Tools · Free tool
Japanese travel phrases with audio and romaji
The phrases you will actually use, grouped by situation, with romaji and a Play button that uses your device’s Japanese voice.
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Tap Play to hear the phrase in your browser’s Japanese voice (most phones and laptops have one; if nothing plays, your device has no Japanese voice installed). Copy puts the Japanese text on your clipboard to show on your screen. Romaji is written with long vowels marked (ō, ū) — say them slightly longer.
Basics
- HelloこんにちはKonnichiwa
- Thank youありがとうございますArigatō gozaimasu
- Excuse me / sorryすみませんSumimasen
- Yes / Noはい／いいえHai / Iie
- Please (when asking for something)お願いしますOnegai shimasu
- I don’t understandわかりませんWakarimasen
- Do you speak English?英語を話せますか？Eigo o hanasemasu ka?
- I’m sorry, I don’t speak Japaneseすみません、日本語が話せませんSumimasen, nihongo ga hanasemasen
- Could you write it down?書いてもらえますか？Kaite moraemasu ka?
- Goodbye (casual) / Thank you for everythingさようなら／お世話になりましたSayōnara / Osewa ni narimashita
Getting around
- Where is the station?駅はどこですか？Eki wa doko desu ka?
- Where is the toilet?トイレはどこですか？Toire wa doko desu ka?
- Does this train go to Kyoto?この電車は京都に行きますか？Kono densha wa Kyōto ni ikimasu ka?
- One ticket to Osaka, please大阪まで一枚お願いしますŌsaka made ichimai onegai shimasu
- Which platform?何番線ですか？Nanbansen desu ka?
- To this address, please (taxi)この住所までお願いしますKono jūsho made onegai shimasu
- Please stop hereここで止めてくださいKoko de tomete kudasai
- How long does it take?どのくらいかかりますか？Dono kurai kakarimasu ka?
Restaurants
- A table for two, please二人ですFutari desu
- Do you have an English menu?英語のメニューはありますか？Eigo no menyū wa arimasu ka?
- This one, please (pointing)これをお願いしますKore o onegai shimasu
- What do you recommend?おすすめは何ですか？Osusume wa nan desu ka?
- I am allergic to……のアレルギーがあります… no arerugī ga arimasu
- Without … please…抜きでお願いします… nuki de onegai shimasu
- Water, pleaseお水をくださいOmizu o kudasai
- The bill, pleaseお会計をお願いしますOkaikei o onegai shimasu
- It was deliciousおいしかったですOishikatta desu
- Can I pay by card?カードで払えますか？Kādo de haraemasu ka?
Shopping
- How much is this?これはいくらですか？Kore wa ikura desu ka?
- Tax-free, please免税でお願いしますMenzei de onegai shimasu
- Do you have a bigger / smaller size?もっと大きい／小さいサイズはありますか？Motto ōkii / chiisai saizu wa arimasu ka?
- Just looking, thank you見ているだけですMite iru dake desu
- I don’t need a bag袋はいりませんFukuro wa irimasen
- Can you gift-wrap it?プレゼント用に包んでもらえますか？Purezento-yō ni tsutsunde moraemasu ka?
Hotel and emergencies
- I have a reservation under the name ……で予約しています… de yoyaku shite imasu
- Can I leave my luggage here?荷物を預かってもらえますか？Nimotsu o azukatte moraemasu ka?
- Help!助けて！Tasukete!
- Please call an ambulance救急車を呼んでくださいKyūkyūsha o yonde kudasai
- Please call the police警察を呼んでくださいKeisatsu o yonde kudasai
- I lost my passportパスポートをなくしましたPasupōto o nakushimashita
- I feel sick気分が悪いですKibun ga warui desu
- Where is a pharmacy?薬局はどこですか？Yakkyoku wa doko desu ka?
How to use these phrases
Nobody expects visitors to speak Japanese, and staff in big-city shops and stations usually manage some English. A few words still change the tone of every exchange: sumimasen to get attention or apologise, onegai shimasu when you ask for anything, arigatō gozaimasu on the way out. Pointing at a menu or a phone screen and adding kore o onegai shimasu covers most restaurants and shops.
For anything medical or involving allergies, do not rely on speech — show written Japanese. The allergy card tool makes a card in a few taps. In an emergency, dial 110 for police and 119 for fire and ambulance; both have interpreter services, and the Japan Visitor Hotline (050-3816-2787) answers in English 24 hours a day.
Frequently asked questions
Is it rude to speak English in Japan?
No. Start with sumimasen and speak slowly and simply. Many people understand more English than they are comfortable speaking, so writing a word down or showing it on your phone often works better than repeating it louder.
Why does the audio sound robotic?
The Play button uses the Japanese voice built into your phone or computer, not a recording. iPhones, Macs, Android phones and Windows laptops usually include one; quality varies by device.
To cite or link to this page: Japanese travel phrases with audio and romaji — Japan Pocket Guide, https://japanpocketguide.com/tools/phrases/