- 〜はにほんごでなんですか = How do you say ~ in Japanese?
- 〜はどういういみですか = What does ~ mean?
- ゆっくりおねがいします = Slowly, please. もういちどおねがいします = Once more, please.
- しつもんがあります = I have a question.
Asking about words
- 「apple」はにほんごでなんですか“apple” wa nihongo de nan desu kaHow do you say “apple” in Japanese?
- 「りんご」はどういういみですか“ringo” wa dō iu imi desu kaWhat does “ringo” mean?
- これはなんとよみますかkore wa nan to yomimasu kaHow do you read this?Great for kanji.
- どうやってかきますかdō yatte kakimasu kaHow do you write it?
- えいごでなんですかeigo de nan desu kaWhat is it in English?
When you don’t understand
- わかりませんwakarimasenI don’t understand.
- もういちどおねがいしますmō ichido onegai shimasuOnce more, please.
- ゆっくりおねがいしますyukkuri onegai shimasuSlowly, please.
- かいてもらえますかkaite moraemasu kaCould you write it down?
- しつもんがありますshitsumon ga arimasuI have a question.
- わかりましたwakarimashitaI understand / Got it.
What teachers say
- はじめましょうhajimemashōLet’s begin.
- きいてくださいkiite kudasaiPlease listen.
- よんでくださいyonde kudasaiPlease read.
- いっしょにいってくださいissho ni itte kudasaiPlease say it together.
- わかりましたかwakarimashita kaDid you understand?
- しつもんはありますかshitsumon wa arimasu kaAny questions?
- しゅくだいshukudaihomework
- よくできましたyoku dekimashitaWell done!
Notice the て-form + ください pattern for instructions. It’s explained in the て-form guide.
Japanese school rituals
In Japanese schools, lessons often start and end with a short ritual led by a student: きりつ (stand up), れい (bow), ちゃくせき (sit down). Students also greet the teacher with よろしくおねがいします at the start and ありがとうございました at the end.
Classroom vocabulary
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| きょうかしょ | kyōkasho | textbook |
| ノート | nōto | notebook |
| えんぴつ | enpitsu | pencil |
| じしょ | jisho | dictionary |
| しけん | shiken | exam |
| たんご | tango | vocabulary word |
| ぶんぽう | bunpō | grammar |
| はつおん | hatsuon | pronunciation |
Phrases for language exchanges
Practising with a Japanese partner online or in a café? These phrases keep the conversation going and turn mistakes into lessons:
- まちがえたら、なおしてくださいmachigaetara, naoshite kudasaiIf I make a mistake, please correct me.
- このいいかたはしぜんですかkono iikata wa shizen desu kaDoes this way of saying it sound natural?
- ほかのいいかたはありますかhoka no iikata wa arimasu kaIs there another way to say it?
- ちょっとまってください。かんがえますchotto matte kudasai. kangaemasuWait a moment, let me think.
- なんていいましたかnan te iimashita kaWhat did you say?
- えいごでいってもいいですかeigo de itte mo ii desu kaCan I say it in English?
Online lessons
- きこえますかkikoemasu kaCan you hear me?
- おとがきこえませんoto ga kikoemasenI can’t hear the sound.
- がめんがみえませんgamen ga miemasenI can’t see the screen.
- チャットにかいてくださいchatto ni kaite kudasaiPlease write it in the chat.
Words about learning
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| れんしゅう | renshū | practice |
| ふくしゅう | fukushū | review (of past lessons) |
| よしゅう | yoshū | preparation (before class) |
| いみ | imi | meaning |
| れいぶん | reibun | example sentence |
“How do you say ‘cat’ in Japanese?”
“Slowly, please.”
しゅくだい is:
Frequently asked questions
How do you say 'how do you say' in Japanese?
Say 〜は日本語で何ですか (… wa nihongo de nan desu ka): 'How do you say … in Japanese?'.
How do you ask what something means in Japanese?
Ask 〜はどういう意味ですか (… wa dō iu imi desu ka), 'What does … mean?'.
How do you say I have a question in Japanese?
Say 質問があります (shitsumon ga arimasu).
How do you ask someone to correct your Japanese?
Say 間違えたら、直してください (machigaetara, naoshite kudasai), 'if I make a mistake, please correct me'.