ka?Where is the hospital?
財布をなくしました。Saifu o nakushimashita.I lost my wallet.

Saying goodbye

JapaneseRomajiEnglish
さようなら。Sayōnara.Goodbye. (formal, or for a long time)
じゃあ、また。Jā, mata.See you. (casual)
また明日。Mata ashita.See you tomorrow.
お気をつけて。Oki o tsukete.Take care.

How to make these phrases automatic

Reading this list twice will not help you when a shop assistant asks a question. Work through one group per day. Say each phrase aloud five times, then close the page and try to say the whole group from memory. Finally, use the group in a short spoken conversation the same day: introduce yourself, buy something, ask for directions.

Unihongo's beginner topics, including greetings, shopping, directions, and cafe conversations, are built around exactly these phrases. Your AI Sensei uses them naturally, asks the follow-up questions a real person would, and shows you corrections afterwards. Ten minutes a day for a week is enough to move most of this list from something you recognise to something you say.

Key points

A practical way to improve

Learn one group per day, say each phrase aloud five times, and then use the group in a short conversation the same day. A phrase you have said in a conversation is remembered; a phrase you have only read is not.

  1. 1

    Choose one clear goal

    Focus each session on a situation or skill you can actually use.

  2. 2

    Practice actively

    Say complete answers aloud instead of only reading or recognizing Japanese.

  3. 3

    Review and repeat

    Keep useful corrections and revisit the same skill until it feels natural.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What are the most important Japanese phrases for beginners?

Start with sumimasen (excuse me, sorry), arigatō gozaimasu (thank you), onegaishimasu (please), wakarimasen (I do not understand), and mō ichido onegaishimasu (once more, please). These five carry you through most early interactions and help you recover when you are lost.

Should I learn Japanese phrases in romaji?

Use romaji to get started this week, but learn hiragana and katakana as soon as possible. Romaji hides vowel length and encourages English pronunciation habits, and almost nothing in Japan is written in it.

How do I remember Japanese phrases?

Say them aloud in context. Memory for spoken phrases is built by producing them in situations, so practise each group in a short conversation or roleplay the same day you learn it, and review the ones you stumbled on.

Is it okay to use casual Japanese phrases with strangers?

No. Use the polite forms in this list with strangers, staff, and anyone older or senior. Casual forms are for friends, family, and children. When in doubt, polite is always safe.

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