How to Learn Japanese (日本語) Fast (A1 to C2): Active Recall & Flashcard Study Guide
Master Japanese (日本語) from beginner (A1) to advanced (C2) with curated spaced-repetition flashcards, grammar patterns, and an 8-week study roadmap on flashcards.world.
Interactive Premade Curricula
Japanese Flashcard Decks (15)
Select any deck below to study cards with active recall, audio pronunciation, and FSRS spaced repetition, or filter by difficulty level.
Japanese — Greetings, Polite Words & Everyday Phrases
Japanese — Numbers, Days of the Week, Months & Time
Japanese — Home, Rooms, Furniture & Everyday Objects
Japanese — Food, Drinks, Meals & Ordering at a Restaurant
Japanese — Fruits, Vegetables & Supermarket Groceries
Japanese — Family, People, Friends & Relationships
Japanese — Clothing, Shoes, Accessories & Colors
Japanese — Body Parts, Health, Doctor & Pharmacy
Japanese — Animals, Pets, Nature & Weather
Japanese — Travel, Airport, Train, Hotel & Directions
Japanese — City Places, Shops, Money & Everyday Errands
Japanese — School, Work, Office, Tech & Professions
Japanese — Top 32 Essential Everyday Action Verbs
Japanese — Top 32 Essential Adjectives & Opposites
Japanese — Feelings, Emotions, Personality & Hobbies
Start learning Japanese right away:
Learning Japanese (日本語 — Nihongo) feels magical the moment you can read your first restaurant menu in Tokyo, understand everyday phrases in anime or drama, and hold a polite conversation using natural Desu/Masu (です・ます) forms. Yet many learners get stuck memorizing isolated Kanji strokes without knowing how to say "water," "train station," or "where is the hotel?"
The fastest path to functional Japanese fluency (JLPT N5–N4 / CEFR A1–B1) is mastering concrete everyday vocabulary in context—seeing how Hiragana, Katakana, and high-frequency Kanji work together inside real sentences.
In this visual guide, we walk you step-by-step through the 15 Essential Thematic Japanese Flashcard Decks (480 core words total) on Flashcards World, complete with Kanji, Hiragana/Katakana readings, clear Romaji pronunciation, polite example sentences, and English translations.
Why Learning Concrete Everyday Japanese Words First Works Best
Japanese uses three scripts side by side:
- Hiragana (ひらがな): 46 phonetic syllables used for native Japanese words, verb endings (okurigana), and grammatical particles (は, を, に, で, が).
- Katakana (カタカナ): 46 angular phonetic syllables used for loanwords (コーヒー kōhī "coffee", ホテル hoteru "hotel", トイレ toire "restroom")—giving English speakers hundreds of instant "free" vocabulary words!
- Kanji (漢字): Logographic characters representing core roots (水 mizu "water", 駅 eki "station", 食 taberu "eat").
When you learn concrete everyday words first across 15 thematic decks (32 words per deck = 480 core words):
- Kanji Acquire Meaning Effortlessly: Instead of memorizing abstract on'yomi and kun'yomi charts, you learn 水 (みず — mizu) as "water" and 電車 (でんしゃ — densha) as "train" inside real sentences.
- Particles Click Automatically: Seeing concrete nouns paired with particles—like パンを食べます (Pan o tabemasu — I eat bread) or 駅に行きます (Eki ni ikimasu — I go to the station)—teaches Japanese grammar naturally.
- Instant Survival & JLPT N5/N4 Coverage: These 480 thematic words cover the most frequent nouns, verbs, i-adjectives, na-adjectives, and polite expressions tested on the JLPT N5 and N4 exams.
The 15 Essential Thematic Japanese Flashcard Decks (480 Core Words)
Each deck below contains 32 high-frequency flashcards (15 decks × 32 cards = 480 core Japanese words & phrases). Practice them interactively on Flashcards World.
Deck 1: Greetings, Polite Words & Everyday Phrases (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: Essential Japanese greetings (Aisatsu), polite expressions of gratitude and apology, restaurant phrases (Itadakimasu, Gochisōsama deshita), and self-introductions. Why learn it first: Politeness and social harmony are foundational in Japan; these phrases open every door and conversation.
