StoryLearning

JAPANESE
VO C A B P O W E R PAC K
 Welcome!
Thanks for downloading the vocab power pack
and welcome to the StoryLearning community!

In this power pack, you’ll find a collection of useful words and phrases that you can use to
expand your vocabulary and express yourself more confidently in Japanese.

The vocabulary in this pack covers all levels of Japanese:

• Beginner
• Intermediate
• Advanced

and a range of different topics and situations. You can refer to the table of contents to jump
to the sections that are most interesting and relevant to you.
How To Use This Pack
Use this PDF like a “phrasebook” to reference as you progress on your Japanese journey.

A word of warning… DON’T try to memorise all the vocabulary in this pack.
This is very important!

I don’t recommend trying to memorise all of the vocabulary here - you’ll only drive yourself
mad and it won’t help you very much with your Japanese.

I suggest printing it off or saving it on your phone so you can quickly refer to it when studying
Japanese or before your next Japanese conversation.

By using and applying the vocabulary this way, you’ll learn more quickly and in a less stressful
way than if you try to memorise everything.

You’ll also start to recognise these phrases when they come up in conversations or in things
you hear or read.

And that’s important...

Because my favourite way to expand my vocabulary in the languages I learn is by reading and
listening to stories.

I’ve included my top tips for learning vocabulary through stories at the end of this PDF. It’s a
great way to build on the vocabulary you discover in this pack.

I think you’ll find this approach is a fun and refreshing alternative to the usual “learn by heart”
method of acquiring vocabulary. So make sure you check it out!

Without further ado, let’s begin!

Olly
 Table of
Contents

Section 1: BEGINNERS - Essential Japanese Vocabulary 01

The Basics 02
Travel Phrases For Your Next Trip 08
Numbers in Japanese 16

Section 2: INTERMEDIATE - Expanding Your Vocabulary 20

Essential Japanese Verbs 20

Japanese adverbs 33
Japanese Conversational Connectors 36

Section 3: ADVANCED 44

Conversation Starters 44
Japanese slang 48
 Section 1: Essential Japanese Vocabulary for
Beginners

Congratulations on making a start because that’s the first essential step in learning the
Japanese language.

Now I get it, even if you’ve been practising for a while, trying to speak in Japanese is a nerve
wracking idea.

You’re scared about getting the words wrong, and terrified that no one will understand you.
Even worse is the thought that you might inadvertently offend someone in this extremely
polite culture.

It’s a normal reaction — I’ve been there, believe me — and that’s why I’ve got your back with
this Japanese Vocab Power Pack.

Here you’ll find a ton of useful words and phrases to get you started on having successful and
meaningful conversations in Japanese.

In this first section we’ll cover the basics — all those essential words and expressions you’ll
need when greeting people, asking questions, numbers, being polite and tons more. These
phrases will be the backbone on which you can build your Japanese knowledge.

So, let’s get started.

JA PA N E S E VO C A B P O W E R PAC K 1
 Basic Japanese Phrases

Greetings

Japanese is full of simple phrases to help you start a conversation.

#1 Konnichiwa (こんにちは) – Hello

#2 Ohayou gozaimasu (おはようございます) – Good morning

#3 Konbanwa (こんにちは) – Good evening

#4 Moshi moshi (もしもし) – Hello (but only if you’re on the phone or something like
Skype)

#5 Ogenki desu ka? (お元気ですか) – How are you?

#6 Genki desu (元気です) – I’m good/I’ve been doing well, thanks

#7 Ohisashiburi desu ne (お久しぶりですね) – Long time no see

#8 _______–san mo? (______-さんも？) – And you?

(Hint: fill in the blank with your friend’s name. This is a great response to things like
“How are you?” because you can say, “I’m good! And you?”)

Learn more about your conversation partner

Keep the conversation going with these phrases.

#9 Namae wa nan desu ka? (名前は何ですか) – What’s your name?

#10 Watashi no namae wa _____ desu (私の名前は＿＿です) – My name is ______

#11 Doko kara kimashita ka? (どこから来ましたか) – Where are you from?

#12 Watashi wa ______ kara kimashita (私は＿＿から来ました) – I’m from __________.

JA PA N E S E VO C A B P O W E R PAC K 2
 #13 Sou desu ka? (そうですか) – Is that so?/Really?/I see
(Hint: this is a great thing to say after learning where someone is from, what they do,
or other facts about their life.)

Essential expressions of politeness

Try out some of these traditional Japanese politeness phrases so you can apologise,
show off your good manners, and be polite at a restaurant before you tuck into a
meal.

#14 Arigatou gozaimasu (ありがとうございます) – Thank you

#15 Douitashimashite (どういたしまして) – You’re welcome

#16 Sumimasen (すみません) – I’m sorry/excuse me

(Hint: you can use this for anything from apologising for stumbling into someone on
the train to asking for help or asking for people to move out of your way.)

#17 Gomen nasai (ごめんなさい) – I’m sorry

(Hint: didn’t we already cover “I’m sorry”? Gomen nasai is less “excuse me” and more
“I’m truly sorry from the bottom of my heart.” Use it if you knocked something over
and broke it, not if you interrupted someone’s stroll to ask for directions.)

#18 Yoroshiku onegaishimasu (よろしくおねがいします) – I’m in your debt!

(Hint: this one isn’t used in its literal sense most of the time; it’s a way to say “thank
you” to someone you are counting on or indebted to. For example, if you’re starting
out at a new job in Japan, you might introduce yourself and then add this at the
end. You might also use it if you’ve asked someone a favour, such as to show you
around or give you directions.)

#19 Itadakimasu (いただきます) – Let’s dig in

(Hint: say this before meals as a way to politely say you’re going to begin enjoying
your food.)

#20 Gochisousama deshita (ごちそうさまでした) – That was delicious

(Hint: say this after meals as a way to say thank you.)

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 Clarifying phrases

People won’t be offended if you need to check you understood or ask them to repeat
what they said.

#21 Eigo te iu no wa… (英語ていうのは) – And in English, that’s…?

#22 Wakarimasen (わかりません) – I don’t understand

#23 Shirimasen (知りません) – I don’t know

#24 Wasuremashita (忘れました) – I forgot

#25 Motto yukkuri kudasai (もっとゆっくり下さい) – Please go a little slower

#26 Mou ichido kudasai (もう一度下さい) – Could you say that one more time?

#27 Nihongo de perapera de wa nai desu (日本語でペラペラではないです) – I’m not

very fluent in Japanese
(Hint: you’re speaking Japanese already! So you can’t say “I don’t know Japanese at
all,” right?)

#28 ___ te iu no imi wa nan desu ka? (＿＿ていうの意味は何ですか) – What does _____
mean?

#29 Tetsudatte kuremasen ka? (手伝ってくれませんか) – Can you help me?

Essential question phrases in Japanese

#30 Doko desu ka? (どこですか) – Where is it?

#31 Itsu desu ka? (いつですか) – When is it?

#32 Doushite? (どうして) – Why?

#33 Dochira desu ka? (どちらですか) – Which one is it?

#34 Nan desu ka? (何ですか) – What is it?

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 #35 Dare desu ka? (だれですか) – Who is it?

“Keeping the conversation going” vocab

Learn a little bit more about your conversation partner.

#43 Nansai desu ka? (何歳ですか) – How old are you?

#44 Doko ni sundeimasu ka? (どこに住んでいますか) – Where do you live?

#45 Kyoudai ga imasu ka? (兄弟がいますか) – Do you have siblings?

#46 Ikura desu ka? (いくらですか) – How much does that cost?

#47 Kore wa nan desu ka? (これはなんですか) – What is this?

#48 Sore wa nan desu ka? (それはなんですか) – What is that?

#49 Are we nan desu ka? (あれはなんですか) – What is that?

(Hint: Use “kore” when something is close to you, “sore” when something is away
from you but close to the person you’re speaking to, and “are” when something is far
away from both of you.)

#50 Toire wa doko desu ka? (トイレはどこですか) – Where’s the toilet?

Answers to common questions

And respond to their questions too.

#51 Hai (はい) – Yes

#52 Iie (いいえ) – No

#53 Mada mada (まだまだ) – Not yet

#54 Kamoshiremasen (かもしれません) – Maybe/I’m not sure

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 #55 Tokidoki (時々) – Sometimes

#56 Zenzen (全然) – Never

#57 Itsumo (いつも) – Always

#58 Taitei (たいてい) – Usually

#59 Watashi wa _____ desu (私は＿＿です) – I’m a _______

(Hint: you can fill this blank with anything you feel describes you. That might be a
“student” (gakusei), “tourist” (kankoukyaku), or even “doctor” (isha)!

#60 Daijoubu desu (大丈夫です) – That’s okay

#61 Ii desu (いいです) – That’s good

Phrases for special occasions

#62 Ki o tsukete (気を付けて) – Be careful

(Hint: you might say this to someone going on a trip.)

#63 Yoku dekimashita (よくできました) – Great job

#64 Omedetou gozaimasu (おめでとうございます) – Congratulations

#65 Tanjoubi omedetou (誕生日おめでとう) – Happy birthday

#66 Kanpai (乾杯) – Cheers

(Hint: you should really only go for this one if you actually have a drink of some sort
in your hand.)

Four ways to say goodbye

#67 Ja (じゃ) – Well

(Hint: used in the sense of “well, I guess I’d better get going.”)

