Title: Japanese Basics — LearnCoachAssist

Q: What is the hiragana character あ?
A: あ is read as a (as in "father"). It is one of the five vowels in Japanese and the very first character in the hiragana syllabary.

Q: What is the hiragana character い?
A: い is read as i (as in "meet"). It is the second vowel in the Japanese hiragana syllabary.

Q: What is the hiragana character う?
A: う is read as u (as in "food", but with unrounded lips). It is the third vowel in Japanese hiragana.

Q: What is the hiragana character え?
A: え is read as e (as in "bed"). It is the fourth vowel in the Japanese hiragana syllabary.

Q: What is the hiragana character お?
A: お is read as o (as in "go"). It is the fifth and final vowel in the Japanese hiragana syllabary.

Q: What is the hiragana character か?
A: か is read as ka. It is the first character of the k-row in hiragana. Adding a dakuten (゛) changes it to が (ga).

Q: What is the hiragana character き?
A: き is read as ki. It belongs to the k-row of hiragana. With a dakuten it becomes ぎ (gi).

Q: What is the hiragana character く?
A: く is read as ku. It is part of the k-row in the hiragana syllabary. With a dakuten it becomes ぐ (gu).

Q: What is the hiragana character け?
A: け is read as ke. It belongs to the k-row of hiragana. With a dakuten it becomes げ (ge).

Q: What is the hiragana character こ?
A: こ is read as ko. It is the last character of the k-row in hiragana. With a dakuten it becomes ご (go).

Q: What is the hiragana character さ?
A: さ is read as sa. It is the first character of the s-row in hiragana. With a dakuten it becomes ざ (za).

Q: What is the hiragana character し?
A: し is read as shi (not "si"). This is an irregular reading in the s-row. With a dakuten it becomes じ (ji).

Q: What is the hiragana character す?
A: す is read as su. It belongs to the s-row of hiragana. With a dakuten it becomes ず (zu).

Q: What is the hiragana character せ?
A: せ is read as se. It is part of the s-row in the hiragana syllabary. With a dakuten it becomes ぜ (ze).

Q: What is the hiragana character そ?
A: そ is read as so. It is the last character of the s-row in hiragana. With a dakuten it becomes ぞ (zo).

Q: What is the katakana character ア?
A: ア is the katakana form of a. Katakana is primarily used for foreign loanwords, onomatopoeia, and emphasis. It corresponds to hiragana あ.

Q: What is the katakana character イ?
A: イ is the katakana form of i. It corresponds to hiragana い and is used in words like イギリス (Igirisu, "England").

Q: What is the katakana character ウ?
A: ウ is the katakana form of u. It corresponds to hiragana う. It appears in loanwords like ウイスキー (uisukii, "whisky").

Q: What is the katakana character エ?
A: エ is the katakana form of e. It corresponds to hiragana え. It is found in words like エレベーター (erebeetaa, "elevator").

Q: What is the katakana character オ?
A: オ is the katakana form of o. It corresponds to hiragana お. It appears in words like オレンジ (orenji, "orange").

Q: What is the katakana character カ?
A: カ is the katakana form of ka. It corresponds to hiragana か. It is used in loanwords like カメラ (kamera, "camera").

Q: What is the katakana character キ?
A: キ is the katakana form of ki. It corresponds to hiragana き. It appears in words like キッチン (kicchin, "kitchen").

Q: What is the katakana character ク?
A: ク is the katakana form of ku. It corresponds to hiragana く. It is found in words like クラス (kurasu, "class").

Q: What is the katakana character ケ?
A: ケ is the katakana form of ke. It corresponds to hiragana け. It appears in words like ケーキ (keeki, "cake").

Q: What is the katakana character コ?
A: コ is the katakana form of ko. It corresponds to hiragana こ. It is used in words like コーヒー (koohii, "coffee").

Q: What does こんにちは (Konnichiwa) mean?
A: こんにちは means "Hello" or "Good afternoon." It is the most common general greeting in Japanese, used from late morning through the evening.

Q: What does おはようございます (Ohayou gozaimasu) mean?
A: おはようございます means "Good morning" (polite form). The casual version is simply おはよう (ohayou), used among friends and family.

Q: What does こんばんは (Konbanwa) mean?
A: こんばんは means "Good evening." It is used as a greeting when meeting someone in the evening or at night.

Q: What does さようなら (Sayounara) mean?
A: さようなら means "Goodbye." It implies a longer or more formal farewell. For casual partings, Japanese speakers often use じゃあね (jaa ne) or またね (mata ne).

Q: What does ありがとうございます (Arigatou gozaimasu) mean?
A: ありがとうございます means "Thank you very much" (polite). The casual form is ありがとう (arigatou). This is one of the most essential phrases in Japanese.