| Japanese Word / Phrase | Pronunciation (Kana & Romaji) | Example Sentence | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| おはようございます | Ohayō gozaimasu | おはようございます。今日もいい天気ですね。 | Good morning (polite) — Good morning. Nice weather today, isn't it? |
| こんにちは | Konnichiwa | こんにちは、お元気ですか。 | Hello / Good afternoon — Hello, how are you? |
| こんばんは | Konbanwa | こんばんは、予約した田中です。 | Good evening — Good evening, I am Tanaka with a reservation. |
| ありがとうございます | Arigatō gozaimasu | 親切に教えてくれてありがとうございます。 | Thank you very much — Thank you very much for kindly showing me. |
| すみません | Sumimasen | すみません、駅はどこですか。 | Excuse me / I'm sorry — Excuse me, where is the station? |
| お願いします | Onegai shimasu | お水を一つお願いします。 | Please (when requesting) — One water, please. |
| はじめまして | Hajimemashite | はじめまして、アメリカから来ました。 | Nice to meet you (first time) — Nice to meet you, I came from the US. |
| よろしくお願いします | Yoroshiku onegai shimasu | これからどうぞよろしくお願いします。 | Pleased to meet you / I count on your support. |
| いただきます | Itadakimasu | ご飯ができましたよ。いただきます！ | Thank you for the meal (said before eating). |
| ごちそうさまでした | Gochisōsama deshita | とても美味しかったです。ごちそうさまでした。 | Thank you for the feast (said after finishing a meal). |
👉 Practice Deck 1: Japanese — Greetings, Polite Words & Everyday Phrases (32 Flashcards) →
Deck 2: Numbers, Days of the Week, Months & Time (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: Numbers (ichi to hyaku/sen), universal counters (hitotsu, futatsu, ~nin), days of the week (Getsuyōbi to Nichiyōbi), and time expressions (kyō, ashita, kinō, ima, ~ji). Why it matters: Train platforms, yen prices, restaurant seating counters ("table for two" = futari), and dates all depend on this deck.
| Japanese Word | Pronunciation (Kana & Romaji) | Example Sentence | English Sentence Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 一 / 一つ | いち / ひとつ (ichi / hitotsu) | コーヒーを一つお願いします。 | One / One item — One coffee, please. |
| 二 / 二人 | に / ふたり (ni / futari) | 二人でレストランに行きました。 | Two / Two people — Two of us went to the restaurant. |
| 十 | じゅう (jū) | あと十分で電車が来ます。 | Ten — The train will arrive in ten minutes. |
| 百 / 千 | ひゃく / せん (hyaku / sen) | この本は千円です。 | Hundred / Thousand — This book costs 1,000 yen. |
| 月曜日 | げつようび (getsuyōbi) | 月曜日から新しい仕事が始まります。 | Monday — My new job starts on Monday. |
| 金曜日 | きんようび (kin'yōbi) | 金曜日の夜に友達と会います。 | Friday — I will meet my friends on Friday evening. |
| 日曜日 | にちようび (nichiyōbi) | 日曜日は公園を散歩します。 | Sunday — On Sunday I take a walk in the park. |
| 今日 | きょう (kyō) | 今日はとても暖かいですね。 | Today — Today is very warm, isn't it? |
| 明日 | あした (ashita) | 明日、京都へ行きます。 | Tomorrow — Tomorrow I am going to Kyoto. |
| 今 / 何時 | いま / なんじ (ima / nanji) | すみません、今は何時ですか。 | Now / What time — Excuse me, what time is it now? |
👉 Practice Deck 2: Japanese — Numbers, Days of the Week, Months & Time (32 Flashcards) →
Deck 3: Home, Rooms, Furniture & Everyday Objects (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: Rooms of the house (ie, heya, daidokoro, o-tearai), furniture (isu, teeburu, beddo), and everyday household items (doa, mado, kagi, denki). Why it works: Many household objects combine native Japanese words (窓 mado "window", 鍵 kagi "key") with easy Katakana loanwords (テーブル tēburu "table", ベッド beddo "bed").
| Japanese Word | Pronunciation (Kana & Romaji) | Example Sentence | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 家 / うち | いえ / うち (ie / uchi) | 私の家は駅の近くにあります。 | House / Home — My house is near the station. |
| 部屋 | へや (heya) | この部屋はとても明るくて静かです。 | Room — This room is very bright and quiet. |
| 台所 / キッチン | だいどころ (daidokoro / kitchin) | 毎朝、台所で朝ご飯を作ります。 | Kitchen — Every morning I make breakfast in the kitchen. |
| 椅子 | いす (isu) | どうぞこちらの椅子に座ってください。 | Chair — Please sit down on this chair. |
| テーブル / 机 | てーぶる / つくえ (tēburu / tsukue) | テーブルの上に果物があります。 | Table / Desk — There is fruit on the table. |
| ベッド / 布団 | べっど / ふとん (beddo / futon) | 新しいベッドはとても寝心地がいいです。 | Bed / Futon — The new bed is very comfortable to sleep in. |
| ドア / 戸 | どあ / と (doa / to) | 出かける前にドアを閉めてください。 | Door — Please close the door before going out. |
| 窓 | まど (mado) | 窓を開けて新鮮な空気を入れましょう。 | Window — Let's open the window and let in fresh air. |
| 鍵 | かぎ (kagi) | かばんの中に部屋の鍵があります。 | Key — The room key is inside my bag. |
| 電気 / ランプ | でんき / らんぷ (denki / ranpu) | 寝る前に部屋の電気を消します。 | Light / Electricity / Lamp — I turn off the room light before sleeping. |
👉 Practice Deck 3: Japanese — Home, Rooms, Furniture & Everyday Objects (32 Flashcards) →
Deck 4: Food, Drinks, Meals & Ordering at a Restaurant (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: Japanese and international staples (mizu, ocha, gohan, pan, sakana, niku, kōhī), meals (asagohan, hirugohan, bangohan), and restaurant essentials (menyū, o-kaikei, chūmon). Why it matters: Food culture in Japan is world-renowned; this deck lets you order smoothly at izakayas, cafés, and ramen shops.
