Japanese Greetings

Front 1

Ohayoo gozaimasu

Back 1

Good morning

(As people meet and bow, they greet each other. Before 10:30 am)

Front 2

Konnichiwa

Back 2

Good day/Good afternoon/ Hello

(During the day, from 10;30 am to 5:00 pm)

Front 3

Konbanwa

Back 3

Good Evening

(After 5:00 pm)

Front 4

Tadaima

Back 4

I'm Home!

Front 5

Oyasumi nasai

Back 5

Sleep Well!

(before you go to bed)

Front 6

desu

Back 6

is/are
(I am/ You are/ He is/ She is/
It is/ You are(plural)/ We are/
They are)

Front 7

anata

Back 7

you

Front 8

genki

Back 8

fine/ well

Front 9

Ohisashiburi desu ne

Back 9

Haven't seen you in ages

Front 10

Okage sama de

Back 10

Thank you for asking

Front 11

san

Back 11

Mr./Mrs./Miss, etc.

(used after everyone's name except yours)

Front 12

sensei

Back 12

teacher/master

Show respect to authority(Status in Japan is very important)

Front 13

aa

Back 13

Oh

Front 14

Ogenki desu ka

Back 14

How are you?

Front 15

ka

Back 15

(question mark?)

(Ka is the equivalent of a question mark)

Front 16

dewa arimasen

Back 16

is not/are not

(the negitive of desu is dewa arimasen)

Front 17

nan desu ka

Back 17

What is it?

Front 18

dare

Back 18

who

Front 19

minasen

Back 19

everyone/everybody

Front 20

iie

Back 20

no

Front 21

hai

Back 21

yes

Front 22

seito

Back 22

pupil(student)

Front 23

Sumimasen

Back 23

Excuse me

(You use it when you want to get through a crowd or attract someone's atterntion)

Front 24

ano

Back 24

that(over there)

Front 25

hito

Back 25

person

(another word for person)

Front 26

doomo

Back 26

very much

Front 27

Arigatoo gozaimasu

Back 27

Thank you

( is often shortened to arigatoo for "Thanks" or lengthened to domoo arigatoo gozaimasu for"Thank you very very much indeed"

Front 28

namae

Back 28

name

Front 29

watashi

Back 29

I/me

(the wa is like a sign to tell you the words in front of it are the topic of the sentence)

Front 30

no

Back 30

(belonging to)

Front 31

O namae wa nan desu ka

Back 31

What is your name?

Front 32

Watashi no desu

Back 32

Its' mine

Front 33

Dare no desu ka

Back 33

Whose is it?

Front 34

hajimemashite doozo yoroshiku

Back 34

Pleased to meet you
(hajinemashite= for the first time)

Front 35

Doozo yoroshiku

Back 35

literally means "PLease be good to me" and can also be used for "How do you do?"

Front 36

Sayonara

Back 36

Goodbye

(This is said when parting is likely to be for an extended period.)

Front 37

Sayoonara

Back 37

Goodbye

(This is said to your school principle, or on a formal occasion)

Front 38

ja mata

Back 38

see you

(Ja means "Well then", In that case". Mata means "again")

Front 39

nanijin

Back 39

(what person)

Front 40

doko

Back 40

(where)

Front 41

AMERIKAjin desu

Back 41

I am an American

To give your nationality, just add jin to your country name, e.g.:

Front 42

AMERIKAjin desu ka

Back 42

Are you an American

Front 43

Doko no kata desu ka

Back 43

Wjhere are you from?/What is your nationality?

(doko means "where:, kata is a polite word for jin (person).