rei (salute, bow, ceremony, thanks)
hô (method, law, rule, principle, model, system)
reihô (manners, etiquette, courtesy)

gen (say)
go (word, speech, language)
gengo (language)

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❖ Also pronounced gongo

dan (man, male)
sei (sex, gender, nature)
dansei (masculine gender)
go (word, speech, language)

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❖ Masculine or men's language

jo (woman, female)
sei (sex, gender, nature)
josei (feminine gender)
go (word, speech, language)

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❖ Feminine or women's language

ken (self-effacing, humble oneself, condescend, be modest)
jô (defer, turnover, transfer, convey)
kenjô (modesty, humility)
go (word, speech, language)

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❖ Humble language

mo (sentence, literature)
ji (character, letter, word)
moji (letter of alphabet, character)
gen (say)
go (word, speech, language)
gengo (language)

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❖ Written language

on (sound, noise)
sei (voice)
onsei (voice, the concept of sound)
gen (say)
go (word, speech, language)
gengo (language)

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❖ Spoken language

son (revered, valuable, precious, noble, exalted)
kei (awe, respect, honor, revere)
sonkei (respect, esteem, reverence, honour, honor)
go (word, speech, language)

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❖ Honorific language

tei (street, ward, town)
nei (rather, preferably)
teinei (polite, courteous, careful, care, kind, close, thorough, conscientious )
go (word, speech, language)

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❖ Polite language

gyô (going, journey)
gi (ceremony, rule, case)
gyôgi (manners, behavior)
sa (make, production, prepare, build)
hô (method, law, rule, principle, model, system)
sahô (propriety, manners, etiquette)

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❖ Good manners, etiquette

go (honorable)
za (squat, seat, cushion, gathering, sit)
i (to be, exist)
-masu (present polite ending)

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❖ Literally: to be, to exist
❖ Pronounced: gozaimas'
❖ Very polite form of 'to be'

kuda.sai (give, below, down, descend, low, inferior)

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❖ Literally: (please) give me
❖ Usually translated as: please
❖ Alternatively: tamae, onegaishimasu

tama.e (allow, grant, bestow on)

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❖ Imperative form
❖ danseigo
❖ Usually translated as: please

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o [kanji & kana forms] (honorable)
negai.shimasu (petition, request, vow, wish, hope)

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❖ Pronounced: onegaishimas'
❖ kenjôgo
❖ Usually translated as: please

a.ri (possess, have, exist, happen, occur, approx / ateji)
gatou | gata.i (difficult, impossible, trouble, accident, defect / ateji)

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❖ Literally: to have difficult
❖ Usually translated as: thank you
❖ Alternatively: dômo arigatô gozaimasu

dômo (much, very, quite, really, thanks)
a.ri (possess, have, exist, happen, occur, approx / ateji)
gatou | gata.i (difficult, impossible, trouble, accident, defect / ateji)
go (honorable)
za (squat, seat, cushion, gathering, sit)
i (to be, exist)
-masu (present polite ending)

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❖ Pronounced: dômo arigatô gozaimas'
❖ Usually translated as: thank you very much

do | ki (likeness, like, such as, as if)
u | ka (what)
dô | ika [kanji & kana forms] (how; in what way; how about)
itashi | ita.su (do, send, forward, cause, exert, incur, engage)
mashite (to say nothing of, not to mention, still more - polite conjunctive form / -te form)

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❖ Pronounced: dô itashimash'te
❖ Usually translated as: you're welcome, don't mention it, not at all, my pleasure

su.mi (finish, come to an end, excusable, need not)
-masen (suffix used to negate a verb in the non-past tense)

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❖ teineigo
❖ Usually translated as: excuse me, sorry for interrupting

go [kanji & kana forms] (honorable, manipulate, govern)
men (excuse, dismissal)
nasai (do - imperative form)

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❖ Usually translated as: I'm sorry, I apologize, I beg your pardon

ai (push open)
satsu (be imminent)

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❖ greetings, greeting, salutation, salute

o [kanji & kana forms] (honorable)
hayô (early, fast)

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❖ ohayô (morning greeting)
❖ Usually translated as: good morning
❖ Alternatively: ohayô gozaimasu

o [kanji & kana forms] (honorable)
hayô (early, fast)
go (honorable)
za (squat, seat, cushion, gathering, sit)
i (to be, exist)
-masu (present polite ending)

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❖ teineigo
❖ Pronounced: ohayô gozaimas'

kon (now)
nichi (day, sun, Japan, counter for days)
konnichi (today, this day, these days, recently, nowadays)
ha (topic marker particle, adds emphasis)

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❖ Literally: this day!
❖ konnichiha (daytime greeting)
❖ Pronounced: konnichiwa
❖ Usually translated as: good day or hello

kom | kon (now)
ban (nightfall, night)
komban (tonight, this evening)
ha (topic marker particle, adds emphasis)

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❖ Literally: this night!
❖ kombanha (evening greeting)
❖ Pronounced: kombanwa
❖ Usually translated as: good evening

haji.me (beginning, start, origin)
mashite (to say nothing of, not to mention, still more - polite conjunctive form / -te form)

