Japanify

Lesson 1: Introductions

Learn basic Japanese greetings and self-introductions for everyday conversations.

In this Lesson, you will learn the basics of Japanese greetings and self-introductions. This is the foundation for all Japanese communication and will help you start conversations with native speakers.

Lesson 1: Introductions image

Key topics:

  • ・Basic greetings (おはよう, こんにちは, こんばんは)
  • ・Self-introduction phrases
  • ・Asking and answering simple questions
  • ・Particles は and です
  • ・Nationalities and occupations
  • ・Polite language and honorifics

Vocabulary

1
わたし
watashi
私わたし
I, me
Example
わたしはがくせいです.
Watashi wa gakusei desu.
I am a student.
2
わたしたち
watashitachi
私わたし達わたしたち
we
Example
わたしたちはともだちです.
Watashitachi wa tomodachi desu.
We are friends.
3
あなた
anata
貴方あなた
you
Example
あなたはせんせいですか.
Anata wa sensei desu ka?
Are you a teacher?
4
あのひと
anohito
あの人ひと
that person, he, she
Example
あのひとはかいしゃいんです.
Anohito wa kaishain desu.
That person is a company employee.
5
あのかた
anokata
あの方かた
that person, he, she (polite)
Example
あのかたはいしゃです.
Anokata wa isha desu.
That person is a doctor.
6
みなさん
minasan
皆みなさん
everyone
Example
みなさん、こんにちは.
Minasan, konnichiwa.
Hello, everyone.
7
__ さん
san
さん
Mr./Ms.
Example
たなかさんはにほんじんです.
Tanaka-san wa nihonjin desu.
Mr. Tanaka is Japanese.
8
__ ちゃん
chan
ちゃん
suffix for child or girl
Example
ゆきちゃんはこどもです.
Yuki-chan wa kodomo desu.
Yuki-chan is a child.
9
__ くん
kun
くん
suffix added to boy name
Example
たろうくんはがくせいです.
Taro-kun wa gakusei desu.
Taro-kun is a student.
10
__ じん
jin
人じん
nationality suffix
Example
かれはアメリカじんです.
Kare wa Amerika-jin desu.
He is American.
11
せんせい
sensei
先生せんせい
teacher
Example
このせんせいはやさしいです.
Kono sensei wa yasashii desu.
This teacher is kind.
12
きょうし
kyoushi
教師きょうし
teacher (referring to own self)
Example
わたしはきょうしです.
Watashi wa kyoushi desu.
I am a teacher.
13
がくせい
gakusei
学生がくせい
student
Example
わたしはがくせいです.
Watashi wa gakusei desu.
I am a student.
14
かいしゃいん
kaishain
会社かいしゃ員かいしゃいん
company employee
Example
あのひとはかいしゃいんです.
Anohito wa kaishain desu.
That person is a company employee.
15
しゃいん
shain
社員しゃいん
employee of ___company
Example
とうきょうでんわのしゃいんです.
Tokyo denwa no shain desu.
I am an employee of Tokyo Telephone Company.
16
ぎんこういん
ginkouin
銀行ぎんこう員ぎんこういん
bank employee
Example
はははぎんこういんです.
Haha wa ginkouin desu.
My mother is a bank employee.
17
いしゃ
isha
医者いしゃ
medical doctor
Example
あのいしゃはアメリカじんです.
Ano isha wa amerika jin desu.
That doctor is American.
18
けんきゅうしゃ
kenkyuusha
研究けんきゅう者けんきゅうしゃ
researcher, scholar
Example
わたしはけんきゅうしゃです.
Watashi wa kenkyuusha desu.
I am a researcher.
19
エンジニア
enjinia
エンジニア
engineer
Example
あにはエンジニアです.
Ani wa enjinia desu.
My older brother is an engineer.
20
だいがく
daigaku
大学だいがく
university
Example
これはだいがくです.
Kore wa daigaku desu.
This is a university.
21
びょういん
byouin
病院びょういん
hospital
Example
あそこはびょういんです.
Asoko wa byouin desu.
That place over there is a hospital.
22
だれ
dare
誰だれ
who
Example
だれとすんでいますか？
Dare to sundeimasu ka?
Who do you live with?
23
どなた
donata
どなた
who (polite)
Example
どなたですか.
Donata desu ka?
Who are you? (polite)
24
なんさい
nansai
何なん歳なんさい
how old
Example
なんさいですか？
Nan-sai desu ka?
How old are you?
25
おいくつ
oikutsu
おいくつ
How old (polite)
Example
おいくつですか.
Oikutsu desu ka?
How old are you? (polite)
26
__ さい
sai
歳さい
__ years old
Example
わたしはにじゅうさいです.
Watashi wa nijuu-sai desu.
I am 20 years old.
27
はい
hai
はい
Yes
Example
はい、そうです.
Hai, sou desu.
Yes, that
28
いいえ
iie
いいえ
No
Example
いいえ、ちがいます.
Iie, chigaimasu.
No, that
29
失礼ですが
shitsurei desu ga
-
Excuse me, but
Example
失礼しつれいですが、お名前なまえは？
Shitsurei desu ga, onamae wa?
Excuse me, but what is your name?
30
お名前は
onamae wa
-
May I have your name?
Example
お名前なまえは？
Onamae wa?
What is your name?
31
初めまして
hajimemashite
-
How do you do? (first meeting)
Example
初はじめまして、田中たなかです.
Hajimemashite, Tanaka desu.
How do you do? I am Tanaka.
32
どうぞ宜しくお願いします
douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu
-
Nice to meet you, please be kind to me
Example
どうぞ宜よろしくお願ねがいします.
Douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu.
Nice to meet you, please be kind to me.
33
こちらは __ さんです
kochira wa ___san desu
-
This is Mr./Ms.
Example
こちらは山田やまださんです.
Kochira wa Yamada-san desu.
This is Mr. Yamada.
34
__ から来ました
kara kimashita
-
I came from __
Example
日本にっぽんから来きました.
Nihon kara kimashita.
I came from Japan.

