Japanese Lesson 1: Basic Vocabulary and Grammar

Vocabulary list covering basic Japanese introductions, pronouns, suffixes, occupations, academic majors, and interrogatives from Lesson 1.

watashi (わたし)

I

watashitachi (わたしたち)

We

anata (あなた)

You

anohito (あのひと)

That person (he/she)

anokata (あのかた)

Polite form of anohito (that person)

minasan (みなさん)

Ladies and gentlemen, all of you

~san (~さん)

Suffix added to a name as a title of respect (Mr./Mrs.)

~chan (~ちゃん)

Suffix added to a child's or girl’s name

~kun (~くん)

Suffix added to a child's or boy’s name

~jin (~じん)

Suffix used to denote people/nationality (e.g., nihon-jin for Japanese people)

sensei / kyoushi (せんせい / きょうし)

Teacher / instructor

gakusei (がくせい)

Student

kaishain (かいしゃいん)

Company employee

shain (しゃいん)

Employee of a specific company (used with a company’s name)

ginkouin (ぎんこういん)

Bank employee

isha (いしゃ)

Doctor

kenkyuusha (けんきゅうしゃ)

Researcher / scholar

enjinia (エンジニア)

Engineer

daigaku (だいがく)

College / university

byouin (びょういん)

Hospital

denki (でんき)

Electricity / light

dare (だれ)

Who

donata (どなた)

Polite form of dare (who)

~sai (~さい)

Term for age, meaning $...$ years old

nansai (なんさい)

How many years old (polite form is oikutsu)

hai (はい)

Yes

iie (いいえ)

No

han (はん)

Half; used for time such as half past (e.g., nijihan for $2:30$)

bangou (ばんごう)

Number

ryuugakusei (りゅうがくせい)

International student

shitsureidesuga (しつれいですが)

Excuse me, but

Onamaewa? (おなまえは？)

May I have your name?

Hajimemashite (はじめまして)

How do you do? (Used when meeting for the first time)

douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu (どうぞよろしくおねがいします)

Please to meet you; used at the end of a self-introduction

kagaku (かがく)

Science

keizai (けいざい)

Economics

kokusaikankei (こくさいかんけい)

International relations

jinruigaku (じんるいがく)

Anthropology

seiji (せいじ)

Politics

bungaku (ぶんがく)

Literature

rekishi (れきし)

History

Particle wa (は)

Topic marker particle (pronounced 'wa')

ja arimasen (じゃ ありません)

Negative form of 'desu' (is/am/are) used in daily conversation

dewa arimasen (では ありません)

Formal negative form of 'desu' used in formal speech or writing

Particle ka (か)

A particle used at the end of a sentence to indicate a question

Particle mo (も)

Too / also

Particle no (の)

A particle that connects two nouns, indicating possession, origin, category, or belonging

itsu (いつ)

When

doko (どこ)

Where

nani (なに)

What

douyatte (どうやって)

How

ikura (いくら)

How much

doushite / nande (どうして / なんで)

Why

docchi / dochira (どっち / どちら)

Which