1. Greetings / Apology
ENGLISH POLITE CASUAL
morning! ohayou gozaimasu ohayou!
hello! konnichiha/wa konnichiha/wa
good evening! konbanha/wa konbanha/wa
good night! oyasumi nasai oyasumi
Mari desu / Mari to
this is (I'm) Mari. Mari desu
iimasu
hajimemashite,
hajimemashite,
nice to meet you! yoroshiku onegai
yoroshiku
shimasu
nice talking to you, Mari to hanasete
Mari, tanoshikatta yo
Mari tanoshikatta desu
mata aou ne / mata
see you! mata ai mashou!
ne~
bye! sayonara bai bai
long time no see! ohisashiburi desu hisashiburi
doushite mashita? / doushiteta? / genki
how have you been?
genki deshita? datta?
I've been fine. genki ni shitemashitayo genki ni shiteta yo
arigatou gozaimasu
thank you arigatou doumo arigatou!
gozaimashita(past)
you are welcome! douitashimashite douitashimashite
gomennasai /
i'm sorry. gomen / gomen ne
sumimasen
General Questions / Answers to them
ENGLISH POLITE CASUAL
what's your name? onamae nan desuka? namae wa nani?
ima doko ni
ima doko ni iruno? /
where are you now? irundesuka? / dochira
doko kara?
kara desuka?
I'm at my school. ima gakkou ni imasu ima gakkou ni irunda
are you Japanese, Mari wa Nihonjin
Mari wa Nihonjin?
Mari? desuka?
where are you dochira no kuni no kata
doko no kuni no hito?
(originally)from? desuka?
watashi wa Malaysia jin
I'm Malaysian. Malaysia jin dayo
desu
dokoni sunde iruno
where do you live? doko ni sunde runo?
desuka?
ima Tokyo ni sunde ima Tokyo ni sundeiru
I live in Tokyo now.
imasu nda
jyosei desuka? dansei
are you f/m? jyosei? dansei?
desuka?
dansei desu / jyosei dansei dayo / jyosei
I'm male./female.
desu dayo
may I ask how old nenrei wo kiitemo
toshi kiitemo ii?
you are? iidesuka?
oikutsu desuka? /
how old are you? nansai?
nansai desuka?
I'm 25 years old. 25 sai desu 25 sai

2. oshigoto wa nan
what do you do? shigoto nani shiteruno?
desuka?
are you a student? gakusei san desuka? gakusei san?
I'm a University
daigakusei desu daigakusei dayo/nanda
student.
I have a job. shigoto wo shiteimasu hataraite iruyo
Questions Japanese often ask / Answers to them
ENGLISH POLITE CASUAL
can you speak Nihongo wo hanase
Nihongo hanaseru?
Japanese? masuka?
naze Nihongo wo
why do you study nande/naze Nihongo
benkyou shiteruno
Japanese? benkyou shiteruno?
desuka?
because I'm
Nihon no bunka ni Nihon no bunka ni
interested in
kyoumi ga arunodesu kyoumi ga arunda
Japanese culture.
is studying Nihongo wa
Nihongo tte muzukashii/
Japanese muzukashii/yasashii
yasashii?
difficult/easy? desuka?
Nihongo wa
Japanese is Nihongo wa muzukashii/
muzukashii/yasashii
difficult/easy. yasashii yo
desu
have you ever been Nihon ni ittakoto wa
Nihon ni ittakoto aru?
to Japan? arimasuka?
hai, ittakotoga arimasu
yes, I have./no,I ittakoto aruyo / ittakoto
/ iie, ittakotowa
haven't. nainda
arimasen
your Japanese is Nihongo jyouzu
Nihongo jyouzu dane,
good! where did you desune, dokode
dokode narattano?
learn it? naratta no desuka?
I studied at a Nihongo gakkou de Nihongo gakkou de
Japanese school. naraimashita narattanda
Jibun de benkyou Jibun de benkyou
I studied by myself.
shimashita. shitanda
Contact
ENGLISH POLITE CASUAL
E-mail okuttemo
can I E-mail you? E-mail okuttemo ii?
iidesuka?
may I have your E- E-mail address oshiete E-mail address oshiete
mail address? kuremasuka? kureru?
this is my E-mail kore ga watashi no E-
kore ga E-mail add..
address... mail add desu..
please E-mail me E-mail kudasai ne E-mail choudai ne
I will E-mail you. E-mail kakimasu ne E-mail kaku ne
please reply. henji kudasai ne henji choudai ne
do you have ICQ? ICQ motte masuka? ICQ motteru?
I have ICQ. ICQ mottemasu ICQ motteruyo
when do you usually fudan itsugoro koko ni futsuuwa itsugoro
come here? kimasuka? kokoni kuru?
I usually come here itsumo Nihonjikan no itsumo Nihonjikan no
around 7:00pm 7:00pm goro ni kokohe 7:00pm goroni kokoni
kimasu kuruyo

