Do you call yourself an anime fan?
Don't understand anything in Japanese?
You don't have to speak, but you should know the most common Japanese phrases.
How to find out: you can watch anime more often, the phrases will become memorable.
And to consolidate the material, look at our small collection:
Meeting and farewell
This section describes popular expressions that Japanese people use when dating or saying goodbye.
Group with the meaning “Hello”
Ohayou gozaimasu – “Good morning" Polite greeting. In youth communication it can also be used in the evening. Let me remind you that in most cases “u” after voiceless consonants is not pronounced, that is, this expression is usually pronounced as “Ohayo gozaimas”.
Ohayou- Informal option.
Ossu– A very informal masculine option. Often pronounced "Oss".
Konnichiwa- "Good afternoon". The usual greeting.
Konbanwa- "Good evening". The usual greeting.
Hisashiburi desu- "Long time no see". Standard polite option.
Hisashiburi ne? (Hisashiburi ne?)– Female version.
Hisashiburi da naa... (Hisashiburi da naa)- Male version.
Yahho! (Yahhoo)- "Hello". Informal option.
Ooi! (Ooi)- "Hello". A very informal men's option. A common greeting for roll call over long distances.
Yo! (Yo!)- "Hello". An exclusively informal men's option.
Gokigenyou- "Hello". A rare, very polite female greeting.
Moshi-moshi- “Hello.” Answer by phone.
Group with the value “For now”
Sayonara- "Goodbye". The usual option. It is said that if the chances of an ambulance new meeting small.
Saraba- "Bye". Informal option.
Mata Ashita- "Till tomorrow". The usual option.
Mata ne– Female version.
Mata naa- Male version.
Dzya, mata (Jaa, mata)- "See you". Informal option.
Jia (Jaa)- A completely informal option.
De wa– A slightly more formal option.
Oyasumi nasai- "Good night". A somewhat formal option.
Oyasumi- Informal option.
"Yes and no"
This section describes popular expressions that are often found in the speech of Japanese people and anime and manga characters and express various options agreement and disagreement.
Group with the value “Yes”
Hai- "Yes". Universal standard expression. Can also mean “I understand” and “Continue”. That is, it does not necessarily mean consent.
Haa (Haa)- "Yes, sir". A very formal expression.
Uh (Ee)- "Yes". Not very formal.
Ryoukai- "Yes sir". Military or paramilitary option.
Group with value “No”
Ie- "No". Standard polite expression. Also a polite form of declining a thank you or compliment.
Nai- "No". An indication of the absence or non-existence of something.
Betsu ni- "Nothing".
Group with the value “Of course”:
Naruhodo- “Of course,” “Of course.”
Motiron- "Naturally!" An indication of confidence in a statement.
Yahari- “That’s what I thought.”
Yappari– A less formal form of the same thing.
Group with the value “Maybe”
Maa... (Maa)- "May be…"
Saa... (Saa)– “Well...” In the sense of – “It’s possible, but doubts still remain.”
Group with the meaning “Really?”
Honto desu ka? (Hontou desu ka?)- “Really?” Polite form.
Honto? (Hontou?)– Less formal.
So what? (Sou ka?)- “Wow...” Sometimes pronounced as “Bitch!”
So desu ka? (Sou desu ka?)– Formal form of the same thing.
So desu nee... (Sou desu nee)- “That’s how it is...” Formal version.
So da na... (Sou da naa)– Men's informal option.
So nah... (Sou nee)– Women's informal option.
Masaka! (Masaka)- "Can't be!"
Expressions of politeness
This section describes popular expressions of politeness that are often found in the speech of Japanese and anime and manga characters, but are not always clearly translated into Russian and other languages.
Onegai shimasu- Very polite form. Can be used independently. Especially often used in requests like “do something for me.” Let me remind you that in most cases “u” after voiceless consonants is not pronounced, that is, this expression is usually pronounced as “Onegai shimas”.
Onegai– Less polite, more common form.
- kudasai- Polite form. Added as a suffix to a verb. For example, “kite-kudasai” - “Please come.”
- kudasaimasen ka? (kudasaimasenka)- More polite form. Added as a suffix to a verb. Translates to “could you do something for me?” For example, “kite-kudasaimasen ka?” - “Could you come?”
Group with the meaning “Thank you”
Doumo – Short form, usually said in response to a little “everyday” help, say, in response to a given coat and an offer to enter.
