Japanese for Absolute Beginners: The 20 Phrases That Cover Almost Everything

No grammar background required — just the phrases that actually get used.

You don't need to understand Japanese sentence structure to get through your first weeks in Japan. What you need is a small set of phrases that show up constantly, in almost every situation — greetings, the one word that does five different jobs, and enough numbers to handle money without panicking.

This is the starting point for the whole Survival Japanese series: the phrases everything else builds on.

👋 Greetings & Introducing Yourself

That last one — yoroshiku onegaishimasu — doesn't translate cleanly into English, but you'll hear and use it constantly. It's the standard closing line after any introduction, request, or the start of working with someone new.

🆘 The Word That Does Five Jobs: Sumimasen

If you only learn one Japanese word before your trip, make it this one. すみません (sumimasen) flexibly covers:

• "Excuse me" (getting someone's attention)
• "Sorry" (a minor bump or inconvenience)
• "Thank you" (when someone did something slightly troublesome for you — softer than arigatou)

Pair it with these when things get more specific:

Asking "Eigo ga hanasemasu ka?" is completely normal and won't be taken as rude — but leading with a Japanese greeting first, even a simple konnichiwa, tends to get a warmer response than opening cold in English.

🔢 Numbers & Asking Prices

Japanese counting has extra layers depending on what you're counting (people, flat objects, small animals all use different counters) — but for day-to-day survival, the base numbers and one question will get you through almost everything.

In practice, you'll rarely need to say numbers out loud — prices are almost always displayed digitally at the register. The one phrase worth memorizing is:

✅ Yes, No, and the Soft Decline

A direct "iie" can land more bluntly than intended. In everyday situations — like a staff member offering a bag, or someone asking if you need help — daijōbu desu is the more natural, softer way to say "I'm fine, thanks" without sounding like a flat refusal.

Ready to go deeper with structured lessons? NHK WORLD-JAPAN's free Easy Japanese course is an excellent official resource.

⚠️ 7 Mistakes Beginners Make

1. Skipping the greeting and leading with English — even one word of Japanese first tends to get a warmer response.
2. Not knowing sumimasen covers "sorry," "excuse me," and "thanks" — trying to use arigatou for every situation instead.
3. Using a flat "iie" to decline something — daijōbu desu is the more natural default.
4. Assuming you need to say numbers out loud for prices — registers almost always display the total digitally.
5. Not asking someone to slow down — "yukkuri onegaishimasu" is a completely normal, non-awkward request.
6. Memorizing grammar before phrases — for short-term survival, memorized set phrases get you further, faster, than grammar rules.
7. Being afraid to ask "Eigo ga hanasemasu ka?" — it's a normal question, not a rude one.

📋 Your Cheat-Sheet Recap

Ten phrases, one word that does five jobs, and the numbers 1–10 — that's genuinely enough to function through your first days in Japan. Everything else in this series builds on top of it.

Ready for the next step? Here's where to go from here:

Traveling soon? → Japan Travel Japanese: Survive Trains, Taxis & Restaurants Like a Local
Moving to Japan? → Rules & Manners for Living in Japan
Working in Japan? → Business Japanese Manners