| Japanese Word | Pronunciation (Kana & Romaji) | Example Sentence | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 水 / お水 | みず / おみず (mizu / o-mizu) | 冷たいお水をください。 | Water — Cold water, please. |
| お茶 | おちゃ (o-cha) | 食後に温かい緑茶を飲みます。 | Tea (Green tea) — I drink warm green tea after meals. |
| ご飯 | ごはん (gohan) | 炊きたてのご飯はとても美味しいです。 | Cooked rice / Meal — Freshly cooked rice is delicious. |
| パン | ぱん (pan) | 朝ご飯にトーストしたパンを食べます。 | Bread — I eat toasted bread for breakfast. |
| コーヒー | こーひー (kōhī) | 毎朝ホットコーヒーを一杯飲みます。 | Coffee — Every morning I drink one cup of hot coffee. |
| 牛乳 / ミルク | ぎゅうにゅう (gyūnyū / miruku) | コーヒーに少し牛乳を入れます。 | Milk — I put a little milk in my coffee. |
| 鶏肉 / 肉 | とりにく / にく (toriniku / niku) | 今日の晩ご飯は鶏肉の照り焼きです。 | Chicken / Meat — Tonight's dinner is chicken teriyaki. |
| 魚 | さかな (sakana) | 日本では新鮮な魚がたくさん食べられます。 | Fish — In Japan you can eat lots of fresh fish. |
| メニュー | めにゅー (menyū) | すみません、英語のメニューはありますか。 | Menu — Excuse me, do you have an English menu? |
| お会計 | おかいけい (o-kaikei) | すみません、お会計をお願いします。 | The bill / check — Excuse me, the check, please. |
👉 Practice Deck 4: Japanese — Food, Drinks, Meals & Ordering at a Restaurant (32 Flashcards) →
Deck 5: Fruits, Vegetables & Supermarket Groceries (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: Everyday produce (ringo, banana, mikan, tomato, jagaimo, ninjin, tamanegi) and grocery staples (tamago, shio, satō, shōyu). Why it works: Visiting a Japanese supermarket (sūpā) or convenience store (konbini) becomes an interactive vocabulary lesson.
| Japanese Word | Pronunciation (Kana & Romaji) | Example Sentence | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| りんご | りんご (ringo) | 青森の赤いりんごはとても甘いです。 | Apple — Red apples from Aomori are very sweet. |
| バナナ | ばなな (banana) | 運動の前にバナナを一本食べます。 | Banana — I eat one banana before exercising. |
| みかん / オレンジ | みかん (mikan / orenji) | 冬はこたつでみかんを食べるのが好きです。 | Mandarin / Orange — In winter I like eating mandarins at the kotatsu. |
| トマト | とまと (tomato) | サラダに新鮮なトマトを入れました。 | Tomato — I put fresh tomatoes in the salad. |
| じゃがいも | じゃがいも (jagaimo) | カレーにはじゃがいもと人参が入っています。 | Potato — Curry contains potatoes and carrots. |
| 人参 | にんじん (ninjin) | 人参を小さく切ってスープに入れます。 | Carrot — I chop the carrot small and put it in the soup. |
| 玉ねぎ | たまねぎ (tamanegi) | 玉ねぎを炒めると甘くなります。 | Onion — When you sauté onions, they become sweet. |
| 卵 | たまご (tamago) | 朝ご飯に卵焼きを作りました。 | Egg — I made rolled omelet (tamagoyaki) for breakfast. |
| 醤油 | しょうゆ (shōyu) | お寿司に少しだけ醤油をつけます。 | Soy sauce — I dip the sushi in just a little soy sauce. |
| 果物 / 野菜 | くだもの / やさい (kudamono / yasai) | 毎日たくさんの野菜と果物を食べます。 | Fruit / Vegetables — I eat lots of vegetables and fruit every day. |
👉 Practice Deck 5: Japanese — Fruits, Vegetables & Supermarket Groceries (32 Flashcards) →
Deck 6: Family, People, Friends & Relationships (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: Family terms for your own family vs. someone else's family (haha/okāsan, chichi/otōsan, ani/onīsan, ane/onēsan), plus kazoku, tomodachi, koibito, hito. Why it matters: Japanese distinguishes between humble inner-circle (uchi) family words and polite outer-circle (soto) terms—a key cultural and JLPT N5 concept.
