Japanese Language and Grammar Lecture Vocabulary

A complete 100-card vocabulary practice set covering Japanese people, family, school, work, particles, greetings, kanji, and time expressions from the lecture transcript.

watashi

I; me. A neutral, useful beginner choice.

anata

You. Often omitted or replaced by the person's name in polite Japanese conversation.

minasan

Everyone; respectful address to a group.

tomodachi

Friend (Japanese nouns usually do not change for plural; context decides one or several).

shin'yuu

Close / best friend.

ryoushin

Parents.

kyoudai

Siblings; brothers and sisters.

kodomo

Child; children.

chichi

Father; used when referring to one's own father to outsiders.

otousan

Father; respectful address form or used when referring to someone else's father.

haha

Mother; used when referring to one's own mother to outsiders.

okaasan

Mother; respectful address form or used when referring to someone else's mother.

ani

Older brother; used when referring to one's own older brother to outsiders.

oniisan

Older brother; respectful form or direct address.

ane

Older sister; used when referring to one's own older sister to outsiders.

oneesan

Older sister; respectful form or direct address.

sofu

Grandfather; used when referring to one's own grandfather to outsiders.

ojiisan

Grandfather; respectful form or address with a long vowel sound.

sobo

Grandmother; used when referring to one's own grandmother to outsiders.

obaasan

Grandmother; respectful form or address with a long vowel sound.

ojisan

Uncle; respectful form, pronounced with a short vowel compared to ojiisan.

obasan

Aunt; respectful form, pronounced with a short vowel compared to obaasan.

otto

My husband.

tsuma

My wife.

goshujin

Someone else's husband.

okusan

Someone else's wife.

sensei

Teacher; also used as an address or title.

gakusei

Student.

daigakusei

University student.

ryuugakusei

International student.

kouchou sensei

Principal.

douryou

Colleague.

kaishain

Company employee.

isha

Doctor.

kangoshi

Nurse.

ten'in

Shop assistant.

ekiin

Station staff.

untenshu

Driver.

shufu

Homemaker.

Nihonjin

Japanese person; formed by adding the nationality suffix -jin to Nihon.

Jinbabuejin

Zimbabwean person; formed by adding the nationality suffix -jin to Jinbabue.

gaikokujin

Foreign national.

onamae

Polite form for name.

oshigoto

Polite form for work or job.

suki

Liked; fond of. A na-adjective rather than a verb.

daijoubu

Okay; all right.

Topic

What the speaker sets up to talk about in a sentence, marked by the particle wa.

Predicate

The part of a sentence telling what happens or what something is like, normally placed at the end in Japanese.

Particle wa

Topic marker glossed as 'as for…'; written with the kana ha but pronounced wa.

Particle o

Object marker indicating what an action affects; pronounced o.

desu

Polite identification ending corresponding to am, is, or are in noun and adjective sentences.

dewa arimasen

Polite nonpast negative identification form meaning 'am not / is not / are not'.

deshita

Polite past identification ending meaning 'was / were'.

masu-stem

The part of a verb before masu, used to build polite patterns and expressions such as -tai.

mada

Word meaning 'not yet' when paired with a negative verb pattern like tabete imasen.

Particle de

Particle that marks the location where an action happens (Place + de + action).

Particle ka

Sentence-ending particle used to make a polite question.

-tai desu

Pattern attached to a masu-stem expressing 'want to do' (e.g., benkyou shitai desu).

Particle yo

Sentence-ending particle used when presenting information, drawing attention, or reassuring the listener ('telling you').

Particle ne

Sentence-ending particle used to share a feeling or invite agreement ('isn't it?', 'don't you agree?').

Particle kara

Particle indicating a starting point ('from' a place or time) or stating a reason ('because').

Particle made

Particle marking an end point ('until' or 'to' a time or place).

ohayou gozaimasu

Polite greeting for 'Good morning'.

konnichiwa

Hello; good afternoon (the final kana ha is pronounced wa).

konbanwa

Good evening (the final kana ha is pronounced wa).

sayounara

Goodbye; often a more definite farewell than a quick 'see you'.

ja, mata

See you; casual parting phrase.

oyasumi nasai

Good night; polite parting greeting before sleep.

arigatou gozaimasu

Thank you; polite form.

sumimasen

Excuse me; sorry; also used to express thanks for someone's trouble.

hajimemashite

Expression said when meeting someone for the first time ('Nice to meet you').

douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu

Polite introduction formula meaning 'please treat me kindly' or 'pleased to meet you'.

itte kimasu

Formula phrase meaning 'I'm leaving' with an expectation of returning.

itterasshai

'See you, take care'; said to someone leaving home.

tadaima

'I'm home / I'm back'; spoken by someone returning home.

okaeri nasai

'Welcome home'; polite response to someone returning home.

itadakimasu

Expression of appreciation spoken before eating a meal.

gochisousama deshita

Polite expression of appreciation spoken after finishing a meal.

irasshaimase

Welcome greeting spoken by shop staff to customers (normally requiring no spoken reply).

douzo

'Here you are' / 'go ahead'; used when offering something or inviting someone to proceed.

tasukete

'Help me!'; urgent exclamation, not used for routine polite assistance requests.

mou ikkai

'One more time'; casual request for repetition.

mou ichido onegaishimasu

'One more time, please'; polite request for repetition.

arimasu

Existence verb used for inanimate things (not used for people).

sokuon (small tsu)

A small tsu that holds the following consonant for one beat, creating a brief closure.

chotto

'A little / briefly'; softens a request for someone's attention (as in chotto ii desu ka).

On reading

Kanji reading often derived from Chinese and commonly used in compound words.

Kun reading

Native Japanese reading of a kanji character.

Okurigana

Kana characters that follow a kanji character to complete a word.

iriguchi

'Entrance'; sign compound formed by the kanji for enter (iri) and mouth/opening (kuchi/guchi).

deguchi

'Exit'; sign compound formed by the kanji for go out (de) and mouth/opening (kuchi/guchi).

Fujisan

Mount Fuji (uses the on-reading san for mountain, not the respectful person title -san).

hyaku

The number $100$.

ichiman

The unit for $10,000$, representing a distinct numerical unit in Japanese counting.

en

The currency unit yen used in prices (Number + en).

hatachi

The special everyday Japanese reading for $20$ years old.

hitori

The counter reading for one person ($1$ person).

futari

The counter reading for two people ($2$ people).

tsuitachi

The special calendar reading for the first day of a month ($1\text{st}$).

han

Half past; placed directly after the hour to indicate thirty minutes past (e.g., gogo sanji han for $3:30\,\text{PM}$).