3. Japan time.
do you often come kokohewa yoku
kokoniwa yoku kuruno?
here? kimasuka?
yes. I do come here hai yoku kimasu/iie un yoku kuruyo/uun
often./not really. soudemo arimasen soudemo naiyo
when will you come tsugiwa itsu kokohe tsugiwa itsu kokoni
here next? kimasuka? kuru?
I will come here tabun ashita mata tabun ashita mata
tomorrow. kimasu kuruyo
Communication
ENGLISH POLITE CASUAL
What are you
nanno hanashi desuka? nanno hanashi?
talking about?
Do you understand watashi no Nihongo watashi no Nihongo
my Japanese? wakarimasuka? wakaru?
I understand./ wakarimasuyo /
wakaruyo/ gomen,
sorry, I don't sumimasen,
wakaranai
understand. wakarimasen
would you mind mouichido
mouichido ittekureru?
saying that again? ittekuremasu ka?
sono kotoba wa
I don't know the sonokotoba wa shiranai.
shirimasen. sorewa
word. What is it? nani sore?
nan desuka?
what do you call .... Nihongo de .... wa Nihongo de .... tte
in Japanese? nanto iimasuka? nante iuno?
I got it! wakarimashita! wakatta!
I see. naruhodo / soudesuka naruhodo / souka
hotou
really?/really! hontou?/a sounanda!
desuka?/soudesuka!
I can't believe it! shinjirare masenyo! shinjirare naiyo!
Can I speak Eigo de hanshitemo
Eigo de hanashitemo ii?
English? iidesuka?
Of course!/sure! mochiron desu! mochiron!
Greetings for a new year
ENGLISH POLITE CASUAL
(at the end of year)
yoi toshi wo omukae
I wish you a happy yoi otoshi wo!
kudasai!
new year!
akemashite omedetou
A happy new year! akemashite omedetou!
gozaimasu!
(*please keep
kotoshi mo yoroshiku
company with me as kotoshi mo yoroshiku
onegai shimasu
ever)
Complaint / Disagreement
ENGLISH POLITE CASUAL
I disagree with your watashi wa sono iken watahi/boku/ore wa
opinion. ni hantai desu. souwa omowanaikedo..
I'm still not nattoku ikanaino nattoku dekinain
convinced. desuga. dakedo.