Arigatou gozaimasu– Polite, somewhat formal uniform. Let me remind you that in most cases “u” after voiceless consonants is not pronounced, that is, this expression is usually pronounced as “Arigato gozaimas”.
Arigatou– Less formal polite form.
Doumo arigatou- "Thank you very much". Polite form.
Doumo arigatou gozaimasu- "Thank you very much". Very polite, formal uniform.
Katajikenai- Old-fashioned, very polite form.
Osewa ni narimashita- “I am your debtor.” Very polite and formal uniform.
Osewa ni natta– Informal form with the same meaning.
Group with the meaning “Please”
Dou itashimashite– Polite, formal uniform.
Iie- "My pleasure". Informal form.
Group with the meaning “Sorry”
Gomen nasai– “Excuse me, please”, “I beg your pardon”, “I’m very sorry.” A very polite form. Expresses regret for some reason, say, if you have to disturb someone. Usually it is not actually an apology for a significant offense (unlike “sumimasen”).
Gomen– Informal form.
Sumimasen- "I'm sorry". Polite form. Expresses an apology related to the commission of a significant offense.
Sumanai/Suman– Not very polite, usually male uniform.
Sumanu– Not very polite, old-fashioned form.
Shitsurei shimasu- "I'm sorry". Very polite formal uniform. Used, say, to enter the boss's office.
Shitsurei– Similar, but less formal
Moushiwake arimasen- “I have no forgiveness.” Very polite and formal uniform. Used in the military or business.
Moushiwake nai– Less formal option.
Other expressions
Dozo- "Ask". A short form, an invitation to enter, take a coat, and so on. The usual answer is “Domo.”
Chotto... (Chotto)- "No worries". Polite form of refusal. For example, if you are offered tea.
Standard everyday phrases
This section contains everyday phrases that are often found in the speech of Japanese and anime and manga characters, but are not always clearly translated into Russian and other languages.
Group “Departure and Return”
Itte kimasu- “I left, but I’ll be back.” Pronounced when leaving for work or school.
Chotto itte kuru– Less formal. Usually means something like “I’ll go out for a minute.”
Itte irashai- “Come back quickly.”
Tadaima- “I’m back, I’m home.” Sometimes it is said outside the home. This phrase then means a “spiritual” return home.
Okaeri nasai- “Welcome home.” The usual response to “Tadaima.”
Okaeri- less formal form.
Group “Food”
Itadakimasu– Pronounced before starting to eat. Literally – “I accept [this food].” Let me remind you that in most cases “u” after voiceless consonants is not pronounced, that is, this expression is usually pronounced as “Itadakimas”.
Gochisousama deshita- “Thank you, it was very tasty.” Pronounced at the end of a meal.
Gochisousama– Less formal.
Exclamations
This section contains various exclamations that are often found in the speech of Japanese and anime and manga characters, but are not always clearly translated into Russian and other languages.
Kawaii! (Kawaii)- "How lovely!" Often used in relation to children, girls, very handsome guys. In general, this word has a strong meaning of “the appearance of weakness, femininity, passivity (in the sexual sense of the word).” According to the Japanese, the most “kawaii” creature is a fair-haired good girl of four or five years old with European features and blue eyes.
Sugoi! (Sugoi)– “Cool” or “Cool/cool!” In relation to people, it is used to denote “masculinity”.
Kakkoii! (Kakkoii!)- “Cool, beautiful, drop dead!”
Suteki! (Suteki!)- “Cool, charming, wonderful!” Let me remind you that in most cases “u” after voiceless consonants is not pronounced, that is, this expression is usually pronounced as “Stacks!”
Forge! (Kowai)- "Scary!" Expression of fear.
Abunay! (Abunai)- "Dangerous!" or “Look out!”
Hide! (Hidoi!)- “Vicious!”, “Vicious, bad.”
Tasukete! (Tasukete)- “Help!”, “Help!” Let me remind you that in most cases “u” after voiceless consonants is not pronounced, that is, this expression is usually pronounced as “Taskete!”
Yamero!/Yamete! (Yamero/Yamete)- “Stop!”
Dame! (Dame)- “No, don’t do that!”
Hayaku! (Hayaku)- "Faster!"
Matte! (Matte)- “Wait!”
Yoshi! (Yoshi)- “So!”, “Come on!”. Usually pronounced as “Yos!”.
Ikuzo! (Ikuzo)- “Let's go!”, “Forward!”
Itai!/Itee! (Itai/Itee)- “Oh!”, “It hurts!”