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 #68 Sayounara (さようなら) – Goodbye
(Hint: use only if you don’t plan on seeing them again. This is a more final “goodbye.”)

#69 Ja, mata (じゃまた) – Well, see you

(Hint: this is the much more common “goodbye.”)

#70 Oyasumi nasai (おやすみなさい) – Good night

Emergency Phrases

If you find yourself in serious trouble, use these phrases to call for help.
Hopefully you never have to use them, but it’s always a good thing to remember
them in case you need them.

#71 Tasukete! (助けて) – Help me!

#72 Keisatsu o yonde kudasai! (警察を呼んで下さい) – Please call the police!

#73 Kyuu kyuusha o yonde kudasai! (救急車を呼んで下さい) – Please call an

ambulance!

In language learning, you don’t need to reinvent the wheel each time you speak to someone
new. Nor do you have to come up with all your answers on the spot.

Try thinking about your answers to some native speaker questions beforehand so you can
find the right words (like your age, occupation, and country or language name) to describe
yourself!

When you know what to expect, and you’ve prepared in advance, you’ll find that
conversations with native speakers go much more smoothly. And most importantly, you’ll feel
more confident about speaking in Japanese.

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 Travel Phrases For Your Next Trip

If you’re considering a trip to Japan, you’ll probably want to learn some Japanese travel
phrases so you can make the most of your trip.

These phrases will help you travel around, order food and coffee, and allow you to ask for help
when you get lost.

At the airport

These are some of the signs you’ll see and places you may need to visit at the airport.

#1 ryougaejo (両替所) – currency exchange

#2 toire (トイレ) – toilet

#3 zeikan (税関) – customs

#4 nyuukoku shinsa (入国審査) – immigration

#5 sougou annaijo (総合案内所) – information desk

#6 omiyageya (お土産屋) – souvenir shop

#7 seki (席) – seat

#8 densha (電車) – train

#9 takushi (タクシー) – taxi

#10 ____ ha doko desu ka? (＿＿はどこですか。) – Where is the ______?

If you’re leaving the airport by train you can either buy a ticket at a self service ticket
machine or buy from a manned counter, using this phrase.

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 #11 ____ made no chiketto wo kudasai. (＿＿までのチケットをください。) – Can I have
a ticket to _______ please?

And if you’re concerned you may have to change trains, ask this question.

#12 Norikae ha arimasu ka? (乗り換えはありますか。) – Is there a transfer?

Taking a taxi

A good option if you’re overwhelmed by the idea of navigating when you first arrive
in Japan, taxis are not as expensive as you might think. Taxi drivers often go above
and beyond to help you, but remember that Japan is still a cash-centric society and
credit cards are rarer than you may be used to. Plan to carry some cash in case your
taxi driver doesn’t accept credit cards.

#13 takushi (タクシー) – taxi

#14 ____ made onegaishimasu (＿＿までお願いします) – I’d like to go to _____, please.

#15 Ikura desu ka? (いくらですか。) – How much does it cost?

#16 Kurejitto kaado de ii desu ka? (クレジットカードでいいですか。) – Is paying by

credit card okay?

Checking into your hotel

Hotels have a wide array of commodities that you can take advantage of, which
means that you’ll also get to use a lot of unique vocabulary.

#17 kagi (鍵) – Key

#18 chouba (or more commonly ronto desuku) (帳場 (フロントデスク) – Front desk

#19 robii (ロビー) – Lobby

#20 shokudou (食堂) – Dining room

#21 rouka (廊下) – Hall

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 #22 taoru (タオル) – Towel

#23 sekken (石鹸) – Soap

#24 haburashi (歯ブラシ) – Toothbrush

#25 ha-migaki (歯磨き) – Toothpaste

#26 kamisori (かみそり) – Razor

#27 terebi (テレビ) – Television

#28 kaji-gakari (かじがかり) – Housekeeping

#29 sentaku ( 選択) – Laundry

When you are ready to check in, you can approach the front desk. Depending on
what you need to do next, you can use phrases such as:

#30 Chekku in wo onegaishimasu. (チェックインをお願いします。) – I’d like to check

in.

#31 Namae wa _____desu. (名前あ＿＿＿です。) – My name is _______.

#32 Yoyaku wo shitai desu. (予約をしたいです。) – I’d like to make a reservation.

#33 Wi-Fi ga arimasu ka? ( WIFIがありますか。) – Is there wifi?

#34 Chekku auto wa nanji desu ka? ( チェックアウトは何時ですか。`) – What time is

checkout?

#35 Nimotsu wo koko ni oite itte mo ii desu ka? (荷物はここに置いていってもいいです

か。) – Can you hold my luggage for me?

You might use these phrases when entering or leaving the hotel or when you interact
with others.

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 #36 Ohayou – good morning konnichiwa – good afternoon, konbanwa – good
evening

When you say goodbye you might hear this phrase in return:

#37 Itterasshai – Have a safe trip or Okaeri – welcome back (when you return.)

#38 Irasshaimase – a very formal welcome you hear when you enter a business. You
are not expected to say anything in response.

Buying Coffee

If you can’t go a day without your morning brew, take heart—Japanese coffee shops
are everywhere, and the vocabulary is actually almost identical to what you may be
used to ordering.

#39 kissaten (喫茶店) – Coffee shop

#40 hotto kohi (ホットコーヒー) – Hot coffee

#41 aisu kohi (アイスコーヒー) – Iced coffee

#42 kafe rate (カフェラテ) – Cafe latte

#43 dorippu kohi (ドリップコーヒー) – Drip coffee

#44 soi miruku (ソイミルク) – Soy milk

#45 Esupuresso (エスプレッソ) – Espresso

#46 . ([item] wo [number] onegaishimasu.[item] を [number] (お願いします。) – I’d

like to order [number] of [item]

The [item] can be kohi, mizu (water), or any other item you would like to order. If you
don’t know how to say what you want to order, you can point to a menu and simply
say “kore” (this) in the [item] place. You can fill the [number] slot with the quantity

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 you would like; the words hitotsu, futatsu, and mitsu mean one, two, and three,
respectively.

Example: (Hotto kohi wo hitotsu onegaishimasu.) – I’d like one hot coffee, please.

Coffee sizes: Typically S (Small) M (Medium) or L (Large)

#47 saizu (サイズ) – Size

#48 saizuM (サイズ) – Medium M

In Japanese Restaurants

The good news is that many restaurants—especially in large cities—have pictures

on their menus, and no one will be upset if you point and simply say “this, please.”
However, if you want to speak these are some of the words you’re most likely to need

#49 sakana (魚) – Fish

#50 niku (肉) – Meat

#51 yasai (野菜) – Vegetables

#52 begitarian (ベジタリアン) – Vegetarian

#53 biiru (ビール) – Beer

#54 mizu (水) – Water

#55 ocha (お茶) – Tea

When you’re asked how many people in your party you can use this sentence and
insert the appropriate numbers.

#56 [number] mei desu. (___名です) – There are [number] people.

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 Once you have been seated, you may need to use some of the following phrases:

#57 Eigo no menyu arimasu ka? (英語のメニューありますか。) – Do you have an

English menu?

#58 Kore ha nan desu ka? (これは何ですか。) – What is this [while pointing]?

#59 ____ onegaishimasu. (＿＿お願いします。) – [item] please.

If you do not know the name of the item and would like to order just by pointing at
the menu, you can use:

#60 [item] wo [number] onegaishimasu.[item] を [number] (お願いします。) – I’d like

to order [number] of [item].

When your meal is over, your next step is to pay. Important phrases that can get you
through this phase of the interaction include:

#61 Okaikei kudasai. (お会計ください。) – Could we have the bill, please?

#62 Kurejitto kaado de daijoubu desu ka? (クレジットカードで大丈夫ですか。) – Can I

pay with a credit card?

In a Convenience Store

In Japan, these stores are called konbini, short for konbiniensu sutoa and you’ll find
them on nearly every street corner.

The easiest meals to choose are bento boxes, or small boxes (in the cold section) that
serve as a whole meal. If you pick one of those up and stand in line, you will almost
always hear the following three phrases (to which you can answer yes or no, which
keeps things simple):

#63 Otsugi no kata douzo! (お次の方どうぞ。) – Next in line, please!

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 #64 ? Pointo ka-do ha omochi desu ka? (ポイントカードはお持ちですか。) – Do you
have a point card [a rewards card for the convenience store]

#65 Obento atatamemasu ka? (お弁当温めますか。) – Would you like your bento
warmed up?

Getting Directions

If you need to ask directions, the phrases that will serve you best are:

#66 ____ ha doko desu ka? (＿＿ はどこですか。) – Where is [place]?

#67 Michi wo kiite mo ii desu ka? (道を聞いてもいいですか。) – Can I ask you for
directions?

#68 Tasukete kudasaimasen ka? (助けてくださいませんか。) – Can you help me?

In response, Japanese people are likely to use the following words:

#69 totonari (となり) – Next

#70 mae (前) – In front of

#71 ushiro (後ろ) – Behind

#72 chikaku (近く) – Nearby

#73 kita (北) – North

#74 minami (南) – South

#75 higashi (東) – East

#76 nishi (西) – West

#77 migi (右) – Right

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 #79 michi (道) – Street/road/path

#80 hashi (橋) – Bridge

#81 kado (角) – Corner

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 Numbers in Japanese

Most Japanese writing will use the kanji for the numbers instead of spelling out their hiragana,
so if you haven’t begun learning kanji yet, the numbers are a great place to start!