| Japanese Word | Pronunciation (Kana & Romaji) | Example Sentence | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 家族 | かぞく (kazoku) | 私の家族は四人です。 | Family — There are four people in my family. |
| 母 / お母さん | はは / おかあさん (haha / okāsan) | 母は料理がとても上手です。 | Mother (my mom / someone's mom) — My mother is very good at cooking. |
| 父 / お父さん | ちち / おとうさん (chichi / otōsan) | 父は毎日電車で会社へ行きます。 | Father (my dad / someone's dad) — My father goes to the office by train every day. |
| 兄 / お兄さん | あに / おにいさん (ani / onīsan) | 兄は大阪の大学で勉強しています。 | Older brother — My older brother is studying at a university in Osaka. |
| 姉 / お姉さん | あね / おねえさん (ane / onēsan) | 姉は病院で看護師として働いています。 | Older sister — My older sister works as a nurse at a hospital. |
| 弟 / 妹 | おとうと / いもうと (otōto / imōto) | 妹は今年高校生になりました。 | Younger brother / Younger sister — My younger sister started high school this year. |
| 子供 | こども (kodomo) | 公園で子供たちが元気に遊んでいます。 | Child / Children — Children are playing energetically in the park. |
| 友達 | ともだち (tomodachi) | 週末は友達と映画を見に行きます。 | Friend — On the weekend I am going to see a movie with my friend. |
| 夫 / 妻 | おっと / つま (otto / tsuma) | 妻と一緒に北海道を旅行しました。 | Husband / Wife — I traveled around Hokkaido together with my wife. |
| 人 / 皆さん | ひと / みなさん (hito / minasan) | あの人はとても親切な先生です。 | Person / Everyone — That person is a very kind teacher. |
👉 Practice Deck 6: Japanese — Family, People, Friends & Relationships (32 Flashcards) →
Deck 7: Clothing, Shoes, Accessories & Colors (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: Clothing (fuku, shatsu, zubon, sukāto, kōto), footwear (kutsu, kutsushita), accessories (megane, kasa, kaban, tokei), and colors (shiroi, kuroi, aoi, akai). Why it works: Also teaches you the difference between Japanese verb pairs for "wearing" (着る kiru for upper body, 履く haku for shoes/pants, かける kakeru for glasses).
| Japanese Word | Pronunciation (Kana & Romaji) | Example Sentence | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 服 | ふく (fuku) | デパートで新しい春の服を買いました。 | Clothes — I bought new spring clothes at the department store. |
| シャツ / Tシャツ | しゃつ (shatsu / tīshatsu) | 白いシャツを着て面接に行きます。 | Shirt / T-shirt — I wear a white shirt to go to the interview. |
| ズボン / パンツ | ずぼん (zubon / pantsu) | このズボンは少し長すぎます。 | Pants / Trousers — These trousers are a little too long. |
| コート / ジャケット | こーと (kōto / jaketto) | 外は寒いので暖かいコートを着てください。 | Coat / Jacket — It is cold outside, so please wear a warm coat. |
| 靴 | くつ (kutsu) | 家に入る時は玄関で靴を脱ぎます。 | Shoes — When entering a house, you take off your shoes at the entryway. |
| 眼鏡 | めがね (megane) | 本を読む時だけ眼鏡をかけます。 | Glasses — I put on glasses only when reading a book. |
| 傘 | かさ (kasa) | 雨が降りそうなので傘を持って行きます。 | Umbrella — It looks like rain, so I will bring an umbrella. |
| 白い / 黒い | しろい / くろい (shiroi / kuroi) | 黒い靴と白い靴下を買いました。 | White / Black — I bought black shoes and white socks. |
| 青い | あおい (aoi) | 今日は雲がなくて空が青いです。 | Blue — Today there are no clouds and the sky is blue. |
| 赤い | あかい (akai) | 秋になると山の紅葉が赤くなります。 | Red — When autumn comes, the mountain leaves turn red. |
👉 Practice Deck 7: Japanese — Clothing, Shoes, Accessories & Colors (32 Flashcards) →
Deck 8: Body Parts, Health, Doctor & Pharmacy (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: Body parts (atama, me, mimi, kuchi, nodo, onaka, te, ashi), symptoms (itai, netsu, kaze), and healthcare (isha, byōin, kusuri, yakkyoku). Why it matters: Using the pattern [Body Part] が痛いです (...ga itai desu — my ... hurts) lets you communicate any medical need immediately.
