Top 100 Basic Japanese Words for Beginners

There are many reasons why you may have decided to study Japanese. Although many believe that this is one of the most challenging languages to study, you can finally achieve your goal easily and learn Japanese quickly.

If you are committed to learning Japanese, you should follow a well-structured strategy. First of all, you need a list of all the Japanese words that you wish to memorise.

Research highlight that studying the first 1000 most used words of the foreign language of your choice will help you familiarize with about 80% of vocabulary in oral speech. The first step to achieve this result is to start from basic Japanese vocabulary or from Speechling Foundations that also collect the popular words (nouns, verbs, adjectives, numbers, and calendar) for each language on the platform, inclouding Japanese. You can start from our list of the top 100 Japanese words for beginners.

Basic Words for Learning Japanese

1. 本 (hon) - Book
2. ベッド (beddo) – Bed
3. 誕生日 (tanjōby) – Birthday
4. 時計 (tokei) – Watch, clock
5. 名前 (namae) – Name
6. きれい (kirei) – Beautiful
7. 黒い (kuroi) – Black
8. 白い (shiroi) - White
9. 英語 (eigo) – English (language)
10. 大学 (daigaku) – University
11. 電話 (denwa) – Telephone
12. バス (basu) – Bus
13. 猫 (neko) – Cat
14. 犬 (inu) – Dog
15. コンピュータ (konpiūta) – Computer
16. 服 (fuku) – Clothes

Basic Japanese Food Vocabulary

17. コーヒー (kohi) – Coffee
18. パン (pan) – Bread
19. ビール (biru) – Beer
20. 昼ご飯 (hirogohan) - Lunch
21. 夕食 (yūshoku) – Dinner
22. 食べ物 (tabemono) – Food
23. 飲み物 (nomi mono) – Beverage
24. 果物 (kudamono) - Fruit

Basic Japanese Words for People

25. 男の子 (otoko no ko) – Boy
26. 女の子 (onna no ko) – Girl
27. 子供 (kodomo) – Child
28. 母 (haha) – Mother
29. 父 (chichi) – Father
30. 友達 (tomodachi) – Friend
31. 学生 (kagusei) – Student
32. 先生 (sensei) – Teacher

Basic Japanese Nature Words

33. 川 (kawa) – River
34. 花 (hana) – Flower
35. 魚 (sakana) – Fish
36. 空 (sora) - Sky
37. 山 (yama) – Mountain
38. 雨 (ame) - Rain

Basic Japanese Words for Saying Time

39. 今 (ima) – Now
40. 今日 (kyou) – Today
41. 昨日 (kinou) – Yesterday
42. 明日 (asita) – Tomorrow
43. 毎日 (mai nichi) – Every day
44. 毎週 (maishū) – Every week
45. 午前 (gozen)* - Morning
46. 午後 (gogo) – Afternoon
47. 月曜日 (getsuyoubi) – Monday
48. 火曜日 (kayoubi) – Tuesday
49. 水曜日 (suiyoubi) – Wednesday
50. 木曜日 ( mokuyoubi) – Thursday
51. 金曜日 (kinyoubi) – Friday
52. 土曜日 (douyoubi) - Saturday
53. 日曜日 (nichiyoubi) – Sunday
54. 今年 (kotoshi) – This year

Japanese Body Parts Vocabulary for Beginners

55. 耳 (mimi) - Ear
56. 手 (te) - Hand
57. 足 (ashi) - Foot
58. 目 (me) - Eye
59. 口 (kuchi) – Mouth
60. 顔 (kao) - Face

Japanese Words for Places and Directions

61. 駅 (eki) – Train station
62. 北 (kita) – North
63. 南 (minami) – South
64. 西 (nishi) – West
65. 東 (higashi) – East
66. 国 (kuni) – Country
67. 外国 (gaikoku) – Gaikoku
68. 右 (mighi) – Right
69. 左 (hidari) – Left
70. 入口 (iriguchi) – Entrance
71. 出口 (deguchi) - Exit