Q: What does すみません (Sumimasen) mean?
A: すみません means "Excuse me" or "I'm sorry." It is used to get someone's attention, apologize for minor inconveniences, or express gratitude for trouble caused.

Q: What does ごめんなさい (Gomen nasai) mean?
A: ごめんなさい means "I'm sorry" (apology). It is a more direct apology than すみません. The casual form is ごめん (gomen).

Q: What does はじめまして (Hajimemashite) mean?
A: はじめまして means "Nice to meet you" or literally "for the first time." It is used when meeting someone for the first time, typically followed by a self-introduction.

Q: What does よろしくおねがいします (Yoroshiku onegaishimasu) mean?
A: よろしくおねがいします means "Please treat me well" or "Nice to meet you." It is used after self-introductions and when asking for someone's cooperation or favor.

Q: What does いただきます (Itadakimasu) mean?
A: いただきます means "I humbly receive" and is said before eating a meal. It expresses gratitude to everyone involved in preparing the food.

Q: What does ごちそうさまでした (Gochisousama deshita) mean?
A: ごちそうさまでした means "Thank you for the meal" and is said after finishing eating. It expresses gratitude for the food and the effort of preparation.

Q: What does いってきます (Ittekimasu) mean?
A: いってきます means "I'm off" or "I'll go and come back." It is said when leaving home, with the implication that you will return.

Q: What does いってらっしゃい (Itterasshai) mean?
A: いってらっしゃい means "See you later" or "Take care." It is the response to いってきます, said by those staying behind to the person leaving.

Q: What does ただいま (Tadaima) mean?
A: ただいま means "I'm home" or literally "just now." It is said upon arriving home and is a staple of daily Japanese greetings.

Q: What does おかえりなさい (Okaerinasai) mean?
A: おかえりなさい means "Welcome home." It is the standard reply to ただいま, said by those already at home. The casual form is おかえり.

Q: What is the Japanese word for 1?
A: 一 (いち / ichi). This is the most basic number in Japanese. The kanji 一 is a single horizontal stroke.

Q: What is the Japanese word for 2?
A: 二 (に / ni). The kanji 二 consists of two horizontal strokes.

Q: What is the Japanese word for 3?
A: 三 (さん / san). The kanji 三 consists of three horizontal strokes.

Q: What is the Japanese word for 4?
A: 四 (し or よん / shi or yon). Both readings are common. し (shi) sounds like 死 (death), so よん (yon) is often preferred in counting.

Q: What is the Japanese word for 5?
A: 五 (ご / go). This is one of the numbers with only one standard reading in everyday use.

Q: What is the Japanese word for 6?
A: 六 (ろく / roku). The kanji 六 is used in compounds like 六月 (rokugatsu, June).

Q: What is the Japanese word for 7?
A: 七 (しち or なな / shichi or nana). なな (nana) is more commonly used in counting to avoid confusion with いち (one) and し (four).

Q: What is the Japanese word for 8?
A: 八 (はち / hachi). The kanji 八 resembles two strokes spreading outward, symbolizing prosperity in Japanese culture.

Q: What is the Japanese word for 9?
A: 九 (きゅう or く / kyuu or ku). く (ku) can sound like 苦 (suffering), so きゅう (kyuu) is often preferred.

Q: What is the Japanese word for 10?
A: 十 (じゅう / juu). The kanji 十 is a cross shape. It serves as the base for forming numbers 11–99.

Q: What is the Japanese word for 100?
A: 百 (ひゃく / hyaku). Multiples follow a pattern: 200 is にひゃく (nihyaku), 300 is さんびゃく (sanbyaku) with a sound change.

Q: What is the Japanese word for 1,000?
A: 千 (せん / sen). Multiples follow a pattern: 2,000 is にせん (nisen), 3,000 is さんぜん (sanzen) with a sound change.

Q: What is the Japanese word for 10,000?
A: 万 (まん / man). Japanese groups large numbers in units of 10,000 rather than 1,000. So 100,000 is 十万 (juuman, "ten ten-thousands").

Q: How do you form numbers 11–99 in Japanese?
A: Numbers 11–99 follow the pattern tens + ones. For example: 11 = じゅういち (juu-ichi), 25 = にじゅうご (ni-juu-go, "two-tens-five"), 99 = きゅうじゅうきゅう (kyuu-juu-kyuu). Multiply the tens digit by じゅう and add the ones digit.

Q: What is the Japanese word for 0?
A: 零 (れい / rei) or ゼロ (zero). ゼロ is borrowed from English and widely used. れい is the native Japanese reading, used in formal contexts like phone numbers.

Q: What is the Japanese particle は (wa) used for?
A: は (written as ha, read as wa when used as a particle) marks the topic of a sentence. Example: わたしはがくせいです (Watashi wa gakusei desu) = "As for me, I am a student." It tells the listener what you are talking about.