You are also allowed to use numerals (like 1, 9, and so on) instead of kanji if you like.

One to 100

Let’s start with the numbers one to ten.

1. ichi 一
2. ni 二
3. san 三
4. shi 四
5. go 五
6. roku 六
7. shichi 七
8. hachi 八
9. kyuu 九
10. jyuu 十

Now, you need to know that 4 and 7 have special readings. Shi 四 shares the same
sound as shi 死, meaning “death,” so the sound yon is more often used for 4. So, keep
in mind that 4 can be either yon or shi.

Similarly, 7 can be shichi or nana depending on what comes next.

In English, you have special words like twenty and forty that you have to memorize
separately of individual numbers. In Japanese, this is not true; you can simply put
number words together.

For example:

1: ichi
11: jyuu ichi (10 and 1)
41: yon jyuu ichi (four 10s and a 1)
91: kyuu jyuu ichi (nine 10s and a 1)

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 Numbers over 100

The same principles continue until you get to 10,000.

For example:
296: ni hyaku kyuu jyuu roku (2 hundreds, 9 10s and a 6)
1570: issen go hyaku nana jyuu (1 thousand, 5 hundreds and 7 10s)

A few words change from their standard form:

300 sanbyaku (not sanhyaku)
600 roppyaku (not rokuhyaku)
800 happyaku (not hachihyaku)
3,000 sanzen (not sansen)
8,000 hassen (not hachisen)

10,000 and more

Japanese operates on the principle of fours instead of threes. In English, when you
break a number like 10,000,000 into sets, you do it by threes, hence the comma
every three numbers.
But, in Japanese this number is represented as 1000,0000. It is still written as
10,000,000 but, verbally, it is pronounced as issen man, or one thousand ten
thousands, instead of English’s ten million. That means you need to carefully consider
how to describe man based upon these sets of fours.

So in English, we might say ten thousand, describing the fact that 10,000 is 10 sets
of 1,000. But in Japanese, 10,000 is merely man. Unlike English, Japanese speakers
have a specific word for 10,000.

In turn, this means that 30,000 is not thirty sets of one thousand (thirty thousand),
but rather three sets of man (or three man, sanman).

Japanese differs from English when you begin to count things. In Japanese, you
cannot simply say “I see three people.”

Instead, Japanese has a number of counters, or words that follow the number that
help to describe exactly what that number is counting.

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 Take the example of people. The counter for people is nin 人, which also means
“person.” So instead of simply saying three, you say three[person].

There are counters for a wide variety of things. Here are some of the most common:

本 hon/pon/bon: 枚 mai: 匹 hiki/biki/piki:

For long objects. Think of
chopsticks or bottles.
Exceptions: 1 = ippon, 3 =
sanbon, 6 = roppon, 10 =
juppon
For thin objects. Most often
for paper, but also for shirts
and other things like cutting
boards.
Example: I have three shirts.
For counting small animals like
dogs and cats.
Exceptions: 1 = ippiki,
3 = sanbiki, 6 = roppiki,
8 = happiki, 10 = juppiki

Example: I have one pencil. Shatsu ha sanmai aru yo. シャ

Enpitsu ha ippon arimasu. えん ツは三枚あるよ。
ぴつは一本あります。
歳 sai: 個 ko: 回 kai:

For counting someone’s age.
Exceptions: 1 = issai,
8 = hassai, 10 = jussai
For counting small objects.
They are usually round, like
marbles.
Exceptions: 1 = ikko,
6 = rokko, 8 = hakko,
10 = jukko
For counting how often some-
thing happens.
Exceptions: 1 = ikkai,
6 = rokkai, 10 = jukkai
Example: I went to Japan 5
times last year.

Kyonen nihon ni gokai

ikimashita. 去年日本に五回行き
ました。

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 Generic Counters

If you’re trying to count something that doesn’t fall into common categories
Japanese has some generic counter words that you can use for many situations.
These are:

1. hitotsu 一つ
2. futatsu 二つ
3. mittsu 三つ
4. yottsu 四つ
5. itsutsu 五つ
6. muttsu 三つ
7. nanatsu 七つ
8. yatsu 八つ
9. kokonotsu 九つ
10. too とお

NB: Some numbers tend to create irregular words. Numbers 1, 3, 6, and 10 are the
most common, but 8 can sometimes do it too.

Ordering with numbers in Japanese

Sometimes you need to put things in order using numbers. In English we say first,
second, third, fourth and so on.

In Japanese there is a counter to put things in order.

This counter is 目, read as me.

The number 1, when followed by me, becomes “first.” This also works if you have
already used a counter on the number.

For example:
二回目 nikaime, the second time (“two times” plus the me counter for ordering)
四人目 yoninme, the fourth person (“four people” plus the me counter for ordering)

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 Section 2: INTERMEDIATE - Expanding Your
Vocabulary

Fantastic work so far! It’s exciting to feel like you’ve mastered the basics of Japanese. Now,
you can have simple conversations with people, ask for directions and navigate your way
through restaurants and shops.

But, naturally, you want to go further. You’d love to deepen your conversations, get to know
the Japanese culture better and find your way around the country with even more assurance.

That’s where section two can help, because in this section I help you to expand your
vocabulary with verbs, adverbs and connectors to help you sound and feel more natural when
you’re speaking Japanese.

Essential Japanese Verbs

Verbs are the building blocks of any language; they describe what’s happening, and you can’t
make sentences without them. So, having access to some of the most common verbs in the
language is an easy way to boost your communication abilities exponentially.

#1 Add (to): KUWAERU

mizu wo kuwaetara dou desu ka 水を加えたらどうですか。
What if you added water to it?

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 #2 Add to: TSUKERU
Takeshi-kun no ke-ki wo kanjou ni tsukete kudasai ne
たけしくんのケーキを勘定に付けてくださいね。
Please add a cake for Takeshi to the order.

#3 Answer: KOTAERU
Sono shitsumon ni kotaemashita その質問に答えました。
I answered that question.

#4 Apologize: AYAMARU
Hinoko-san ni ayamatte kudasai ひのこさんに謝ってください
Please apologize to Hinoko!

#5 Arrive: TSUKU
Fune ha goji made ni ha tsuku deshou 船は五時までには着くでしょう。
The ship will arrive by 5.

#6 Ask: KIKU
Shitsumon ga areba, kiite kudasai ne 質問があれば、聞いてくださいね。
If you have a question, do feel free to ask.

#7 Be lazy: NAMAKERU
Watashi ha musume wo namaketeiru to itte chuui shimashita
私は娘を怠けていると言って注意しました。
I cautioned my daughter not to be lazy.

#8 Be late: OKURERU
Yabai, okureteiru! やばい、遅れている！
Oh no, I’m running late!

#9 Be located: IRU [living]/ARU [non-living]

Basutei de Satsuki-san ha imasu バス停でさつきさんはいます。
Satsuki is at the bus stop.

#10 Be mistaken: MACHIGAU

Aa, Takeshi-kun deshou. Sumimasen, machigatteimasu.
ああ、たけしくんでしょう。すみません、間違っています。
Ah, Takeshi, right? Oh, I’m sorry, I was mistaken.

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 #11 Be necessary: IRU
Nanika irimasu ka 何か要りますか。
Do you need anything?

#12 Be possible: DEKIRU

Nihongo ga dekiru! 日本語が出来る！
I can speak Japanese!

#13 Be sad: KANASHIMU

Inu no shi wo kanashindeiru 犬の死を悲しんでいる。
I’m sad over my dog passing away.

#14 Be sufficient: TARIRU

Kare ha shigeki ga tarinai ne 彼は刺激が足りないね
He really lacks [lit. “does not have sufficient”] motivation, doesn’t he?

#15 Be similar to: NIRU

Watashi ha haha ni zenzen niteimasen 私は母に全然似ていません。
I’m not similar to my mother at all.

#16 Become: NARU

Soto ga kurakunaru. 外が暗くなる。
It’s getting dark outside.

#17 Believe: SHINJIRU

He-, sono hanashi wo shinjinai yo! へー、その話を信じないよ！
Come on, I don’t believe that!

#18 Be Born: UMARERU

Watashi ha 2000 ni umareta 私は２０００年に生まれた。
I was born in the year 2000.

#19 Borrow: KARIRU

Enpitsu wo karite mo ii desu ka? えんぴつを借りてもいいですけ。
Can I borrow your pencil?

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 #20 Break: KOWARERU
Tamago no kara ha kowareta! 卵の殻は壊れた！
Oh no, the shell on the egg broke!

#21 Buy: KAU

Atarashii boushi wo kattara dou? 新しい帽子を買ったらどう？
What if you bought a new hat?

#22 Call: YOBU

Keisatsu wo yonde kudasai! 警察を呼んで下さい！
Call the police!

#23 Catch: TSUKAMAERU

Mite mite, kawaii tokage wo tsukamaeta! 見て見て、かわいいトカゲを捕まえた！
Look, I caught a cute lizard!

#24 Cause: MOTARASU

Samui tenki ha yuki wo motarashimasu 寒い天気は雪をもたらします。
The cold temperature brings snow.

