Commonly Asked Questions

O-namae wa nan desu ka.

What is your name?

Go-shusshin wa doko desu ka.

Where were you born?

O-sumai wa doko desu ka.

Where is your home?

O-kuni wa dochira desu ka.

Which country are you from?

Amerika no nani shuu desu ka.

Which state in the U.S.?

Sore wa doko desu ka.

Where is that?

Once it has been determined that you are definitely not from Japan, people will wonder why you are there.

Nihon ni kita no wa ryokoo desu ka.

Did you come to Japan to travel?

Nihon de wa o-shigoto o shite imasu ka.

Are you working in Japan?

Nihon ni wa dore gurai imasu ka.

How long will you be in Japan?

Nihon ni wa itsu kimashita ka.

When did you come to Japan?

Nihon ni iru no wa moo nagai desu ka.

Have you already been in Japan for a long time?

Nihon ni iru no wa nan nen gurai ni narimasu ka.

How many years have you been in Japan?

Useful Expressions

Yes.
Hai.
はい。
No.
Iie.
いいえ。

Excues me.
Sumimasen.
すみません。

Thanks.
Doumo.
どうも。

Thank you.
Arigatou gozaimasu.
ありがとうございます。

You are welcome.
Dou itashimashite.
どういたしまして。

Do you speak Japanese?
Nihongo o hanashimasu ka.
日本語を話しますか。

Yes, little.
Hai, sukoshi.
はい、少し。

Do you understand?
Wakarimasu ka.
分りますか。

I don't understand.
Wakarimasen.
分りません。

I don't know.
Shirimasen.
知りません。

How do you say it in Japanese?
Nihongo de nan to iimasu ka.
日本語で何と言いますか。

What does it mean?
Dou iu imi desu ka.
どういう意味ですか。

What is it?
Kore wa nan desu ka.
これは何ですか。

Please speak slowly.
Yukkuri hanashite kudasai.
ゆっくり話してください。

Please say it again.
Mou ichido itte kudasai.
もう一度言ってください。

No, thanks.
Iie, kekkou desu.
いいえ、結構です。

It is all right.
Daijoubu desu.
大丈夫です。

Essential Words

what
nani
なに

where
doko
どこ

who
dare
だれ

when
itsu
いつ

which
dore
どれ

how much
ikura
いくら

Greetings and Daily Expressions

Ohayou gozaimasu. （おはようございます。） - Good morning.
Konnichiwa. （こんにちは。） - Hello/Good afternoon.
Konbanwa. （こんばんは。） - Good evening.
Oyasuminasai. （おやすみなさい。） - Good night.
Sayonara. （さよなら。）- Good-bye