Conversation

1
いらっしゃいませ
irasshaimase
Welcome (used by staff in shops/restaurants)
Example Usage
いらっしゃいませ、何なん名めい様さまですか.
Irasshaimase, nan-mei sama desu ka.
Welcome, how many people?
2
いい[お]天気ですね
ii [o]tenki desu ne
Nice weather, isn
Example Usage
今日きょうはいい天気てんきですね.
Kyou wa ii tenki desu ne.
The weather is nice today, isn
3
お出かけですか
odekake desu ka
Are you going out?
Example Usage
お出でかけですか.
Odekake desu ka.
Are you going out?
4
ちょっと __ まで
chotto __ made
Just to __ (a place)
Example Usage
ちょっと郵便ゆうびん局きょくまで.
Chotto yuubinkyoku made.
Just to the post office.
5
行っていらっしゃい
itte irasshai
Have a good day / See you later
Example Usage
気きを付つけて行いっていらっしゃい.
Ki o tsukete itte irasshai.
Be careful and have a good day.
6
行ってまいります
itte mairimasu
I
Example Usage
では、行いってまいります.
Dewa, itte mairimasu.
Well then, I
7
それから
sore kara
And then / After that
Example Usage
学校がっこうへ行いきます.それから図書としょ館かんへ行いきます.
Gakkou e ikimasu. Sore kara toshokan e ikimasu.
I

Grammar Rules

Rule 1: Particle は (wa)

Structure: [Topic] は [Predicate] です

The particle は marks the topic of the sentence. It sets the context for what you are talking about, and the rest of the sentence gives information about that topic. Despite its spelling, は is pronounced