#25 Celebrate: IWAU

Kotoshi, sushiya de watashi no tanjoubi wo iwatta 今年、寿司屋で私の誕生日を祝っ
た。
This year, we celebrated my birthday at a sushi place.

#26 Change: KAWARU

Watashi to seki wo kawatte kurenai? 私と席を替わってくれない？
Could you change seats with me?

#27 Check: SHIRABERU

Itte shirabeta hou ga ii desu yo 行って調べた方がいいですよ。
It would be best if you went and checked.

#29 Come: KURU

Yamada-san ha “shibuya ni kuru zo” to iimashita
山田さんは「渋谷に来るぞ」と言いました。
Mr. Yamada said boldly, “I will come to Shibuya next week!”

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 #30 Depend on: YORU
Chosha ni kan suru shinpyousei ha shiryou no shinpyousei ni yotteimasu
著者に関する信憑性は資料の信憑性に因っています。
An author’s credibility depends on how reliable their sources are.

#31 Dislike: IYAGARU

Watashi ha isoge to iwareru no wo iyagaru 私は急げと言われるのを嫌がる。
I really dislike when people tell me to hurry.

#32 Do: SURU

Takusan supo-tsu wo shimasu たくさんスポーツをします。
I do lots of sports.

#33 Drink: NOMU

Ocha wo nomitakunai yo お茶を飲みたくないよう。
I don’t want to drink tea.

#34 Eat: TABERU

Tabete mo ii desu ka 食べてもいいですか。
Is it okay if I eat this now?

#35 End: OWARU

Kono shigoto ga owaru to kaeru tsumori desu この仕事が終わると変えるつもりです。
Once this job is done, I’m going home.

#36 Enjoy: TANOSHIMU

Juubun ni tanoshimimasu 十分に楽しみます
I’ll really enjoy myself to the fullest!

#37 Enter: HAIRU

Haitte mo ii desu ka 入ってもいいですか。
Can I come in?

#38 Exit: DERU

Michiko-san ha sotsugyou suru to sugu ni machi wo deteita
みちこさんは卒業するとすぐに町を出ていた。
Michiko left town as soon as she graduated.

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 #39 Feel: KANJIRU
Nan no itami mo kanjimasen deshita 何の痛みも感じませんでした。
I didn’t actually feel any pain.

#40 Find: MITSUKERU

Basutei wo mitsuke you toshita ga michi ni mayotte shimatta
バス停を見つけようとしたが道に迷ってしまった。
I can’t believe it, but I got lost trying to find the bus stop.

#41 Finish: SUMASERU

Shukudai wo sumasetara, tabe ni ikou 宿題をすませたら、食べに行こう。
After I’ve finished with my homework, I’ll get some food.

#42 Forget: WASURERU

Shimatta, kippu wo wasurechatta! しまった、切符を忘れちゃった！
Oh crap, I forgot my ticket!

#43 Forgive: YURUSU

Gomen nasai, onegai, yurushite kudasai! ごめんなさい、おねがい、許してください！
I’m so sorry, please forgive me!

#44 Get back: TORIKAESU

Nusumareta saifu wo torikaeshita 盗まれた財布を取り返した。
Thankfully, he got his lost wallet back.

#45 Get up: OKIRU

Watashi ha mainichi 7 ji ni okimasu 私は毎日７時に起きます。
I get up at about 7 every day.

#46 Go: IKU

Watashi ha shourai, nihon ni ikitai desu 私は将来、日本に行きたいです。
In the future, I want to go to Japan.

#47 Be Happy: YOROKOBU

Imouto ha purezento wo moratte yorokonda 妹はプレゼントをもらって喜んだ。
My little sister was really happy to get a present.

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 #48 Hear: KIKU
Sensei no kotoba wo kiku no ha muzukashikatta 先生の言葉を聞くのは難しかった。
It was hard to hear the teacher.

#49 Help (Rescue): TASUKERU

Hontou ni tasukatta ne 本当に助かったね
Wow, you really saved me!

#50 Help (to Do Work): TETSUDAU

Oi, oneesan no shigoto wo tetsudatte koi おい、お姉さんの仕事を手伝って来い。
Hey, come and help with your sister’s work.

#51 Hire: YATOU

Kono kaisha ha sono gakkou ni sotsugyou shita purogurama- wo yatowanai
この会社はその学校に卒業したプログラマーを雇わない。
This company doesn’t hire programmers from that school.

#52 Hold (in Hand): MOTSU

Bakkupakku no kawari ni te de hon wo motteimasu
バックパックの代わりに手で本を持っています。
I carry my books in my hands instead of in a backpack.

#53 Hurry: ISOGU

Michi ni mayotta no de, isoganakya ikenai! 道に迷ったので、急がなきゃいけない！
Because I got lost, I have to hurry!

#54 Include: FUKUMERU

Inu mo fukumete zenin kuruma ni hairimashita 犬も含めて全員、車に入りました。
Everyone including the dog hopped into the car.

#55 Jump: TOBU

Atarashii suki-janpu no tobikata wo hakken shimashita
新しいスキージャンプの飛び方を発見しました。
I’ve figured out a new way of doing the ski jump!

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 #58 Laugh: WARAU
Kare ha hen na inu wo mite waratta 彼は変な犬を見て笑った。
As soon as he saw the weird-looking dog, he laughed.

#59 Learn: MANABU

Mainichi sukoshi zutsu manande mo ii desu yo 毎日少しずつ学んでもいいですよ。
It’s okay to just learn a little bit every day.

#60 Leave Behind/Unfinished: NOKOSU

Watashi ha tomodachi ni sukoshi yakisoba wo nokoshite agemashita
私は友達に少し焼きそばを残してあげました。
I left my friend a bit of yakisoba.

#61 Leave (to Someone): MAKASERU

Kippu no tehai ha Ueda ni makaseyou 切符の手配は上田に任せよう。
I’ll leave it to Ueda to buy our tickets.

#62 Lend: KASU

Kasa wo kashite kuremasen ka 傘を貸してくれませんか。
Could you lend me your umbrella?

#63 Live: KURASU

Inu to neko ha nakayoku isshou ni kurashiteimasu
犬と猫は仲良く一生に暮らしています。
Our dog and cat live peacefully together.

#64 Look at/See: MIRU

Tokage wo mita koto nai yo トカゲを見たことないよ。
I’ve never seen a lizard before.

#65 Look at again: MINAOSU

Tesuto no kotae wo minaoshite mimashou テストの答えを見直してみましょう。
Let’s take another look at your test answers.

#66 Look back: FURIKAERU

Kodomo no koro wo furikaeru koto ha kanashii. 子供のころを振り返ることは悲しい。
Looking back on your childhood can be sad.

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 #67 Lose: NAKUSU
Kippu wo nakushite shimaimashita! 切符をなくしてしまいました！
Oh no, I lost my train ticket!

#68 Lose a Contest: MAKERU

Haha ha watashi ni yakyuu de makemashita 母は私に野球で負けました。
My mom lost to me in baseball.

#69 Love: AI SURU

Kanojo ha kare wo ai shiteimasu 彼女は彼を愛しています。
She loves him dearly.

#70 Make: TSUKURU

Yuumeijin ga tsukuttamono deshou 有名人が作ったものでしょう。
That’s made by a famous celebrity, right?

#71 Meet: AU
Shourai, Miyazaki Hayao ni au to ii ne 将来、みやざきはやおに合うといいね。
Someday, it would be so awesome to meet Hayao Miyazaki.

#72 Move: UGOKU

Kuruma de nanjikan mo ugokanakatta 車で何時間も動かなかった。
I don’t even know how long the car didn’t move [i.e. “we were in a traffic jam forever”].

#73 Open: HIRAKU

Me wo hirakinasai 目を開きなさい。
Please open your eyes!

#74 Pay: HARAU

Sumimasen ga, mae motte okane wo haratte okanakereba narimasen
すみませんが、前もってお金を払っておかなければなりません。
Sorry, you have to pay in advance here.

#75 Play: ASOBU

Zettai ni douro de asobanai 絶対に道路で遊ばない
Don’t ever play on the road.

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 #76 Pull: HIKU
Ka-do wo gomai hikanakya naranai カードを五枚引かなきゃならない。
You have to draw five cards!

#77 Push: OSU

Boton wo oshite rajio wo tsuketa ボトンを押してラジオをつけた。
When I pushed the button, the radio turned on.

#78 Put on top of: NOSERU

Kome no ippai haitta fukuro wo shokutaku ni nosemashita
米の一杯入った袋を食卓に乗せました。
He put bags full of rice on the table.

#79 Read: YOMU

Mou ichidou kono kanji wo yonde kudasai もう一度この漢字を読んで下さい。
One more time, please read these kanji.

#80 Receive: MORAU

Watashi ha Suzuki san ni hon wo okutte moratta
私は、鈴木さんに、本を送ってもらった。
Mr. Suzuki was kind enough to send me a book [that I received with gratitude].

#81 Remember: OBOERU

Tomodachi ha donna hito datta ka oboeraremasu ka
友達はどんな人だったか覚えられますか。
Are you able to remember what kind of person your friend was?

#82 Return: MODORU

Sate, hoteru ni modoru さて、ホテルに戻ろう。
Let’s return to our hotel for the day.

#83 Return home: KAERU

Yoru ni natte, ie he kaerimashita 夜になって、家へ帰りました。
Once it got dark, we went back home.

