41 Common Japanese Phrases for Everyday Use
Do you want to know a lot of Japanese Phrases?
Then read here! After remembering them, I’m sure your Japanese will turn like native Japanese speakers!
Let’s go!
That’s shameful!：みっともない！(mittomo nai)
When you think that it is so bad that the person ought to be ashamed, you would be able to use “みっともない！(mittomo nai)” which means “That’s shameful!”. This word is pretty strong and which is a kind of blaming word.
Sample 1
tatsuya友達がスピード違反で捕まったらしいよ・・・ (I’ve heard one of my friends got caught by a police for speeding.) (tomodachi ga supīdo ihan de tsukamatta rashī yo…)
yukaみっともなー！ (That’s shameful!) (mittomona-!)
tatsuyaまあまあ、そう怒らないで。 (Come, come, don’t be so upset.) (mā mā, sō okora nai de.)
Sample 2
yuka電車の中でメイクする女の人どう思う？ (What do you think about women putting on makeup while riding the trains.) (densha no naka de meiku suru on’a no hito dō omou?)
tatsuyaみっともない！ (That’s shameful!) (mittomo nai!)
yukaやったことあるかも・・・？草 (I think I might’ve did that … hehe) (yatta koto aru kamo? kusa)
What are you up to?：何してるの？(nani shiteru no?)
It’s just an informal way of asking “何してますか？(nani shite masuka?)” is “何してるの？(nani shiteru no?)” and which means “What are you up to?”. Use these words it depends on the people who are your friends or others.
Sample 1
tatsuyaフー！ (Phew!) (fū!)
yuka何してるの？ (What are you up to?) (nani shiteru no?)
tatsuya荷造りしてるよ！ (I’m packing my stuff.) (nidzukuri shi teru yo!)
Sample 2
yukaあれ？どこやったっけー？ (What… Where did I put last?! ) (are? doko yatta kke-?)
tatsuya何してるの？ (What are you up to?) (nani shiteru no?)
yuka携帯なくしたっぽい。 (I might’ve lost my cell phone.) (keitai nakushita ppoi.)
Sorry! I already have plans!：“ごめん！すでに予定が入ってる！(gomen! sudeni yotei ga haitteru!)
Although your friends ask you out to drink or something, you already have plans. In that case, you would be able to use “ごめん！すでに予定が入ってる！(gomen! sudeni yotei ga haitteru!)” that is casual and which means “Sorry! I already have plans!”. “すいません！すでに予定が入っています！(suimasen! sudeni yotei ga haitte masu!)” is formal.
Sample 1
tatsuya今晩、飲みに行こうよ！ (Let’s go for a drink tonight!) (konban, nomi ni ikou yo!)
yukaごめん！すでに予定が入ってるの！ (Sorry! I already have plans!) (gomen! sude yotei ga haitteru no!)
tatsuyaえぇー！？・・来週はどう？ (Oh my… What about next week?) (e-!? raishū wa dō?)
Sample 2
yuka明日、映画見に行こうよ！ (Wanna go to go to the movies tomorrow?) (ashita eiga mi ni ikou yo!)
tatsuyaごめん！すでに予定が入ってるんだ！ (Sorry! I already have plans!) (gomen! sudeni yotei ga haitteru nda!)
yukaそうなんだ。逆にいつ空いてるの？ (I see. When are you free?) (sōna nda. gyaku ni itsu aiteru no?)
Texting while Walking!：“aruki sumaho！” Japanese Phrase #83
When he/she who is texting while walking, you would be able to use “彼/彼女は歩きスマホをしています。(kare/kanojo wa aruki sumaho wo shite imasu)” “Don’t text and walk!” means “歩きスマホするな！(aruki sumaho suru na)” for boys/men and “歩きスマホしないで！(aruki sumaho shinai de)” for girls/women.
Sample 1
tatsuya誰からだろう？ (I wonder who gave me the textbook?) (dare kara darou?)
yuka歩きスマホは危ないよ！ (Texting while walking is dangerous!) (aruki sumaho wa abunai yo!)
tatsuyaちょっとだけ！ (Just a little bit!) (chotto dake!)
Sample 2
yukaググってみようっと！ (I’ll google it!) (gugu tte miyou tto!)
tatsuya歩きスマホしたらダメだよ！ (Don’t text and walk!) (aruki sumaho shitara dame dayo!)
yukaさっきしてたじゃん！ (You did it a while ago!) (sakki shiteta jan!)
Made it!：やったね/よ！(yatta ne/yo!)
When you succeed in doing something, you would be able to use “やったよ！(yatta yo!)” which means “Made it!”. “やったよ！” sounds so friendly and positive. “I made it!” is “やったよ！”, “You made it!” is “やったね(yatta ne!)”, and “We made it!” is “やったね！”.
Sample 1
tatsuyaテストで９５点とったよ！ (I got a 95 on the test!) (tesuto deki kujū goten totta yo!)
yukaやったね！ (You made it!) (yatta ne!)
tatsuyaありがとう！ (Thanks!) (arigatō!)
Sample 2
yuka嬉しそうね！ (You look happy, huh?) (ureshi sō ne!)
tatsuyaやったよ！テストで９５点とったよ！ (I made it! I got a 95 on the test!) (yatta yo! tesuto de kujū goten totta yo!)
yukaおめでとう！ (Congrats!) (omedetō!)
That’s silly.：バカだなぁ。 (baka dana)
When a person did something silly but funny, you would be able to use “バカだなぁ。(baka dana)” means “That’s silly.” that does not mean it is too strong, like foolish. “バカだなぁ。” is a light word for native speakers, however, if you don’t laugh at him/her while saying this, they feel bad. The point of using it, saying it while laughing.
