Say you're going to Japan. Then you realize that you don't know any Japanese words.

Or, you're learning Japanese, and you want to make sure you know some of the most important words in the Japanese language.

This is a list for you.

These 100 Japanese words will get you through an untold number of situations, problems, and feelings. I'm not saying that there are not other important words out there, but I do think this list of 100 Japanese words will get you really, really far, if for some reason you are limiting yourself to a mere 100 words. If you want to go beyond that, then perhaps a resource like WaniKani is going to be a better long-term solution.

Also, if you'd like to get the most out of this list (and your trip to Japan), I highly recommend that you learn hiragana and katakana, two of the Japanese "alphabets." We've made a free learn hiragana guide, and a free learn katakana guide just for such an occasion.

Let's get started.

Emergency

First and foremost, let's learn the Japanese words that have to do with "emergency" situations. You don't want to be caught off guard in a foreign country. If you're in trouble, you need to be able to scream the correct words to ask for help, whether that involves finding a bathroom after you ate some bad tempura (speaking from experience here), or finding someone who can speak English (or whatever your native language is).



トイレ

toire

トイレ (toire) = Toilet

Everyone poops, as the saying goes. When you gotta go, you gotta be able to ask where it's at. This word sounds almost like "toilet" without the last "t."



手洗い

tearai

手洗い (tearai) = Bathroom

Just like toilet, but a little more all-inclusive. You can feel free to use either of these in a pinch, though.



助けて

tasukete

助けて！ (tasukete!) = Help!

Just yell this out and (maybe) someone will come to your aid…



わかりません

wakarimasen

わかりません (wakarimasen) = I don't understand

Someone is speaking to you in Japanese, and they aren't using any of the hundred Japanese words you're learning now. Let them know you don't understand what they're saying with this word. Follow it up with another word on this list: "eigo!" Then they'll know you don't understand and you're asking for English.



やめて

yamete

やめて！ (yamete!) = Stop it!

Maybe somebody is messing with you and you want them to stop (yakuza?). You could say this.



英語

eigo

英語 (eigo) = English

Sometimes you just need someone who speaks some English. Even though all Japanese people learn English in school, very few Japanese people are any good at speaking it. Still, it doesn't hurt to try.



服

fuku

服 (fuku) = Clothes

Maybe you're at a hot springs and can't find your clothes. Hey, it's possible.



死にそう

shinisou

死にそう (shinisou) = Seems Like I'm Going To Die

When things get really serious, you may need to pull out all the stops.



警察

keisatsu

警察 (keisatsu) = Police

If something really bad happens, these are the people you want to ask for.



危ない

abunai

危ない (abunai) = Dangerous

You'll see this on signs and stuff. If someone says "abunai" to you, you should probably be careful.



危険

kiken

危険 (kiken) = Peril, Hazard

Basically, this is just another abunai. You'll see this on signs as well.

Asking

Asking broad general questions, then using body language to tell people the rest is a really fun way to get by in a country where you don't speak the language.



どうした

doushita

どうした？ (doushita?) = What Happened?

Then again, you probably won't understand what the person responds with, but it's always nice to ask.



どうして

doushite

どうして？ (doushite?) = Why?

You never know…



なに

nani

なに？ (nani) = What?

What!? WHAT!?



時間

jikan

時間 (jikan) = Time

Just ask this with an quizzical tone and people will get the drift. Point to your wrist while you're at it. You might want to learn some numbers (keep reading) to understand the answer.



質問

shitsumon

質問 (shitsumon) = Question

Have a question? Let someone know. Couple this with "eigo! eigo!" and maybe someone who can speak some English will come to answer your shitsumon.



だれ

dare

だれ？ (dare?) = Who?

Great in case you need to know who someone's talking about.



いつ

itsu

いつ？ (itsu?) = When?

Pretty important if you're trying to time something. "I know we have to meet, but when are we meeting?"

People

People are a big part of life and vocabulary. Learning Japanese words that have to do with people can be very important.



先生

sensei

先生 (sensei) = Teacher

If you're a student in Japan, this one comes in handy.



学生

gakusei

学生 (gakusei) = Student

Goes with the previous Japanese word.



会社員

kaishain

会社員 (kaishain) = Employee

If you go to Japan to work, this is probably what you'll become.



人

hito

人 (hito) = Person

The general word for "person."



