Back to Top
Start learning
Chevron Forward Icon Chevron Forward Icon Chevron Forward Icon 50+ Simple Japanese Words To Read 50+ Simple...

50+ Simple Japanese Words To Read: Start Your Language Journey!

Betül Dağ

By Betül Dağ
Last updated November 20, 2025
Published on August 10, 2023

Table Of Contents

Looking to dip your toes into the world of language? Get ready to unravel the charm of “simple Japanese words to read”! Imagine the thrill of effortlessly saying “Hello” with a confident “Konnichiwa” or adding a touch of magic with “Arigatou” (thank you). Join us as we embark on a playful journey to master these delightful and uncomplicated Japanese staple words and phrases. Let’s dive in and discover the joy of language in its simplest form!

Why Start With Basics?

Just like building a house, language learning starts with a strong foundation. Think of these basic Japanese words as the cornerstone of your linguistic adventure. By mastering these simple gems, you’ll not only make communication a breeze but also set the stage for more advanced language exploration.

Hello, Simplicity!

Picture yourself confidently uttering “Konnichiwa” (hello) to a friendly passerby, or thanking a local vendor with a heartfelt “Arigatou” (thank you). These small acts of connection not only bridge cultural gaps but also create lasting memories that enrich your travel experiences.

I want to learn even more languages with Ling!

Download now!

Are you ready to infuse your travels with a touch of magic and connect with the heart of Japan? Let’s begin!

Simple Japanese Words To Read Ling App

Simple Japanese Words To Read

Let us begin by tackling the very basic Japanese words that we can read and use with a tone that is gleaming with politeness! Here it is—refer to the words in the table below.

EnglishJapanesePronunciationSound
GoodbyeさようならSayonara さようなら
Thank youありがとうArigatou ありがとう
YesはいHai はい
NoいいえIie いいえ
Pleaseお願いしますOnegaishimasu お願いします
Excuse meすみませんSumimasen すみません
SorryごめんなさいGomen nasai ごめんなさい
My name is私の名前はWatashi no namae wa 私の名前は
How much?いくらですかIkuradesuka いくらですか
Food食べ物Tabemono 食べ物
Water水Mizu 水
BathroomトイレToire トイレ
Help助けてTasukete 助けて
I don’t understandわかりませんWakarimasen わかりません

In itself, you can use these words for some situations. Still, we will delve into more fun and common Japanese phrases!

Basic Japanese Words

Speak Japanese with these common phrases that can be heard on a daily basis! Memorizing these would expand your Japanese vocabulary a lot!

EnglishJapanesePronunciationSound
Good night おやすみなさいOyasuminasai おやすみなさい
Excuse me すみませんSumimasen すみません
Good 良いYoi 良い
Bad 悪いWarui 悪い
Delicious おいしいOishii おいしい
Water 水Mizu 水
Food 食べ物Tabemono 食べ物
Money お金Okane お金
Time 時間Jikan 時間
Today 今日Kyou 今日
Tomorrow 明日Ashita 明日
Friend 友達Tomodachi 友達

Differing Meaning Of Japanese Words

Some of these words have different appropriate situations in which to be said. For example, the word ‘delicious’ can be spoken in different forms, each having its own level of formality and degree of meaning. “おいしい” (oishii) is the most used Japanese word to express delicious. However, as we can often hear, especially in anime, the word “うまい” (umai) has the same meaning but is mainly spoken around friends and family, giving it a more casual tone. You can learn more about this here on Ling!

Simple Japanese Words To Read Ling App

Basic Japanese Greetings

How about greetings—the first thing we can say with confidence to a Japanese native! These words are widely accepted and would not sound rude in any way. Here is the list of common Japanese phrases for greeting!