Q: What is the Japanese particle が (ga) used for?
A: が marks the subject of a sentence, often introducing new or emphasized information. Example: だれがきましたか (Dare ga kimashita ka) = "Who came?" It differs from は in that it highlights the subject rather than the topic.

Q: What is the Japanese particle を (wo/o) used for?
A: を (pronounced "o") marks the direct object of an action verb. Example: パンをたべます (Pan o tabemasu) = "I eat bread." It indicates what is being acted upon.

Q: What is the Japanese particle に (ni) used for?
A: に indicates location of existence, time, or destination. Examples: がっこうにいます (gakkou ni imasu) = "I am at school"; さんじに (sanji ni) = "at 3 o'clock." It marks a specific point in space or time.

Q: What is the Japanese particle で (de) used for?
A: で indicates the location where an action takes place or the means/method of doing something. Examples: こうえんであそぶ (kouen de asobu) = "play at the park"; バスでいく (basu de iku) = "go by bus."

Q: What is the Japanese particle の (no) used for?
A: の indicates possession or connects two nouns (similar to "'s" or "of" in English). Example: わたしのほん (watashi no hon) = "my book." It can also nominalize verbs and show apposition.

Q: What is the Japanese particle へ (e) used for?
A: へ (written as he, read as e when used as a particle) indicates direction of movement. Example: とうきょうへいきます (Toukyou e ikimasu) = "I go toward Tokyo." It is similar to に but emphasizes the direction rather than the destination.

Q: What is the Japanese particle と (to) used for?
A: と means "and" (for nouns) or "with" (companionship). Examples: パンとぎゅうにゅう (pan to gyuunyuu) = "bread and milk"; ともだちといく (tomodachi to iku) = "go with a friend." It also marks quotations.

Q: What is the Japanese particle か (ka) used for?
A: か is placed at the end of a sentence to form a question. Example: これはなんですか (Kore wa nan desu ka) = "What is this?" In polite speech, it replaces the need for rising intonation.

Q: What is the Japanese particle も (mo) used for?
A: も means "also" or "too" and replaces は, が, or を. Example: わたしもがくせいです (Watashi mo gakusei desu) = "I am also a student." It adds the meaning of inclusion.

Q: What is the Japanese particle から (kara) used for?
A: から means "from" (starting point in time or place). Example: くじからはたらきます (kuji kara hatarakimasu) = "I work from 9 o'clock." It can also mean "because" when used after a clause.

Q: What is the Japanese particle まで (made) used for?
A: まで means "until" or "up to" (endpoint in time or place). Example: ごじまでべんきょうします (goji made benkyou shimasu) = "I study until 5 o'clock." It is often paired with から (kara).

Q: What is the Japanese particle よ (yo) used for?
A: よ is a sentence-ending particle for emphasis or to convey new information to the listener. Example: おいしいですよ (oishii desu yo) = "It's delicious, you know!" It adds assertiveness or friendly insistence.

Q: How do you say "Yes" and "No" in Japanese?
A: Yes = はい (hai); No = いいえ (iie). はい is also used to show you are listening (like "uh-huh"). In casual speech, ううん (uun) is used for "no."

Q: How do you say "I don't understand" in Japanese?
A: わかりません (wakarimasen). This is the polite negative form of わかる (wakaru, "to understand"). It is very useful for beginners navigating conversations in Japanese.

Q: How do you ask "Do you speak English?" in Japanese?
A: えいごをはなせますか (Eigo wo hanasemasu ka). えいご (eigo) means "English," はなせます (hanasemasu) is the potential form of はなす (to speak), and か makes it a question.

Q: How do you ask "Where is...?" in Japanese?
A: …はどこですか (... wa doko desu ka). Replace … with the place you are looking for. Example: えきはどこですか (Eki wa doko desu ka) = "Where is the station?"

Q: How do you ask "How much?" in Japanese?
A: いくらですか (Ikura desu ka). いくら means "how much" (price). This is essential for shopping. For quantity, use いくつ (ikutsu) instead.

Q: How do you say "Please" in Japanese?
A: There are two main forms: おねがいします (onegaishimasu) for making requests politely, and ください (kudasai) used after a verb te-form to ask someone to do something. Example: みずをください (mizu wo kudasai) = "Water, please."

Q: How do you say "Excuse me" or "Sorry" in Japanese?
A: すみません (sumimasen) is the most versatile — it works for getting attention, light apologies, and expressing thanks for trouble caused. For a stronger apology, use ごめんなさい (gomen nasai).

Q: What are the Japanese words for "this," "that," and "that over there"?
A: これ (kore) = this (near speaker); それ (sore) = that (near listener); あれ (are) = that over there (far from both). This ko-so-a-do system is fundamental to Japanese demonstratives.