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 #84
Say: IU
Sensei ha “kinyoubi ni testo ga aru” to iimashita
先生は「金曜日にテストがある」と言いました。
The teacher said, “We have a test on Friday.”

#85 Search for: SAGASU

Natsuyasumi ni arubaito wo sagashiteiru 夏休みにアルバイトを探している
I’m searching for a part time job during summer vacation.

#86 Be able to see: MIERU

Dabu te mieru gurai yottemasu ダブって見えるぐらい酔ってます。
I’ve had so much to drink that I can see double!

#87 Sell: URU

Ichiban daisuki na sushiya ha hamachi nigiri wo utteimasu
一番大好きな寿司屋ははまちにぎりを打っています。
My favorite sushi shop sells hamachi nigiri.

#88 Show: MISERU

He-, atarashii kuruma wo katta? Misete! へー、新しい車を買った？見せて！
Wow, you bought a new car? Show me!

#89 Sing: UTAU

Ichiban suki na shumi ha karaoke de utau koto da
一番好きな趣味はカラオケで歌うことだ。
My favorite hobby is singing at karaoke.

#90 Sit: SUWARU

Jugyou wo hajimeru zo, suwatte ne 授業を始めるぞ、座ってね。
Class is starting, please sit down!

#91 Sleep: NERU

Bangohan wo taberu to neru tsumori desu 晩ご飯を食べると寝るつもりです。
I plan to sleep after I eat dinner.

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 #92 Speak: HANASU
Nihongo ha hanashiyasui to omoimasu 日本語は話しやすいと思います。
I find speaking Japanese to be easy.

#93 Stand: TATSU

Ashi ga shibirete, tatenakatta 足がしびれて、立てなかった。
My legs fell asleep, so I couldn’t stand.

#94 Study: BENKYOU SURU

Nakayoku naru you ni nihongo wo benkyou shiteiru
仲良くなるように日本語を勉強している。
I’m studying Japanese so that I can be closer to my friends.

#95 Take: TORU

Shashin wo totte mo daijoubu desu ka 写真をとっても大丈夫ですか。
Is it okay to take pictures here?

#96 Think: OMOU

Ano atarashii yakisoba wo tabetemiru to omotteimasu
あの新しい焼きそばを食べてみると思っています。
I’m thinking about trying that new kind of yakisoba.

#97 Wait: MATSU

Koko de machimashou ne ここで待ちましょうね。
Let’s wait here, okay?

#98 Walk: ARUKU

Arukinagara taberu koto ha shitsurei da ne 歩きながら食べることは失礼だね。
It’s impolite to eat while walking around.

#99 Wear (on Head): KABURU

Kyou atarashii boushi wo kabutteiru? 今日新しい帽子を被っている？
Are you wearing a new hat today?

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 #100 Wear (on Torso): KIRU
Kaiken suru toki ni su-tsu wo kita hou ga ii deshou
会見する時にスーツを着た方がいいでしょう。
You should wear a suit for the interview.

#101 Win: KATSU

Imouto ni katte hoshikatta 妹に勝ってほしかった。
I wanted my sister to win.

#102 Wish for: INORU

Kokoro wo komete inotteimasu 心を込めて祈っています。
I’m wishing for it with all my heart.

#103 Work: HATARAKU

Shigaken de aru ootsuka to iu kaisha de hatarakimashita
滋賀県である「大塚」という会社で働きました。
I worked at a business called Otsuka in Shiga prefecture.

#104 Write: KAKU

Nihongo de ichiban muzukashii koto ha kanji no kakikata desu
日本語で一番難しいことは漢字の書き方です。
The most difficult part of writing Japanese is the kanji.

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 Japanese Adverbs
It doesn’t matter whether you’re discussing English or Japanese, adverbs have the same
function across most languages; to describe or modify other words.

You find them before or after verbs, adjectives and even other adverbs, telling you how fast or
slow, often or not something is. Quickly, early, often, very… these all give us more information
about the situation.

NB: The closer an adverb is to any verb it modifies in a Japanese sentence, the more emphasis
it has. This is also true in English!

Two examples: In the first sentence, the emphasis is on where the person ran: the hospital. In
the second, it’s the fact that he ran quickly.

Kare ha isoide byouin he hashitte ikimashita 彼は急いで病院へ走って行きました。

He ran to the hospital quickly.

Kare ha byouin he isoide hashitte ikimashita 彼は病院へ急いで走って行きました。

He ran quickly to the hospital.

Adverbs Made From and い Adjectives and な Adjectives

As in English, many Japanese adverbs use adjectives as their stem.

With い adjectives, you replace the い with く. That’s it!

Here are two sentences, the first one with the adjective and the second with the
related adverb (both in red):

She is fast.
彼女は速い。
(かのじょは はやい。)
Kanojo ha hayai

She does not eat quickly.

彼女は速く食べません。
(かのじょは はやく たべません。)
Kanojo ha hayaku tabemasen

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 Transforming な adjectives is just as easy: you replace the な adjectives with に.

This is a quiet room.

ここは静かな部屋です。
(ここは しずかな へやです。)
Koko ha shizuka na heya desu

He did not sleep quietly.

彼は静かに眠りませんでした。
(かれは しずかに ねむりませんでした。)
Kare ha shizuka ni nemurimasen deshita

Unique Adverbs and Adverb Categories

Just like in English, however, not all Japanese adverbs come from adjectives. These
unique adverbs include common ones like ‘very’ or ‘much.’

Takusan 沢山 — a lot
Mou, sude ni もう, すでに — already
Motto もっと — more
Tabun 多分 — probably
Hontou ni 本当に — really
Amari あまり — not very (only used with negatives)
Yukkuri ゆっくり — slowly
Chotto ちょっと — a little

Here are a couple of example sentences:

Please speak slowly.

ゆっくり話してください。
Yukkuri hanashite kudasai

I don’t like vegetables very much.

野菜はあまり好きじゃない。
Yasai ha amari suki ja nai

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 Just like in English, Japanese separates adverbs into categories of degree, place,
time, frequency, and manner. Thankfully, unlike in English, you don’t have to worry
about the order in which you combine adverbs in Japanese.

Just remember that, as in English, you want to avoid doubling up on some adverbs,
like ‘much a lot’ or ‘frequently always.’ If an adverb combination sounds strange in
English, it’ll sound strange in Japanese too.

Adverbs by degree

Kanari かなり — fairly, quite

Zenzen 全然 — not at all (only used with negatives)
Totemo とても — very

Adverbs by place or time

Koko ここ — here
Doko demo どこでも — everywhere
Kinou 昨日 — yesterday
Ima 今 — now

Frequency Adverbs

Itsumo いつも — always

Yoku よく — often
Tokidoki 時々 — sometimes
Mainichi 毎日 — everyday

Manner Adverbs (how much…)

Tsuyoku 強く — strongly
Yowaku 弱く — weakly
Tanoshiku 楽しく — joyfully

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 Japanese Conversational Connectors
Connectors are those language features that let you join sentences and thoughts so that your
stilted speech becomes smooth and natural.

Japanese contains many of these words and phrases, each with their own nuanced meaning.

In English, connectors are words like however, but, so, and therefore. They join ideas, make
them relate to each other, or show contrast.

If you are looking for ways to boost your Japanese fluency and sound more native than ever,
try picking out a few of these connectors to start integrating on a regular basis! In general,
Japanese connectors can simply be inserted in between two sentences. However, look to the
examples below for specific use cases for each one.

#1 And Then そして

今日は掃除して、そしてテレビを見ます。
Kyou ha souji shite, soshite terebi wo mimasu.
Today I’ll clean up a bit, and then watch TV.

#2 And Also それに

たこ焼き、それにエビフライをお願いします。
Takoyaki, sore ni ebifurai wo onegaishimasu.
I’ll take takoyaki, oh and also fried shrimp, please.

#3 Other(wise), The Rest その他

私はチーズケーキやその他のお菓子を食べた。
Watashi ha chi-zuke-ki ya sono hoka no okashi wo tabeta.
I ate cheesecake and some other sweets.

#4 For That Purpose/Reason そのため

日本人の友達と話したい。そのたみに、日本語を練習している。
Nihonjin no tomodachi to hanashitai. Sono tame ni, nihongo wo renshuu shiteiru.
I want to be able to talk to my Japanese friends. For that reason, I’m practicing my
Japanese.

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 #4 For That Purpose/Reason そのため
日本人の友達と話したい。そのたみに、日本語を練習している。
Nihonjin no tomodachi to hanashitai. Sono tame ni, nihongo wo renshuu shiteiru.
I want to be able to talk to my Japanese friends. For that reason, I’m practicing my
Japanese.

#5 The Truth Is/In Fact 実は

たけし君が嫌いと言いましたが、実はね、大好きです。
Takeshi kun ga kirai to iimashita ga, jitsu ha ne, daisuki desu.
I said that I disliked Takeshi, but in reality…I actually like him a lot.

#6 By Doing X (そう)すると
日本語の本を読んで、友達と話さなきゃいけないね。そうすると、日本語で上手になる
よ。
Nihongo no hon wo yonde, tomodachi to hanasanakya ikenai ne. Sou suru to, nihongo
de jouzu ni naru yo.
You have to read books in Japanese and talk in Japanese to your friends. By doing
that, you’ll become more proficient.

