Japanese vocabulary: elementary (A2)
The 168 words and phrases taught in the elementary chapters, in the order the course teaches them. Press ▶ to hear each one.
Speed:
1. Talking about the past
From chapter 1: learn these words in context
- 週末shūmatsuweekend · しゅうまつ
- どうでしたか？Dō deshita ka?How was it? · the past of (dō desu ka)
- 楽しかったtanoshikattawas fun · たのしかった; past of (tanoshii), fun
- 友達tomodachifriend · ともだち
- 映画eigafilm, movie · えいが
- 見ましたmimashitawatched, saw · みました; past of (mimasu)
- それからsorekaraand then, after that
- 買い物kaimonoshopping · かいもの; (kaimono o shimasu), go shopping
- 家でie deat home · いえで; also read (uchi de)
- ゆっくりyukkurislowly, at ease · (yukkuri shimasu), to relax, take it easy
- 先週senshūlast week · せんしゅう; (sengetsu), last month
- 疲れましたtsukaremashitagot tired; I'm tired · つかれました; Japanese uses the past for “I'm tired” now.
- ～前に… mae ni… ago · まえに; after a length of time: (gonen mae ni), five years ago
- 天気tenkiweather · てんき
2. Travel and hotels
From chapter 2: learn these words in context
- ～泊-haku… night(s) (at a hotel) · はく; (ippaku), (nihaku), (sanpaku)
- チェックインchekkuincheck-in · (chekkuauto), check-out
- 荷物nimotsuluggage, bags · にもつ
- 預けるazukeruto leave (something) with someone · あずける; ru-verb, te-form (azukete)
- 見せるmiseruto show · みせる; ru-verb, te-form (misete)
- 朝食chōshokubreakfast · ちょうしょく; the word used in hotels; at home, (asagohan)
- ～階-kai… floor · かい; (ikkai), ground floor; (sangai)
- フロントfurontofront desk, reception
- ～号室-gōshitsuroom number … · ごうしつ
- エアコンeakonair conditioner · In Japan it heats as well as cools.
- つきませんtsukimasenwon't come on · from (tsuku), to come on (lights, machines)
- すぐsuguright away, soon
- 使うtsukauto use · つかう; u-verb, te-form (tsukatte): (tsukatte mo ii desu ka), may I use it?
- 持ってくるmotte kuruto bring · もってくる; (motte kite kudasai), please bring
3. At the doctor's
From chapter 3: learn these words in context
- どうしましたか？Dō shimashita ka?What's the matter? · what doctors and nurses ask first
- 頭atamahead · あたま
- のどnodothroat
- 痛いitaipainful, sore · いたい; い-adjective
- 熱netsufever, temperature · ねつ; (netsu ga arimasu), I have a fever
- 咳sekicough · せき; (seki ga demasu), I have a cough
- お腹onakastomach, tummy · おなか
- 風邪kazea cold · かぜ
- 薬kusurimedicine · くすり; you “drink” medicine: (kusuri o nomimasu)
- 一日～回ichinichi … kai… times a day · いちにち～かい; (ichinichi sankai), three times a day
- 食後shokugoafter meals · しょくご; (shokuzen), before meals
- 休むyasumuto rest; to take time off · やすむ; u-verb: (yasumimasu), (yasunde)
- お風呂ofurobath · おふろ; (ofuro ni hairu), to take a bath
- お大事にodaiji nitake care (to someone who is ill) · おだいじに
4. Home and housing
From chapter 4: learn these words in context
- 家賃yachinrent · やちん
- ～万-manten thousand · まん; (hachiman'en), 80,000 yen
- 徒歩～分toho … fun… minutes on foot · とほ～ふん; used in flat listings: (toho gofun)
- うんunyeah, yes (casual) · (uun), no (casual)
- 古いfuruiold (of things) · ふるい; い-adjective
- どっちdotchiwhich (of two) · casual; polite (dochira)
- ～のほう… no hōthe one that is more … · (densha no hō ga hayai), the train is quicker
- 便利benriconvenient · べんり; な-adjective
- よりyorithan · (koko yori takai), more expensive than here
- 日当たりhiatarisunlight (how much sun a room gets) · ひあたり; (hiatari ga ii), sunny
- 静かshizukaquiet · しずか; な-adjective
