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50 Japanese conversation starters

With a stranger, use the polite です/ます style. It is the standard way to speak with anyone you do not know well, whatever their age, and it never sounds cold. Plain speech (タメ口) is for close friends, so let your partner be the one to suggest it. Opening with はじめまして and closing with よろしくお願いします sets a warm, respectful tone.

Small talk about the weather and the seasons is a real part of Japanese conversation, not filler. Cherry blossoms, the rainy season and autumn leaves are shared seasonal markers, and asking about your partner's season is an easy, natural opener.

Saying hello

1. はじめまして。
hajimemashite.
Nice to meet you. (first meeting)
Only for the very first meeting.
2. こんにちは！
konnichiwa!
Hello!
In the evening, こんばんは (konbanwa).
3. よろしくお願いします。
yoroshiku onegaishimasu.
Nice to meet you. / I look forward to chatting.
Often said right after introducing yourself.
4. ○○と申します。
○○ to mōshimasu.
My name is ○○.
Humble and polite; ○○ といいます (to iimasu) is a little softer.
5. 何とお呼びすればいいですか。
nan to oyobi sureba ii desu ka.
What should I call you?
Add さん (san) to their name, never to your own.
6. お話しできてうれしいです。
ohanashi dekite ureshii desu.
I'm happy we get to talk.
7. 今、お時間大丈夫ですか。
ima, ojikan daijōbu desu ka.
Is now a good time for you?
Thoughtful when your partner may be in another time zone.

Where you are & time zones

8. どちらの国にいらっしゃいますか。
dochira no kuni ni irasshaimasu ka.
Which country are you in?
いらっしゃる is the respectful form of いる (to be).
9. 私は大阪に住んでいます。
watashi wa Ōsaka ni sunde imasu.
I live in Osaka.
A city is enough; never share an exact address.
10. そちらは今何時ですか。
sochira wa ima nanji desu ka.
What time is it there now?
11. こちらはもう夜の十時です。
kochira wa mō yoru no jūji desu.
It's already 10 p.m. here.
12. 日本との時差は何時間ですか。
Nihon to no jisa wa nanjikan desu ka.
How many hours' difference is it from Japan?
13. どんな街ですか。
donna machi desu ka.
What kind of town is it?
14. 日本に来たことはありますか。
Nihon ni kita koto wa arimasu ka.
Have you ever been to Japan?

Weather & seasons

15. そちらの天気はどうですか。
sochira no tenki wa dō desu ka.
How's the weather where you are?
16. こちらは最近すっかり涼しくなりました。
kochira wa saikin sukkari suzushiku narimashita.
It's really cooled down here lately.
17. 日本の夏はとても蒸し暑いです。
Nihon no natsu wa totemo mushiatsui desu.
Summer in Japan is very hot and humid.
18. 六月ごろは梅雨で、雨が多いです。
rokugatsu goro wa tsuyu de, ame ga ōi desu.
Around June it's the rainy season, so it rains a lot.
梅雨 (tsuyu) runs roughly June to mid-July; Hokkaido has almost none.
19. 春になると、みんなでお花見をします。
haru ni naru to, minna de ohanami o shimasu.
When spring comes, people go cherry-blossom viewing together.
Picnics under the blossoms, usually late March to early April.
20. 秋は紅葉がとてもきれいです。
aki wa kōyō ga totemo kirei desu.
The autumn leaves are really beautiful.
21. 一番好きな季節はいつですか。
ichiban suki na kisetsu wa itsu desu ka.
Which season do you like best?
22. そちらでは雪が降りますか。
sochira de wa yuki ga furimasu ka.
Does it snow where you are?

Food

23. 好きな食べ物は何ですか。
suki na tabemono wa nan desu ka.
What's your favourite food?
24. そちらの名物料理は何ですか。
sochira no meibutsu ryōri wa nan desu ka.
What's the local specialty where you are?
Every Japanese region is proud of its 名物 (meibutsu).
25. 日本料理を食べたことはありますか。
Nihon ryōri o tabeta koto wa arimasu ka.
Have you ever tried Japanese food?
26. お寿司とラーメン、どちらが好きですか。
osushi to rāmen, dochira ga suki desu ka.
Which do you prefer, sushi or ramen?
27. 大阪はたこ焼きが有名です。
Ōsaka wa takoyaki ga yūmei desu.
Osaka is famous for takoyaki (octopus balls).
28. 今朝は何を食べましたか。
kesa wa nani o tabemashita ka.
What did you have this morning?
29. おいしそうですね！
oishisō desu ne!
That sounds delicious!

Hobbies & music

30. ご趣味は何ですか。
goshumi wa nan desu ka.
What are your hobbies?
The ご prefix adds politeness when asking about someone else.
31. 休みの日は何をしていますか。
yasumi no hi wa nani o shite imasu ka.
What do you do on your days off?
32. 最近どんな音楽を聴いていますか。
saikin donna ongaku o kiite imasu ka.
What kind of music are you listening to lately?
33. アニメや漫画は好きですか。
anime ya manga wa suki desu ka.
Do you like anime or manga?
34. おすすめの本はありますか。
osusume no hon wa arimasu ka.
Do you have a book you'd recommend?
Swap 本 (book) for 映画 (eiga, movie) or 曲 (kyoku, song).
35. 私もそれ、好きです！
watashi mo sore, suki desu!
I like that too!

Travel & local tips

36. 旅行するなら、どこがおすすめですか。
ryokō suru nara, doko ga osusume desu ka.
If I travel there, where would you recommend?
37. 地元の人しか知らない場所はありますか。
jimoto no hito shika shiranai basho wa arimasu ka.
Is there a place only locals know about?
38. 観光に一番いい時期はいつですか。
kankō ni ichiban ii jiki wa itsu desu ka.
When is the best time for sightseeing?
39. お土産なら何がいいですか。
omiyage nara nani ga ii desu ka.
What would make a good souvenir?
In Japan, bringing お土産 back for friends and coworkers is a custom.
40. 京都に行くなら、朝早い時間がおすすめです。
Kyōto ni iku nara, asa hayai jikan ga osusume desu.
If you go to Kyoto, early morning is the best time.
Famous temples are much quieter before the crowds arrive.
41. 日本の電車は時間にとても正確です。
Nihon no densha wa jikan ni totemo seikaku desu.
Trains in Japan are very punctual.

Language practice

42. 日本語を勉強しています。
Nihongo o benkyō shite imasu.
I'm studying Japanese.
43. 間違っていたら、直してください。
machigatte itara, naoshite kudasai.
If I make a mistake, please correct me.
44. もう少し簡単な言葉で言ってもらえますか。
mō sukoshi kantan na kotoba de itte moraemasu ka.
Could you say that in slightly simpler words?
45. これは日本語で何と言いますか。
kore wa Nihongo de nan to iimasu ka.
How do you say this in Japanese?
46. この言い方は自然ですか。
kono iikata wa shizen desu ka.
Does this way of saying it sound natural?

Wrapping up politely

47. 今日はありがとうございました。
kyō wa arigatō gozaimashita.
Thank you for today.
The past tense thanks them for the whole chat.
48. お話しできて楽しかったです。
ohanashi dekite tanoshikatta desu.
It was fun talking with you.
49. お元気で。
ogenki de.
Take care.
50. おやすみなさい。
oyasuminasai.
Good night.
Nice to say when it is late on their side.

Tips

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