| Japanese Word | Pronunciation (Kana & Romaji) | Example Sentence | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 頭 | あたま (atama) | 少し頭が痛いので早く寝ます。 | Head — My head hurts a little, so I will go to bed early. |
| 目 / 耳 | め / みみ (me / mimi) | パソコンを見すぎて目が疲れました。 | Eye / Ear — My eyes are tired from looking at the computer too much. |
| 口 / 喉 | くち / のど (kuchi / nodo) | 喉が渇いたので水を飲みます。 | Mouth / Throat — I am thirsty (my throat is dry), so I will drink water. |
| お腹 | おなか (onaka) | たくさん歩いたのでお腹が空きました。 | Stomach / Belly — Since I walked a lot, I am hungry. |
| 手 / 足 | て / あし (te / ashi) | 食事の前に石鹸で手を洗います。 | Hand / Foot (or Leg) — I wash my hands with soap before meals. |
| 体 | からだ (karada) | 毎日の運動は体にとてもいいです。 | Body / Health — Daily exercise is very good for the body. |
| 医者 / 病院 | いしゃ / びょういん (isha / byōin) | 熱があるので病院でお医者さんに診てもらいます。 | Doctor / Hospital — Since I have a fever, I will see a doctor at the hospital. |
| 薬 / 薬局 | くすり / やっきょく (kusuri / yakkyoku) | 薬局で風邪の薬を買いました。 | Medicine / Pharmacy — I bought cold medicine at the pharmacy. |
| 風邪 | かぜ (kaze) | 風邪をひいたので今日は仕事を休みます。 | Cold (illness) — I caught a cold, so I am taking the day off work today. |
| 熱 | ねつ (netsu) | 昨夜から少し熱があります。 | Fever — I have had a slight fever since last night. |
👉 Practice Deck 8: Japanese — Body Parts, Health, Doctor & Pharmacy (32 Flashcards) →
Deck 9: Animals, Pets, Nature & Weather (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: Animals (inu, neko, tori, sakana), seasonal nature (sakura, yama, umi, kawa, ki, hana), and weather expressions (tenki, hare, ame, yuki, kaze). Why it works: Japanese culture celebrates seasonal changes—practicing weather and nature words connects you directly to everyday small talk in Japan.
| Japanese Word | Pronunciation (Kana & Romaji) | Example Sentence | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 犬 | いぬ (inu) | 毎朝、公園で犬の散歩をします。 | Dog — Every morning I walk my dog in the park. |
| 猫 | ねこ (neko) | 猫が暖かい窓際で眠っています。 | Cat — The cat is sleeping by the warm window. |
| 鳥 | とり (tori) | 朝早く木の上で鳥が鳴いています。 | Bird — Early in the morning, birds are chirping in the trees. |
| 桜 / 花 | さくら / はな (sakura / hana) | 春になると美しい桜の花が咲きます。 | Cherry blossom / Flower — When spring comes, beautiful cherry blossoms bloom. |
| 山 | やま (yama) | 新幹線の窓から富士山が見えました。 | Mountain — I could see Mount Fuji from the Shinkansen window. |
| 海 / 川 | うみ / かわ (umi / kawa) | 夏休みに沖縄のきれいな海で泳ぎました。 | Sea / River — During summer vacation I swam in the beautiful sea of Okinawa. |
| 天気 | てんき (tenki) | 明日の天気はどうなりますか。 | Weather — What will tomorrow's weather be like? |
| 晴れ / 太陽 | はれ / たいよう (hare / taiyō) | 今日はいい晴れで洗濯日和です。 | Sunny / Sun — Today is nice and sunny, perfect weather for laundry. |
| 雨 | あめ (ame) | 午後から雨が降るかもしれません。 | Rain — It might rain starting in the afternoon. |
| 雪 | ゆき (yuki) | 冬になると北海道ではたくさん雪が降ります。 | Snow — When winter comes, it snows a lot in Hokkaido. |
👉 Practice Deck 9: Japanese — Animals, Pets, Nature & Weather (32 Flashcards) →
Deck 10: Travel, Airport, Train, Hotel & Directions (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: Japan's world-class transit system (densha, shinkansen, eki, kippu, deguchi, iriguchi), airports (kūkō, hikōki, pasupōto), hotels (hoteru, yoyaku), and directions (migi, hidari, massugu). Why it matters: Navigating Shinjuku Station or boarding the Shinkansen is effortless once you recognize these Kanji and phrases.
