Lesson 3: Essential Phrases — Survival Japanese 🗣️

Introduction

Welcome to your first real conversations in Japanese! 🎌 Now that you've learned hiragana, it's time to put those characters to work with survival Japanese — the essential phrases that will help you navigate any situation in Japan.

In this lesson, we won't dive into grammar explanations yet. Instead, you'll learn phrases as complete patterns that work immediately. Think of them as verbal tools in your Japanese toolkit 🧰. You can use these phrases from day one, even before understanding how they're constructed grammatically.

💡 Tip: These phrases are like social lubricant in Japanese culture. Using them appropriately shows respect and cultural awareness, which Japanese people deeply appreciate!

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Core Concepts: Your Essential Phrase Arsenal 🎯

1. Time-Based Greetings ⏰

Japanese greetings change depending on the time of day. Unlike English's all-purpose "hello," you need to know what time it is!

+----------------+------------------------+------------------+
| Time Period    | Japanese (Hiragana)    | Reading          |
+----------------+------------------------+------------------+
| Morning        | おはようございます      | ohayō gozaimasu  |
| (until ~10am)  |                        |                  |
+----------------+------------------------+------------------+
| Daytime        | こんにちは              | konnichiwa       |
| (10am-6pm)     |                        |                  |
+----------------+------------------------+------------------+
| Evening        | こんばんは              | konbanwa         |
| (after 6pm)    |                        |                  |
+----------------+------------------------+------------------+
| Night          | おやすみなさい          | oyasuminasai     |
| (going to bed) |                        |                  |
+----------------+------------------------+------------------+

🗣️ Pronunciation hints:

• おはようございます (o-ha-YO go-zai-mas) — The "u" at the end is almost silent
• こんにちは (kon-ni-chi-WA) — Written with は but pronounced "wa"
• こんばんは (kon-ban-WA) — Also written with は but pronounced "wa"

⚠️ Common Mistake: Don't use おはようございます at 3pm! Time-specific greetings are important in Japanese culture.

🧠 Mnemonic: Think "Open your eyes, have a yogurt" for おはよう (morning greeting).

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2. The Power of ありがとう — Thank You Variations 🙏

Gratitude in Japanese has levels of politeness. The more formal the situation, the longer the phrase!

+---------------------------+------------------+-----------------+
| Phrase                    | Reading          | When to Use     |
+---------------------------+------------------+-----------------+
| ありがとう                 | arigatō          | Casual/Friends  |
+---------------------------+------------------+-----------------+
| ありがとうございます       | arigatō          | Standard/Polite |
|                           | gozaimasu        |                 |
+---------------------------+------------------+-----------------+
| どうもありがとうございます | dōmo arigatō     | Very Formal/    |
|                           | gozaimasu        | Deep Gratitude  |
+---------------------------+------------------+-----------------+
| どうも                     | dōmo             | Quick Thanks    |
+---------------------------+------------------+-----------------+

💡 Tip: As a learner, ありがとうございます (arigatō gozaimasu) is your safest bet. It's polite but not overly formal.

🎭 Cultural Context: Japanese people say thank you much more frequently than Westerners. Thank the bus driver, thank the cashier, thank someone for holding the door. When in doubt, say ありがとうございます!

🤔 Did You Know? ありがとう comes from the adjective "ありがたい" (arigatai), which originally meant "rare" or "precious." You're literally saying someone's action is precious to you!

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3. すみません — The Swiss Army Knife Phrase 🔧

すみません (sumimasen) is arguably the most versatile phrase in Japanese:

          すみません (sumimasen)
               |
      +--------+--------+--------+
      |        |        |        |
   Excuse   Sorry   Getting  Thank you
     me               attention  (light)
      |        |        |        |
   "May I    "I'm    "Hey,    "Thanks
    pass?"   sorry"  waiter!" for small
                                favor"

🗣️ Pronunciation: su-mi-ma-SEN (stress on final syllable)

🎯 Common Expressions:

• Getting through a crowd: すみません (excuse me)
• Calling a waiter: すみません! (excuse me!)
• Bumped into someone: すみません (sorry)
• Someone picked up what you dropped: すみません (thanks/sorry for the trouble)

⚠️ Important: For serious apologies, use ごめんなさい (gomen nasai) with friends or もうしわけございません (mōshiwake gozaimasen) in formal situations. すみません is for lighter situations.