Sample 1
tatsuya昨日、友達とピザ３０枚食べたんだ！ (We ate 30 pieces of pizza with my friends yesterday!) (kinō, tomodachi to piza san jū mai tabeta nda!)
yukaバカだなぁ。草 (That’s silly. hehe) (baka dana. kusa)
tatsuya今度一緒に食べない？笑 (Let’s eat them together next time! haha) (kondo issho ni tabe nai? wara)
Sample 2
yuka彼氏と会う前の日は水しか飲まないの！ (The day before seeing my boyfriend, I only drink water!) (kareshi to au mae no hi wa mizu shika noma nai no!)
tatsuyaバカだなぁ。笑 (That’s silly. haha) (baka dana. wara)
yuka1キロ痩せるじゃん？草 (I’ll lose one kilo. hehe) (ichi kiro yaseru jan? kusa)
I’ll die without an air conditioner!：エアコンなしなんてムリ！ (eakon nashi nante muri!)
When it’s so hot outside, I’d say you would turn on the AC and you would say “エアコンなしなんてムリ！(eakon nashi nante muri)” which is one of the explorations that you want to say it’s so hot outside.
Sample 1
tatsuya今日暑いねー。 (It’s hot today, huh?) (kyō atsui ne-.)
yukaエアコンなしなんてムリ！ (I’ll die without an air conditioner!) (eakon’nashi nante muri!)
tatsuyaはははは！分かる！ (Hahahaha! I agree!) (ha ha ha ha! wakaru!)
Sample 2
yukaマジ暑いね。 (It’s so hot, huh?) (maji atsui ne.)
tatsuyaエアコンなしなんてムリだわー！ (I’ll die without an air conditioner!) (eakon’nashi nante murida wa-!)
yukaだね！後、アイスもね！ (Right! And ice cream as well!) (da ne! ato, aisu mo ne!)
I was moved!：感動した！(kandō shita)
When your emotions were strongly affected, you would be able to use “感動した！(kandō shita)” which means “I was moved!”. The polite way to use it is “感動しました！(kandō shimasita)”.
Sample 1
tatsuyaこの本どうだった？ (How was this book?) (kono hon dō datta?)
yuka超感動したよ。読んでみて！ (I was so moved! Try to read this!) (chō kandō shita yo. yonde mite!)
tatsuyaありがとう！読んでみるよ！ (Thanks! I’ll try to read it!) (arigatō! yonde miru yo!)
Sample 2
yuka映画どうだった？ (How was the movie/film?) (eiga dō datta?)
tatsuya久しぶりに感動したよ。 (I was so moved for the first time in a while.) (hisashiburi ni kandō shita yo.)
yukaマジ？泣いた？草 (Really? Did you cry? hehe) (maji? naita? kusa)
avoid ___(people)!：(人を)避ける！(sakeru)
When staying away from someone, you would be able to use “(人を)避ける！(sakeru)” means “Avoid ___(people)”. People who are unpleasant to you.
Sample 1
tatsuyaミクと遊んでる？ (Recently, are you hanging out with Miku?) (Miku to asonderu?)
yuka最近、ミクが私のこと避けてる気がするんだけど・・・ (I feel Miku is recently avoiding me…) (saikin, Miku ga watashino koto saketeru ki ga suru ndakedo…)
tatsuya多分、気のせいだよ。 (Maybe, it’s just your imagination.) (tabun, ki no seida yo.)
Sample 2
yukaはぁー・・・ (sigh…) (ha-…)
tatsuyaミクに避けられてるらしいじゃん？ (You are avoided by Miku, huh?) (Miku ni sakerareteru rashī jan?)
yuka何かしたかなぁ？ (I wonder if I do something wrong.) (nanka shita kana?)
I’m dying to ___!：___したくてたまらない！(___shitaku te tamaranai)
When you REALLY WANNA DO SOMETHING, like “I’m dying to ___!”, you would be able to use “___したくてたまらない！(___shitaku te tamaranai)”. Try to use it in daily conversations to your friends. This phrase has been usually used as casual.
Sample 1
tatsuya新しいアイフォンが発売されたらしいよ！ (I’ve heard the new iPhone just came out!) (atarashī aifon ga hatsubai sareta rashī yo!)
yukaマジ！？ 買いたくてたまらないよー！ (Are you sure! I’m dying to buy it!) (maji! ? kaitakute tamaranai yo-!)
tatsuyaほんと好きだよね！笑 ( You really like it, don’t you? haha) (honto suki dayone! wara)
Sample 2
yukaこの車超かっこいいね！ (This car is so cool!) (kono kuruma chō kakkoī ne!)
tatsuyaいいなー！ 欲しくてたまらないよ！ (Wow, I’m jealous! I’m dying to want it!) (ī na-! hoshikute tamaranai yo!)
yuka貯金始めないとね！ (You gotta start saving up money for it!) (chokin hajime naito ne!
I’m screwed!：やっばー！(yabba-)
When you are in trouble which is not that serious, you would be able to use “やっばー！(yabba-)” which means “I’m screwed!”. Tips for using it are “talking to myself”. After realizing some problems, you would use this. Only for guys, they would use “やっべー！(yabbe-)” and of course “やっばー！(yabba-)” as well, but “やっべー！(yabbe-)” is more boyish. Both of them are not so rude.
Sample 1
tatsuyaもう９時だね、そろそろ帰ろっか！ (It’s already 9 p.m. It’s about time to go home!) (mō kuji dane, sorosoro kaero kka!)
yukaやっばー！お母さんに電話するの忘れてた！ (I’m screwed! I forgot to call mom!) (yabba-! okāsan ni denwa suru no wasurete ta!)
tatsuya心配してるんじゃない？ ！ (Your mom’s worried about you, isn’t she?) (shinpai shi teru n ja nai? !)
Sample 2
yukaどうやって帰るの？ (How are you getting home?) (dō yatte kaeru no?)
tatsuya電車だよ！あっ、やっべー！終電逃した！ (Train! Oh, I’m screwed! I missed the last train!) (densha dayo! a, yabbe-! shūden nogashita!)
yukaタクシーで帰ったら？ (Why don’t you take a taxi home?) (takushī de kaetta ra?)
Pot Belly!：“pokkori onaka！” Japanese Phrase #112
When you want to explain a person who is “fat and has a round stomach”, you would be able to use “ぽっこりお腹！(pokkori onaka)” which means “Pot Belly”. Everyone would be able to use this. It’s more casual than “太ってる(fat)(futotteru)”. So, that is not used in a bad way, not in a good way though. Furthermore, “ぽっこり(pokkori)” means “round”.