#7 In Spite Of/Despite That それなのに

新しい時計を買いました。それなのに、すぐに壊れました。
Atarashii tokei wo kaimashita. Sore na noni, sugu ni kowaremashita.
I bought a new watch, but despite that, it broke immediately.

#8 However/But しかし
もうたくさん勉強しました。しかし、まだ心配ですよ！
Mou takusan benkyou shimashita. Shikashi, mada shinpai desu yo!
I already studied a ton. But I’m still worried!

#9 In Addition/On Top of That その上

昨日、冷蔵庫が壊れた。その上、学校に行く時に道に迷ってしまった。
Kinou, reizouko ga kowareta. Sono ue, gakkou ni iku toki ni michi ni mayotte shimatta.
Yesterday, the refrigerator broke. On top of that, I got lost on the way to school.

JA PA N E S E VO C A B P O W E R PAC K 37
 #10 As A Result その結果
六ヶ月ダイエットを続けました。その結果、１０キロやせました。
Rokkagetsu daietto wo tsuzukemashita. Sono kekka, 10 kiro yasemashita.
I continued on my diet for six months. As a result, I lost 10 kilos.

#11 However/Even Though ところが

ニュースで雨がふると読んでいました。ところが、雨が全然降っていなそうです。
Nyu-su de ame ga furu to yondeimashita. Tokoro ga, ame ga zenzen futteinasou
desu.
I read in the news that it was going to rain. However, it looks like it’s not going to rain
at all.

#12 Soon/Shortly 間もなく

間もなく電車が参ります。ご注意ください。
Mamonaku densha ga mairimasu. Gochuui kudasai.
The train will arrive soon. Please be careful.

#13 Probably たぶん

漢字を習うと中国語を読むのは多分無理でしょう。
Kanji wo narau to chuugokugo wo yomu no ha tabun muri deshou.
It’s probably impossible to learn kanji and then be able to read Chinese.

#14 But (Subverting Expectations) けれども

友達と勉強するように図書館に行きましたけれども、友達はいませんでした。
Tomodachi to benkyou suru you ni toshokan ni ikimashita keredomo, tomodachi ha
imasen deshita.
I went to the library to study with my friend, but my friend wasn’t there.

#15 After That その後

大学を卒業したいです。その後、Sonyで働きたいです。
Daigaku wo sotsugyou shitai desu. Sono ato, Sony de hatarakitai desu.
I want to graduate college, and after that, I want to work at Sony.

JA PA N E S E VO C A B P O W E R PAC K 38
 #16 Finally 最後に
卵とミルクを入れて、最後に水も入れてください。
Tamago to miruku wo irete, saigo ni mizu mo irete kudasai.
Put the egg and milk in, and then finally add the water.

#17 The Next Day 次の日

金曜日に雨が降ってきた。次の日、桜が咲いた。
Kinyoubi ni ame ga futtekita. Tsugi no hi, sakura ga saita.
The rain began on Friday. The next day, the sakura blossoms had bloomed.

#18 Butけど
牛乳が嫌いだけど、強くなりように、飲む。
Gyuunyuu ga kirai da kedo, tsuyokunaru you ni, nomu.
I hate milk, but in order to become strong, I drink it.

#19 Because そこで

日本語のテストで40点しか取れなかった。そこで勉強方法を変てみたら、70点取れた。
Nihongo no tesuto de 40 ten shika torenakatta. Soko de benkyou houhou wo kaete
mitara, 70 ten toreta.
You only got 40 points on your Japanese test. Because of that, you tried changing
your study method, and you got 70 points.

#20 In That Case それでは

９時でしょう。それでは、テストを始めましょう。
Kuji deshou. Sore de ha, tesuto wo hajimemashou.
It’s 9! In that case, let’s start the test.

#21 And After That それから

まず真面目に勉強して、それからテストを受けますね。
Mazu majime ni benkyou shite, sorekara tesuto wo ukemasu ne.
First you have to study hard, and after that you can take the test, right?

#22 Undoubtedly/Always 必ず
毎日練習しているなら、必ず決勝戦で勝つ。
Mainichi renshuu shiteiru nara, kanarazu kesshousen de katsu.
If we’re practicing every day, surely we’ll win the championship match.

JA PA N E S E VO C A B P O W E R PAC K 39
 #23 More Than That これ以上
それ以上相談しない方がいいでしょう。
Sore ijou soudan shinai hou ga ii deshou.
It’s best if we don’t really discuss it any more than that, don’t you think?

#24 Especially とりわけ

よくお菓子をかいたい、とりわけはらへった時だ。
Yoku okashi wo kaitai, toriwake hara hetta toki da.
I often want to buy sweets, especially when I’m hungry.

#25 One Day/One Night ある日/ある夜

赤ずきんの話知ってる？ある日彼女はおばあさんの家で狼に出会った。
Akazukin no hanashi shitteru? Aru hi kanojo ha obaasan no ie de ookami ni deatta.
Do you know the story of Little Red Riding Hood? One day she met a wolf in her
grandmother’s house.

#26 Naturally 当然
たけし君がその有名な大学を卒業すると聞いたね。当然だ。利口な学生だね。
Takeshi kun ga sono yuumei na daigaku wo sotsugyou suru to kiita ne. Touzen da.
Rikou na gakusei da ne.
I hear Takeshi will graduate from that famous college. Naturally; he’s a really bright
student.

#27 Thus/Therefore だから

来週、社長はこの支店を訪ねるつもりです。だから、頑張り続けて下さいね。
Raishuu, shachou ha kono shiten wo tazuneru tsumori desu. Dakara, ganbari
tsuzukete kudasai ne.
The company president is planning to stop by this branch next week. Therefore,
please continue to work hard.

#28 The Point Is/In Short ようするに

歴史的な場所知ってる。ようするに、行きたくないよ。
Rekishiteki na basho shitteru. You suru ni, ikitakunai yo.
I know it’s a historical place. But the point is, I don’t want to go.

JA PA N E S E VO C A B P O W E R PAC K 40
 #29 At That Time その時
1639 から1853までに日本は「鎖国」していました。その時に、他の国とあまり取引して
いませんでした。
1639 kara 1853 made ni nihon ha “sakoku” shiteimashita. Sono toki ni, hoka no kuni to
amari torihiki shiteimasen deshita.
From 1639 to 1853, Japan was a “closed country.” At that time, it didn’t really trade
with other countries.

#30 Well じゃあ

じゃあ、行きましょうか。
Jaa, ikimashou ka.
Well, shall we get going?

#31 First まずは

作り方はかなり難しいね。まずは材料を集めた方がいい。
Tsukurikata ha kanari muzukashii ne. Mazu ha zairyou wo atsumeta hou ga ii.
The method of preparation is fairly difficult. First, you should gather your ingredients.

#32 Next つぎは

次は、材料の明細を教えてくれない？
Tsugi ha, zairyou no meisai wo oshiete kurenai?
Next, could you share the details of the ingredients?

#33 In That Case それなら

たけし君は寿司が大嫌いですか。それなら、パン屋のほうが寿司屋より探さなけれべいけ
ませんね。
Takeshi kun ha suhi ga daikirai desu ka. Sore nara, panya no hou ga sushiya yori
sagasanakereba ikemasen ne.
Oh, Takeshi hates sushi? In that case, we should search for a bread shop rather than a
sushi shop.

#34 With This/Now これで

教えてくれてありがとうございます。これで、失礼します。
Oshiete kurete arigatou gozaimasu. Kore de, shitsurei shimasu.
Thank you so much for teaching me. Now, please excuse me.

JA PA N E S E VO C A B P O W E R PAC K 41
 #35 Furthermore/What’s More しかも
奨学金がたくさんあって、有名な先生もいます。しかも、家に近いので、いい大学だと思
います。
Shougakukin ga takusan atte, yuumei na sensei mo imasu. Shikamo, ie ni chikai no de,
ii daigaku da to omoimasu.
There are a lot of scholarships, and they have famous professors. What’s more, it’s
near your home, so I think it’s a great college.

#36 Immediately/At Once さっそく

それをさっそく先生につたえますよ。
Sore wo sassoku sensei ni tsutaemasu yo.
I’ll be sure to convey that to the teacher right away.

#37 After All/In The End 結局

一心に勉強したけど、結局40点しか取れなかった。
Isshin ni benkyou shita kedo, kekkyoku 40 ten shika torenakatta.
I studied so fervently for this, but in the end I only managed 40 points.

#38 This Means というわけ/こういうわけ

新しい名札か？昇進したというわけだね！
Atarashii nafuda ka? Shoushin shita to iu wake da ne!
A new name tag? This means that I got the promotion!

#39 Shortly/Soon もうすぐ

４時ぐらい来ると言いましたね。今４時１０分です。もうすぐ来るでしょう。
Yoji gurai kuru to iimashita ne. Ima yoji juppun desu. Mou sugu kuru deshou.
He said he would come at about 4. It’s 4:10 right now, so he should be here shortly.

#40 For Example 例えば

日本はたくさんきれいな都市があります。例えば、福岡は美しい風景で、海も見える所が
たくさんあるでしょう。
Nihon ha takusan kirei na toshi ga arimasu. Tatoeba, Fukuoka ha utsukushii fuukei de,
umi mo mieru tokoro ga takusan aru deshou.
Japan has lots of beautiful cities. For example, Fukuoka has beautiful landscapes and
lots of places where you can see the sea.