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4. Yes, No, and Please — The Basics ✅❌

+--------------------+------------------+-------------------+
| Meaning            | Japanese         | Reading           |
+--------------------+------------------+-------------------+
| Yes (informal)     | うん             | un                |
+--------------------+------------------+-------------------+
| Yes (polite)       | はい             | hai               |
+--------------------+------------------+-------------------+
| No (informal)      | ううん           | uun               |
+--------------------+------------------+-------------------+
| No (polite)        | いいえ           | iie               |
+--------------------+------------------+-------------------+
| Please (asking)    | おねがいします   | onegaishimasu     |
+--------------------+------------------+-------------------+
| Please (offering)  | どうぞ           | dōzo              |
+--------------------+------------------+-------------------+

🗣️ Pronunciation hints:

• はい (HAI) — Short and crisp, like the English "hi"
• いいえ (i-i-E) — Three syllables, accent on the last
• おねがいします (o-ne-GAI-shi-mas) — Accent on "gai"

💡 Tip: Japanese people often avoid saying いいえ directly, as it can sound blunt. They might say ちょっと... (chotto... / "a little...") instead to soften the refusal.

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5. The Holy Trinity — Three Phrases That Work Everywhere 🌟

These three phrases will save you in almost any situation:

すみません (sumimasen) — "Excuse me/Sorry" ありがとうございます (arigatō gozaimasu) — "Thank you" おねがいします (onegaishimasu) — "Please/I request this"

    SURVIVAL JAPANESE TRIANGLE
    
         すみません
        (attention/sorry)
              /\
             /  \
            /    \
           /      \
          /________\
    ありがとう    おねがい
   ございます    します
    (thanks)     (please)

🔧 Try this: Practice saying these three phrases 10 times each. They should roll off your tongue automatically!

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6. Situational Set Phrases 🎬

Before eating: いただきます (itadakimasu)

• Literal meaning: "I humbly receive"
• Say this before every meal to show gratitude for the food

After eating: ごちそうさまでした (gochisōsama deshita)

• Meaning: "It was a feast/Thank you for the meal"
• Say this after finishing your meal

When leaving home: いってきます (itte kimasu)

• Meaning: "I'm going and coming back"

When someone leaves: いってらっしゃい (itte rasshai)

• Meaning: "Please go and come back"

When arriving home: ただいま (tadaima)

• Meaning: "I'm home"

When someone arrives home: おかえりなさい (okaerinasai)

• Meaning: "Welcome home"

🎭 Cultural Context: These ritualized phrases show respect for food, home, and family relationships. They're deeply embedded in Japanese culture, and even people living alone often say them!

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Detailed Examples with Real Situations 🌍

Example 1: At a Convenience Store 🏪

Scenario: You're buying a drink at a コンビニ (konbini - convenience store) in Tokyo.

You enter:
YOU: (Make eye contact with clerk, slight nod)

At the register:
CLERK: いらっしゃいませ (irasshaimase - Welcome!)
YOU: (Place item on counter)
CLERK: [Scans item] 150えんです (150 en desu - 150 yen)
YOU: (Hand money) おねがいします (onegaishimasu)
CLERK: ありがとうございます (arigatō gozaimasu)
YOU: ありがとうございます (arigatō gozaimasu)
     [As you leave] (Small bow)

💬 Natural flow: Notice both the clerk AND customer say ありがとうございます. This mutual gratitude is very Japanese!

⚠️ Common Mistake: Don't say どういたしまして (dōitashimashite - "you're welcome") to店員 (clerk) at a shop. Just say ありがとうございます back!

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Example 2: Getting Someone's Attention on a Train 🚃

Scenario: Someone is blocking the door and you need to get off at your stop.

[Train approaching your station]

YOU: すみません (sumimasen) — Excuse me
     [Person doesn't hear]
YOU: (A bit louder) すみません! (sumimasen!)
PERSON: (Turns around) あ、はい! (A, hai! - Oh, yes!)
YOU: (Gesture toward door) すみません
PERSON: (Moves aside) あ、どうぞ (A, dōzo - Oh, please)
YOU: (Passing by) すみません (sumimasen - Thanks/Sorry)

💡 Tip: すみません is used THREE times here with slightly different meanings, but the same word works for all!

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Example 3: Restaurant Interaction 🍜

Scenario: Entering a ramen restaurant and ordering.