Sample 1
tatsuya昨日食べ過ぎたよー！ (I ate too much yesterday!) (kinō tabe sugita yo-!)
yukaぽっこりお腹だね！草 (You have a pot belly!) (pokkori onaka dane! kusa)
tatsuyaダイエットしないとっ！笑 (I gotta go on a diet!) (daietto shinai to! wara)
Sample 2
yuka昨日、レイと食べに (kinō, rei to tabe ni itta yo.)
tatsuyaレイってぽっこりお腹だよね。笑 (He has a pot belly, doesn’t he?) (Rei tte pokkori onaka dayo ne. wara)
yukaかわいいけどね。草 (It looks cute though. hehe) (kawaī kedo ne. kusa)
I’ll take a rain check!：またの機会にするね！(mata no kikai ni suru ne)
When you tell someone that you cannot accept an invitation now, but would like to do so at a later time, you would be able to use “またの機会にするね！(mata no kikai ni suru ne)” which means “I’ll take a rain check!”. If you are a man, you might want to use “またの機会にするよ！(mata no kikai ni suru yo)”. The polite way to use it is “またの機会にします！(mata no kikai ni shimasu)”.
Sample 1
tatsuyaマック行こうよ！ (Let’s go to McDonald’s!) (makku ikō yo!)
yukaまたの機会にするね！ (I’ll take a rain check!) (mata no kikai ni suru ne!)
tatsuyaダイエット中？ (Are you on a diet?) (daietto chū?)
Sample 2
yuka焼肉食べに行かない？ (Do you want to go eat Korean barbeque!) (yakiniku tabe ni ikanai?)
tatsuyaまたの機会にするよ！ (I’ll take a rain check!) (mata no kikai ni suru yo!)
yuka何か予定あるの？ (Do you have any plans for tomorrow?) (nanka yotei aru no?)
Overfamiliar!：なれなれしい！(narenare shī)
When you feel someone who you don’t get along is excessively friendly or showing a lack of proper social, you would be able to use “なれなれしい！(narenare shī)” which means “Overfamiliar!”. The polite way to use it is “なれなれしいです！(narenare shī desu)”, however, this is one of the blaming words though.
Sample 1
tatsuyaミクって超フレンドリーだよね？ (Miku is so friendly, huh?) (Miku tte chō furendorī dayo ne?)
yukaうん。でも、私の彼氏にもなれなれしいからねー・・・！ (Yeah. But she’s overfamiliar with my boyfriend as well…) (un. demo, watashi no kareshi nimo narenare shī kara ne-…!)
tatsuya妬いてるの？ (Are you getting jealous?) (yaiteru no?)
Sample 2
yuka新入社員どう？ (How is the new employee?) (shin’nyū shain dō?)
tatsuyaかなりなれなれしいよ。 (That new hire was quite overfamiliar to me.) (kanari narenare shī yo.)
yukaそうなの？例えば？ (Is that so? For example?) (sōna no? tatoeba?)
Oh, that’s too bad.：あー、それは残念！(a-sore wa zan’nen)
When you feel sympathy about a problem, you would be able to use “あー、それは残念！(a-sore wa zan’nen)” which means “Oh, that’s too bad!”. The polite way to use it is “それは残念ですね。(a-sore wa zan’nen desu ne)”. By saying it, you could show your concern.
Sample 1
tatsuya昨日、友達に会えなかったんだ。 (I couldn’t see my friend yesterday.) (kinō, tomodachi ni ae nakatta nda.)
yukaあー、それは残念だね。でも、なんで？ (Oh, that’s too bad. But why?) (a-, sore wa zan’nen dane. demo, nande?)
tatsuya遅くまで働かなきゃいけなかったみたい。 (It seems like she had to work late.) (osoku made hataraka nakya ikenakatta mitai.)
Sample 2
yukaテストに落ちちゃった。 (I failed the test.) (tesuto ni ochi chatta.)
tatsuyaあー、それは残念だね。 (Oh, that’s too bad.) (a-, sore wa zan’nen dane.)
yukaうん、ありがとう。次は頑張る。 (Thank you. I’ll try my best next time!) (un, arigatō. tsugi wa ganbaru.)
I feel dizzy!：頭がクラクラする！(atama ga kurakura suru)
When you feel as if everything is turning around, and that you are not able to balance and may fall down, you would be able to use “頭がクラクラする！(atama ga kurakura suru)” which means “I feel dizzy!”. The polite way to use it is “めまいがします！(memai ga shimasu)”. Everybody could use this.
Sample 1
tatsuyaなんか具合悪そうだね。大丈夫？ (You don’t look so good. Are you okay?) (nanka guai warusō dane. daijōbu?)
yuka頭がクラクラするの。 (I feel dizzy.) (atama ga kurakura suru no.)
tatsuya病院行く？ (Are you going to the doctor?) (byōin iku?)
Sample 2
yuka今日、顔色良くないね。大丈夫？ (You don’t look well today, are you Ok?) (kyō, kaoiro yokunai ne. daijōbu?)
tatsuya頭がクラクラするよ。 (I feel dizzy.) (atama ga kurakura suru yo.)
yuka水飲む？ (Do you want to drink water?) (mizu nomu?)
I’m excited!：テンション上がる！(tenshon agaru)
When you are very happy and enthusiastic because something good is going to happen, you would be able to use “テンション上がる！(tenshon agaru)” which means “I’m excited!”. The polite way to use it is “とても嬉しいです！(tetemo ureshī desu)”. Everybody could use this.
Sample 1
tatsuyaもうすぐレディーガガ来るよね？ (Lady Gaga’s coming soon, isn’t he?) (mōsugu Redīgaga kuru yone?)
yukaマジ？超テンション上がるんだけどっ！草 (Really? I’m so excited! hehe) (maji? chō tenshon agaru nd akedo! kusa)
tatsuya僕も！ (Me too!) (boku mo!)