| Japanese Word | Pronunciation (Kana & Romaji) | Example Sentence | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 駅 | えき (eki) | 次の駅で山手線に乗り換えます。 | Train station — At the next station I transfer to the Yamanote Line. |
| 電車 / 新幹線 | でんしゃ / しんかんせん (densha / shinkansen) | 東京から京都まで新幹線で行きます。 | Train / Bullet train — I go from Tokyo to Kyoto by Shinkansen. |
| 切符 | きっぷ (kippu) | 券売機で電車の切符を買いました。 | Ticket — I bought a train ticket at the ticket machine. |
| 空港 / 飛行機 | くうこう / ひこうき (kūkō / hikōki) | 成田空港から飛行機に乗ります。 | Airport / Airplane — I board the airplane from Narita Airport. |
| パスポート / 荷物 | ぱすぽーと / にもつ (pasupōto / nimotsu) | ホテルに荷物を預けて観光に行きます。 | Passport / Luggage — I leave my luggage at the hotel and go sightseeing. |
| ホテル / 予約 | ほてる / よやく (hoteru / yoyaku) | インターネットで駅前のホテルを予約しました。 | Hotel / Reservation — I booked a hotel in front of the station online. |
| 入口 / 出口 | いりぐち / でぐち (iriguchi / deguchi) | 駅の東口の出口で会いましょう。 | Entrance / Exit — Let's meet at the East Exit of the station. |
| 右 | みぎ (migi) | あの角を右に曲がってください。 | Right — Please turn right at that corner. |
| 左 | ひだり (hidari) | 銀行は郵便局の左にあります。 | Left — The bank is to the left of the post office. |
| まっすぐ | まっすぐ (massugu) | この道をまっすぐ行くと神社があります。 | Straight ahead — If you go straight down this street, there is a shrine. |
👉 Practice Deck 10: Japanese — Travel, Airport, Train, Hotel & Directions (32 Flashcards) →
Deck 11: City Places, Shops, Money & Everyday Errands (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: Places in town (konbini, sūpā, depāto, ginkō, yūbinkyoku, toshokan, bijutsukan) and shopping/money (okane, genkin, kādo, nedan, reji). Why it works: The Japanese konbini (convenience store) is an everyday hub for food, ATMs, and tickets—this deck equips you for every counter interaction.
| Japanese Word | Pronunciation (Kana & Romaji) | Example Sentence | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| コンビニ | こんびに (konbini) | コンビニでお弁当とお茶を買いました。 | Convenience store — I bought a bento and tea at the convenience store. |
| スーパー / 店 | すーぱー / みせ (sūpā / mise) | 家の近くのスーパーは夜遅くまで開いています。 | Supermarket / Shop — The supermarket near my house is open until late at night. |
| デパート | でぱーと (depāto) | デパートの地下で美味しいお菓子を見つけました。 | Department store — I found delicious sweets in the department store basement. |
| 銀行 / 郵便局 | ぎんこう / ゆうびんきょく (ginkō / yūbinkyoku) | 郵便局から海外へ荷物を送りました。 | Bank / Post office — I sent a package overseas from the post office. |
| 図書館 | としょかん (toshokan) | 静かな図書館で日本語を勉強します。 | Library — I study Japanese in the quiet library. |
| お金 / 現金 | おかね / げんきん (o-kane / genkin) | この小さなお店は現金しか使えません。 | Money / Cash — This small shop only accepts cash. |
| クレジットカード | くれじっとかーど (kurejitto kādo) | クレジットカードで支払ってもいいですか。 | Credit card — May I pay by credit card? |
| 値段 / いくら | ねだん / いくら (nedan / ikura) | すみません、これはいくらですか。 | Price / How much — Excuse me, how much is this? |
| レシート / 領収書 | れしーと (reshīto / ryōshūsho) | レシートをお受け取りください。 | Receipt — Please take your receipt. |
| 道 / 通り | みち / とおり (michi / tōri) | この通りにはおしゃれなカフェがたくさんあります。 | Street / Road — There are many stylish cafés on this street. |
👉 Practice Deck 11: Japanese — City Places, Shops, Money & Everyday Errands (32 Flashcards) →
Deck 12: School, Work, Office, Tech & Professions (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: Education and work (gakkō, daigaku, kaisha, shigoto, kaigi), digital tools (pasokon, sumaho, mēru, denwa), and roles (sensei, gakusei, kaishain, enjinia). Why it matters: Builds the core vocabulary needed for studying abroad in Japan or working with Japanese teams.