- 近所kinjoneighbourhood, nearby · きんじょ
- 迷うmayouto be unable to decide; to get lost · まよう; u-verb
- 一番ichibanthe most, the best · いちばん
5. Work and studies
From chapter 5: learn these words in context
- 前maebefore, previously · まえ; (mae no shigoto), my previous job
- 営業eigyōsales (department) · えいぎょう
- ～年間-nenkanfor … years · ねんかん; (nannenkan), for how many years
- 残業zangyōovertime · ざんぎょう; (zangyō o suru), to work overtime
- 大変taihenhard, tough · たいへん; な-adjective
- 大学daigakuuniversity · だいがく
- 経済keizaieconomics; the economy · けいざい
- 勉強していましたbenkyō shite imashitastudied, was studying · べんきょうしていました
- 卒業sotsugyōgraduation · そつぎょう; (daigaku o sotsugyō suru), to graduate from university
- 海外kaigaiabroad, overseas · かいがい
- 住んだことがありますsunda koto ga arimasuhave lived (somewhere) · すんだことがあります
- 学生の時gakusei no tokiwhen I was a student · がくせいのとき
- 就職shūshokugetting a job, joining a company · しゅうしょく; (shūshoku suru)
- これからkorekarafrom now on
6. Weather and seasons
From chapter 6: learn these words in context
- 寒いsamuicold (weather) · さむい; い-adjective
- マイナスmainasuminus
- ～度-do… degrees · ど; (jūdo), ten degrees
- 思うomouto think · おもう; after a plain form + (to): (samui to omou)
- 雪yukisnow · ゆき
- 降るfuruto fall (rain, snow) · ふる; u-verb: (furimasu)
- かもしれないkamo shirenaimight, maybe · polite: (kamo shiremasen)
- 天気予報tenki yohōweather forecast · てんきよほう
- でしょうdeshōwill probably (in forecasts)
- 暖かいatatakaiwarm · あたたかい; い-adjective
- コートkōtocoat
- 夜yorunight · よる
- なるnaruto become, to get · u-verb: (narimasu), (natta)
- 冬fuyuwinter · ふゆ
7. Clothes and shopping
From chapter 7: learn these words in context
- ジャケットjakettojacket
- 大きすぎるōkisugiruto be too big · おおきすぎる; (ōkisugimasu)
- レシートreshītoreceipt
- サイズsaizusize · (esu saizu), (emu saizu), (eru saizu)
- 交換kōkanexchange · こうかん; (kōkan suru), to exchange
- こちらkochirathis way, this one, here (polite) · (sochira), (achira), (dochira)
- 着てみるkite miruto try on (a jacket, shirt, coat) · きてみる; from (kiru), a ru-verb
- 試着室shichakushitsufitting room · しちゃくしつ
- ちょうどいいchōdo iijust right
- 別のbetsu noanother, a different · べつの
- 色irocolour · いろ
- 黒kuroblack · くろ; (shiro), white
- シャツshatsushirt
- 返品henpinreturning an item for a refund · へんぴん; (henpin suru)
8. Plans and invitations
From chapter 8: learn these words in context
- 暇himafree (time), not busy · ひま; な-adjective
- 花火大会hanabi taikaifireworks display · はなびたいかい; (hanabi), fireworks
- 行こうikōlet's go · いこう; volitional of (iku)
- 浴衣yukatayukata, a light summer kimono · ゆかた
- つもりtsumoriintention, plan · dictionary form + (tsumori desu)
- じゃあjāwell then, so · casual (de wa)
- 待ち合わせるmachiawaseruto meet up (at an agreed place) · まちあわせる; ru-verb. The noun is (machiawase).
- 改札kaisatsuticket gates · かいさつ; a common place to meet
- 用事yōjisomething to do, an errand · ようじ; (yōji ga aru), I've got something on
- 混むkomuto be crowded · こむ; u-verb
- 早めhayamea bit early · はやめ; (hayame ni iku), to go a bit early
- 楽しみtanoshimisomething to look forward to · たのしみ; (tanoshimi!), I can't wait
- 予定yoteiplan, schedule · よてい
- また今度mata kondomaybe next time · またこんど; a friendly way to say no to an invitation
9. Directions and transport
From chapter 9: learn these words in context
- 空港kūkōairport · くうこう
- 地下鉄chikatetsusubway, underground · ちかてつ
- 乗り換えるnorikaeruto change (trains) · のりかえる; ru-verb. The noun is (norikae).
