Basic Japanese Words for Beginners – Part 1
200 Japanese Words for Everyday Life
For Japanese learners, vocabulary is the first obstacle that you encounter. In this lesson, we will learn about the most common and most common Japanese words.
Kanji | Hiragana/ Katakana | Romaji | Meaning |
行く | いく | iku | to go; to move |
見る | みる | miru | to see; to look |
所 | ところ | tokoro | place; address |
多い | おおい | ooi | many; a lot |
これ | kore | this | |
それ | sore | that | |
私 | わたし | watashi | I; me |
仕事 | しごと | shigoto | work; job |
家 | いえ | ie | house |
いつ | itsu | when | |
する | suru | to do | |
持つ | もつ | motsu | to hold |
出る | でる | deru | to exit; to go out |
使う | つかう | tsukau | to use |
熱い | あつい | atsui | hot |
作る | つくる | tsukuru | to make |
思う | おもう | omou | to think |
同じ | おなじ | onaji | same; identical |
買う | かう | kau | to buy |
時間 | じかん | jikan | time |
知る | しる | shiru | know |
聞く | きく | kiku | to hear; to ask |
今 | いま | ima | now |
新しい | あたらしい | atarashii | new |
なる | naru | to become | |
まだ | mada | still; as yet | |
後 | あと | ato | after; later |
言葉 | ことば | kotoba | word; words |
起きる | おきる | okiru | to get up; to wake up |
言う | いう | iu | to say |
少ない | すくない | sukunai | few; a little |
高い | たかい | takai | high; tall |
子供 | こども | kodomo | child |
一つ | ひとつ | hitotsu | one |
もう | mou | already | |
学生 | がくせい | gakusei | student |
置く | おく | oku | to put; to place |
どうぞ | douzo | welcome; please; feel free | |
午後 | ごご | gogo | afternoon |
長い | ながい | nagai | long |
本 | ほん | hon | book |
今年 | ことし | kotoshi | this year |
よく | yoku | frequently; often | |
彼女 | かのじょ | kanojo | she; her |
どう | dou | how | |
顔 | かお | kao | face |
終わる | おわる | owaru | to end |
大学 | だいがく | daigaku | university; college |
あげる | ageru | to give | |
学校 | がっこう | gakkou | school |
くれる | kureru | the receive | |
始める | はじめる | hajimeru | to start; to begin |
春 | はる | haru | spring |
午前 | ごぜん | gozen | morning |
別 | べつ | betsu | difference |
どこ | doko | where | |
部屋 | へや | heya | room |
若い | わかい | wakai | young |
車 | くるま | kuruma | car |
住む | すむ | sumu | to live |
働く | はたらく | hataraku | to work |
難しい | むずかしい | muzukashii | difficult |
先生 | せんせい | sensei | teacher |
立つ | たつ | tatsu | to stand; to stand up |
呼ぶ | よぶ | yobu | call |
帰る | かえる | kaeru | to return |
安い | やすい | yasui | cheap |
もっと | motto | more | |
入れる | いれる | ireru | to put in |
分かる | わかる | wakaru | to understand |
広い | ひろい | hiroi | wide |
数 | かず | kazu | number |
近い | ちかい | chikai | near |
そこ | soko | there | |
走る | はしる | hashiru | to run |
売る | うる | uru | to sell |
教える | おしえる | oshieru | to teach |
歩く | あるく | aruku | to walk |
会う | あう | au | to meet |
書く | かく | kaku | to write |
頭 | あたま | atama | head |
読む | よむ | yomu | to read |
大好き | だいすき | daisuki | loveable |
体 | からだ | karada | body |
直ぐ | すぐ | sugu | right away |
飛ぶ | とぶ | tobu | to fly |
とても | totemo | very | |
誰 | だれ | dare | who |
好き | すき | suki | liked |
今日 | きょう | kyou | today |
次 | つぎ | tsugi | next |
あなた | anata | you | |
飲む | のむ | nomu | to drink |
どれ | dore | which | |
質問 | しつもん | shitsumon | question |
古い | ふるい | furui | old |
友達 | ともだち | tomodachi | friend |
早い | はやい | hayai | fast; quick |
Read more:
Japanese words for everyday life
Japanese Vocabulary You Need to Get on a Plane