N5 · 40 words
Greetings and set phrases
What is said on meeting and parting, before and after a meal, and on leaving the house and coming back.
Japanese attaches a fixed phrase to many moments that English passes over in silence, and the phrase is expected rather than decorative: いただきます before eating, いってきます on the way out of the door, ただいま on the way back in. Most of them come in pairs, one for each side of the moment, so learn them as pairs. Politeness sits in the ending: ありがとう among friends, ありがとうございます to everybody else — and when in doubt, the longer form is the safe choice.
The words
Adverb (2)
どうぞplease (go ahead); here you areAdverbN5
Offers or invites; for a request use お願いします.
どうもthanks; very (in set phrases)AdverbN5
On its own a short, casual thanks or hello.
This list belongs to Politeness, favours and manners — six lists and 240 words that can also be practised as a whole.
Practise this list
Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 40 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.