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haji.me (beginning, start, origin)
mashite (to say nothing of, not to mention, still more - polite conjunctive form / -te form)

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❖ Literally: (I don't know) what to do
❖ Usually translated as: how do you do?
❖ Pronounced: hajimemash'ta

gen (beginning, former time, origin)
ki (spirit, mind, air, atmosphere, mood)
genki (health, robust, vigor, vigour, energy, vitality, vim, stamina, spirit, courage, pep)
desu (is, exists - polite copula)
-ka (indicates question - sentence end)

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❖ Ususally translated as: how are you?
❖ Pronounced: genki des'ka
❖ Alternatively: ogenki desuka

o (honorable)
gen (beginning, former time, origin)
ki (spirit, mind, air, atmosphere, mood)
genki (health, robust, vigor, vigour, energy, vitality, vim, stamina, spirit, courage, pep)
desu (is, exists - polite copula)
-ka (indicates question - sentence end)

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❖ teineigo
❖ Pronounced: ogenki des'ka

gen (beginning, former time, origin)
ki (spirit, mind, air, atmosphere, mood)
genki (health, robust, vigor, vigour, energy, vitality, vim, stamina, spirit, courage, pep)
desu (is, exists - polite copula)

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❖ Ususally translated as: I'm fine
❖ Pronounced: genki des'

yoro.shiku (well, properly, suitably, best regards, please remember me, please treat me favorably, please take care of)
o (honorable)
nega.i (petition, request, vow, wish, hope)
shimasu (to do - "suru" verb present polite tense)

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❖ Usually translated as: please treat me well, please take care of me
❖ Pronounced: yoroshiku onegaishimas'

sa (left)
yô (Esq., way, manner, situation, polite suffix)
nara (if, in case, if it is the case that, if it is true that, as for; on the topic of)

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❖ Usually translated as: good night, goodbye
❖ Alternatively: oyasumi, oyasumi nasai

o (honorable)
yasumi (rest, day off, retire, sleep)

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o (honorable)
yasumi (rest, day off, retire, sleep)
nasai (do - imperative form)

mata (again)
atode (later)

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❖ Usually translated as: see you later
❖ Used informally
❖ Alternatively: dewa mata atode

dewa (well, then)
mata (again)
atode (later)

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❖ teineigo

ja (then, well, so, well then, combination of de and wa particles)
mata (again)

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❖ Usually translated as: see you then
❖ Alternatively: jaa mata ne

jaa (then, well, so, well then, contraction of de and wa particles)
mata (again)
ne (right? - particle indicating understanding)

mata (again)
ashita (tomorrow)

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❖ Pronounced: mata ash'ta
❖ Usually translated as: see you tomorrow

ja (then, well, so, well then, contraction of de and wa particles)
mata (again)
ashita (tomorrow)

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❖ Pronounced: ja mata ash'ta
❖ Usually translated as: see you tomorrow then
❖ Alternatively: jaa mata ashita

jaa (then, well, so, well then, contraction of de and wa particles)
mata (again)
ashita (tomorrow)

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❖ Pronounced: jaa mata ash'ta

itada | itada.ku (to receive; to get; to accept; to take; to buy, to eat; to drink)
-imasu (polite present form)

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❖ kenjôgo
❖ Expression of gratitude before meals
❖ Usually translated as: (I humbly) receive (this food)
❖ Pronounced: itadakimas'

go (honorable)
chi (run, gallop, sail, drive (a wagon), win (fame), despatch)
sô (run)
chisô (treat; banquet; feast; entertainment; goodies)
sama (Esq., way, manner, situation, polite suffix)
deshita (past tense or perfective aspect of desu, indicating that the effort has completed)

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❖ Used after one has been treated (esp. used after a meal)
❖ Usually translated as: that was a delicious meal
❖ Pronounced: gochisô sama desh'ta

i.ku (to go, to proceed, to take place, to continue)
kuru (come, due, next, cause, become)
i.ttekuru (I'm off, see you later, to go and then come back)
-imasu (polite present form)

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❖ Literally: I go and come (back)
❖ Usually translated as: I'm off, see you later
❖ Pronounced: ittekimas'

i.ku (to go, to proceed, to take place, to continue)
rassharu (to be; to come; to go)

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❖ sonkeigo
❖ Literally: (you) go and come (back)
❖ Usually translated as: have a good day, take care, see you

tada (only, free, in addition)
ima (now)
tadaima (here I am)

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❖ Usually translated as: I'm home!
❖ Short for: tadaima kaeimashita

tada (only, free, in addition)
ima (now)
tadaima (here I am)
kaeimashita (homecoming, arrive at, lead to, result in)

o (honorable)
kaeri (return, coming back)

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❖ sonkeigo
❖ Usually translated as: welcome home, welcome back
❖ Alternatively: okaeri nasai

o (honorable)
kaeri (return, coming back)
nasai (do - imperative form)

mô.shi | mô.su (speaking | to speak)

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❖ Literally: speaking, speaking
❖ Originally used like audio equipment sound check "testing, testing"
❖ kenjôgo
❖ Usually translated as: hello (when answering the phone)
❖ Also pronounced moshi moshi