- ～番線-bansenplatform … · ばんせん; (nanbansen), which platform?
- 快速kaisokurapid train · かいそく; stops only at bigger stations
- 各駅停車kakuekiteishalocal train · かくえきていしゃ; stops at every station
- 降りるoriruto get off · おりる; ru-verb; (densha o oriru)
- ～行き-yukibound for … · ゆき; also read いき (iki)
- 乗るnoruto get on, to ride · のる; u-verb; (densha ni noru)
- ～つ目-tsumethe …th (stop) · め; (hitotsume), (futatsume), (mittsume)
- 切符kipputicket · きっぷ
- まもなくmamonakushortly, in a moment · used in announcements
- 次tsuginext · つぎ; (tsugi no densha), the next train
- 遅れるokureruto be late, to be delayed · おくれる; ru-verb; (juppun okurete imasu), is ten minutes late
10. Describing people
From chapter 10: learn these words in context
- 迎えに行くmukae ni ikuto go and meet, to pick up · むかえにいく; (eki made mukae ni iku)
- おばさんobasanaunt; a woman of your parents' age · Talking about your own aunt to others, say (oba).
- 背が高いse ga takaitall · せがたかい; short: (se ga hikui)
- 髪kamihair (on the head) · かみ
- 長いnagailong · ながい; short: (mijikai)
- 眼鏡をかけるmegane o kakeruto wear glasses · めがねをかける
- 帽子bōshihat, cap · ぼうし
- かぶるkaburuto put on, wear (a hat) · u-verb
- 顔kaoface · かお
- 似ているnite iruto look like, to be similar · にている; (haha ni nite iru), looks like my mother
- 厳しいkibishiistrict · きびしい
- 子供の時kodomo no tokias a child, when (someone) was a child · こどものとき
- おとなしいotonashiiquiet, gentle (of a person)
- 面白いomoshiroifunny, interesting · おもしろい
11. Phone calls and messages
From chapter 11: learn these words in context
- ～と申します… to mōshimasumy name is … (humble) · ともうします; used on the phone and at first meetings
- ～さんはいらっしゃいますか？…-san wa irasshaimasu ka?is … there? (very polite) · the polite form of (imasu ka)
- 会議中kaigichūin a meeting · かいぎちゅう; (kaigi), meeting
- ～ごろ-goroabout, around (a time) · (sanji goro), around three; (nanji goro), around what time?
- 戻るmodoruto come back, to return · もどる; u-verb
- 折り返しorikaeshicalling back · おりかえし; (orikaeshi denwa suru), to call back
- 伝言dengona (spoken) message · でんごん
- もしもしmoshimoshihello (on the phone)
- 聞こえるkikoeruto be able to hear · きこえる; ru-verb
- 伝えるtsutaeruto tell, to pass on · つたえる; ru-verb
- かしこまりましたkashikomarimashitacertainly, of course (staff) · very polite (wakarimashita)
- どういう字ですか？Dōiu ji desu ka?How is it written? · どういうじですか; (ji), a written character
- 確認kakuninchecking, confirmation · かくにん; (kakunin suru), to check
- メッセージmessējimessage, text · (messēji o okuru), to send a message
12. A weekend away
From chapter 12: learn these words in context
- お土産omiyagesouvenir, a gift from a trip · おみやげ
- 温泉onsenhot spring; hot spring resort · おんせん
- 最高saikōthe best, wonderful · さいこう
- 一泊二日ippaku futsukaone night and two days · いっぱくふつか; (nihaku mikka), two nights and three days
- 旅館ryokantraditional Japanese inn · りょかん
- 泊まるtomaruto stay (the night) · とまる; u-verb; (ryokan ni tomaru)
- 露天風呂rotenburoopen-air bath · ろてんぶろ
- 景色keshikiview, scenery · けしき
- 外湯sotoyupublic bath house in a hot spring town · そとゆ
- おいしいoishiidelicious, tasty · い-adjective: (oishikatta desu), it was delicious
- カニkanicrab
- 日帰りhigaeriday trip · ひがえり
- 教えるoshieruto tell, to teach · おしえる; ru-verb: (oshiete kudasai), please tell me
- おすすめosusumerecommendation · (osusume no ryokan), a ryokan you'd recommend
Other levels: Beginner (A1) · Intermediate (B1) · Upper intermediate (B2)