私

watashi

私 (watashi) = I

For when you need to refer to yourself.



あなた

anata

あなた (anata) = You

For when you need to refer to someone else.

Locations

Finding your way around can be pretty important. Here are some Japanese words that will help you do that and keep you from getting lost.



ホテル

hoteru

ホテル (hoteru) = Hotel

You'll need to be able to find this if you're traveling in Japan.



どこ

doko

どこ？ (doko?) = Where?

Don't know where something is? Ask where it is with this word. Doko? Doko?



空港

kuukou

空港 (kuukou) = Airport

Combine this with the previous word, doko, and you have kuukou doko? (Where's the airport?)



駅

eki



駅

eki

駅 (eki) = Station

Trains are a huge part of traveling in Japan. Just put the name of the station before eki and you have the train station's name. For example, Tokyo Eki is "Tokyo Station."



日本

nihon



日本

nippon

日本 (nihon/nippon) = Japan

This is the country you are going to, Japan!



大学

daigaku

大学 (daigaku) = College

If you're going to Japan to study in college, this Japanese word is pretty darn important.



本屋

hon'ya

本屋 (hon'ya) = Bookstore

Some bookstores are pretty sketchy, be careful!



まんが喫茶

manga kissa

まんが喫茶 (manga kissa) = Manga Cafe

These are places with computers, internet, manga, and most importantly a place to rest. These are much cheaper than hotels, and good places to stay in a pinch… that being said, they are often smoky and uncomfortable. You can usually get free fountain drinks, though!



タクシー

takushi

タクシー (takushi) = Taxi

Expensive, but you can find them everywhere.



家

ie



家

uchi

家 (ie/uchi) = Home

There's no place like it.

Food

You can't find much better food than the food you can find in Japan. Even McDonalds somehow tastes better in Japan, not to mention Japanese food.



おなかすいた

onaka suita



はらへった

hara hetta

おなかすいた (onaka suita) / はらへった (hara hetta) = Hungry

Two ways to say this one. First one is more neutral, second is more casual.



食べます

tabemasu

食べます (tabemasu) = To Eat

Do you eat this? Yes I eat this. Combine it with another word, like sushi. Sushi tabemasu, with the right context, would mean "I eat sushi."



食べません

tabemasen

食べません (tabemasen) = To Not Eat

Do you eat this? No I don't. Like tabemasu, you can combine it with another food word. Sushi tabemasen, in the right context, would mean "I do not eat sushi." Or, combine it with niku to say niku tabemasen ("I don't eat meat"). Be warned, a lot of Japanese people think fish is not meat… and it seems like almost everything has fish.



飲みます

nomimasu

飲みます (nomimasu) = To Drink

Glug Glug.



飲みません

nomimasen

飲みません (nomimasen) = To Not Drink

Beer nomimasen. I don't drink beer.



水

mizu

水 (mizu) = Water

I drink water, instead, because that's how I roll. Mizu nomimasu.



飲み物

nomimono

飲み物 (nomimono) = Drink

Not the verb, but the noun. Please get me a drink.



食べ物

tabemono

食べ物 (tabemono) = Food

Need food? Any food? There's a ton of it in Japan.



美味しい

oishii

美味しい (oishii) = Good Tasting, Tasty

If something tastes nice (or if you want to be nice), you'd say this.



不味い

mazui

不味い (mazui) = Bad Tasting

I wouldn't ever say this to someone's face, though.



レストラン

resutoran

レストラン (resutoran) = Restaurant

Now you need to figure out which one. There will be plenty of choices.



コンビニ

kombini

コンビニ (kombini) = Convenience Store

Great place to buy small things and food. Convenience Store food in Japan is pretty awesome. You could eat at convenience stores for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for a week and always find something new and delicious.



スーパー

suupaa

スーパー (suupaa) = Supermarket

If you need something a convenience store can't give you.

Being Polite

You don't want to piss people off when you're in their country. When in Tokyo, as they say.



ありがとうございます

arigatougozaimasu

ありがとうございます (arigatougozaimasu) = Thank You

Say it, a lot.



すみません

sumimasen

すみません (sumimasen) = Excuse Me

The streets can be busy, it's nice to say excuse me when you walk through people, bump into them, or need to get by.



ごめんなさい

gomennasai

ごめんなさい (gomennasai) = Sorry

If you bump into someone while trying to get by, you can say this.