Sample 2
yuka明日、雪で学校休みなんだって！ (We’ll have a day off from school because of the snow!) (ashita, yuki de gakkō yasumi na’n datte!)
tatsuyaテンション上がるー！ (I’m excited!) (tenshon agaru-!)
yukaだね！ (Yeah!) (da ne!)
What are you watching?：何観てるの？(nani miteru no)
When you want to know what someone is watching, you would be able to use “何観てるの？(nani miteru no?)” which means “What are you watching/ looking at?”. Everybody could use this. And the polite way to use it is “何を観ているのですか？(nani wo mite iru no desuka)”. “何観てるの？(What are you watching?)” is used for especially TV or movies and “何見てるの？(What are you looking at?)” is used for everything, it sounds the same though.
Sample 1
tatsuya何観てるの？ (What are you watching?) (nani mi teru no?)
yukaスター・ウォーズだよ。 (It’s Star Wars!) (sutā ōzu dayo.)
Sample 2
yuka何観てるの？ (What are you watching?) (nani mi teru no?)
tatsuyaワンピースだよ！ (It’s “One Piece”!) (wanpīsu dayo!)
A terrible singer：音痴です。(onchi desu)
When you think someone can’t sing well rather bad, you would be able to use “音痴です。(onchi desu)” which means “A terrible singer!”. Everybody could use this.
Sample 1
tatsuya昨日、レイとカラオケ行ったよ。 (I went with Rei to a karaoke bar yesterday.) (kinō, rei to karaoke itta yo.)
yukaレイって音痴だよね？草 (Rei’s a terrible singer, isn’t he?) (Rei tte onchi dayo ne? kusa)
tatsuya僕もだけど・・・笑 (Me too… haha) (boku mo dakedo…wara)
Sample 2
yuka日本の曲歌ってよー！ (Sing a Japanese song!) (Nihon no kyoku utatte yo-!)
tatsuya音痴だからやだ。笑 (I don’t want, cuz I’m a terrible singer. haha) (onchi dakara yada. wara)
yuka一回だけ！ね？ (Just this once! huh?) (ikkai dake! ne?)
Ordinary___：普通の___(futsū no___)
When something is not different or special or unexpected in any way, you would be able to use “普通の___(futsū no___)” which means “Ordinary___”. Everybody could use this.
Sample 1
tatsuya今日どうだった？ (How was your day?) (kyō dō datta?)
yuka特に何もー。普通の日だったよ。 (Nothing special. Just another ordinary day.) (tokuni nani mo-. futsū no hi datta yo.)
tatsuya明日はどこか行くの？ (Are you going somewhere tomorrow?) (ashita wa doko ka iku no?)
Sample 2
yukaこのピザおいしいー！ (This pizza is good!) (kono piza oishī-!)
tatsuyaそう？普通のピザじゃない？ (Is that so? I think this is just the ordinary pizza, isn’t it?) (sō? futsū no piza janai?)
yuka一ヶ月ぶりなの！ (I ate it for the first time in a month!) (ikka getsu buri nano!)
Regret!：後悔する！(kōkai suru)
When someone’s feeling of sadness about something sad or wrong or about a mistake that he/she has made, you would be able to use “後悔する！(kōkai suru)” which means “Regret!”. Everybody could use this. The polite way to use it is “後悔します。(kōkai shimasu)”.
Sample 1
tatsuyaどの映画にしようか迷ってるよ。 (I’m still debating which movie to choose.) (dono eiga ni shiyou ka mayotteru yo.)
yukaこの映画見て！絶対後悔しないから！ (Watch this movie! You won’t regret it!) (kono eiga mite! zettai kōkai shinai kara!)
tatsuyaマジ？この映画のジャンル何？ (Really? What genre of this movie is it?) (maji? kono eiga no janru nani?)
Sample 2
yuka会社辞めたの？ (Did you quit the company?) (kaisha yameta no?)
tatsuyaうん。ずっと日本に留学したいって思ってたから。後悔したくないんだ。 (Yeah. Because I’ve wanted to study in Japan for a long time. I don’t want to regret.) (un. zutto nihon ni ryūgaku shitai tte omotte takara. kōkai shitaku nai nda.)
yuka勉強頑張ってね！ (Good luck with your studies!) (benkyō ganbatte ne!)
Insensitive___：無神経な___(mushinkei na___)
When you feel someone is unaware of or unsympathetic to other people’s feelings, you would be able to use “無神経な___(mushinkei na___)” which means “insensitive___”. It is the word everyone uses as both casual and formal. The polite way to use it is “無神経な___です(mushinkeina___desu)” or “無神経です。(mushinkei desu)”.
Sample 1
tatsuyaミクって彼氏と別れたみたいだね。 (It seems Miku broke up with her boyfriend.) (Miku tte kareshi to wakareta mitai dane.)
yukaうん。でも、すぐに違う人と付き合ったらしいよ。 (Yeah. But I’ve heard she’s dating the other guy after that.) (un. demo, sugu ni chigau hito to tsukiatta rashī yo.)
tatsuyaマジで？何て無神経なやつなんだ・・・ (Really? What an insensitive person she is…) (majide? nante mushinkei na yatsu na’nda…)
Sample 2
yukaどうかしたの？ (What’s wrong?) (dōka shita no?)
tatsuyaレイが嘘ついたのに一言も謝らなかったんだ。 (He didn’t say sorry at all even he laid to me.) (Rei ga uso tsuita noni hitokoto mo ayamarana katta nda.)
yuka何でそんなに無神経なんだろう。 (I wonder why he’s so insensitive.) (nande son’na ni mushinkei na’nda rou.)
as ___ as possible：できるだけ___(dekiru dake___)
When you want to explain that to a feasible extent or to do promptly something, you would be able to use “できるだけ___(dekiru dake___)” which means “as ___ as possible”. It is the word everyone uses as both casual and formal. The polite way to use it is “できるだけ___します/するようにします(dekiru dake ___shimasu / ___suru youni shimasu)”.
