Learn first 200 Japanese words to Survive in Japan

001. Ohayo-gozai-masu = Good Morning. (explained somewhere else in this website).

002. Kon-nichi-wa = Wildcard word for Hello!, good morning, afternoon, or evening.

003. Oh-yasumi + na-sai = first part alone means "Bye", Full length means Good Night.

004. Hajime-masite = First time. It is our first time. "Nice to meet you --how do you do--" equivalent.

005. Sayonara: Use of sayonara is not always equal to bye bye. It is very strong when you are separating only for shot duration, and if you think that you are going to meet in a couple of hours from now, don't use it. Sayonara means either you are going very far "spatial" , or far in time frame (soft use of Sayonara), or "your friendship is over" e.g. breaking girl-friend boy-friend relation ships. (extreme case).

006. "Sitsuresimasu" : Excuse me equivalent. Its use is much wider than "Excuse Me" in english. Sometime also to mean, "I am sorry", "I regret for that".

007. "Sumimasen" (present form), "Sumimasen-desita" (past form). Wildcard phrase for "Thank you", "I am Sorry", "I regret for the mistake" (soft version). It looks to me that it literally means: "I did not do it deliberately", "it is not my interest to do that, but it happened" like that. Very difficult to explain such wildcard words. You can imagine the situation where you use "Thank you, and I am sorry together". It works there too.

008. "GoMenNaSai": I am very sorry. I express my sincere apology. I don't know the difference between "Apology" and "Sorry" in the context of Gomennasai. I made a mistake, and I am sorry. My mistake makes me feel like my face is painted badly. Remember that if you are not sure who made a mistake, don't rush to use "GoMenNasai", and if you use it literally means that you are accepting that you have made the mistake or you are the reason for the mistake. In court, your use of word can result you in losing your case. Expecially, in road accidents, don't use "GoMenNaSai". "GoMenNaSai" is extreme end of apology.

009. "Daijobu?" or "Daijobudesu ka?". Equivalent to "Are you fine/ OK?". Polite form is "Daijobu-desyo-ka". In road accidents or any thing wrong happens in front of you, you should ask him /her "Daijobu desu ka?". If possible, don't try touch the person, just ask "Daijobu desu ka?" as a first attempt to help him, so that you don't leave any trace of your finger prints in case deliberate attempt to harm the person by a third person or a way to trap you as in CSI movies. A good way of being nice to the person is to call police at 110(Police) 119(Ambulance) opposite of 911 in US. If you are good in Japanese language, police and ambulance will arrive in a couple of minutes. They will take care of him or her.

If you are not good in Japanese Language, and if something goes wrong to anyone around you, first try to find a Japanese to help you to explain the police or ambulance. Because most (99%) Japanese Police or Hospital staffs don't understand English, and they have a very negative mentality against foreigners that its "GAIJIN" (Foreigner's issue), "I don't have to worry. Just try to avoid: I don't know english, nor I speak speak so get lost. If you want help, you must speak in Japanese". This is what I had found in couple of events, when I tried to help people on road accidents. I first rushed to nearby telephone booth and tried to report the road accidents, and sitautions to police, and I felt that the police officer was very much irritated by my reporting, and he thought I made a mistake, and in fact I had nothing to do with the accident other than watch and help if possible. The police officers don't even TRY at all / don't put any effort to understand what I was trying to convey. Japanese people, please don't mind for writing these facts.

Japanese society is excellent in normal blue sky day, but in cloudy or rainy day, foreigners get the real taste of extreme negative side of Japanese people. Before you extend your good intetioned helping hand, it should not bring a disaster on yourside later. Some people tell that there are some bad guys who even trap pretending to be in trouble, and when you approach him for help and touch him, and once a police officer arrives such guys might report that you are the one who put him in trouble, and if you keep on agreeing without knowing what they are talking, and then you might be in trouble.

I read one article on a newspaper, a south asian guy was trapped for the death of a Japanese Women. Whole Police force and immigration officer were united to make him a scapegoat, and even Japanese Media has a mentality "Japanese don't make mistake, its foreigner who make mistakes". This is very very dangerous mentality, even university Professors, political leaders, and scholars show such trend.

There are certainly a few good guys who always try to help foreigners in Japan. Especially, a few people who had exposures to the outside world, will really defend you in rainy and cloudy day, and it is very difficult to find such people, and if you find them, you are lucky one, and you will always defend Japan like conservatives in US do: good or bad defend your friend.

The South Asian guy is now spending his life in Jail for a crime committed by a Japanese Mafia Member. So, when a crime is done by gangsters, police usually search for scapegoat (Police and Gangster work side by side, help each other: Japanese people tell this fact), and first scapegoats begins form "Chinese looking people" kind of reporting from local people around crime scene and local TV stations repeat such statements, and national TVs relay them without a shame (FUJII TV is worst, TBS and Asahi are reasonable). It is because I am not sure how can you separate a Chinese face from a Japanese Face? There is no way. There is an unwritten understanding between TV, local people, and local police that Crime means Foreigners = Chinese who look like Japanese, and this concept was developed since Eido Jidai (Because of econmy and large presence of rich Koreans in Japan, they won't raise finger on Koreans: scared of Koreans).

