5 Essential Japanese Phrases Every Beginner Should Know

The first time I heard すみません (*sumimasen*) in the wild, I thought the person was apologizing. They were at a restaurant, flagging down a waiter. That moment stuck with me — one word doing four jobs at once, and I didn't know any of them yet. These five phrases are the ones I kept running into before I knew enough Japanese to know I needed them.

ありがとう (*arigatou*) — Thank you

The casual form you'll hear constantly. For most situations outside of close friends and family, reach for the fuller ありがとうございます (*arigatou gozaimasu*). After something has already happened — a favor someone did, a meal someone cooked — ありがとうございました (*arigatou gozaimashita*) is more natural, since it's past tense.

すみません (*sumimasen*) — Excuse me / Sorry / Thanks

This is the phrase I didn't understand until it clicked all at once. It works when you're getting someone's attention, when you're apologizing for a small inconvenience, and even as a kind of thank-you when someone has gone out of their way. Calling a waiter, squeezing past someone on a train, asking a stranger for directions — すみません handles all of it.

With close friends, you'll hear ごめん (*gomen*) for apologies. But don't use that with anyone you don't know well. And at the other extreme, 申し訳ございません (*moushiwake gozaimasen*) is reserved for serious situations where you need to show genuine remorse.

おはようございます (*ohayou gozaimasu*) — Good morning

Used until roughly 10 or 11 AM. After that, こんにちは (*konnichiwa*) takes over until evening, then こんばんは (*konbanwa*). The casual おはよう (*ohayou*) is fine for family or close friends. One odd thing I noticed: in the entertainment industry and some service jobs, おはよう gets used at any hour as a "start of shift" greeting — it's one of those quirks that makes more sense once you've been immersed in it.

いただきます (*itadakimasu*) — Said before eating

There's no direct English translation for this, which makes it worth knowing early. It's said before every meal — at restaurants, at home, even eating alone. The literal sense comes from *itadaku*, a humble verb meaning "to receive," and it extends gratitude toward everyone involved in putting the food in front of you. After the meal, ごちそうさまでした (*gochisousama deshita*) closes the loop.

I started saying both of these while eating at my desk, just to build the habit. It feels strange at first. It stops feeling strange.

お疲れ様です (*otsukaresama desu*) — Acknowledgment of effort

This one surprised me most when I first encountered it. Literally something like "you must be tired," but functionally it's a greeting between coworkers, a sign-off at the end of the day, and a general acknowledgment that someone has been working hard. You'll hear it constantly in any workplace context. The casual form お疲れ (*otsukare*) works with friends.

One thing worth knowing: there's a similar phrase, ご苦労様です (*gokurousama desu*), but that one flows downward — from boss to employee. Using it toward your superior would read as condescending. Stick with お疲れ様です and you're safe in any direction.

If you want to actually internalize these beyond recognition, writing them out in hiragana helps — you can practice with Hirakata. And if you're just starting out with the writing system itself, the getting started with hiragana guide is worth reading first.