Sample 1
tatsuyaごめん。遅れて参加するよ。 (Sorry. I’ll be joining late.) (gomen. okurete sanka suru yo.)
yukaできるだけ早く来てくださいね。 (Please come as soon as possible.) (dekiru dake hayaku kite kudasai ne.)
tatsuya後で連絡するね。 (I’ll call you later.) (atode renraku suru ne.)
Sample 2
yukaピザ食べに行こうよ！ (Let’s go eat pizzas!) (piza tabe ni ikou yo!)
tatsuyaできるだけたくさんピザ食べたいなー。 (I want to eat as many pizzas as possible.) (dekiru dake takusan piza tabetai na-.)
yuka食べ過ぎないでね！ (Don’t overeat！) (tabe sugi naide ne!)
Sample 3
tatsuyaできるだけ長く勉強したい！ (I want to study for as long as possible!) (dekiru dake nagaku benkyō shitai!)
yuka明日テストなの？ (Is it a test tomorrow?) (ashita tesutona no?)
If you say so…：あなたがそう言うなら… (anata ga sou iu nara…)
When you tentatively accept what someone says or tell you but you are not completely convinced of the truth of the explanation or situation, you would be able to use “あなたがそう言うなら…(anata ga sou iu nara…)” which means “If you say so…”. It is the word everyone uses as both casual and formal. The polite way to use it is “あなたがそう言うなら___します(anata ga sou iu nara___shimasu)”. However, basically, native speakers don’t usually say “あなた(anata)”, so you might want to say “his/her name”.
Sample 1
tatsuyaゆかのかばんちょっとダサくない？笑 (I think your bag is pretty lame, huh?) (yuka no kaban chotto dasaku nai? wara)
yukaうん。たつやがそう言うのなら・・・ (Yeah. If you say so…) (un. tatsuya ga sō iu no nara…)
tatsuya今日、元気なさそうだけど、大丈夫？ (You don’t look well today. Are you all right?) (kyō, genki nasasō dakedo, daijōbu?)
Sample 2
yukaたつやっていつも学校に遅れてくるよね？ (I think you’re always late for school, huh?) (tatsu yatte itsumo gakkō ni okurete kuru yone?)
tatsuyaそうだね。ゆかがそう言うのなら・・・ (Right. If you say so…) (sō dane. yuka ga sō iu no nara…)
yukaえっ？ただ気になっただけだよ。 (Oh? I’m just curious that’s all.) (e? tada kini natta dake dayo.)
All you can eat/drink!：食べ/飲み放題！(tabe hōdai / nomi hōdai)
When you explain that a buffet or restaurant at which you pay a fixed price, no matter how much or how little you eat or drink, you would be able to use “食べ/飲み放題！(tabe hōdai / nomi hōdai)” which means “All you can eat/drink!”. It is the word everyone uses as both casual and formal.
Sample 1
tatsuya今日飲まない？ (Drinks tonight?) (kyō noma nai?)
yukaうん！飲み放題のお店に行こうよ！ (Yeah! Let’s go to an All you can drink today!) (un! nomi hōdai no omise ni ikou yo!)
tatsuyaいいねー！ (Sounds good!) (ī ne-!)
Sample 2
yuka今晩、何食べたい？ (What are you in the mood for tonight?) (konban, nani tabetai?)
tatsuya食べ放題の店がいいな！ (I wanna go at an All you can eat restaurant!) tabe hōdai no mise ga ī na!)
yukaたまにはいいね！ (Good every once in a while!) (tamani wa ī ne!)
It’s starting to rain!：雨が降ってきた！(ame ga futte kita)
When you want to explain that “It’s starting to rain”, you would be able to use “雨が降ってきた！(ame ga futte kita)”. It is the word everyone uses as both casual and formal. The polite way to use it is “雨が降ってきました！(ame ga futte ki mashita)”.
Sample 1
tatsuya今日は曇ってるねー。 (It’s cloudy today.) (kyō wa kumotteru ne-.)
yukaあっ、雨が降ってきた！ (Oh, it’s starting to rain!) (a, ame ga futte kita!)
tatsuya傘持ってる？ (Do you have an umbrella?) (kasa motteru?)
Sample 2
yuka今日のニューヨークの天気はどう？ (How’s the weather like in Manila today?) (kyō no nyūyōku no tenki wa dō?)
tatsuyaんー。あっ、雨が降ってきたよ！ (Well, oh, it’s starting to rain!) (n-. a, ame ga futte kita yo!)
yuka風邪ひかないようにね！ (Be careful not to catch a cold!) (kaze hika nai yō ni ne!)
Make a funny face!：変顔をする！(hengao wo suru)
When a person makes a distorted, silly, or humorous facial expression (at someone), usually for one’s own or someone else’s amusement, you would be able to use “変顔をする！(hengao wo suru)” which means “Make a funny face!”. It is the word everyone uses as both casual and formal. The polite way to use it is “変顔をします。(hengao wo shimasu)”.
Sample 1
tatsuyaねえ、見てこの顔！ (Hey! Look at this face!) (nē, mi teko no kao!)
yukaははははは！草 変顔やめてよー！ (Hahahahaha! Stop making a funny face!) (hahahahaha! kusa hengao yamete yo-!)
tatsuyaこの顔は？笑 (What about this face? haha) (kono kao wa? wara)
Sample 2
yukaまた変顔してるの？ (Are you making a funny face again?) (mata hengao shiteru no?)
tatsuya変顔一緒にしようよ！ (Let’s make a funny face together!) (hengao issho ni shiyou yo!)
yukaやだよー。恥ずかしいじゃん。草 (Noooo! cuz I’m so embarrassed. hehe) (yada yo-. hazukashī jan. kusa)
You’re close with ___!：___と仲がいいね！(___to naka ga ī ne)
When a person gets along with someone, you would be able to use “(あなたは)___と仲がいいね！(___to naka ga ī ne)” which means “You’re close with ___”. It is the word everyone uses as both casual and formal. The polite way to use it is “___と仲がいいですね！(___to naka ga ī desu ne)”. If you want to say “I’m close with ___!” which would be “(私は)___と仲がいいです!(___to naka ga ī desu)”.