JA PA N E S E VO C A B P O W E R PAC K 42
 #41 Regarding/In Contrast To それに対して
先生は学生に対しては優しいと思います。
Sensei ha gakusei ni taishite ha yasashii to omoimasu.
I think that the teacher is always very kind when it comes to her students.

#42 Despite/In Spite Of それにも関わらず

アメリカに住んでいるにも関わらず、英語が話せない人もいます。
Amerika ni sundeiru no mo kakawarazu, eigo ga hanasenai hito mo imasu.
There are people who cannot speak English even though they live in America.
Try out some of these phrases on your Japanese friends, or see if you can spot them
as you read and listen to native Japanese materials like manga and music. You may be
surprised at which ones you find and how often!

JA PA N E S E VO C A B P O W E R PAC K 43
 Section 3: Advanced Japanese Vocabulary

It feels amazing to finally reach an advanced level on your language journey. You have a lot of
vocabulary under your belt and Japanese flows naturally from your lips. You’ve mastered the
grammar and wrapped your tongue around Italian sounds and pronunciation.

But, can you make your Japanese conversations even better? You can!

In this advanced section we’ll cover Conversation Starters and Slang words in Japanese. With
these words your speech will sound more fluent and natural than ever before.

Conversation Starters

Many foreigners in Japan report that it’s difficult to strike up a conversation with Japanese
people.

Sometimes that’s because the Japanese don’t have a culture of talking to strangers the same
way westerners do. But often it’s because we don’t have the right conversation starters.
So, in this section, I will give you some of the conversation starters my Japanese friends gave
me over the years, divided up into the typical Japanese situations.

At The Japanese Tourist Spot

#1 Shashin wo totte moraemasen ka? 写真を撮ってもらえませんか？

Would you mind taking a photo for me?

JA PA N E S E VO C A B P O W E R PAC K 44
 #2 Hajimete kita no desu ga, kono atari de oishii o-mise wo shitte-imasuka?
初めて来たのですが、この辺りで美味しいお店を知っていますか？
It’s the first time I’ve come here, do you know any nice restaurants around here?

#3 Koko wa nihon no hito mo yoku kuru tokoro desu ka?

ここは日本の人もよく来るところですか？
Is this a place that Japanese people also often come to?

#4 Chikaku ni jimoto no hito mo iku o-mise wa arimasu ka?

近くに地元の人も行くお店はありますか？
Are there any restaurants around here that local people go to?

At the Temple

…in front of the 賽銭箱 (saisenbako) where you make a coin offering:

#5 Ikura iretara ii desu ka? いくら入れたらいいですか？

How much should I put in?

Random fact: Did you know that at temples, people often throw 5 yen (or 50 yen) in
the box, because 5 yen – ごえん – is the same pronunciation as ご縁, meaning fate or
destiny?

At the DVD/CD Shop

#6 Houga wo mite-mitai desu ga, nani ga ii desu ka?

邦画を観てみたいのですが、何がいいですか？
I fancy watching a Japanese film – do you know what’s good?

#7 Saikin nani wo mimashita ka? 最近何を観ましたか？

What [film] have you seen recently?

#8 Osusume no eiga wa arimasuka? お勧めの映画はありますか？

Can you recommend a good film?

JA PA N E S E VO C A B P O W E R PAC K 45
 On the train or at the station in Japan

#9) Kono densha wa [Shibuya] e ikimasu ka? この電車は「渋谷」へ行きますか？

Is this train heading to [Shibuya]?

#10 Nan-pun go ni kimasu ka? 何分後に来ますか？

How long is the next train going to be? [Lit: in how many minutes is the next train
coming?]

#11 [Shinjuku] made dono gurai kakarimasu ka? 「新宿」までどの位かかりますか？

How long does it take to get to [Shinjuku]?

#12 Doko de norikaereba ii desu ka? どこで乗り換えればいいですか？

Where should I change trains? [Follow on from last question]

For Singles in Japan

In increasing order of depravity (you have been warned!)

#13 Doko kara kita no? どこから来たの？

Where are you from?

#14 Nani shiteru no? 何してるの？

What are you up to?

#15 Namae wa? 名前は？

What’s your name?

#16 Sono fuku doko de katta no? その服どこで買ったの？

Where did you get those clothes from? [Lit: buy those clothes]

#17 Nani nonderu no? 何飲んでるの？

What are you drinking?

#18 Me no iro wa nan-iro? 目の色は何色？

What colour are your eyes?

JA PA N E S E VO C A B P O W E R PAC K 46
 #19 Chigau tokoro de, futari de nomou yo. 違うところで、二人で飲もうよ。
Let’s go and have a drink together somewhere else!

#20 Eigo oshiete ageyou ka? 英語教えてあげようか？

Shall I teach you a bit of English?

#21 Eigo oshiete-ageru kara, futari de nomou yo.

英語教えてあげるから、二人で飲もうよ。
I’ll teach you English if we can have a drink together!

#22 Kareshi iru? 彼氏いる？

Do you have a boyfriend?

#23 Chikaku ni ra-bu-ho arimasuka? 近くにラブホありますか？

Is there a Love Hotel around here?

JA PA N E S E VO C A B P O W E R PAC K 47
 Japanese Slang
It’s fun to spice up your vocabulary with Japanese slang, but you do need to be sure that
you’re using it correctly. One of the best things you can do is to choose words that can be
used for a wide variety of things, such as slang words for “awesome” or even “hello.”

Here are some of the top 15 terms that you’ll hear in Japan.

#1 Sore Na それな — This! (yeah that! Exactly!)

Sono tesuto ha muzukashisugita yo.
Sore na.
そのテストは難しすぎたや。
それな。
Person 1: That test was way too hard.
Person 2: ^ THIS.

#2 Yabai やばい
Yabai can mean everything from “super cool” to “really bad” depending on how you
sound when you say it.
Shukudai wo wasurete shimaimashita. Aa, yabai!
宿題を忘れてしまいました。ああ、やばい！
I forgot my homework! Ah, this is bad!

#3 Gachi (de) がち（で）

When something is “seriously X,” it’s gachi. Gachi is a way to strengthen an opinion
that you already have by saying that something is “way X” or “super X.”
Ki wo tsukete! Sono gakushoku no tabemono ha gachi de tsurai yo!
気を付けて！その学食の食べ物はがちでつらいよ！
Be careful! That cafeteria’s food is WAY spicy!

#4 Chou 超
Chou is very much like gachi in that it also means “very” or “super” [something].
However, while gachi conveys a sense of the unbelievable or unexpected, chou is just
a strengthener that can be used any time you’d like to intensify what you’re saying.
Hirugohan ha mada desu ka. Chou hara hetta!
昼ごはんはまだですか。超腹減った！
Isn’t my lunch ready yet? I’m super hungry!

JA PA N E S E VO C A B P O W E R PAC K 48
 #5 Maji de マジで — No way! Really?
Tesuto de 100 ten wo torimashita.
Maji de!?
テストで１００点をとりました。
マジで？！
Person 1: I got a perfect 100 on my test.
Person 2: No way, for real!?

#6 Meccha めっちゃ
Like chou and gachi de, meccha means “super” or very.” It’s mostly used in eastern
Japan, but you can find people everywhere who prefer meccha to some of the other
options. Use the one that you like best!
Kono doresu ha meccha kawaii!
このドレスはめっちゃかわいい！
This dress is SO cute!

#7 Ikemen イケメン — use this for a man you find cool, handsome and extremely
attractive.
Kare ha ikemen deshou
彼はイケメンでしょう。
He’s so handsome, isn’t he?

#8 Mukatsuku ムカつく
When something is totally irritating sometimes the best way to describe it is just,
well, “GRRRR!” In Japanese, the onomatopoeia word mukamuka, which means to be
really ticked off, is combined with the verb tsukuru (to do) to create mukatsuku, a
strong phrase of irritation.
Oniichan no suru koto hitotsu hitotsu ni mukatsuku!
お兄ちゃんのすること一つ一つにむかつく！
Everything my brother does just REALLY ticks me off!

#9 Riajuu リア充
Riajuu is a combination of “real world” and “satisfied” and describes someone who
would rather be outside in the real world instead of hiding behind an online identity.
Riajuu ni naritai!
リア充になりたい！
I want to become someone who breaks away from the digital world!

JA PA N E S E VO C A B P O W E R PAC K 49
 #10 Ossu! オッス！ — What’s up, man? (Used by boys towards other boys)
Ossu! Dou dai?
オッス！どうだい？
Yo! How’s it going?

#11 Donmai ドンマイ

A combination word that comes from the English “don’t mind,” donmai is used
wherever nande mo nai is permissible. That is to say, it means “no problem” or “don’t
mention it.” In other words, “Pay it no mind!”
Aa, machigaete shimatta!
Donmai!
ああ、間違えてしまった！
ドンマイ！
Person 1: Ah, I messed up!
Person 2: Don’t worry about it!

#12 555
If you’re familiar with Japanese numbers, you’ll know that the number five is
pronounced “go.” If you’re playing online games with friends and you really want to
cheer a teammate on, you can say 555!
Ganbatte! 555!
頑張って！５５５！
Don’t give up! Go go go!