4. Please don't use koko dewa sonna
koko de sonna kotoba
such offensive kotoba wa
wa taukawanaide yo!
words here. tsukawanaide kudasai.
shitsurei na hito
You are rude. shitsurei dayo!
desune.
I have to tell this. itteokimasuga.. itteokukedo..
I'm tired of you. Mou unzari desu. Mou unzari dayo!
Who do you think nanisama dato
nanisama no tsumori?
you are? omotteiru ndesuka?
I'm tired of you. Mou unzari desu. Mou unzari dayo.
Why don't you
mazu wa ayamattara
simply apologize mazuwa ayamattara?
dounandesuka?
first?.
Would you mind warui kedo deteitte waruikedo deteitte
getting out of here? kuremasuka? kureru?
Others
ENGLISH POLITE CASUAL
I'm ... . What about watashi wa ... desu. watashi wa ... dakedo,
you, Mari? Mari ha? Mariha?
sorosoro ikanakereba
I have to go. sorosoro ikanakya
narimasen
mou ikimasu / mou mou ikune / mou
I'm leaving.
ochimasu (only chat) ochirune (only chat)
please wait for a
chotto matte kudasai chotto matte
minutes.
Greetings / Apology
ENGLISH POLITE CASUAL
morning! ohayou gozaimasu ohayou!
hello! konnichiha/wa konnichiha/wa
good evening! konbanha/wa konbanha/wa
good night! oyasumi nasai oyasumi
this is (I'm) Mari. Mari desu / Mari to iimasu Mari desu
nice to meet you! hajimemashite, yoroshiku onegai shimasu hajimemashite, yoroshiku
nice talking to you, Mari Mari to hanasete tanoshikatta desu Mari, tanoshikatta yo
see you! mata ai mashou! mata aou ne / mata ne~
bye! sayonara bai bai
long time no see! ohisashiburi desu hisashiburi
how have you been? doushite mashita? / genki deshita? doushiteta? / genki datta?
I've been fine. genki ni shitemashitayo genki ni shiteta yo
thank you arigatou gozaimasu arigatou gozaimashita(past) doumo arigatou!
you are welcome! douitashimashite douitashimashite
i'm sorry. gomennasai / sumimasen gomen / gomen ne

5. General Questions / Answers to them
ENGLISH POLITE CASUAL
what's your name? onamae nan desuka? namae wa nani?
where are you now? ima doko ni irundesuka? / dochira kara desuka? ima doko ni
iruno? / doko kara?
I'm at my school. ima gakkou ni imasu ima gakkou ni irunda
are you Japanese, Mari? Mari wa Nihonjin desuka? Mari wa Nihonjin?
where are you (originally)from? dochira no kuni no kata desuka? doko no kuni no hito?
I'm Malaysian. watashi wa Malaysia jin desu Malaysia jin dayo
where do you live? dokoni sunde iruno desuka? doko ni sunde runo?
I live in Tokyo now. ima Tokyo ni sunde imasu ima Tokyo ni sundeiru nda
are you f/m? jyosei desuka? dansei desuka? jyosei? dansei?
I'm male./female. dansei desu / jyosei desu dansei dayo / jyosei dayo
may I ask how old you are? nenrei wo kiitemo iidesuka? toshi kiitemo ii?
how old are you? oikutsu desuka? / nansai desuka? nansai?
I'm 25 years old. 25 sai desu 25 sai
what do you do? oshigoto wa nan desuka? shigoto nani shiteruno?
are you a student? gakusei san desuka? gakusei san?
I'm a University student. daigakusei desu daigakusei dayo/nanda
I have a job. shigoto wo shiteimasu hataraite iruyo
Questions Japanese often ask / Answers to them
ENGLISH POLITE CASUAL
can you speak Japanese? Nihongo wo hanase masuka? Nihongo hanaseru?
why do you study Japanese? naze Nihongo wo benkyou shiteruno desuka? nande/naze
Nihongo benkyou shiteruno?
because I'm interested in Japanese culture. Nihon no bunka ni kyoumi ga arunodesu
Nihon no bunka ni kyoumi ga arunda
is studying Japanese difficult/easy? Nihongo wa muzukashii/yasashii desuka? Nihongo
tte muzukashii/yasashii?
Japanese is difficult/easy. Nihongo wa muzukashii/yasashii desu Nihongo wa
muzukashii/yasashii yo
have you ever been to Japan? Nihon ni ittakoto wa arimasuka? Nihon ni ittakoto aru?

