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Your English is Good

Out of Ali, Doug, Ryan and myself, exactly zero of us knew any Japanese. We were constantly lost in translation and left to fight a gnarly language barrier. Reading signs was impossible, and ordering food required more focus than solving a New York Times crossword. And even despite our efforts, we unknowingly ordered chicken hearts at some point.

 

If there's one thing I learned, though, it's that preparation is key, so here's a list of the words/phrases that came in the handiest for us while we wandered the crowded streets of Tokyo:

Useful Japanese Phrases


English Phrase

Hello!
Thank you very much
Sorry
Thank you for your patience
Excuse me
How do you get to Tokyo?

I’m [name]
Can we have a table?
Good morning
Can I have one of X, please?

Where is the bathroom?
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
I like all music except screamo and country
Nothing matters

I am single

I am goth

I am single with goth

Eat the rich

I’m here for whenever you need me
Let’s always be friends
We're all going to die

No, I wasn't crying
I saw it in a meme
I love that cat/dog

Hentai


English Word
Yen
Rice
Water
Bear
Lung
Toenail
Sword
Liquor
Goth


Japanese Translation

Konnichiwa!
Arigato gozai masu
Gomenasai
Omachi itadai te arigato gozai mas(u)
Somimasen
Dōsureba Tōkyō ni iku koto ga dekimasu ka?
[name] des
Teeburu o motemasu ka?
Ohayōgosaimasu
X wo hitotsu onegai shimasu?

Benjo wa doko desu ka?
Ichi
Ni
San
Shi
Go 
Watashi wa screamo to kuni igai no subete

no ongaku ga sukidesu
Nani mo kankeinai

Watashi wa dokushindesu

Watashi wa gosu

Watashi wa shinguru to gosu

Ritchi o tabemasu
Itsu datte kimi ni wa watashi ga iru kara
Zutto tomodachi de iyou
Watashitachiha subete shinu tsumoridesu
Īe, watashi wa naite imasendeshita
Watashi wa sore o mīmu de mita
Watashi wa sono neko/inu ga daisuki

Hentai


Japanese Symbol
円
米
水
くま
肺
足首
剣
酒類
ゴス

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