Sample 1
tatsuya今週末何してるの？ (What are you doing this weekend?) (kon shūmatsu nani shiteru no?)
yukaミクと買い物に行くよ。 (I’m gonna go shopping with Miku.) (Miku to kaimono ni iku yo.)
tatsuyaそうなんだ。ミクと本当に仲がいいね！ (I see. You’re very close with your brother.) (sōnanda. Miku to hontōni naka ga ī ne!)
Sample 2
yuka昨日何してたの？ (What’d you do yesterday?) (kinō nani shi teta no?)
tatsuya昨日はー・・・弟とゲームしてたよ。 (Well, yesterday… I was playing video games with my brother.) (昨天是……我和弟弟一起打电玩！) (어제는 … 동생이랑 게임 했어.) (Hôm qua à… … Tôi đã chơi điện tử với em trai.) (kinō wa-…otōto to gēmu shiteta yo.)
yuka弟と仲がいいね！ (You’re very close with your brother.) (otōto to naka ga ī ne!)
Half-baked!：中途半端！(chūto hanpa)
When something has not been properly thought out or poorly developed or carried out, you would be able to use “中途半端！(chūto hanpa)” which means “Half-baked!”. It is the word everyone uses as both casual and formal. The polite way to use it is “中途半端です！(chūto hanpa desu)”. You would be able to use “中途半端な ___(noun) as well”, such as “中途半端なアイディア(the half-baked idea)”.
Sample 1
tatsuyaこのアイディアどう？ (What do you think this idea?) (kono aidia dō?)
yukaんー・・・ちょっと中途半端じゃない？ (Well… I think it’s pretty half-baked, isn’t it?) (n-…chotto chūto hanpa janai?)
tatsuyaそう？ (Is that so?) (sō?)
Sample 2
yukaふー。片付け終了！ (Phew! I finished cleaning up my room!) (fu-. katadzuke shūryō!)
tatsuya中途半端ー・・・まだ散らかってるじゃん。 (Half-assed. It’s still messy.) (chūto hanpa-… mada chirakatteru jan.)
yuka夜ごはん食べてからー！草 (After dinner! hehe) (yoru gohan tabete kara-! kusa)
Give me a hint!：ヒントください！(hinto kudasai)
When you want to get a small piece of information that helps you to guess something from someone, you would be able to use “ヒントください！(hinto kudasai)” which means “Give me a hint!”. Everybody could use this phrase as casual. The polite way to use it is “ヒントをいただけませんか？(hinto wo itadake masenka)”.
Sample 1
tatsuyaこの問題分かる？ (Can you answer this question?) (kono mon dai wakaru?)
yukaうーん・・・ヒントください！ (Well… Give me a hint!) (u-n…hinto kudasai!)
tatsuya人に関係してるよ。 (It’s realted with people.) (hito ni kankei shiteru yo.)
Sample 2
yuka日本の首都はどこですか？ (What’s the capital city of Japan?) (nihon no shuto wa doko desu ka?)
tatsuya首都？うーん・・・ヒントください！ (Capital city? Well… Give me a hint!) (shuto? u-n hinto kudasai!)
yuka最初の文字は「と」だよ。 (The first letter is “to”.) (saisho no moji wa `to’ dayo.)
Peel ___!：___の皮をむく！(___no kawa wo muku)
When you want to explain to remove the skin of fruit and vegetables, you would be able to use “___の皮をむく！(___no kawa wo muku)” which means “Peel ___!”. Everybody could use this as both casual and business situations. The polite way to use it is “___の皮をむきます。(___no kawa wo muki masu)”.
Sample 1
yukaおいしそー！じゃあ、皮むこうか？ (Looks good! Then, do you want me to peel the apples?) (oishi so-! jā, kawa mukou ka?)
tatsuyaうん！ありがと！手洗ってくるね。 (Yes! Thanks! I’ll wash my hands.) (un! arigato! te aratte kuru ne.)
Sample 2
yukaにんじんの皮をむくね。 (I’ll peel the carrots.) (ninjin no kawa wo muku ne.)
tatsuyaじゃあ、僕はじゃがいもの皮をむくよ。 (Then, I’ll peel the potatoes.) (jā, boku wa jagaimo no kawa wo muku yo.)
yukaうん、ありがとう。 (Yeah, thanks.) (un, arigatō.)
Cuz ___：だって___ / ___から (datte___ / ___kara)
When you want to explain the reason, you would be able to use “だって___ / ___から(datte___ / ___kara)” which means “Cuz___”. It is the word especially girls/women uses as only casual. The polite way to use it is “___ なので(nanode)”, “___ですので(___desu node)”. And everybody could say “___ だから(___dakara)”, “___から(___kara)” as casual.
Sample 1
tatsuyaあれ？ピーマン食べないの？ (Oh! Don’t you eat the green peppers?) (are? pīman tabe nai no?)
yukaピーマン嫌いなの、だって苦いじゃん。 (I don’t like green peppers cuz they are bitter.) (pīman kirai nano, datte nigai jan.)
tatsuyaったく〜！笑 (Oh, man! haha) (ttaku~! wara)
Sample 2
yukaなんで休み取ったの？ (Why did you get a day off today?) (nande yasumi totta no?)
tatsuya風邪引いたからね。 (Cuz I have a cold.) (kaze hīta kara ne.)
yukaほんとに〜？草 (Are you sure? hehe) (hontoni~? kusa)
It’s not my business!：私には関係ない！(watashi niwa kankei nai)
When you want to say something that does not pertain to you, you would be able to use “私には関係ない！(watashi niwa kankei nai)” which means “It’s not my business!”. Everybody could use this phrase both in daily conversations as casual. The polite way to use it is “私には関係ありません！(watashi niwa kankei arimasen)” which is also used in business situations as formal.