| Japanese Word | Pronunciation (Kana & Romaji) | Example Sentence | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 仕事 / 会社 | しごと / かいしゃ (shigoto / kaisha) | 朝九時から会社で仕事をします。 | Work / Company — I work at the company starting at nine in the morning. |
| 会議 | かいぎ (kaigi) | 午後二時からオンラインで会議があります。 | Meeting — There is an online meeting starting at 2 PM. |
| パソコン | ぱそこん (pasokon) | 新しいノートパソコンで資料を作ります。 | Personal computer / Laptop — I create documents on my new laptop. |
| スマホ / 電話 | すまほ / でんわ (sumaho / denwa) | スマホの地図アプリで場所を調べます。 | Smartphone / Telephone — I look up the location on my smartphone map app. |
| メール | めーる (mēru) | 後で詳しい予定をメールで送ります。 | Email / Message — I will send the detailed schedule by email later. |
| 学校 / 大学 | がっこう / だいがく (gakkō / daigaku) | 東京の大学で経済学を専攻しています。 | School / University — I am majoring in economics at a university in Tokyo. |
| 先生 / 学生 | せんせい / がくせい (sensei / gakusei) | 日本語の先生はとても分かりやすく教えてくれます。 | Teacher / Student — Our Japanese teacher teaches very clearly. |
| 本 / ノート | ほん / のーと (hon / nōto) | 新しい漢字をノートに書いて覚えます。 | Book / Notebook — I write new Kanji in my notebook to memorize them. |
| 宿題 / 試験 | しゅくだい / しけん (shukudai / shiken) | 来週の日本語能力試験のために勉強しています。 | Homework / Exam — I am studying for next week's JLPT exam. |
| 会社員 / エンジニア | かいしゃいん (kaishain / enjinia) | 彼は東京でITエンジニアとして働いています。 | Office worker / Engineer — He works as an IT engineer in Tokyo. |
👉 Practice Deck 12: Japanese — School, Work, Office, Tech & Professions (32 Flashcards) →
Deck 13: Top 32 Essential Everyday Action Verbs (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: The 32 highest-frequency Japanese verbs in both dictionary form and polite -masu form (taberu/tabemasu, nomu/nomimasu, iku/ikimasu, kuru/kimasu, suru/shimasu, miru/mimasu, kiku/kikimasu, hanasu/hanashimasu, kau/kaimasu, neru/nemasu). Why this deck is a multiplier: In Japanese, the verb always comes at the very end of the sentence. Mastering these 32 verbs lets you anchor every statement, question, and past-tense story.
| Japanese Verb (Dict / Polite) | Pronunciation (Romaji) | Example Sentence | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 食べる / 食べます | taberu / tabemasu | 昼ご飯に美味しいラーメンを食べます。 | To eat — I eat delicious ramen for lunch. |
| 飲む / 飲みます | nomu / nomimasu | 毎朝、水を一杯飲みます。 | To drink — Every morning I drink a glass of water. |
| 行く / 行きます | iku / ikimasu | 来月、友達と日本へ行きます。 | To go — Next month I am going to Japan with my friend. |
| 来る / 来ます | kuru / kimasu | もうすぐバスが来ますよ。 | To come — The bus is coming very soon. |
| する / します | suru / shimasu | 毎日三十分、日本語を勉強します。 | To do — Every day I study Japanese for thirty minutes. |
| 見る / 見ます | miru / mimasu | 週末に日本の映画を見ました。 | To see / To watch — I watched a Japanese movie on the weekend. |
| 聞く / 聞きます | kiku / kikimasu | 通勤中に日本語のポッドキャストを聞きます。 | To listen / To ask — I listen to Japanese podcasts during my commute. |
| 話す / 話します | hanasu / hanashimasu | 少しずつ日本語を話すのが楽しくなりました。 | To speak — Speaking Japanese has gradually become fun. |
| 買う / 買います | kau / kaimasu | 駅でお土産のお菓子を買いました。 | To buy — I bought souvenir sweets at the station. |
| 寝る / 起きる | neru / okiru | 夜十一時に寝て、朝七時に起きます。 | To sleep / To wake up — I go to bed at 11 PM and wake up at 7 AM. |
👉 Practice Deck 13: Japanese — Top 32 Essential Everyday Action Verbs (32 Flashcards) →
Deck 14: Top 32 Essential Adjectives & Opposites (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: Both i-adjectives (ōkii/chiisai, ii/warui, atsui/samui, takai/yasui, atarashii/furui) and na-adjectives (shizuka na / nigiyaka na, kantan na / muzukashii, benri na). Why learning opposites works: Pairing antonym pairs teaches you both vocabulary and how Japanese adjectives conjugate directly for tense and negation (takai → takakunai).