Japanese Greetings for Beginners

72. おはようございます (ohayou gozaimasu) – Good Morning
73. おはよう (ohayou) – Good Morning (informal version)
74. こんにちは (konnichi wa) – Hello
75. こんばんは (konban wa) – Good evening
76. ただいま (tadaima) – I’m home (this greeting is used when you get home and want to announce your presence)
77. おやすみなさい (oyasuminasai) Good night (used to announce that you are going to bed. However, you cannot use it when you are leaving someone else’s house for the night.)
78. もしもし (moshi moshi) – Hello? (used when answering the phone)
79. いらっしゃいませ (irasshiaimase) – Welcome! (this greeting is mainly used by business owners or employees to welcome their costumers to their store).
80. おげんきですか (ogenki desu ka?) – How Are you?
81. おしゃしぶりです (oshashiburi desu) – Long time no see.
82. さようなら (sayounara) – Goodbye
83. またね (matane) – See you

Common Japanese Phrases for Beginners

84. はい (hai) – Yes
85. いいえ (iie) - No
86. わかりません (wakarimasen) – I don’t understand
87. わすれました (wasuremashita) – I forgot
88. しりません (shirimasen) – I don’t know
89. たぶん (tabun) – Maybe
90. だいじょうぶ (daijoubu) – Alright
91. よろしくお願いします (yoroshiku onegai shimasu) – Nice to meet you
92. どうも (doumo) – Thanks
93. おねがいします (onegai shimasu) – Please
94. どうもありがとうございます (doumo arigatou gozaimasu) – Thank you so much
95. すみません (sumimasen) – Excuse me / I’m sorry
96. ごめんなさい (gomennasai) – I’m sorry
97. どういたしまして (douita shimashite) – You’re welcome
98. どうぞ* (douzo) – After you
99. ごめんなさい(gomen nasai) – I’m sorry
100. 助けてください (tasukete kudasai) – Help!

How Can I Learn Japanese Vocabulary Easily?

Learning Japanese can be easy if you have access to the right tools.

With the Speechling method, you can first get acquainted with the essential Japanese words and phrases. This includes common nouns, as well as adjectives, verbs and easy phrases for every situation.

Step by step, you will learn how to use the top Japanese basic words in your everyday life, and you will soon be able to put sentences together.

The Speechling method offers thousands of professional recorded audio from native speakers that you can combine with the study of flashcards to improve your fluency. Learning Japanese's never been easier!

The best way to memorise Japanese vocabulary is to use those words until your brain can naturally link them to their meaning. This is when you can move to Speechling’s Conversations module. Here you will use your new Japanese vocabulary to answer questions, describe pictures and improve, day after day, your fluency.

Tips for Learning Japanese Vocabulary

Several pupils use a method known as rote memorization. It implies stuffing your brain full of your targeted Japanese vocabulary, repeating each word loud until they stick, and you finally feel confident.

However, there is another methodology that has proven to be successful for learning Japanese. This is known as mnemonics. This technique consists of remembering basic Japanese phrases by associating them with something else that you already know.

If you want to learn how to write in Japanese, as well as speak it, you must learn kanji. The easiest way to do so is usually to use the radical name of each kanji to make up a story that reminds you of that word meaning and pronunciation. Otherwise, you can find a keyword in your native language that sounds similar to the Japanese word that you wish to memorise.

These methodologies can also be used to learn Chinese characters, as well as any other targeted languages.

Are Flashcards Useful to Learn Japanese for Beginners?

One of the most useful ways to learn Japanese is using flashcards. You can either make your own cards or download a pre-made package based on your fluency level.

Flashcards can be used whenever you have a free minute. Besides, with electronic cards, you can improve your Japanese wherever you are. You can also record your own voice and add audio content to your flashcards, to constantly work on your Japanese pronunciation.

With Speechling, you can also record yourself and ask a professional Japanese native speaker to review your pronunciation. With these feedbacks of your coach, you will be able to improve your fluency and build all the confidence you need to speak Japanese with eloquence.