Sample 1
tatsuya宿題が全然終わらないよ。宿題手伝ってくれない？ (I can’t finish my homework on time. Can you please help me with my homework?) (回家功课完全都没有写。你可以帮我吗？) (숙제가 전혀 끝나지 않아. 숙제 좀 도와주면 안돼?) (Tớ chưa làm bài tập về nhà gì cả.Cậu giúp tớ được không?) (shukudai ga zenzen owara nai yo. shukudai tetsudatte kure nai?)
yukaえー！？私には関係ないじゃん。 (What? It’s not my business.) (e-! ? watashi niwa kankei nai jan.)
tatsuyaお願い！ (Please!) (Giúp tớ đi mà.) (onegai!)
Sample 2
yukaプロジェクトの進行が遅れてしまったこと、一緒に上司に謝ってくれませんか？ (Could you apologize with me to our boss for the delay on this project?) (purojekuto no shinkō ga okurete shimatta koto, issho ni jōshi ni ayamatte kuremasen ka?)
tatsuya僕には関係ありません。 (What? It’s not my business.) (boku niwa kankei ari masen.)
yukaですよね。一人で謝ります。 (You’re right. I’ll apologize to him by myself.) (desu yone. hitori de ayamari masu.)
Make an excuse!：言い訳をする！(iiwake wo suru)
When a person who gives a reason for doing something he/she shouldn’t do, or for not doing something he/she should do, you would be able to use “言い訳をする！(iiwake wo suru)” which means “Make an excuse!”. Everybody could use this phrase in daily conversations as casual. The polite way to use it is “言い訳をします。(iiwake wo shimasu)” and which is also used in business situations as formal. Furthermore, native speakers often omit “を” of “言い訳をする”, so that would be “言い訳する”. Lastly, “言い訳” is “excuse” and which is a noun.
Sample 1
tatsuya渋滞にはまってしまって、学校に間に合わなかったよ。 (I was stuck in traffic, so I wasn’t in time for school.) (jūtai ni hamatte shimatte, gakkō ni maniawanakatta yo.)
yuka言い訳でしょ？たつやだけだよ、学校に遅れたの。 (You’re making an excuse, huh? Only you were late for school.) (iiwake desho?Tatsuya dake dayo, gakkō ni okureta no.)
tatsuyaごめん・・・ただの寝坊です。 (Sorry… I just overslept.) (gomen…tada no nebō desu.)
Sample 2
yukaこのお菓子はカロリー少ないから・・・ (This snack is lower-calorie, so …) (kono okashi wa karorī sukunai kara…)
tatsuya言い訳してるよね？ダイエット中じゃなかったの？ (You’re making an excuse, huh? You’re on a diet, right?) (iiwake shiteru yone? daietto chū ja nakatta no?)
yukaだって、おいしそうだったしー・・・ごめん。 (Cuz this looks good… Sorry.) (datte, oishisō dattashi-…gomen.)
Life goes on!：人生はまだまだこれからだ！(jinsei wa madamada korekara da)
When you encourage someone who had something sad or disappointing, you would be able to use “人生はまだまだこれからだ！(jinsei wa madamada korekara da)” which means “Life goes on!”. Everybody could use this phrase both in daily conversations as casual and in business situations as formal.
Sample 1
tatsuya彼女に振られた・・・もう終わりだよ。 (He broke up with me… It’s all over for me.) (kanojo ni fura reta… mō owari dayo.)
yuka人生はまだまだこれからだよ！ (Life goes on!) (jinsei wa madamada korekara dayo!)
tatsuyaありがとう。 (Thanks.) (arigatō.)
Sample 2
yukaテストに合格できなかったよ。もう終わりだよ。 (I didn’t pass the test. It’s all over for me.) (tesuto ni gōkaku deki nakatta yo. mō owari dayo.)
tatsuya人生はまだまだこれからだよ！頑張ってね！ (Life goes on! You can do it!) (jinsei wa madamada korekara dayo! ganbatte ne!)
yukaうん、頑張る！ありがとう！ (I’ll try my best! Thanks a lot!) (un, ganbaru! arigatō!)
I think so.：そう思うよ。(sou omou yo)
When you believe that something is true, that a particular situation exists, that something will happen, etc, you would be able to use “そう思うよ。(sou omou yo)” which means “I think so.”. Everybody could use this phrase in daily conversations as casual. The polite way to use it is “そう思います。(sou omoi masu)” and which is also used as formal.
Sample 1
tatsuya答えってCだよね？ (The answer is C, isn’t it?) (kotae tte C dayo ne?)
yukaうん、そう思うよ。 (Yeah, I think so.) (un, sō omou yo.)
Sample 2
yuka今回はミク来るだろうね。 (Miku will come this time.) (konkai wa Miku kuru darou ne.)
tatsuyaうん、そう思うよ。 (Yeah, I think so.) (un, sō omō yo.)
If anything___：どちらかというと___ (dochira kato iu to___)
When you want to introduce something which strengthens or changes the meaning of the statement you have just made but only in a small or unimportant way, you would be able to use “どちらかというと___(dochira kato iu to___)” which means “If anything…”. Everybody could use this phrase both in daily conversations as casual and in business situations as formal. The polite way to use it is “どちらかというと___です(dochira kato iu to___desu)”.
Sample 1
tatsuyaこの夏ダイエットしてたって聞いたよ。うまくいった？ (I heard you were on a diet. Did it work well?) (kono natsu daietto shitetatte kiita yo. umaku itta?)
yuka全然。どちらかというと、この夏はちょっと太っちゃった。草 (Oh, no. I got a little fatter this summer, if anything. hehe) (zenzen. dochira kato iu to, kono natsu wa chotto futotchatta. kusa)
tatsuyaそう？前より痩せて見えるけどね！ (Really? You look thiner than beore though.) (sō? mae yori yasete mieru kedo ne!)
Sample 2
yukaこの帽子とあの帽子、どちらがいいですか？ (Which would you like, this cap or that one?) (kono bōshi to ano bōshi, dochira ga ī desu ka?)
tatsuyaどちらかというと、この帽子がいいです。 (If anything, I’d like this one, please.) (dochira kato iu to, kono bōshi ga ī desu.)
yukaかしこまりました。３０００円になります。 (Sure! That’ll be 3000 yen.) (kashikomari mashita. sanzen en ni nari masu.)
