Basic Japanese words you need to know to build your Japanese vocabulary

Top 10 most common Japanese words pronounced by native Japanese speakers

1. 1. こんにちは。 = Hello

   It’s nice to be properly greeted, isn’t it? Then let's start with こんにちは。(Kon'nichiwa) which means “Hello” in Japanese. This is one of the most common words in Japanese and a great way to start a conversation with someone from Japan. Click play below to listen to the pronunciation:

   こんにちは。

2. 2. 愛 = Love

   Love is the best feeling in the world. For this reason alone, “love” should be one the first words you learn in any language. In Japanese, the word for “love” is 愛 (ai). Simple, yet powerful. Hear it pronounced here:

   愛

3. 3. 幸福 = Happiness

   You know how the song goes: clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth. Japanese people refer to “happiness” by saying 幸福 (kōfuku). Here’s how to properly pronounce it in Japanese:

   幸福

4. 4. 猫 = Cat

   The world is all about cats these days. No matter how much you scroll, you’ll always find a purr-fect photo of a cat or 猫 (neko) – if you want to say it in Japanese. Hear the pronunciation:

   猫

5. 5. 犬 = Dog

   Nothing feels better than a walk with our best friend, the dog. “Dog” means 犬 (inu) in Japanese and it’s a very useful word regardless if you’re a dog person or not. Listen to its pronunciation:

   犬

6. 6. 微笑む = Smile

   Our smiles are contagious. They spread joy, make people happy and lift their spirits. If you think about it, there no good reason not to smile. The word for “smile” in Japanese is 微笑む (hohoemu). Say it with us:

   微笑む

7. 7. 日本の = Japanese

   You never know when this will come in handy. The word you are looking for if you want to say “Japanese” in Japanese is 日本の (Nihon no). Here’s how a native speaker would pronounce this word.

   日本の

8. 8. はい。 = Yes

   Everyone appreciates a positive answer. A simple “yes” or はい。(hai) can go a long way toward smoothing things over. Enhance your understanding by listening to how a person from Japan would say it:

   はい。

9. 9. ありがとうございます。 = Thank you

   No matter how busy life gets, always take the time to say “thank you” or ありがとうございます。(arigatōgozaimasu) in Japanese. It’s the most you can achieve with the least amount of effort. Hear the pronunciation:

   ありがとうございます。

10. 10. さようなら。 = Goodbye

    Every “hello” ends with a “goodbye” or さようなら。(sayōnara) if you are parting ways with your Japanese friends. Here’s how to properly pronounce this farewell in Japanese:

    さようなら。

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Common Japanese words