Atsui! (Atsui)- “Hot!”
Daijōbu! (Daijoubu)- “Everything is fine”, “Healthy”.
Kampai! (Kanpai)- "To the dregs!" Japanese toast.
Gambatte! (Ganbatte)- “Don’t give up!”, “Hold on!”, “Give it your all!”, “Try to be conscientious!” The usual parting words at the beginning of difficult work.
Hanase! (Hanase)- “Let go!”
Hentai! (Hentai)- “Pervert!”
Urusai! (Urusai)- "Shut up!"
Uso! (Uso)- "Lie!"
Yokatta! (Yokatta!)- “Thank God!”, “What happiness!”
Yatta! (Yatta)- "Happened!"
When we first start learning Japanese, one of the first words we usually learn is the word “thank you”.
The most common Japanese word meaning “thank you” is the familiar ありがとう（arigatou).
As you know from my video tutorial (which you received if you subscribed to my free newsletter), in Japanese There are 3 styles of speech that differ in the degree of politeness. Therefore, saying “thank you” can be done in different ways, depending on who you are talking to.
Let's see what the options are:
1. If you want to say “thank you” to your friend, then conversational options are suitable for you.
ありがとう － arigatou
どうも － doumo
サンキュー － sankyuu (thank you)
You can use these expressions to communicate with friends, family members and people of equal status, age or junior to you.
どうも（doumo）－ the word itself means “big”, “very”, but in colloquial speech understood as a short “thank you.”
サンキュー（sankyuu）― it is not difficult to guess that this word is borrowed from in English. Thank you, pronounced in the Japanese manner, is used everywhere and is very popular among young people. And writing it on the Internet and mobile phone saves time and characters, because all you need to do is type 3-9 (numbers 3 and 9 in Japanese are read san kyuu).
2. If you want to thank an older person or a work colleague, then you will need a more polite form, and the more polite the form, the longer it is.
ありがとうございます － arigatou gozaimasu
Doumo arigatou gozaimasu
ありがとうございました － arigatou gozaimashita
If you cannot read these words and do not yet know hiragana, then you.
As you probably noticed, gozaimasu and gozaimashita were added to our “thank you”. What is it and why do we add it there?
Gozaimasu is the present tense form of the verb gozaru (to be, to exist). It is used as a polite expression, which means that you are respectful of your interlocutor.
Therefore, often in formal conversations, in conversations with strangers and people older in age or status, you will hear gozaimasu.
ありがとうございます(arigatou gozaimasu) － standard polite gratitude, if you are in doubt about which form is best to choose to thank a person, stick to it and you will never go wrong!
どうもありがとうございます(doumo arigatou gozaimasu) － Thanks a lot. As we said above, doumo is “big,” and adding it to the standard thank you makes the phrase even more polite and emotional.
Everything is clear with these two, you say, but what is gozaimashita? Why is it needed and how is it different from gozaimasu?
And I will be happy to explain to you that:
1. Gozaimasu is the present tense form of the verb, and gozaimashita is the past tense form.
2. We will use the past form of gozaimashita if the person we are thanking has ALREADY fulfilled our request, done something good for us, or something good happened to us in the past thanks to him. That is, he ALREADY did a great job and we definitely need to tell him arigatou gozaimashita for this!
3. Okay, this is all clear, but how do you say “please” in Japanese?
どういたしまして － dou itashimashite
Dou itashimashite “please” is our standard option, which can be used to respond to any gratitude, formal or not.
きにしないでください － ki ni shinaide kudasai
Do not worry about it, do not worry or it wasn't difficult for me.
But in informal situations and with friends it is much better to simply say:
オッケー － okke- (okay)
That is, okay, of course, what are we talking about :) Or:
いえいえ － ie ie
Come on, not worth it etc.
4. Hmm, what if I want to thank you for the delicious food?
A reasonable question. For such cases it is used:
ごちそうさまでした － gochisou sama deshita (formal version)
ごちそうさま － gochisou sama (informal version)
Gotisou means treat or treat, sama adds politeness, and deshita indicates the past tense. Thus we get “it was very tasty, thank you”!
(We will talk more about the past tense and politeness prefixes in other lessons).
It will also be good if during the meal you praise the food and say that it is delicious, then the person who prepared it will be pleased.
To do this you need to say:
美味しい（おいしい）- oishii
Tasty!
So, we got acquainted with several options Thank you in Japanese! In the future we will look at more complex designs and phrases that require some grammatical basis.