いただきます

itadakimasu

いただきます (itadakimasu) = Bon Apetite

Actually, I don't know if that's the best translation, but it's close enough. You say this before you're about to eat, to kind of give thanks for the food you're about to devour.



ごちそうさまでした

gochisousama deshita

ごちそうさまでした (gochisousama deshita) = Thanks for the food

Another bad translation! But, there isn't really a good one. You say this after you eat, to say thanks for the food.

Greetings

Hopefully you meet some nice people in your travels. Say hello (and then goodbye!) to them.



おはようございます

ohayougozaimasu

おはようございます (ohayougozaimasu) = Good Morning

A greeting for morning.



こんにちは

konnichiwa

こんにちは (konnichiwa) = Good Afternoon

You can use this around noonish on to the early evening.



こんばんは

konbanwa

こんばんは (konbanwa) = Good Evening

Like the other ones, but for evenings.



ではまた

dewamata

ではまた (dewamata) = See You Later

For when you might see the other person again.



また明日

mata ashita

また明日 (mata ashita) = See You Tomorrow

For when you'll almost certainly see them the next day.



さようなら

sayounara

さようなら (sayounara) = Goodbye

Probably won't see them for a while :(



おやすみなさい

oyasuminasai

おやすみなさい (oyasuminasai) = Good Night

Time for sleepy time. Good night!

Basic Verbs

Verbs will get you a long ways. You don't have to know much else as long as you know verbs, because verbs help you to get things done. Even if you don't know the grammatical particles that go with the verbs, you can still communicate.



行きます

ikimasu

行きます (ikimasu) = To Go

Where are you going? "Tokyo Eki. Ikimasu.," you could say, and people would understand.



帰ります

kaerimasu

帰ります (kaerimasu) = To Return (home)

If you need to someone you're coming back. Will you come back to this hotel to pay your bill? Yes. Kaerimasu.



食べます

tabemasu

食べます (tabemasu) = To Eat

Nom nom nom. (whoops, you already learned this one)



します

shimasu

します (shimasu) = To Do

This is the best verb ever. It can be used with anything. Stick it on a noun for all I care, people will understand. "Tennis shimasu," you could say. That means "do tennis" or "I do tennis."



見ます

mimasu

見ます (mimasu) = To See

What is it you want to see?



買います

kaimasu

買います (kaimasu) = To Buy

For all of you who like shopping.



待ちます

machimasu

待ちます (machimasu) = To Wait

"I'd like you to go in there for me. I'll machimasu."



書きます

kakimasu

書きます (kakimasu) = To Write

Have people write the directions down!



止まります

tomarimasu

止まります (tomarimasu) = To Stop

Or, if you're driving, look out for the 止 symbol on a red triangle sign. That's a stop sign.



教えます

oshiemasu

教えます (oshiemasu) = To Teach

If you're a teacher in Japan, this will come in handy. "Eigo. Oshiemasu!"



話します

hanashimasu

話します (hanashimasu) To Speak

Combine this with eigo (English). "Eigo. Hanashimasu?" People will know that you're asking if someone speaks English.

Basic Adjectives

Adjectives, while not as awesome as verbs, are also very useful. They help you describe things.



新しい

atarashii

新しい (atarashii) = New

No, I don't want used clothes. I want atarashii clothes.



嬉しい

ureshii

嬉しい (ureshii) = Happy

For when you eat that awesome meal… ahhh, I am so ureshii.



大丈夫

daijoubu

大丈夫 (daijoubu) = Okay

Say you fall down and hit your knee. You're okay, so you can say "daijoubu!" That way people know that you're okay.



すごい

sugoi

すごい (sugoi) = Amazing

For the sight seeing. Listen for it in cool sightseeing spots. All the cool kids are saying it. In fact, everyone is saying it.



高い

takai

高い (takai) = Expensive, Tall

If you're in a store and something costs a lot, you can say takai to mean "expensive." If you're talking about a building (and not planning on buying it) this word will mean "tall." It's all about context.



大きい

ookii

大きい (ookii) = Big, Large

You want the big portion of food? Ookii should work.



小さい

chiisai

小さい (chiisai) = Small

Or, perhaps you're not a big eater, get a chiisai portion instead.



近い

chikai

近い (chikai) = Near

I'm looking for landmark XYZ. Is it chikai?



遠い

tooi

遠い (tooi) = Far

Or, is XYZ landmark tooi?



