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Common Sayings
Please note that greeting and closing remarks are covered on their own page.
| English | Japanese |
| I
receive. (Said before eating a meal.) |
Itadakimasu.  |
| Thank
you for the meal. (Said after eating a meal.) |
Gochisou
sama deshita. |
| Do
your best. |
Ganbatte kudasai. |
| Are
you all right? |
Daijoubu desu ka? |
| I'm
all right. |
Daijoubu desu. |
| Here
you are. (Offering a favor.) |
Douzo. |
| Please
do it. (lit. 'I beg you.') (Requesting a favor.) |
Onegai shimasu. |
| Thank you (very
much). |
(Doumo) arigatou gozaimasu. |
| Thanks. | Arigatou./Doumo. |
| You're welcome. | Douitashimashite. |
| I
don't understand. |
Wakarimasen./Wakaranai. |
| Excuse
me. (Getting attention) |
Sumimasen. |
| I'm
sorry. |
Gomen nasai. |
| Is
that so? |
Aa sou desu ka? |
| That's
tough isn't it? |
Taihen desu ne. |
| How
unfortunate |
Zannen desu ne. |
| Excuse me. (I am rude. ) | Shitsurei shimasu. |
| I am being rude by leaving before you. (Said when leaving the room before someone, particularly when leaving work before others.) | Osaki ni shitsurei shimasu. |
| (You've worked hard so) you must be tired. (Said to someone leaving work for home.) | Otsukare sama deshita. |
| Excuse me. (Said when entering someone's home.) | Ojama shimasu. |
| Cheers! | Kanpai. |
| No, that's OK. (Said when refusing something.) | Iie, kekkou desu. |
| It can't be helped. | Shou ga nai. |
| Note: Someone once asked me whether Taihen desu ne. and Zannen desu ne. were sarcastic phrases. They aren't sarcastic; rather, they are used to express sympathy. |