| Japanese Adjective Pair | Pronunciation (Romaji) | Example Sentence | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 大きい / 小さい | ōkii / chiisai | 東京は大きい街ですが、私の町は小さいです。 | Big / Small — Tokyo is a big city, whereas my town is small. |
| いい（良い） / 悪い | ii (yoi) / warui | 今日は天気がいいですが、昨日は悪かったです。 | Good / Bad — The weather is good today, but it was bad yesterday. |
| 暑い・熱い / 寒い・冷たい | atsui / samui・tsumetai | 暑い夏には冷たい麦茶が美味しいです。 | Hot / Cold — On a hot summer day, cold barley tea is delicious. |
| 高い / 安い | takai / yasui | このカメラは高いですが、あれは安いです。 | Expensive (Tall) / Cheap — This camera is expensive, but that one is cheap. |
| 新しい / 古い | atarashii / furui | 京都には古いお寺と新しいカフェがあります。 | New / Old — In Kyoto there are old temples and new cafés. |
| 速い（早い） / 遅い | hayai / osoi | 新幹線はとても速いですが、各駅停車は遅いです。 | Fast (Early) / Slow (Late) — The Shinkansen is very fast, but the local train is slow. |
| 易しい・簡単 / 難しい | kantan (na) / muzukashii | ひらがなは簡単ですが、漢字は少し難しいです。 | Easy / Difficult — Hiragana is easy, whereas Kanji is a bit difficult. |
| 静か(な) / にぎやか(な) | shizuka (na) / nigiyaka (na) | 昼はにぎやかな通りですが、夜は静かです。 | Quiet / Lively — It is a lively street by day, but quiet at night. |
| 近い / 遠い | chikai / tōi | スーパーは家から近いですが、空港は遠いです。 | Near / Far — The supermarket is near my house, but the airport is far. |
| 便利(な) / 不便(な) | benri (na) / fuben (na) | 日本の電車は時間が正確でとても便利です。 | Convenient / Inconvenient — Japanese trains are punctual and very convenient. |
👉 Practice Deck 14: Japanese — Top 32 Essential Adjectives & Opposites (32 Flashcards) →
Deck 15: Feelings, Emotions, Personality & Hobbies (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: Feelings (ureshii, tanoshii, kanashii, tsukareru, anshin suru), preferences (suki, daisuki), personality (yasashii, majime, genki), and hobbies (shumi, ryokō, dokusho, ongaku, ryōri). Why it matters: Lets you express your personality, share what you love (〜が好きです — ...ga suki desu), and connect warmly with Japanese friends.
| Japanese Word / Phrase | Pronunciation (Kana & Romaji) | Example Sentence | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 嬉しい | うれしい (ureshii) | 日本語のテストに合格してとても嬉しいです。 | Happy / Glad — I am very happy to have passed the Japanese test. |
| 楽しい | たのしい (tanoshii) | 友達と日本語で話すのは本当に楽しいです。 | Fun / Enjoyable — Speaking in Japanese with friends is truly fun. |
| 悲しい / 寂しい | かなしい / さびしい (kanashii / sabishii) | 旅行が終わって帰るのは少し寂しいです。 | Sad / Lonely — It feels a bit sad when the trip ends and I head home. |
| 疲れた | つかれた (tsukareta) | 今日はたくさん歩いたので少し疲れました。 | Tired — Since I walked a lot today, I got a little tired. |
| 好き / 大好き | すき / だいすき (suki / daisuki) | 私は日本のアニメと音楽が大好きです。 | Like / Love — I love Japanese anime and music. |
| 優しい / 親切(な) | やさしい / しんせつ (yasashii / shinsetsu) | 道に迷った時、優しい人が助けてくれました。 | Kind / Gentle — When I got lost, a kind person helped me. |
| 元気(な) | げんき (genki) | 祖父は八十歳ですが、毎日とても元気です。 | Energetic / Healthy — My grandfather is eighty, but he is very energetic every day. |
| 趣味 | しゅみ (shumi) | 私の趣味は写真を撮ることと旅行です。 | Hobby — My hobbies are taking photos and traveling. |
| 旅行 | りょこう (ryokō) | 来年の春に家族と日本へ旅行に行きたいです。 | Travel / Trip — Next spring I want to go on a trip to Japan with my family. |
| 音楽 / 読書 | おんがく / どくしょ (ongaku / dokusho) | 休日はカフェで音楽を聴きながら読書をします。 | Music / Reading — On days off I read books at a café while listening to music. |
👉 Practice Deck 15: Japanese — Feelings, Emotions, Personality & Hobbies (32 Flashcards) →
30-Day Spaced Repetition Study Plan for Japanese (480 Core Words)
- Week 1 (Hiragana/Katakana Warmup + Decks 1–3): Master greetings, numbers, time, and household objects. Read both the Kanji and the Hiragana/Katakana aloud on every card.
- Week 2 (Decks 4–7 — Food, Groceries, Family & Clothing): Notice how fast Katakana loanwords (コーヒー, トマト, シャツ) stick! Let the Spaced Repetition algorithm schedule your reviews automatically.
- Week 3 (Decks 8–11 — Health, Nature, Transit & City Errands): Practice recognizing station and city Kanji (駅, 入口, 出口, 右, 左, 銀行).
- Week 4 (Decks 12–15 — Work, 32 Core Verbs, 32 Adjectives & Hobbies): Combine nouns with -masu verbs and i/na-adjectives to speak full Japanese sentences aloud.
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