悪い

warui

悪い (warui) = Bad

How do you feel? Warui. Is he a good person? No, he's warui. This word is a little bit flexible.



いい

ii

いい (ii) = Good

There will be a lot of opportunity to use this word. Why? Because there are a lot of good things in Japan.



面白い

omoshiroi

面白い (omoshiroi) = Interesting, Funny

There are a lot of interesting things and funny things in Japan. You'll be able to use this word a lot!



楽しい

tanoshii

楽しい (tanoshii) = Fun

And, a bunch of fun things too. Japanese rollercoasters are really tanoshii, by the way.



熱い

atsui

熱い (atsui) = Hot

In the summer, Japan gets this way. If it's humid, you can say mushi atsui.



寒い

samui

寒い (samui) = Cold

In the winter, especially up north in Hokkaido, things get really samui.



上手

jouzu

上手 (jouzu) = Good At

When you use your 100 Japanese words, people will tell you how jouzu your Japanese is, even though it's probably not that good.



下手

heta

下手 (heta) = Bad At

Nobody will tell you how heta you are at Japanese.



赤

aka

赤 (aka) = Red

Colors are good for landmarks. Doko. Aka hoteru?



青

ao

青 (ao) = Blue

Trees, traffic lights, and many other "green" things are considered ao in Japanese. Just a little tidbit of knowledge that might come in handy.



黒

kuro

黒 (kuro) = Black

The color of Japanese salaryman clothes.



緑

midori

緑 (midori) = Green

For all the green things that aren't blue.



黄色

kiiro

黄色 (kiiro) = Yellow

I'm running out of things to say about Japanese color words.



白

shiro

白 (shiro) = White

Now I'm really running out of things to say about Japanese color words.



馬鹿

baka

馬鹿 (baka) = Stupid!

I bet you already knew this one. Baka!

Numbers

Numbers will be helpful in many situations. There are many different counters in Japanese, which are basically different ways to count different things, but basic numbers like these will work in a pinch.



一

ichi

一 (ichi) = One

One ticket.



二

ni

二 (ni) = Two

Two people.



三

san

三 (san) = Three

Three o'clock.



四

shi



四

yon

四 (shi/yon) = Four

Kind of an unlucky number. Might be missing from building floors. Also, you shouldn't give gifts in sets of four.



五

go

五 (go) = Five

Good way to remember the first five numbers: "Itchy knee! Son, She go!" Imagine that playing out…



六

roku

六 (roku) = Six

Just another number. Think of "six rocks" (roku).



七

nana



七

shichi

七 (nana/shichi) = Seven

Also kinda unlucky, because it also contains "shi." 死, or shi means "death."



八

hachi

八 (hachi) = Eight

The "hatch" (hachi) you have to open has a big number "eight" on it.



九

ku



九

kyuu

九 (ku/kyuu) = Nine

It was said that "Kublai Khan" (Ku) could only count to nine.



十

juu

十 (juu) = Ten

Finally, we reach ten.



百

hyaku

百 (hyaku) = 100

Jumping up an interval, the most useful coin is the 100 yen coin, aka the hyaku en coin.



千

sen

千 (sen) = 1,000

The first paper bill in the Japanese monetary system. These are worth about $10. There are also 2,000 and 5,000 yen bills, too.



万

man

万 (man) = 10,000

Ten thousand yen bills are worth about $100.



円

en

円 (en) = Yen

Not really a number, but goes nicely with the numbers when you're talking amounts of money. ichi en, hyaku en, ichi man en, ni man en, etc.

What other important words do you think should be on this list? Let us know on Twitter.

Someone is going to Japan. What are the most important words they need to know? (Include the Japanese & English translation, please) — トーフグ (@tofugu) February 6, 2016

I hope this list was helpful for you! As I mentioned before, this is just the tip of the iceberg. It's fun to go through and try to learn individual Japanese words, but you're not learning the meaning behind the meaning. You don't understand why a word is what it is, and to do that you need to study and build up a foundation for your Japanese. You also need to study the grammar behind the words, too. Greetings, in particular, are riddled with grammar. Learning the sounds of the greetings without learning the mechanics is like going skydiving without a parachute… doesn't make sense.

I hope you decide to dig a little deeper in your Japanese! The first step is to learn the phonetic-ish alphabets of Japanese, hiragana and katakana. Good luck!