¤ S n o w d r o p ¤’s Basic Japanese Vocab List

Okay… I’ve put as much as I have thought of so far. You know, it’s really quite hard to remember all the Japanese you know at one time. You can’t think of every single word you know because... well…. It’s just trying to think of all the words that start with S! You can’t think of everything… Okay I’m not making sense XD Anyway, here’s what I’ve got so far. If there are any words which you think are incorrect or if you have more words to add, tell me HERE.

¤ S n o w d r o p ¤’s Basic Japanese Vocab List

Greetings
Hello/Good Afternoon – Konnichiwa
Hi – Osu
Good morning – Ohayou Gozaimasu (short: Ohayou)
Good evening – Konbanwa

Good night – Oyasuminasai (short: Oyasumi)
Goodbye – Sayounara
See you later/Bye – Mata/Jamata/Ja

How are you? – Genki desu ka? (informal: genki?)
Yes I’m good – Hai, Genki desu (informal: genki.)
I’m so-so – Maa maa desu
("Desu" generally signals a full stop. "Ka" signals question.)

Nice to meet you – Hajimemashite

Suki - Like
Daisuki - Love (lit- biglike)
Ma ma - so so (It's alright, kind of thing)
Amari suki janai - don't like very much. Kirai - Hate
(eg. suki desu! - I like it!)

Numbers
Ichi – one
Ni – two
San – three
Yon – four (also “shi” exept “yon” is used more often as “shi” also means “death”)
Go – five
Rocku – six
Nana – seven (also “shichi”)
Hachi – eight
Kyuu – nine
Jyuu – ten
Hyaku – One-hundred
Sen – One-thousand
Man - Ten-thousand Hyakuman – One-million

~sai - ~years old. eg.
Watashi wa ju san sai desu.
I am 13 years old.

Note: Japanese numbers originated from Chinese numbers. “Yon” and “Nana” are noth originally Japanese numbers so they are used more often than “Shi” and “Shichi” are. Also, “shi” means “death”.)

Expressions
Hai - yes
Iie - no
Atsui - hot
Samui - cold
Totemo - very
Wakarimasen – I don’t understand
Shirimasen – I don’t know
Hontou – Really
Sugoi – great/cool
Kakkoi – cool
Nihon – Japan
Nihongo – Japanese
Eigo – English
Watashi wa – I / Me
Watashi no - My
eg.
Watashi no Tomodachi – My friend
Watashi wa atsui – I’m hot
However, if you were saying “Me?” or something similar, you wouldn't have to say “wa”, just “watashi”.
Watashi-tachi - us
Watakushi – politer way of saying “Watashi”
Anata – You
Anata no – your
Boku – same as Watashi but for boys
Kimi – same as anata but for boys
Watashi mo – me too
Anata mo – you too
Kare – he
Kanojo – she
Aitsu – he, she (informal)
Koitsu – same as aitsu
You’re welcome – Douitashimashite (short: iie - not at all)
I see – Soudesu ne (short: sou ne, sou)
Is that so? – Soudesu ka (short: sou ka)
Hayaku – Hurry up
Matte – Wait, slow down
Demo – but
Kawaii – cute
Kowaii – scary
Lucky thing – iinaa
Who? – dare?
Who with? – dare to?
Yesterday – Kinou
Today - Kyou
Tomorrow – Ashita
Otaku – An obsessed fan (eg. An Anime Otaku is a BIG anime fan)
Daijoubu – Okay, All right
Eto… – Um… (“Anou…” is used to express awkwardness)
Kirei – pretty, beautiful
Tasukette! – Help!
Ima – now
Nani mo – never mind
Shizukanishite – Be quiet
Shizukana! – Quite
Damatte! - Shut up!
Aaaa – Ohhh
Abunai! – Watch out, that’s dangerous!
Ara! – a general exclamation of surprise
Chotto – a little, a bit
Saikin – recently
Isogashii – busy
Desu – It is… (eg. Atsui desu – It is hot)
Deshoo – It’s probably…(eg. Atsui deshoo – it’s probably hot)

Nihongo de nan to iimasu ka? – How do you say it in Japanese

Colours
Aka – red
Ao – blue
Midori – green
Kiiro – yellow
Murasaki – purple
Shiro – white
Kuro – Black
Haiiro – Grey
Momoiro – Pink
Chairo – brown

Adjectives
Ookii – big
Chiisai – small
Atsui - hot
Samui - cold
Atarashi - new
Hurui - old (not a person)
Nagai – long
Mijikai – short
Chibi – little (as in person. Way of teasing a short person)
Takai – Expensive
Yasui – Inexpensive
Hiroi – spacious
Semai – compact
Urusai – noisy
Shizuka – quiet
Kirei – clean/pretty
Kitanai – dirty
Akarui – bright
Kurai – dark

Family (Kazoku)
Okaasan – Mother
Otousan – Father
Oniisan – Older brother
Oneesan – Older sister
Otoutosan – Younger brother
Imoutosan – younger sister
Obaasan – Grandmother
Ojiisan – Grandfather
Obasan – Aunt
Ojisan – Uncle
Ryoushin - Parents
Itoko - Cousin

Note: if you were telling someone about your own family, you would say:
Haha – Mum
Chichi – Dad
Ani – Big brother
Ane – Big sister
Otouto – Little brother
Imouto – Little sister
Goryoushin - Parents

Animals! (Doubutsu)
Dog - Inu
Cat - Neko
Cow - Ushi
Monkey - Saru
Chicken - Niwatori
Snake - Hebi
Horse - Uma
Sheep - Hitsuji
Tiger - Tora
Lion - Raion (In katakana)
Girrafe - Kirin (In katakana)
Frog - Kaeru

Activities Akutibiteii (katakana)

Tennis - Tenisu (katakana)
Football - Futtobooru (katakana)
Basketball - Basukettobooru (katakana)
Ping-pong - pinpon (katakana)
Netball - nettobooru (katakana)
Movies - Eiga
Music - Ongaku
Newspaper - Shinbun
Reading Books - Dokushou
Studying - Benkyou
Homework - shukudai <-(don't you just hate this? >>; I do.)
Phone - Denwa
Library - toshyokan
School - Gakkou
Cleaning - Souji
Walk - Sanpo

When you feel you'd like to learn more, come HERE and you can learn more!

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