Q: How do you say "Delicious" in Japanese?
A: おいしい (oishii). It is an i-adjective meaning "delicious" or "tasty." You can make it polite by adding です: おいしいです (oishii desu).

Q: How do you say "Beautiful" in Japanese?
A: きれい (kirei). It means "beautiful" or "clean." Despite ending in い, it is a na-adjective, so it becomes きれいな (kirei na) before a noun.

Q: What does これはなんですか (Kore wa nan desu ka) mean?
A: It means "What is this?" これ (kore) = this, は (wa) = topic marker, なん (nan) = what, ですか (desu ka) = is (question). It is one of the most useful beginner questions.

Q: How do you say "Help!" in Japanese?
A: たすけて (tasukete). It is the te-form of たすける (tasukeru, "to help/rescue"). In emergencies, shout たすけて! to call for help.

Q: What is the Japanese general counter system (hitotsu, futatsu...)?
A: The native Japanese counter for general objects: ひとつ (hitotsu) = 1, ふたつ (futatsu) = 2, みっつ (mittsu) = 3, よっつ (yottsu) = 4, いつつ (itsutsu) = 5. This system goes up to とお (too) = 10 and works for most objects when you don't know the specific counter.

Q: What is the Japanese counter for people?
A: ひとり (hitori) = 1 person, ふたり (futari) = 2 people. From 3 onward, use the Sino-Japanese number + にん (nin): さんにん (sannin) = 3 people, よにん (yonin) = 4 people. The first two are irregular.

Q: What is the Japanese counter まい (mai) used for?
A: まい (mai) is the counter for flat, thin objects such as paper, plates, shirts, tickets, and slices. Example: かみさんまい (kami sanmai) = "3 sheets of paper." It has no irregular sound changes.

Q: What is the Japanese counter ほん (hon) used for?
A: ほん (hon) is the counter for long, cylindrical objects like pens, bottles, trees, and umbrellas. It has sound changes: いっぽん (ippon) = 1, にほん (nihon) = 2, さんぼん (sanbon) = 3.

Q: What is the Japanese counter ひき (hiki) used for?
A: ひき (hiki) is the counter for small animals like fish, cats, dogs, and insects. It has sound changes: いっぴき (ippiki) = 1, にひき (nihiki) = 2, さんびき (sanbiki) = 3.

Q: What is Monday in Japanese?
A: 月曜日 (げつようび / getsuyoubi). 月 means "moon," reflecting the traditional association of Monday with the moon, similar to many other languages.

Q: What is Tuesday in Japanese?
A: 火曜日 (かようび / kayoubi). 火 means "fire." Each day of the week in Japanese is associated with a natural element or celestial body.

Q: What is Wednesday in Japanese?
A: 水曜日 (すいようび / suiyoubi). 水 means "water." The pattern is: element + 曜日 (youbi, "day of the week").

Q: What is Thursday in Japanese?
A: 木曜日 (もくようび / mokuyoubi). 木 means "wood" or "tree." Thursday is associated with the wood element in the East Asian system.

Q: What is Friday in Japanese?
A: 金曜日 (きんようび / kinyoubi). 金 means "gold" or "metal." Friday is associated with the metal element.

Q: What is Saturday in Japanese?
A: 土曜日 (どようび / doyoubi). 土 means "earth" or "soil." Saturday is associated with the earth element.

Q: What is Sunday in Japanese?
A: 日曜日 (にちようび / nichiyoubi). 日 means "sun" or "day." Sunday is the day of the sun, just as in English.

Q: What is January in Japanese?
A: 一月 (いちがつ / ichigatsu). Japanese months are simply the number + 月 (gatsu, "month"). There are no separate month names as in English.

Q: What is February in Japanese?
A: 二月 (にがつ / nigatsu). Following the pattern: number 2 (に) + 月 (gatsu) = second month.

Q: What is March in Japanese?
A: 三月 (さんがつ / sangatsu). March is the third month. The school year in Japan begins in April, so March marks graduation season.

Q: What is April in Japanese?
A: 四月 (しがつ / shigatsu). Note: the reading is し (shi), not よん (yon), for this month. April marks the start of the Japanese fiscal and school year.

Q: What is May in Japanese?
A: 五月 (ごがつ / gogatsu). May features Golden Week (ゴールデンウィーク), a cluster of national holidays in Japan.

Q: What is June in Japanese?
A: 六月 (ろくがつ / rokugatsu). June is associated with the rainy season (梅雨 / tsuyu) in most of Japan.

Q: What is July in Japanese?
A: 七月 (しちがつ / shichigatsu). Note: the reading is しち (shichi), not なな (nana), for this month. July marks the beginning of summer in Japan.

Q: What is August in Japanese?
A: 八月 (はちがつ / hachigatsu). August is the hottest month in Japan and features the Obon (お盆) festival honoring ancestors.