Do you want to know more and start speaking, writing and reading Japanese at a serious level now? Maybe it's time to make your dream come true and sign up. for a one-year Japanese language course to our school? In just three months you will begin to understand what the Japanese are talking about, in six months you will be able to pass the Noreku Shiken exam for N5, and in a year you will understand that you can freely talk about everyday topics with the Japanese. These are very good results! Then what are you waiting for? Sign up quickly while there are still places in the groups!
Arigatou gozaimashita!
What word or expression do you use most often when you want to say thank you in Japanese? Share in the comments.
When using this material, an active link to the site is required.
©2013. All rights reserved. All rights reserved.
Today's lesson will be about greetings - 挨拶 (Aisatsu). From the very beginning of learning Japanese, it is very important to learn how to say hello correctly. It seemed that it could be simpler? Anyone, even someone who has not studied Japanese, can easily remember the standard Japanese greeting, which sounds like this: こんにちは (Konnichiwa). But the Japanese wouldn't be Japanese if it were that simple. There are a number of different greetings used depending on the situation, time of day, or the status of the person you're talking to. We will get acquainted with these nuances in this article.
Greetings at different times of the day
-お早うございます(Ohayo: gozaimasu)- Good morning. "Gozaimasu" is a polite form of speech, so if you greet your friend, it can be shortened to a simple おはよう(ohayo:).
-こんにちは(Konnichiwa)- Good day, hello. A universal greeting, but it is most appropriate to use it from 12 to 16 o'clock.
-今晩は(Konbanwa)- Good evening. A very popular standard evening greeting.
Greetings in different situations
-久しぶり(Hisashiburi)- Long time no see. If you want to greet a friend you haven't seen for a long time, address him with the phrase: お久しぶりですね (Ohisashiburi desu ne) - “Long time no see.” If you have not seen each other for several years, then you can say: 何年ぶりでしたか (Nan nen buri deshita ka) - “How many years have passed?” And if the break was not very long, then you can use the phrase: しばらくでした (Shibaraku deshita). In addition to meaning “long time no see,” this phrase also means “glad to see you.”
-もしもし(Moshi-moshi)- Hello. Answer by phone.
-ごきげんよう(Gokigenyo:)- Hello. A rarely used, very polite female greeting.
Friendly greetings
-おっす(Ossu)- a very informal male version of greeting. Used by close friends of the same age.
-ういっす(Uissu)– informal female version greetings. The greeting comes from the very strong abbreviation おはようございます(ohayo: gozaimasu:).
-やっほー(Yahho:)- Hello! An informal option used by both men and women.
-よー！(Yo!)- male version of greeting. Often used by women, but it sounds rude.
“What kind of signs do you use in writing greetings?”- you ask. This is hiragana. And if you do not yet know how to read this Japanese alphabet, then we advise you to use ours that will help you start reading Japanese. 
When greeting a Japanese person, it is important to remember non-verbal communication techniques. In everyday polite or formal communication, greetings are inextricably linked with bows various types. Handshakes are used mainly in relation to Europeans. In everyday life, head nods or half-bows take place. Of course, it would be appropriate to simply wave your hand as a sign of greeting.
If you often watch Japanese films or anime, you have probably encountered one or another greeting. Share in the comments: what greetings did you encounter in the Japanese films you watched?
Did you like this article? Would you like to know even more and become fluent in spoken Japanese? In this case, we invite you to our online courses for learning Japanese for beginners. After just a year of studying Japanese in Daria Moinich’s courses, you will be able to freely communicate with the Japanese on everyday topics. Do you want to get this result? Then quickly sign up for the group, because the number of places is limited. There are many people who want to learn! You can find out more about the annual training program and enroll in courses at .
Greetings, friends. Today we will talk about Japanese pronouns!
You can write treatises on Japanese pronouns; there are so many of them that we will not take absolutely everything, but will take only those that are used most often.
Mostly the Japanese omit pronouns, but you still need to know them by sight, so let's get started.
So that I myself do not get confused in the abundance of degrees of politeness, I will simply name the numbers that I came up with for the students to make it easier for them to perceive the information. We have 3 numbers: 1 – so-called. “standard” polite Japanese, 0 – so-called. “colloquial” is simple Japanese, and 2, as you already understood, is more polite than “standard”, i.e. very polite Japanese. We will be guided by the numbers "1,2,3" to make it easier.
First, let's start with the most common pronoun - 私 - わたし (Watashi) - “I”. In terms of politeness, this is a unit.
