Basic Japanese Vocabulary

This page will help you quickly find basic vocabulary words from lists throughout the Beginning Lessons.

Basic expressions are covered in Names and Introductions and Greetings and Other Expressions.

Grammar Words

Vocab By Word Class

Vocab By Topic

Coming Soon

The following categories will also be covered in future lessons as I get to them.

  • counters
  • countries and languages
  • family relations
  • common particles

Some General Vocabulary

These are words you should learn right away as a beginner.

Kana/Kanji Roomaji English
日本(にほん・にっぽん) Nihon/Nippon Japan
日本語(にほんご) Nihongo Japanese language
日本人(にほんじん) Nihonjin Japanese person
英語(えいご) Eigo English
アメリカ Amerika America/The U.S.
カナダ Kanada Canada
イギリス Igirisu Britain/The U.K.
オーストラリア Oosutoraria Australia
私(わたし) watashi I/me
あなた anata you
先生(せんせい) sensei teacher
学生(がくせい) gakusei student
生徒(せいと) seito student (grade/high school)
人(ひと) hito person
子供(こども) kodomo child
だれ dare who
本(ほん) hon book
車(くるま) kuruma car
学校(がっこう) gakkou school
大学(だいがく) daigaku college/university
何(なに・なん) nani/nan what
これ kore this one
それ sore that one
あれ are that one over there
どれ dore which one

 


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