Entering restaurant:
STAFF: いらっしゃいませ! (irasshaimase! - Welcome!)
       なんめいさまですか (nanmei sama desu ka - How many people?)
YOU: (Hold up one finger) ひとりです (hitori desu - One person)
     おねがいします (onegaishimasu - Please)

At your seat:
YOU: (Look at menu, then call staff)
     すみません! (sumimasen! - Excuse me!)
STAFF: はい! (hai! - Yes!)
YOU: (Point at menu) これ、おねがいします
     (kore, onegaishimasu - This one, please)
STAFF: はい、かしこまりました (hai, kashikomarimashita - Certainly)

Before eating:
YOU: いただきます (itadakimasu)

After eating:
YOU: ごちそうさまでした (gochisōsama deshita)
     (To staff) ありがとうございます (arigatō gozaimasu)

🎯 Key phrase: これ、おねがいします (kore, onegaishimasu - "This one, please") is incredibly useful! これ (kore) means "this," and you can point at anything.

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Example 4: Morning Greetings at a Hotel 🏨

Scenario: It's 9:00 AM and you're leaving your hotel.

At front desk:
YOU: おはようございます (ohayō gozaimasu - Good morning)
STAFF: おはようございます! (ohayō gozaimasu!)

YOU: (Handing room key) おねがいします (onegaishimasu)
STAFF: ありがとうございます (arigatō gozaimasu)
      いってらっしゃいませ (itte rasshai mase - Have a good trip)
YOU: いってきます! (itte kimasu! - I'm off!)

🤔 Did You Know? Hotels and businesses add ませ (mase) to phrases to make them extra polite: いってらっしゃいませ instead of just いってらっしゃい.

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📖 Extended Story: A Day Using All Your Phrases

Let's follow タナカさん (Tanaka-san) through a typical day, using every phrase you've learned:

Morning — 7:00 AM ☀️ タナカさん wakes up in his apartment.

タナカ: (Leaving for work) いってきます! (itte kimasu!) Wife: いってらっしゃい! (itte rasshai!)

Morning — 8:30 AM 🚶 タナカさん arrives at his office building. He sees his colleague near the elevator.

タナカ: おはようございます! (ohayō gozaimasu!) Colleague: おはようございます! (ohayō gozaimasu!)

Afternoon — 12:00 PM 🍱 ランチタイム (lunch time)! タナカさん goes to a restaurant.

タナカ: (Entering) (Waits to be seated) Staff: いらっしゃいませ! タナカ: ひとり、おねがいします (onegaishimasu)

(At table, ready to order) タナカ: すみません! (sumimasen!) — Calling the waiter Waiter: はい! (hai!) タナカ: これと、これ、おねがいします (onegaishimasu) Waiter: かしこまりました

(Food arrives) タナカ: いただきます (itadakimasu)

(Finished eating) タナカ: ごちそうさまでした (gochisōsama deshita) ありがとうございます (arigatō gozaimasu) Staff: ありがとうございます! (arigatō gozaimasu!)

Evening — 7:00 PM 🌆 On crowded train going home, タナカさん accidentally steps on someone's foot.

タナカ: あ! すみません! (sumimasen!) — I'm sorry! Person: いいえ (iie) — It's okay

(Needs to get off at next station) タナカ: すみません (sumimasen) — Excuse me Person: (Moves aside) どうぞ (dōzo) タナカ: すみません (sumimasen) — Thanks

Night — 8:00 PM 🏠 タナカさん arrives home.

タナカ: ただいま! (tadaima!) Wife: おかえりなさい! (okaerinasai!)

Night — 11:00 PM 🌙 Going to sleep.

タナカ: おやすみなさい (oyasuminasai) Wife: おやすみなさい (oyasuminasai)

Notice how タナカさん used すみません three different times for three different purposes, and said おねがいします and ありがとうございます multiple times throughout the day!

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🆚 Confused Pairs: Similar Phrases to Keep Straight

Pair 1: こんにちは vs こんばんは

• こんにちは (konnichiwa) = Daytime greeting (10am-6pm)
• こんばんは (konbanwa) = Evening greeting (after 6pm)
• 🧠 Memory tip: "Ban" sounds like "bon" voyage in the evening

Pair 2: いってきます vs いってらっしゃい

• いってきます (itte kimasu) = Said BY the person leaving
• いってらっしゃい (itte rasshai) = Said TO the person leaving
• 🧠 Memory tip: きます (kimasu) = "I will come back" (talking about yourself)

Pair 3: ただいま vs おかえりなさい

• ただいま (tadaima) = Said BY the person arriving home
• おかえりなさい (okaerinasai) = Said TO the person arriving home
• 🧠 Memory tip: Think of ただいま as "ta-da! I'm home!"