EnglishJapanesePronunciationSound
Hello こんにちはKonnichiwa こんにちは
How are you?お元気ですかOgenki desu ka お元気ですか
Good morning おはようOhayou おはよう
Good night おやすみなさいOyasuminasai おやすみなさい
Good evening こんばんはKonbanwa こんばんは
Nice to meet you 初めましてHajimemashite 初めまして
Good luck がんばってGanbatte がんばって
Have a good day 良い一日をIi ichinichi o 良い一日を
Have a good trip いってらっしゃいItterasshai いってらっしゃい
Take care お大事にDaiji ni お大事に
Bless you いいねえIinee いいねえ

These are the phrases that you can speak to express your greetings. Don’t forget to partner them with your beautiful smile, okay?

Simple Japanese Words To Read Ling App

More Basic Japanese Phrases

How about the most basic phrases that we can say without breaking a sweat? Try these phrases with your Japanese peeps or whenever you explore Japan!

EnglishJapanesePronunciationSound
What’s your name? お名前は何ですかOnamae wa nan desu ka お名前は何ですか
How much is this? これはいくらですかKore wa ikura desu ka これはいくらですか
I don’t understand. わかりませんWakarimasen わかりません
Where is…? …はどこですか… wa doko desu ka はどこですか
Can you help me? 手伝ってもらえますかTetsudatte moraemasu ka 手伝ってもらえますか
Exciting! ワクワク!Wakuwaku! ワクワク
I’m hungry. お腹がすきましたOnaka ga sukimashita お腹がすきました
I’m tired. 疲れましたTsukaremashita 疲れました
What time is it? 今何時ですかIma nanji desu ka 今何時ですか
I’m from… …から来ました… kara kimashita から来ました
I like… …が好きです… ga suki desu が好きです
I don’t like… …が嫌いです… ga kirai desu が嫌いです
Can you speak English? 英語を話せますかEigo o hanasemasu ka? 英語を話せますか
Simple Japanese Words To Read Ling App

Bonus: Cool Japanese Phrases

Learning Japanese should not sound boring. So, increase your Japanese vocabulary using these cool phrases while sounding like a hippy Japanese high schooler at the same time!

EnglishJapanesePronunciationSound
Awesome! すごい!Sugoi! すごい
Cool! カッコいい!Kakkoii! カッコいい
No problem! 問題ない!Mondai nai! 問題ない
I got this! 任せて!Makasete! 任せて
Let’s do it! やろうぜ!Yarouze! やろうぜ
It’s all good! 大丈夫だよ!Daijoubu da yo! 大丈夫だよ
Chill out! リラックスしろ!Rirakkusu shiro! リラックスしろ
That’s rad! それは素晴らしい!Sore wa subarashii! それは素晴らしい
Rock on! 頑張って!Ganbatte! 頑張って
Mind-blowing! 驚きだ!Odoroki da! 驚きだ
You’re the best! 君は最高だ!Kimi wa saikou da! 君は最高だ
Let’s roll! 行こうぜ!Ikouze! 行こうぜ
Simple Japanese Words To Read Ling App

Learn Japanese With These Tips!

The Japanese language is filled with many wondrous things! The Japanese culture is riddled with art and complexity. These tips will definitely help kick-start your journey of speaking Japanese!

Anime All The Way

Embrace your inner otaku and watch anime in Japanese! Subtitles will be your trusty sidekick, helping you associate spoken words with their meanings. It’s like language learning and entertainment rolled into one awesome package!

Karaoke Confidence

Grab a mic and sing your heart out at Japanese karaoke joints. You’ll learn new words, improve your pronunciation, and might even discover your hidden rockstar identity. Don’t worry if you hit a few wrong notes—language learning is all about the journey, after all!

Enhance Your Japanese With Ling!

Start an enchanting linguistic adventure with Ling and master the art of Japanese effortlessly. Ling’s interactive lessons, real-life scenarios, and personalized progress tracking transform learning into a joyful exploration. Whether you’re drawn to the allure of Japanese culture or planning a visit to Tokyo, let Ling be your guide to unlocking the beauty and intricacies of the Japanese language. Begin your journey today and watch your language skills blossom like cherry blossoms in spring by downloading Ling on Play Store or App Store!