How to use: Place は after the noun or phrase that is the topic. The predicate (often a noun phrase with です, an adjective, or a verb) follows. は can also contrast two items (e.g.,
💡 Pro Tip: Do not confuse は (topic marker) with が (subject marker). は often introduces new information or contrasts, while が focuses on the subject itself. In basic sentences like
Examples
私わたしは学生がくせいです.
Watashi wa gakusei desu.
→ I am a student.
今日きょうはいい天気てんきですね.
Kyō wa ii tenki desu ne.
→ Today is nice weather, isn

Rule 2: Negative form

Structure: [Topic] は [Noun] じゃありません / ではありません

To make a negative statement with nouns or な-adjectives, replace です with じゃありません (casual polite) or ではありません (more formal). This means

How to use: Place じゃありません or ではありません after the noun. For い-adjectives, the negative form is different ( __ くないです). For verbs, use ___ません. じゃありません is common in everyday conversation; ではありません is slightly more formal.
💡 Pro Tip: In casual speech, you can also say じゃないです or simply じゃない. For written or very polite contexts, use ではありません. Remember that じゃ is a contraction of では. Negative questions (e.g.,
Examples
彼かれは先生せんせいじゃありません.
Kare wa sensei ja arimasen.
→ He is not a teacher.
これはスマートフォンではありません.
Kore wa sumātofon dewa arimasen.
→ This is not a smartphone.

Rule 3: Question form

Structure: [Sentence] + か

Add the question particle か at the end of a statement to turn it into a polite question. The sentence ends with a rising intonation (similar to English). か replaces the need for a question mark, though a question mark is sometimes used in casual writing.

How to use: Place か directly after the final verb or です. Do not add か after です already in the sentence; it replaces the final か? Actually, you keep です and add か: です + か. For example, 学生です becomes 学生ですか. The word order does not change.
💡 Pro Tip: In casual speech, か is often dropped, and only rising intonation indicates a question (e.g., 学生？). Do not use か with question words like なん・だれ in casual speech? Actually, it
Examples
あなたは学生がくせいですか.
Anata wa gakusei desu ka?
→ Are you a student?
これはあなたのペンですか.
Kore wa anata no pen desu ka?
→ Is this your pen?

Rule 4: Question word なん (nan)

Structure: なん + ですか

Use なん (pronounced

How to use: Place the subject (often これ, それ, あれ, or a noun with は) then add は, then なんですか. For example: これはなんですか (What is this?). なん is used because なに changes to なん before です for euphony.
💡 Pro Tip: Pro Tip: Use なん if the next sound starts with D, N, or T (the Da-Na-Ta rule) or when using counters like じ (time) and さい (age). Use なに when it stands alone or before the particles が, を, and も.
Examples
これはなんですか.
Kore wa nan desu ka?
→ What is this?
あなたのしごとはなんですか.
Anata no shigoto wa nan desu ka?
→ What is your job?

Exercises

Question 1

Choose the correct particle particle:

私______学生です.

Question 2

彼は先生______.

Question 3

Choose the correct question form of

あなたは学生です.→ あなたは学生______.

Question 4

これは______ですか.

Question 5

Choose the correct particle to contrast

りんご______好きですが、バナナ______好きじゃありません.

Question 6

これはスマートフォン______.

Question 7

What does

Question 8

あなたのしごとは______ですか.

Question 9

Choose the correct particle for the topic marker in

今日______いい天気ですね.

Question 10

Complete the casual sentence meaning

それはくるま______.

Question 11

In casual speech, how do you ask

Question 12

いま______じですか.

Question 13

Choose the correct sentence meaning

Question 14

りんご______好きです.でも、バナナ______好きじゃありません.

Question 15

How do you say

これは______.

Question 16

あなたは______さいですか.

Question 17

Choose the correct way to ask

Question 18

これは私のほん______.

Question 19

In the sentence

Question 20

あれは______ですか.

On'yomi:
Kun'yomi: