Greetings and Polite Expressions

• おはようございます (Ohayou gozaimasu) - Good morning
  Formality: Formal
  Context: Used in the morning, especially in formal or business settings.
• おはよう (Ohayou) - Morning
  Formality: Informal
  Context: Casual greeting for friends or family in the morning.
• こんにちは (Konnichiwa) - Hello / Good afternoon
  Formality: Neutral
  Context: Common greeting used during the afternoon, appropriate in most settings.
• こんばんは (Konbanwa) - Good evening
  Formality: Neutral
  Context: Used in the evening when greeting people, suitable in both casual and formal situations.
• さようなら (Sayounara) - Goodbye
  Formality: Formal
  Context: Formal goodbye; often used when parting for a long time or in more formal settings.
• じゃね (Ja ne) - See you later
  Formality: Informal
  Context: Casual farewell, used commonly among friends.
• じゃまた (Ja mata) - See you again
  Formality: Neutral
  Context: Used in semi-formal situations where another meeting is planned.
• しつれいします (Shitsurei shimasu) - Excuse me / Goodbye
  Formality: Formal
  Context: Used when leaving a room or conversation politely, often in work settings.
• すみません (Sumimasen) - Excuse me
  Formality: Formal
  Context: Used to excuse oneself politely or to get someone’s attention.
• また らいしゅう (Mata raishuu) - See you next week!
  Formality: Informal
  Context: Typically used when planning to meet again the following week.
• おつかれさま (Otsukaresama) - Thank you for your hard work
  Formality: Neutral/Formal
  Context: Commonly used to acknowledge someone’s effort, often in workplaces or after a task.
• おつかれ (Otsukare) - Thanks
  Formality: Informal
  Context: Casual version for friends or teammates after a shared task.

Polite Expressions

• ありがとう (Arigatou) - Thank you
  Formality: Informal
  Context: Casual expression of gratitude; used with friends, family, or in informal situations.
• ありがとうございます (Arigatou gozaimasu) - Thank you
  Formality: Formal
  Context: Formal thank you; appropriate for business, public, or polite interactions.
• どうもありがとうございます (Doumo arigatou gozaimasu) - Thank you very much
  Formality: Very Formal
  Context: Stronger expression of gratitude; used in formal situations to express deep appreciation.
• すみません (Sumimasen) - Excuse me / Sorry
  Formality: Formal
  Context: Used to apologize politely or to get someone’s attention; suitable in both public and work environments.
• ごめん (Gomen) - Sorry
  Formality: Informal
  Context: Casual apology, often used among friends or family.
• ごめんなさい (Gomen nasai) - I'm sorry
  Formality: Neutral
  Context: Polite but not overly formal; suitable for semi-formal situations or acquaintances.
• どういたしまして (Dou itashimashite) - You're welcome
  Formality: Neutral
  Context: Standard reply to “thank you,” usable in most situations.
• いえいえ (Ie ie) - No problem
  Formality: Informal
  Context: Very casual way to say "You're welcome" among friends or close acquaintances.
• とんでもありません (Tondemo arimasen) - No trouble at all
  Formality: Formal
  Context: Extremely polite response to a thank you, often in business or formal settings.
• よろしくおねがいします (Yoroshiku onegaishimasu) - Please take care of me / I look forward to working with you
  Formality: Formal
  Context: Used when meeting someone in a professional context, asking for their cooperation.
• よろしく (Yoroshiku) - Best regards / Thanks
  Formality: Informal
  Context: Commonly used between friends or in casual introductions.
• よろしくね (Yoroshiku ne) - Take care of me, alright?
  Formality: Neutral
  Context: Polite but familiar way to make a request, often used among acquaintances.

Vocabulary by Hiragana Group

a i u e o

ka ki ku ke ko

sa shi su se so

Basic Vocabulary

• はい (Hai) - Yes
  Formality: Neutral | Context: Standard affirmative response suitable in most situations.
• ええ (Ee) - Yes
  Formality: Informal | Context: Casual version of "yes," commonly used among friends or family.
• いいえ (Iie) - No
  Formality: Neutral | Context: Polite way to say no, usable in both formal and informal contexts.
• ～さん (~San) - Mr./Ms.
  Formality: Formal/Neutral | Context: Polite suffix used with names, showing respect in both formal and neutral settings.
• わたし (Watashi) - I
  Formality: Formal/Neutral | Context: Polite way to refer to oneself, often used by both men and women.
• あなた (Anata) - You
  Formality: Neutral | Context: Polite way to address someone directly, suitable for both formal and informal conversations.
• せんせい (Sensei) - Teacher
  Formality: Formal/Respectful | Context: Respectful title for teachers, doctors, or anyone with specialized knowledge or authority.
• みやびせんせい (Miyabi-Sensei) - Ms. Miyabi
  Formality: Formal/Respectful | Context: Used to refer to Ms. Miyabi respectfully, often used for teachers, doctors, or mentors.