30+ Basic Japanese Phrases Every Traveler Should Know

Traveling to Japan but worried about the language barrier?
No stress, you don’t need to be fluent. Just a few key phrases can make a huge difference.

These expressions will help you order food, ask for help, and interact politely, with English and French translations + pronunciation to guide you.

👋 Basic Greetings (Politeness is key in Japan)

• おはようございます (Ohayou gozaimasu) = Good morning | Bonjour (matin)

• こんにちは (Konnichiwa) = Hello | Bonjour (jour)

• こんばんは (Konbanwa) = Good evening | Bonsoir

• ありがとうございます (Arigatou gozaimasu) = Thank you very much | Merci beaucoup

• すみません (Sumimasen) = Excuse me / Sorry | Excusez-moi / Pardon

🗣️ Everyday Phrases

• わかりました (Wakarimashita) = I understand | J’ai compris

• わかりません (Wakarimasen) = I don’t understand | Je ne comprends pas

• もう一度お願いします (Mou ichido onegaishimasu) = Please repeat | Répétez, s’il vous plaît

• はい (Hai) = Yes | Oui

• いいえ (Iie) = No | Non

❓ Useful Questions

• お名前は？ (Onamae wa?) = What’s your name? | Comment vous appelez-vous ?

• どこですか？ (Doko desu ka?) = Where is it? | Où est-ce ?

• いくらですか？ (Ikura desu ka?) = How much is it? | Combien ça coûte ?

• トイレはどこですか？ (Toire wa doko desu ka?) = Where is the bathroom? | Où sont les toilettes ?

• どういう意味ですか？ (Dou iu imi desu ka?) = What does it mean? | Que signifie cela ?

🍜 At the Restaurant

• メニューをください (Menyuu o kudasai) = Can I have the menu, please? | Puis-je avoir le menu ?

• これは何ですか？ (Kore wa nan desu ka?) = What is this? | Qu’est-ce que c’est ?

• おすすめは何ですか？ (Osusume wa nan desu ka?) = What do you recommend? | Que recommandez-vous ?

• お水をください (O-mizu o kudasai) = Water, please | De l’eau, s’il vous plaît

• お会計お願いします (O-kaikei onegaishimasu) = The bill, please | L’addition, s’il vous plaît

💡 Pro Tips

• Save these phrases on your phone for quick access.

• Practice the pronunciation out loud (just a few times helps!).

• Use them with a smile, locals are usually happy you made the effort.