If you want to add a note of politeness and make your speech more formal, you can say わたくし (Watakushi), but until you get the hang of it, I advise you to simply use Watashi.
Next, I’ll list a few more “I’s”, for example 僕 (ぼく) – Boku, that’s what men say. It is 1 and can be used as 0. Can be used as with simple forms verb, when you speak “you”, and in polite speech, when we use Mas fo:mu.
俺 (おれ) Ore is also “I” and is also used only by men. What's the difference?
Ore– this is zero and it is much rougher than Boku. I don’t recommend using Ore for now. Just watch who uses it and how, but usually Ore does not paint a person. No, there seems to be nothing like that in it, my friends use Ore and I do too sometimes. You just need to know how and where to use it. IN Lately I hear this from some “tomboy” girls too.
And from girls it sounds even more ridiculous. Just so you understand, Ore can only be used by guys. For girls, there is Atasi, which we will talk about next.
By the way, in the northern region of Tohoku you can also hear not ore, but orA (おら). But this is already a dialect of the Tohoku region, and not of Japan as a whole. For example, in Tohoku you can hear instead of おれは国に帰る – おら国さ帰る。You don’t have to remember the example from Tohoku, you won’t need it. This is just an interesting fact.
Next comes あたし Atashi - the female “I”. If you notice, Atashi is very similar to standard Watashi, only without the “B” at the beginning. It is very easy to remember Atasi and Atakushi. Politeness is comparable to Watashi and Watakushi. By the way, Atasi has its own slang version of Atai, although young people do not use it, now Atai smells a little like antiquity.
Girls may have a reasonable question: what is used more often? Watashi, Atashi, Watakushi or Atakushi?
Let me give you the statistics shown here.
Those. As we can see from the data, Watakushi and Watashi are used more often in official formats. In public - Watashi and less often - Watakushi. In the dialogues of Watashi or Atashi, Watakushi is almost invisible. And meeting Atakushi is generally a rarity.
In some cases, “Jibun” is used. This is translated as “Himself” or “myself”, but it is often also translated as “I” and is used mainly by men, but is less common than the previously listed pronouns.
By the way, now you can say not only “I”, but also “My”, adding the case particle “But”. Those. Watashi - I, Watashi no - Mine. Boku - Boku No, Ore - Ore no, etc. Example: Watashi no Kuruma – “My Car”.
Let's think about what else we have as an “I”? In fact, there are several other first-person pronouns, but they are used much less frequently and by certain segments of people. You don't have to remember, this is just for reference if you're interested.
For example, there is such a word as わし “washi”, this is a simple “I”, now only used by older people. Washi is now used mainly by old men in Hiroshima; in Tokyo, men say either Boku or Ore.
うち Uti – “I”. In Kansai and neighboring prefectures (such as Tottori, Kanazawa, etc.) Uchi is used as the pronoun "I".
In addition, throughout Japan, the expression うちの〜 (Uchi no〜), meaning “My〜,” is quite common.
To be fair, I note that in Tokyo I also heard people say this, for example, Uchi no Neko meaning “My cat” or “Uchi no Inu” - “my dog”.
And finally, I remind you again. The Japanese omit pronouns. Nobody says “Watashi wa I-gori des, Watashi wa Gasusei des, Watashi wa Watasi wa Wata Si wa.” This is very hard on the ears. Did you notice? It sounds like a robot is speaking, it's extremely unnatural. By the way, in some textbooks this unnaturalness is strongly expressed. Try to use as few pronouns as possible in your speech, because it is already clear from the context who we are talking about, about you or about Uncle Vasya from the first entrance. There is no need to say “I-kat” through every sentence, because this is not Russian and the Japanese language has a different logic.
I have noticed that not everyone can get used to dropping pronouns and this process usually takes long time, although it would seem that there is absolutely nothing complicated about this. But... there are such jambs and there are many of them.
Well, that's all for today. Stay tuned for part two, where we'll discuss 2nd and 3rd person pronouns and some swear words, because... they are directly related to it.
Imagine saying “thank you” in perfect Japanese to a nice waiter and seeing a surprised smile on his face. Or ask for the bill like a local, even though this is your first visit to Japan. It will be great, right? Your next trip to Japan can be twice as interesting if you know some Japanese, which you can learn thoroughly by attending a language school in Japan. You will have much more fun when you can communicate with local residents without awkward grunting and waving of arms.
