①Common Conversation Starters
| English | Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nice weather today. | 今日はいい天気ですね | Kyō wa ii tenki desu ne. | Nice weather today, isn’t it? |
| It’s raining today. | 今日は雨ですね | Kyō wa ame desu ne. | It’s raining today. |
| It’s hot today. | 今日は暑いですね | Kyō wa atsui desu ne. | It’s hot today. |
| It’s cold today. | 寒いですね | Samui desu ne. | It’s cold today. |
| Long time no see. | お久しぶりです | Ohisashiburi desu. | Long time no see. |
| Nice to meet you. | はじめまして | Hajimemashite. | Nice to meet you. |
| How are you? | お元気ですか | Ogenki desu ka. | How are you? |
| How have you been? | 最近どうですか | Saikin dō desu ka. | How have you been? |
②Talking About Yourself
| English | Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| I’m from… | ○○から来ました | ○○ kara kimashita. | I’m from… |
| I live in… | ○○に住んでいます | ○○ ni sunde imasu. | I live in… |
| I work as… | 私は教師です | Watashi wa kyōshi desu. | I work as… |
| I’m a student. | 学生です | Gakusei desu. | I’m a student. |
| I’ve been studying Japanese for two years. | 日本語を２年間勉強しています | Nihongo o ni-nenkan benkyō shiteimasu. | I’ve been studying Japanese for two years. |
| My Japanese isn’t very good yet. | まだ日本語があまり上手ではありません | Mada nihongo ga amari jōzu dewa arimasen. | My Japanese isn’t very good yet. |
③Asking About Someone
| English | Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where are you from? | どちらのご出身ですか | Dochira no goshusshin desu ka. | Where are you from? |
| Where do you live? | どちらに住んでいますか | Dochira ni sunde imasu ka. | Where do you live? |
| What do you do? | お仕事は何ですか | Oshigoto wa nan desu ka. | What do you do? |
| Are you a student? | 学生ですか | Gakusei desu ka. | Are you a student? |
| How long have you lived here? | こちらにはどのくらい住んでいますか | Kochira ni wa dono kurai sunde imasu ka. | How long have you lived here? |
④Talking About Hobbies
| English | Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| What are your hobbies? | 趣味は何ですか | Shumi wa nan desu ka. | What are your hobbies? |
| What do you like to do? | 何をするのが好きですか | Nani o suru no ga suki desu ka. | What do you like to do? |
| I like watching movies. | 映画を見るのが好きです | Eiga o miru no ga suki desu. | I like watching movies. |
| I enjoy traveling. | 旅行が好きです | Ryokō ga suki desu. | I enjoy traveling. |
| What do you usually do on weekends? | 週末は何をしますか | Shūmatsu wa nani o shimasu ka. | What do you usually do on weekends? |
⑤Talking About Food
| English | Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Have you tried sushi? | ○○は食べたことがありますか。 | ○○ wa tabeta koto ga arimasu ka. | Have you tried ○○? |
| What’s your favorite Japanese food? | 好きな日本料理は何ですか | Suki na nihon ryōri wa nan desu ka. | What’s your favorite Japanese food? |
| This is delicious! | おいしいですね！ | Oishii desu ne! | This is delicious! |
| Can you eat spicy food? | 辛い物は食べられますか | Karai mono wa taberaremasu ka. | Can you eat spicy food? |
| What’s your favorite food? | 好きな食べ物は何ですか | Suki na tabemono wa nan desu ka. | What’s your favorite food? |
⑥Talking About Travel
| English | Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Is this your first time in Japan? | ○○は初めてですか | ○○ wa hajimete desu ka. | Is this your first time in ○○? |
| Where are you going? | どこへ行く予定ですか | Doko e iku yotei desu ka. | Where are you going? |
| Have you been to Kyoto? | 京都へ行ったことがありますか | Kyōto e itta koto ga arimasu ka. | Have you been to Kyoto? |
| Which places have you visited? | どこへ行きましたか | Doko e ikimashita ka. | Which places have you visited? |
| What do you want to see in Japan? | ○○で何を見たいですか | ○○ de nani o mitai desu ka. | What do you want to see in ○○? |
