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Japanese Language Essentials Cheatsheet
A concise cheat sheet covering essential aspects of the Japanese language, including basic grammar, vocabulary, and useful phrases. Perfect for beginners and travelers.
Basic Phrases and Greetings
Essential Greetings
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こんにちは (Konnichiwa) |
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Good Morning |
おはようございます (Ohayou gozaimasu) |
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Good Evening |
こんばんは (Konbanwa) |
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Good Night |
おやすみなさい (Oyasumi nasai) |
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Goodbye |
さようなら (Sayounara) |
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Thank You |
ありがとうございます (Arigatou gozaimasu) |
Basic Interactions
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Yes |
はい (Hai) |
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No |
いいえ (Iie) |
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Excuse Me |
すみません (Sumimasen) |
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I understand |
わかります (Wakarimasu) |
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I don't understand |
わかりません (Wakarimasen) |
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Please |
おねがいします (Onegaishimasu) |
Self-Introduction
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My name is... |
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…です (… desu) |
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Nice to meet you. |
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はじめまして (Hajimemashite) |
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I am from... |
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…から来ました (… kara kimashita) |
Grammar Essentials
Particles
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は (wa) |
Topic marker |
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が (ga) |
Subject marker |
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を (o) |
Direct object marker |
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に (ni) |
Indicates location, time, or indirect object |
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へ (e) |
Indicates direction |
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で (de) |
Indicates location of an action |
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と (to) |
And (lists all items) |
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や (ya) |
And (lists some items) |
Verb Conjugation Basics
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Japanese verbs are conjugated based on tense and politeness.
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Example: 食べる (taberu) - to eat
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Adjectives
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い-adjectives (i-adjectives) |
End in い (i). Example: 大きい (ookii) - big |
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な-adjectives (na-adjectives) |
Require な (na) before nouns. Example: きれい (kirei) - pretty, きれいな花 (kirei na hana) - pretty flower |
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Adjective Conjugation |
Changes based on tense. |
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Example い-adjective (past tense) |
大きい -> 大きかった (ookatta) |
Essential Vocabulary
Numbers
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1 |
一 (Ichi) |
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2 |
二 (Ni) |
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3 |
三 (San) |
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4 |
四 (Shi/Yon) |
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5 |
五 (Go) |
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6 |
六 (Roku) |
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7 |
七 (Shichi/Nana) |
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8 |
八 (Hachi) |
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9 |
九 (Kyuu/Ku) |
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10 |
十 (Juu) |
Common Nouns
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Water |
水 (Mizu) |
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Food |
食べ物 (Tabemono) |
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Train |
電車 (Densha) |
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Person |
人 (Hito) |
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Money |
お金 (Okane) |
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Time |
時間 (Jikan) |
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Restaurant |
レストラン (Resutoran) |
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Hotel |
ホテル (Hoteru) |
Useful Adjectives
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Delicious |
美味しい (Oishii) |
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Expensive |
高い (Takai) |
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Cheap |
安い (Yasui) |
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Good |
良い (Iiyo) |
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Big |
大きい (Ookii) |
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Small |
小さい (Chiisai) |
Practical Travel Phrases
Asking for Directions
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Where is...? |
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…はどこですか? (… wa doko desu ka?) |
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How do I get to...? |
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…へはどう行けばいいですか? (… e wa dou ikeba ii desu ka?) |
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Is it far? |
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遠いですか? (Tooi desu ka?) |
At a Restaurant
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Menu, please. |
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メニューをお願いします。 (Menyuu o onegai shimasu.) |
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I would like this. |
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これをください。 (Kore o kudasai.) |
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Check, please. |
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お会計をお願いします。 (Okaikei o onegai shimasu.) |
At a Hotel
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I have a reservation. |
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予約があります。 (Yoyaku ga arimasu.) |
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What is the price? |
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値段はいくらですか。 (Nedan wa ikura desu ka?) |
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Can I see the room? |
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部屋を見てもいいですか。 (Heya o mite mo ii desu ka?) |