#13 888
Just like the sound of 555 equals go go go, the Japanese number eight is pronounced
hachi and reads together as hachi hachi hachi. This is an onomatopoeia for clapping,
so you can use 888 in place of a clapping emoji if you are texting or using the
internet.
Tesuto de 100 ten wo torimashita!
*hachi hachi hachi*
テストで１００点をとりました。
８８８
Person 1: I got a 100% on my test!
Person 2: 888 *clapping*

JA PA N E S E VO C A B P O W E R PAC K 50
 #14 Saitei さいてい
You may have encountered this particular piece of slang in anime or manga, where it
is used a lot. Unlike many of the vocabulary pieces that you may have encountered in
pop culture Japanese, saitei is actually regularly used in normal life. It literally means
“the lowest,” but it’s used as slang to say “Jeeze this is the WORST.”
Mou ame da? Saitei da!
もう雨だ？さいていだ！
It’s already raining? This is the WORST!

#15 Otsu おつ
Just like ossu is a condensed version of ohayou gozaimasu, otsu is a (much)
shortened way to say otsukaresama desu.
You would typically use this at the end of a workday to say, “Great job, you
worked hard.” Otsu serves as a slang-ified way to say goodbye and can often be
accompanied by raising your hand in front of your face and making a chopping
motion. It can also be used on the internet to say thanks.
Sono purojekuto wo matometa.
Osu!
そのプロジェクトをまとめた。
おつ！
Person 1: I put together that project!
Person 2: Great job, thanks!

We’ve come to the end of our Japanese Vocab Power Pack. I hope you’ve found these words
and phrases useful as you move from beginner, through intermediate to an advanced level of
Japanese.

If you’re interested in expanding your vocabulary in an enjoyable and natural way, read on to
discover my enjoyable, modern method of learning through stories.

JA PA N E S E VO C A B P O W E R PAC K 51
 How To Expand Your Vocabulary with Stories
Do you remember in the introduction I gave you an important word of warning? It went:
“DON’T try to memorise all the vocabulary in this pack!”

And I’m sure you’re relieved to hear it, now that you’ve seen the wonderfully long list of
words and phrases I compiled for you!

So here’s where I tell you why. See, I’ve learned the hard way that memory techniques are
definitely not the best way to learn new vocabulary. Not if you want the words to really stick,
and not if you want the experience to be fun.

There’s a better way, and I just LOVE this: I expand my vocabulary in the languages I learn by
reading and listening to stories.

Have you tried this before?

Well, if you’re using stories to learn a new language, then you’ve accidentally stumbled upon
the best way to expand your vocabulary!

But you probably still have some burning questions, like...

• How often should I look up words?

• What should I focus on?
• Should I try to memorize words?
• And what about translation… or vocab tests?

Well, I have an exact process you can

follow... so let’s get into this!

JA PA N E S E VO C A B P O W E R PAC K 52
 #1. What should I focus on when reading?

The ultimate goal in reading anything is to read for enjoyment, so…

Focus on the plot. Focusing on anything else is missing the point.

I know the quandary you’re in:

To understand the plot, you must first understand the words, but…
understanding the words is how you understand the plot!

There’s a crucial difference, though:

If you focus on the plot, you will learn to read independently.
But if you focus on vocabulary, every new word becomes something you “have to learn”.

That’s because when you obsess over vocabulary, you don’t get on with the story! But you
don’t need to understand every word to understand the plot. So it’s pretty clear:
Focus on the plot, and just read for enjoyment.

#2. When should I look up words?

Here’s the process I recommend:

• Step 1 - Read through the chapter to the end

• Step 2 - Go back and read it again.
• Step 3 - Read the summary of the chapter.
• Step 4 - Look up some key words.
• Step 5 - Read the chapter again until the gist is clear.

The more times you read each chapter, the closer you’ll get to the 70-80% understanding you
need. Only when you can’t get any further by yourself - that’s when you look up a few words.

The point is not to memorize the words, but to unlock your understanding of the plot.
This way, you’ll build the ability to read independently!

JA PA N E S E VO C A B P O W E R PAC K 53
 #3. When should you move on to the next chapter of the story?

As soon as you can follow what’s going on, you’re good. You are categorically NOT aiming for
100% comprehension! Rather aim for a minimum of 70% comprehension.

You can understand a lot without knowing every word!

And this is super important: you’ve got to struggle if you want the breakthrough.

Yes, really. If it’s too easy, you’re reading below your level.

#4. How can I read as a complete beginner?

A great question! So here is one of the central points of reading through stories:
Read just above your current level. Otherwise known as “comprehensible input”.

No matter what stage of learning you’re at, your ideal level is when, WITH EFFORT, you can
understand the gist of what’s going on.

The basic “core” words of the language will repeat so often, that you’ll learn them
automatically just by reading. No memorizing required!

So this is a combination of a very simple story and learning a minimum core of words.

But while you’re doing this, you’ll naturally also discover other things …
• how basic verbs conjugate
• loads of cognates
• all of which unlocks even more easy vocabulary for you

As for all the repetition… how is that good? Well, you’re acclimatizing to the language!

The key is always: HAVE MATERIAL AT THE RIGHT LEVEL.

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 #5. How do you balance repetition versus new input?

As a beginner, you read narrowly with lots and lots of repetition.

At a high level, you read freely for pleasure and move on; there’s no repetition.

So what happens in-between?

Well, it’s a bridge. A gradual shift from lots of repetition, towards free reading for pleasure!
And that’s what’ll get you reading like a native speaker.

Rule of thumb: Aim to read each chapter 3 to 5 times.

#6. How can I memorize vocabulary?

Just keep on reading. Read, read, read! Reading gives you natural review, because the words
that matter will keep coming up - in context, so you’ll know how to use them.

And if you’re still wondering about flashcards or memory techniques...

Flashcards or mnemonics have to be used right for them to work. So here’s my advice:

Be hyper-selective. Is the vocabulary or phrase life or death?

Okay… then go for it, but give it a maximum of 5% of your time.

Then get back to reading. Trust in the process.

#7. What about low-frequency words?

Well, memory techniques can work here, but only from about upper-intermediate onwards.
It’s a far better strategy to read around your areas of interest. Just stick to your level!

#8. How does listening help me learn new vocabulary?

When you hear what you read, your brain is getting more engaged. Certain words just become
more memorable when you hear them...

So don’t think of listening as a separate activity. Think about it as enhancing your reading.
Seeing and hearing phrases at the same time is like crack cocaine for the brain!

And lastly…

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 #9 Where can I find interesting reading material at my level?

There are numerous interesting books and other reading materials out there for Japanese
learners, so it’s just a matter of doing a little scouting around.

If you’re a complete beginner, the ideal place to start is with my online course,
Japanese Uncovered, where I introduce you to the StoryLearning method. The whole course is
built around an exciting mystery story - a great intro to Japanese!

There’s also this awesome little book on Amazon: Short Stories in Japanese for Beginners.

If you already know some Japanese, you’ll enjoy 101 Conversations in Simple Japanese. These
are authentic situational dialogues between 6 characters, written in the form of a real-world
Japanese drama. It’s an excellent immersive experience, full of the kind of language heard on
the streets.

And if you’re at an intermediate level, maybe start with Grammar Hero - a great way to
practice the method I spoke about here! You’ll read and listen to 15 interesting stories in a way
that helps you internalize Japanese grammar naturally.

Want to know a little more about the famous StoryLearning method? Read on...

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 What is StoryLearning?
Stories are the most basic form of human communication.

We’ve been communicating through stories for thousands of years.

Now, for the first time, you can use the magic of stories to learn a new language.

(It’s the way that the brain naturally likes to learn.)

Are You Living Your Best Life?

If you’re learning a new language, then you know deep down that it’s not really about
“becoming fluent”…

Learning a language is about living your best life!

It’s about new friendships and relationships…

Unforgettable experiences…

My name is Olly Richards, and my mission is to empower you to live your best life, by learning
a new language quickly…

Using an exciting new method that I invented called StoryLearning®.

Dr. Barbara Oakley, Instructor of Learning How To Learn

From The University of California

“Olly’s language-learning insights are right in line with the best of what we know from
neuroscience and cognitive psychology about how to learn effectively. I love his work!”

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 About StoryLearning
With StoryLearning, you learn languages through stories, not rules.

The magic of learning through stories is that you can hardwire the language directly into your
brain, through the same natural learning process children use to acquire their native language.

Forget about rote learning, grammar drills, boring textbooks and silly apps that you know
you’re wasting your time with…

StoryLearning is a natural, brain-friendly way to learn a new language.

It’s supported by decades of research, and being used right now by 10,000s of people all over
the world to learn languages.

About Olly Richards

My name is Olly Richards. I’m a teacher, author,
speaker and language learner!

I discovered the power of learning through story

after a terrifying near-death experience on top of a
mountain.

Since then, I’ve published 30+ language books,

worked with major universities, and featured in
documentaries on the BBC.

Here, you’ll find language tutorials, videos of me

learning languages, podcasts and my premium
courses.

But my most useful material is free, in my newsletter!

So if you’re curious about StoryLearning, why not try it out with a FREE 7-day trial of my
popular Japanese Uncovered course?

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 Learn Japanese with Stories
Start Your 7-Day FREE Trial Today!

StoryLearning is better experienced than explained.

That’s why I let you try my comprehensive beginner course - Japanese

Uncovered - completely FREE for 7 days!

Visit storylearning.com/freetrial now to start your free trial today!

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