If you want to talk like a cute anime character when you are around your Japanese partner, make sure you learn these cute Japanese phrases!
Cuteness is everywhere all over Japan – movies, animes, mangas, foods, fashion, and relationships. Yes, relationships! Imagine having a romantic relationship like those in shojo animes, couples cutely talking to each other and having fun. After learning these cute Japanese phrases, you can be confident of talking to your Japanese partner in an adorable!
How To Say Cute In Japanese?
In Japanese, the direct translation for cute is kawaii (かわいい) which is also known as the cutest word in the world. You can use it to describe a person, animal, or object you think is adorable. Also, you can use it as a sweet compliment to someone!
Cute Japanese Phrases
Young Japanese people, especially girls, use these Japanese phrases in real life but if you watch animes I’m sure you are already familiar with these phrases. Without further ado, let’s learn ten cute Japanese phrases!
1. Isn’t It Cute? – Kawaii Desu Ne? (かわいいですね?)
You can hear this phrase a lot when watching anime, and it is also used in real life. You say kawaii desu ne when you see something adorable and want to emphasize how cute it is, such as cats and little kids. Kawaii is also one of the most common compliments in Japanese.
Let’s break this phrase into pieces. The Japanese word kawaii is “cute” and desu ne means “isn’t it?” as if asking a question.
Example: Look at that cat, isn’t it cute?
Japanese: Ano neko o mitekudasai, kawaii desu ne? (あの猫を見てください、かわいいですね?)
2. Hold My Hand – Te Wo Tsunaide (手を繋いで)
You are walking on a Japanese street and a cool wind is blowing making you feel cold. This is a perfect excuse to tell your person te wo tsunaide (手を繋いで) which means to hold your hand so you can feel warmer.
When we want to divide this sentence into smaller chunks and translate it, te is “hand”, and tsunaide derives from the verb tsunagu which means to hold. When it comes to the wo in the middle, it’s a Japanese particle that connects a verb and the object affected by the verb.
Example: Hold my hand if you love me.
Japanese: Watashi o aishite irunara te wo tsunaide (私を愛しているなら手を繋いで)
3. I’m Here Whenever You Need Me – Itsu Datte Kimi Ni Wa Watashi Ga Iru Kara (いつだって君には私がいるから)
This one is a beautiful comforting phrase that you can use when someone needs help or support. But, make sure to say this to a person you are close with.
Itsu datte means always or any time and kimi ni wa is “for you”. Watashi ga iru kara means I am here.
Example: Don’t worry, I am here whenever you need me.
Japanese: Shinpaishinaide, itsu datte kimi ni wa watashi ga iru kara (心配しないで、いつだって君には私がいるから)
4. I Love You – Aishiteru (愛してる)
You can use aisiteru to express your love for a Japanese person. So, it is like the Japanese version of I love you. However, it is not commonly used by locals because it’s a pretty intense word that holds a lot of weight for most Japanese people.
Using this phrase a lot is considered weird in Japanese culture even for married couples, so it’s only used when you need to express a very strong declaration of love.
5. Do Your Best – Ganbatte Ne (頑張ってね)
Another phrase we hear a lot in animes! It is often used by the female character, who is secretly in love with the main character, to encourage and support the main character before a challenge or fight. In real life, you can say “ganbatte ne” to wish someone luck before an exam, job interview, competition, etc.
Example: Do your best on the exam!
Japanese: Shiken ganbattekudasai! (試験頑張ってください)
6. Let’s Meet In Our Dreams – Yume De Aimashou (夢で会いましょう)
You will only hear this one as an anime phrase since no one says this phrase in real life. However, it would be okay to say this phrase to your partner before sleep like saying goodnight. When we break down this phrase into pieces, yume is “dream,” and aimashou means “let’s meet” which is derived from the verb au meaning “to meet.”
Example: Goodnight, let’s meet in our dreams.
Japanese: Oyasumi, yume de aimashou (おやすみ、夢で会いましょう)
7. Wow, Amazing – Sugoi Ne (すごいね)
This Japanese phrase is often used in both – animes and real life. You can say sugoi ne when you are surprised about something or find something very good. Native Japanese people use this phrase a lot too.
Sugoi means “amazing” here and ne is a particle to emphasize it, as in the kawaii desu ne phrase.
Example: You bought a new car? Amazing!
Japanese: Atarashī kuruma o kaimashita ka? Sugoi ne! (新しい車を買いましたか？ すごいね!)
8. I’m Excited – Doki Doki Shiteru (ドキドキしてる)
The way this phrase comes out of your mouth sounds really cute! Doki doki is a Japanese onomatopoeia word because it describes the sound of the heartbeat. When it comes to Doki doki shiteru, it actually translates to “my heart is pounding,” but it is often used to express your excitement. It is one of the most common cute Japanese phrases you must know.
Example: My heart is pounding when I see you.
Japanese: Anata o miru to shinzō ga dokidoki shimasu. (あなたを見ると心臓がドキドキします)
9. Please Stay By My Side – Soba Ni Ite Kudasai (そばにいてください)
This is a cute romantic phrase you can use when you want to spend more time with your partner. Or when you feel afraid and want your partner to stay with you. When it comes to translating this phrase, soba means near, and kudasai means please. The word in the middle ite is conjugated from the verb iru in the te-form.
Example: I’m scared, please stay by my side.
Japanese: Kowaidesu, soba ni ite kudasai (怖いです、そばにいてください)
10. Please Take Care Of Me – Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu (よろしくお願いします)
This is one of the first Japanese phrases I have picked up from animes. Yes, it is considered a greeting phrase in the Japanese language. It literally means “please treat me well” or “please take care of me”. However, Japanese people use it in very different contexts. Most native speakers say it is a greeting used when you meet new people like “nice to meet you” which is the number one most common usage, however, it is also used when saying thanks and making a request.
Example: I am Marie, nice to meet you.
Japanese: Watashi wa marīdesu, yoroshikuonegaishimasu (私はマリーです、よろしくお願いします)
So, we have come to the end of our cute Japanese phrases list but you can learn more cute words in our cute Japanese words article!
By the way, if you want to learn Japanese from scratch, the Ling app can help you! Even if you start with the hiragana and katakana alphabets, you will be prepared to talk to native speakers! Come on, give it a try! Download the Ling app from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store now and start your free trial today!
Final Words
For Japanese learners, language learning is never boring when there are such cute phrases to learn! All thanks to the cute culture in Japan! Wanna know about the Japanese kawaii culture? Check out our related blog post! You may also be interested in learning Japanese words that sound like English, which is called Japanglish! If you want to learn more about the Japanese language and culture, take a look at our Japanese blog! See you in the next post, じゃあね (jaane)!