Japanese since Edo jidai (Isolation began in Edo Era) think that Gaijin = bad people. So, whenever you want to help some Japanese, ask "Daijobu desu ka?" Most probably you will get an answer, "Daijobu Desu = Kekko desu". But, if the person replies: Daijobu, Daijobu", then he is angry (at you or some one else). Double "Daijobu" is not regarded. "Daijobu Desyo" is also not a satisfactory answer. "Daijobu Desu, Arigato" or "Iie, kekko desu", is a best answer, and you may think of helping this person. "I am fine, Thank you for assking". If you get such answers, you may proceed for offering help. "Nani ga yari masu yo ka?" / "Tasukete ii desu-yo ka?". "Shall I do something (help) for you?". Answer, can be "Onegaisimasu" ("Please") or "Kekko Desu" / "iie, Kekko desu".("No, Thank you").

010. "Tashkete kuda sai" : Help me. Rescue me. ...

011. "Onegaisimasu": "Please", "Please help me", In Nepali and Hindi it is equivalent to "anurodh", "Kripaya".

012: "Hazkasi": Shame. Hazkasikatta Past tense. "I am ashamed".

013: Kuda Sai: Please = Favor me = Please give me.

014: "Ita daki masu": I will accept it. I will receive it. I will take it. When someone offers you something: gift, food, pen, pencil, ... anything free of charge or even after you pay it, it is customary to say loudly "Ita-Daki Masu", and in fact, you are trying to confirm him/her (the giving side) that I am going to take the thing that you ffered me, is that ok? kind of reConfirmation, eventhough it might really belong to you. It is their culture. You have to follow it, if you want to be in Japan and have fun, and have friends. Its a give and take. Just before you eat anything, you must say "Itadaki masu", whether someone is there is not. You are probably trying to confirm with GOD that "God, I am going to eat food, is that OK?", and if there someone who should be offering you a confirmation, then s/he might say, "ii-yo" = OK. single or double does not matter. "ii-yo" is used by superior people to junior people, but if you are junior in rank, then you should say: "Dojo" Go Ahead, or "Dojo, yorosi desuyo". Please go ahead, I have no objection/ problem.

If you want to ask for permission, e.g. if you want to receive or take a free items or like that, then ask this way: "Ita-daite-mo-yorosi-desuyo-ka" very polite form. May I have this. Please remember that there are two different words for "take" = "receive for forever", and "borrow". The phrases explained in this number are for take or receive, and may not be applied for borrow. I think the right word for this is "Azkatte mo iidesu yo ka". Be precise in the use of these two phrases, so that you are not borrowing a gift, and you are not taking library book.

015. Ajakari masu. Azkatte me ii desu ka? Azkatte mo ii desuyoka? ....

016. Go chi so sama desu: At the end of eating food, you should tell: Go chi so sama desu. Thank you for feeding me, and making me full of food. I am happy. .... Even if no one is present. So, you might be thanking god or someone who made the food. Appreciation does not require receipient in front of you. This blogger likes this word. It is such a wonderful phrase. Thanks to Japanese people for inventing such great phrases.

017. "o saki ni" = informal, "o saki ni siturei simasu" = very polite. This means, I am leaving, please excuse me. You must say if you are leaving a room where there is another human being whoever he may be: senior or junior or your enemy. It is an acknowledgement that you are leaving the building or office or house. If you don't say anything like this, then if your colleague gets telephone he might reply to the caller that you are somewhere around here because he did not say "o saki ni siturei simasu". So, it is a kind of acknowledgment or confirmation that you are leaving the place. Not returning today. So, it literally means: O = polite form prefix, and saki = "before (before the person in the room)" "ni" = OK (very close), "I am leaving" part is hidden by default the other side knows it. If you add "siturei simasu", please excuse me for leaving before you. Then, if another person says to you such words while you are working in the office, you may reply: "Sayonara", or "Go kuro sama desita" (usually to juniors) = You are done for today, You must be tired by now, take care. "O tu kare sama desita" (to seniors usually or with respect or love) = more polite than "Go kuro sama". Please note that Go kuro sama desita or Otukaresama are used only when some one is leaving or someone has done commendable job even if he may or may not leaving you immediately / in a moment from now. But, when you are leaving for just a part of job that you think you will be back to the same room or meet them after it is done, then don't use "O saki ni", tell them that "Itte ki masu": I am leaving and will be back soon (after the job is done). Be precise in differentiating these two phrases. So that they are not confused whether you left and will not return or will return? If your friend says, "Itte ki masu", your reply to him should not be "Go Kuro sama" or "sayonara", but you should offer him good wishes for the job he is going to do. So your answer should be: "itte ra sai" or more politely: "itte [Please go] irrasai {Please return (safe) later]" like that. or "Ki O tukete (take care)". or "Gambatte kudasai (Do your best: if you are going for e.g. exam)" or "matte masu" (informal = I will be waiting (for you). "O machi masu" = polite form.

18. otukare sama. go ku ro sama.

19. sayonara.

20. itte ki masu.

21. itte ra sai.

22. gaam batte kudasai.

23. ki o tukete

24. o kairi.

25. ii desu ne. ii desu yo. iss desu yo ne. ii desu ka. so desu ka. so desu ne.

Number 26 through 50 will be in next page.