The good news is that you don't have to spend months or even weeks learning Japanese—all you need to know are a few simple (and very user-friendly) phrases that you can read in minutes and master in a few days. Of course, a few memorized phrases cannot be compared with the amount of knowledge that you can get by going to study at a language school in Japan, the cost of which largely depends on the training program. However, even some phrases will significantly help in the first days of your stay in Japan. Once you've mastered these phrases, you'll be able to use them expertly, and your new Japanese friends will be delighted.
Note: Desu and masu are pronounced "des" as in English word"desk" and "mas", as in the English word "mask". Well, unless you're an anime character. The particle は is pronounced "wa".
1. Hello!
Ohayo (good morning) おはよう
Konichiwa (good afternoon)
Konbanwa (good evening)
In Japan, people usually do not say "hello" but greet each other depending on the time of day. Say "Ohayo" in the morning and "Konichiwa" in the afternoon. From 18:00 onwards use "konbanwa". Note that "konbanwa" is a greeting and is not used to wish Good night- there is a word for this “oyasumi”. If you confuse these two words, you will receive laughter or strange looks in response. Don't ask me how I know.
2. Everything is fine, or I'm fine
Daijōbu des だいじょうぶです
This is very useful phrase, which has many nuances depending on the situation (it can mean “yes” or “no”). Use it for:
- telling someone that you are okay (For example, "daijobu des", which is a minor injury)
- polite refusal (For example, if the seller asks if you want your gift wrapped, you can politely refuse by saying “daijobu des”).
3. Thank you
Arigato gozaimas ありがとう ございます。
Saying "arigato" without "gozaimas" strangers, such as a cashier or waiter, will be a little careless. As a foreigner you can get away with it, but a more natural expression in in this case- this is “arigato gozaimas”. Say it when you get change or when someone, for example, helps you find a vending machine or gives you directions to a language school in Japan.
4. I'm sorry
Sumimasen
If you only need to remember one phrase in Japanese, this is it. This is a magic phrase. You can use it in almost any situation. Accidentally stepped on someone's foot? Sumimasen! Trying to get the waiter's attention? Sumimasen! Is someone holding the elevator door for you? Sumimasen! The waitress at the cafe brought you a drink? Sumimasen! Don't know what to say? You guessed it - sumimasen.
But wait, why should I apologize to the person serving me the drink, you ask? Good question. The thing is, the word "sumimasen" is essentially an acknowledgment that you are bothering or inconveniencing someone. Thus, the legendary Japanese politeness is partly true, even if it is superficial. You can (and should) say "sumimasen" before any of the phrases below.
5. Where is (train station)?
(Eki) wa doko des ka? (えき)はどこですか？
Feel free to use this phrase when you want to know where something is: the Totoro section of a store, a train station or a museum, or - and this is very important - a toilet.
6. How much does it cost?
Kore wa ikura des ka? これ は いくら ですか？
If you decide to learn Japanese at a language school in Japan, you will definitely have to shop in stores. Most stores have price tags in a visible place, but if the price is not visible and you want to know how much an item costs, say “sumimasen” and ask the question.
7. Can I have the bill, please?
O-kaikei onegai shimas
Use this phrase in places like izakayas, but if you find the bill on your table, there's no need to ask. Just pay for it.
“Onegai shimas” is another very convenient phrase. Use it like "please." You can use it whenever you ask for something, such as a bill. Just replace the word o-kaikei in the example above with whatever you need, such as "Sumimasen, o-mizu onegai shimas." (Can I ask for some water please?)
8. Does this train go to (Shibuya)?
Kono densha wa Shibuya ikimas ka? この でんしゃ は (しぶや) いきますか？
Tokyo's extensive train network can be confusing if you're using it for the first time, and this phrase helps you know if a certain train is going to your destination before you board it. Replace the word Shibuya with the name of any other train station you are heading to.
9. Do you have (menu in English)?
(Eigo no menu) wa arimas ka? (えいご の めにゅう) は ありますか？
Sometimes you are in a hurry and need to find a certain item in the store. Instead of rushing around looking for an item, you can simply stop at the information desk or ask the nearest employee if the item is in the store. Ask this question in Japanese and they will show you where what you are looking for is located.
This phrase works great for restaurants too. If the entire menu is in Japanese, don't point your finger at it randomly. Just ask the waiter if they have something you would like to eat, such as chicken (tori), fish (sakana) or strawberry ramen (sutoroberi ramen). Just replace the words in brackets with whatever you like.