Pair 4: すみません vs ごめんなさい

• すみません (sumimasen) = Excuse me/Light sorry/Thanks (formal, versatile)
• ごめんなさい (gomen nasai) = Sorry (casual, sincere apology)
• 🧠 Memory tip: Use すみません with strangers, ごめんなさい with friends

Pair 5: どうぞ vs どうも

• どうぞ (dōzo) = Please (offering something) / Go ahead / Here you are
• どうも (dōmo) = Quick thanks / Casual greeting
• 🧠 Memory tip: どうぞ = Give to zomeone else

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Common Mistakes ⚠️

Mistake 1: Using the Wrong Time Greeting

❌ Wrong: Saying おはようございます at 3pm ✅ Right: Use こんにちは during daytime Why: Time-specific greetings show cultural awareness

Mistake 2: Forgetting to Bow

❌ Wrong: Saying ありがとうございます with your head up and looking directly at someone ✅ Right: Slight bow (15-30 degrees) while saying it Why: Bowing is the physical component of Japanese greetings

Mistake 3: Saying "You're Welcome" at Shops

❌ Wrong: Clerk says ありがとうございます, you reply どういたしまして ✅ Right: Just say ありがとうございます back (or say nothing) Why: Service providers and customers both express gratitude; it's mutual

Mistake 4: Skipping いただきます/ごちそうさまでした

❌ Wrong: Starting to eat immediately or leaving without saying anything ✅ Right: Always say いただきます before meals, ごちそうさまでした after Why: These phrases show respect for the food and the people who prepared it

Mistake 5: Using Casual Forms Too Soon

❌ Wrong: Saying ありがとう or うん to strangers, store clerks, or new acquaintances ✅ Right: Use ありがとうございます and はい until invited to be more casual Why: Politeness level is crucial in Japanese; too casual = rude

Mistake 6: Not Saying Enough Thanks

❌ Wrong: Saying thank you only once in an interaction ✅ Right: Say ありがとうございます multiple times — when receiving service, when paying, when leaving Why: Japanese culture values repeated expressions of gratitude

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Key Takeaways 🎯

✅ Time matters: Use おはようございます (morning), こんにちは (day), こんばんは (evening)

✅ すみません is magic: Use it for "excuse me," "sorry," getting attention, and light thanks

✅ Say thanks often: ありがとうございます is never overused in Japan

✅ Ritual phrases count: いただきます, ごちそうさまでした, いってきます, and ただいま show cultural fluency

✅ Politeness is key: When in doubt, use the longer, more formal version of a phrase

✅ これ、おねがいします: Point and say this to order anything!

✅ Practice saying phrases until they're automatic: These should flow naturally without thinking

✅ Combine with bowing: Physical gestures reinforce your words

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💡 Quick Reference Card — Survival Japanese Cheat Sheet

+------------------------+------------------------+
|     SITUATION          |        SAY THIS        |
+------------------------+------------------------+
| Morning greeting       | おはようございます      |
| Daytime greeting       | こんにちは              |
| Evening greeting       | こんばんは              |
| Going to bed          | おやすみなさい          |
+------------------------+------------------------+
| Thank you (polite)     | ありがとうございます    |
| Excuse me/Sorry        | すみません              |
| Please (requesting)    | おねがいします          |
| Please (offering)      | どうぞ                  |
| Yes (polite)           | はい                    |
| No (polite)            | いいえ                  |
+------------------------+------------------------+
| Before eating          | いただきます            |
| After eating           | ごちそうさまでした      |
| Leaving home           | いってきます            |
| Someone leaving        | いってらっしゃい        |
| Arriving home          | ただいま                |
| Someone arriving       | おかえりなさい          |
+------------------------+------------------------+
| I want this (point)    | これ、おねがいします    |
| Getting attention      | すみません!             |
+------------------------+------------------------+

The Holy Trinity (memorize these first!):

1. すみません — Excuse me/Sorry
2. ありがとうございます — Thank you
3. おねがいします — Please

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📚 Further Study

1. JapanesePod101 Basic Phrases - https://www.japanesepod101.com/japanese-phrases/ — Audio recordings by native speakers for all common phrases

2. Tofugu: Japanese Greetings Guide - https://www.tofugu.com/japanese/japanese-greetings/ — Detailed cultural context for when and how to use greetings

3. NHK World: Easy Japanese Lessons - https://www.nhk.or.jp/lesson/en/ — Video lessons showing phrases used in real situations with cultural explanations

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🎉 Congratulations! You now have the essential phrases to survive (and thrive!) in basic Japanese situations. Practice these phrases out loud every day until they become second nature. Next lesson, we'll build on this foundation with more vocabulary and start exploring how these phrases are structured. がんばって! (ganbatte - Do your best!)