6. yes, I have./no,I haven't. hai, ittakotoga arimasu / iie, ittakotowa arimasen ittakoto aruyo
/ ittakoto nainda
your Japanese is good! where did you learn it? Nihongo jyouzu desune, dokode naratta
no desuka? Nihongo jyouzu dane, dokode narattano?
I studied at a Japanese school. Nihongo gakkou de naraimashita Nihongo gakkou de
narattanda
I studied by myself. Jibun de benkyou shimashita. Jibun de benkyou shitanda
Contact
ENGLISH POLITE CASUAL
can I E-mail you? E-mail okuttemo iidesuka? E-mail okuttemo ii?
may I have your E-mail address? E-mail address oshiete kuremasuka? E-mail address
oshiete kureru?
this is my E-mail address... kore ga watashi no E-mail add desu.. kore ga E-mail add..
please E-mail me E-mail kudasai ne E-mail choudai ne
I will E-mail you. E-mail kakimasu ne E-mail kaku ne
please reply. henji kudasai ne henji choudai ne
do you have ICQ? ICQ motte masuka? ICQ motteru?
I have ICQ. ICQ mottemasu ICQ motteruyo
when do you usually come here? fudan itsugoro koko ni kimasuka? futsuuwa itsugoro
kokoni kuru?
I usually come here around 7:00pm Japan time. itsumo Nihonjikan no 7:00pm goro ni
kokohe kimasu itsumo Nihonjikan no 7:00pm goroni kokoni kuruyo
do you often come here? kokohewa yoku kimasuka? kokoniwa yoku kuruno?
yes. I do come here often./not really. hai yoku kimasu/iie soudemo arimasen un yoku
kuruyo/uun soudemo naiyo
when will you come here next? tsugiwa itsu kokohe kimasuka? tsugiwa itsu kokoni
kuru?
I will come here tomorrow. tabun ashita mata kimasu tabun ashita mata kuruyo
Communication
ENGLISH POLITE CASUAL

7. What are you talking about? nanno hanashi desuka? nanno hanashi?
Do you understand my Japanese? watashi no Nihongo wakarimasuka? watashi no
Nihongo wakaru?
I understand./ sorry, I don't understand. wakarimasuyo / sumimasen, wakarimasen
wakaruyo/ gomen, wakaranai
would you mind saying that again? mouichido ittekuremasu ka? mouichido ittekureru?
I don't know the word. What is it? sono kotoba wa shirimasen. sorewa nan desuka?
sonokotoba wa shiranai. nani sore?
what do you call .... in Japanese? Nihongo de .... wa nanto iimasuka? Nihongo de .... tte
nante iuno?
I got it! wakarimashita! wakatta!
I see. naruhodo / soudesuka naruhodo / souka
really?/really! hotou desuka?/soudesuka! hontou?/a sounanda!
I can't believe it! shinjirare masenyo! shinjirare naiyo!
Can I speak English? Eigo de hanshitemo iidesuka? Eigo de hanashitemo ii?
Of course!/sure! mochiron desu! mochiron!
Greetings for a new year
ENGLISH POLITE CASUAL
(at the end of year) I wish you a happy new year! yoi toshi wo omukae kudasai! yoi
otoshi wo!
A happy new year! akemashite omedetou gozaimasu! akemashite omedetou!
(*please keep company with me as ever) kotoshi mo yoroshiku onegai shimasu kotoshi
mo yoroshiku
Complaint / Disagreement
ENGLISH POLITE CASUAL
I disagree with your opinion. watashi wa sono iken ni hantai desu. watahi/boku/ore wa
souwa omowanaikedo..
I'm still not convinced. nattoku ikanaino desuga. nattoku dekinain dakedo.
Please don't use such offensive words here. koko dewa sonna kotoba wa tsukawanaide
kudasai. koko de sonna kotoba wa taukawanaide yo!

8. You are rude. shitsurei na hito desune. shitsurei dayo!
I have to tell this. itteokimasuga.. itteokukedo..
I'm tired of you. Mou unzari desu. Mou unzari dayo!
Who do you think you are? nanisama dato omotteiru ndesuka? nanisama no tsumori?
I'm tired of you. Mou unzari desu. Mou unzari dayo.
Why don't you simply apologize first?. mazu wa ayamattara dounandesuka? mazuwa
ayamattara?
Would you mind getting out of here? warui kedo deteitte kuremasuka? waruikedo
deteitte kureru?
Others
ENGLISH POLITE CASUAL
I'm ... . What about you, Mari? watashi wa ... desu. Mari ha? watashi wa ... dakedo,
Mariha?
I have to go. sorosoro ikanakereba narimasen sorosoro ikanakya
I'm leaving. mou ikimasu / mou ochimasu (only chat) mou ikune / mou ochirune (only
chat)
please wait for a minutes. chotto matte kudasai chotto matte