Good/Bad posture：姿勢が良い/悪い。(shisei ga ii / warui)
When you want to explain that the good or bad position in which someone holds their body when standing or sitting, you would be able to use “姿勢が良い/悪い。(shisei ga ii / warui)” which means “Good/Bad posture”. Everybody could use this phrase in daily conversations as casual. And “姿勢が良いです/悪いです。(shisei ga ii desu / warui desu)” is used as polite and formal.
Sample 1
tatsuyaゆかは姿勢が良いね。 (You have good posture.) (Yuka wa shisei ga ī ne.)
yukaそう？たつやは姿勢が悪いんじゃない？草 (Is that so? You have bad posture, huh? hehe) (sō? Tatsuya wa shisei ga warui n janai? kusa)
tatsuyaかもしれないね。笑 (Could be. haha) (kamoshirenai ne. wara)
Sample 2
yukaどうやったら姿勢が良くなるかな？ (How can I improve my posture?) (dō yattara shisei ga yokunaru kana?)
tatsuya姿勢良いじゃん！ (You have good posture!) (shisei ī jan!)
yukaそう？でも、歩いてる時は姿勢が悪いと思うの。 (Really? But I think my posture is bad while walking.) (sō? demo, aruiteru toki wa shisei ga warui to omou no.)
What do you want for dinner?：夕食は何がいい？(yūshoku wa nani ga ī?)
When you want to ask a person what he/she wants to eat for dinner, you would be able to use “夕食は何がいい？(yūshoku wa nani ga ī?)” which means “What do you want for dinner?”. Everybody could use this phrase in both daily conversations. The polite way to use it is “夕食は何がいいですか？(What would you like for dinner?) (yūshoku wa nani ga ī desuka?)” used in business situations as well. Native speakers sometimes omit “は” of “夕食は何がいい？(yūshoku wa nani ga ī)”, so that would be “夕食何がいい？(yūshoku wa nani ga ī?)”.
Sample 1
tatsuyaお腹空いたー！ (I’m hungry!) (onaka suita-!)
yuka夕食何がいい？ (What do you want for dinner?) (yūshoku nani ga ī?)
tatsuyaうーん・・牛肉とサラダ！ (Well, beef and salad!) (u-n…gyūniku to sarada!)
Sample 2
yukaお腹ペコペコー！ (I’m starving!) (onaka pekopekō!)
tatsuya夕食は何がいい？ (What do you want for dinner?) (yūshoku wa nani ga ī?)
yukaお寿司がいいな！ (I wanna have SUSHI!) (osushi ga ī na!)
I’ll be with you in a moment.：少々お待ちください。(shōshō omachi kudasai)
When you want to tell someone that you will do something very soon, you would be able to use “少々お待ちください。(shōshō omachi kudasai)” which means “I’ll be with you in a moment.”. Everybody could use this phrase in business situations. You would say “ちょっと待って！(chotto matte)” in daily conversations as casual.
Sample 1
tatsuyaこんにちは。田中さんに繋いでいただけますか？ (Hi, would you connect me to Mr. Tanaka?) (kon’nichiwa. Tanaka san ni tsunaide itadake masu ka?)
yukaはい、少々お待ちください。 (Yes, I’ll be with you in a moment.) (hai, shōshō omachi kudasai.)
Sample 2
yukaこんにちは。鈴木さんとお話ができればと思います。 (Good afternoon. I’d like to speak with Mr. Janczak.) (kon’nichiwa. Suzuki san to ohanashi ga dekireba to omoi masu.)
tatsuya少々お待ちください。 (I’ll be with you in a moment.) (shōshō omachi kudasai.)
Call me anytime!：いつでも電話して！(itsudemo denwa shite)
When you would welcome someone’s call at any time, you would be able to use “いつでも電話して！(itsudemo denwa shite)” which means “Call me anytime!”. Everybody could use this phrase in daily conversations. The polite way to use it is “いつでも電話してください！(itsudemo denwa shite kudasai)”.
Sample 1
tatsuyaまた電話していい？ (Can I call you again?) (mata denwa shite ī?)
yukaいつでも電話してね！ (Call me anytime!) (itsudemo denwa shite ne!)
tatsuyaありがとう！じゃあ、また明日！ (Thanks! See you tomorrow!) (arigatō! jā, mata ashita!)
Sample 2
yukaまた聞いていいですか？ (Could I ask you it again?) (mata kiite ī desu ka?)
tatsuyaいつでも電話してください！ (Please call me anytime!) (itsudemo denwa shite kudasai!)
yukaありがとうございます！また明日かけますね！ (Thank you! I’ll call you tomorrow!) (arigatō gozaimasu! mata ashita kake masu ne!)
Are you in a hurry?：急いでますか？(isoide masu ka?)
When you want to ask if a person is in a hurry or not, you would be able to use “急いでますか？(isoide masu ka)” which means “Are you in a hurry?”. Everybody could use this phrase in daily conversations as casual. The more casual way to use it is “急いでる？(isoideru)”. The polite way to use it is “お急ぎですか？(o isogi desu ka)” and which is used as formal.
Sample 1
tatsuya田中さんにこれ渡しといてくれませんか？ (Could you give this to Mr Tanaka?) (Tanaka san ni kore watashi toite kure masen ka?)
yukaいいですよ。あっ、急いでますか？ (That’s ok. Well, are you in a hurry?) (ī desu yo. a, isoide masu ka?)
tatsuyaそうですね。今日出来そうですか？ (Yeah, could you do it today?) (sō desu ne. kyō dekisō desu ka?)
Sample 2
yukaレイにこれ渡しといてくれる？ (Can you give this to Rei?) (Rei ni kore watashi toite kureru?)
tatsuyaいいよ。急いでる？ (Sure. Are you in a hurry?) (ī yo. isoide ru?)
yuka急いでないけど、明日レイと会うよね？ (I’m not in a hurry but will you see him tomorrwo, right?) (isoide nai kedo, ashita Rei to au yone?)
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