Japanese Survival Crash Course: Learn The Basics in 7 Days

A concise, practical 7-day plan to acquire the essential Japanese you need for travel, short stays, emergencies and everyday survival — no prior experience required. Each day has a clear focus, useful phrases, short practice tasks and quick memorization tips.

What you’ll get from this course

• High-frequency survival phrases for travel, shopping, restaurants, transport and emergency.
• One focused mini-lesson per day with practice tasks you can finish in 20–45 minutes.
• Memory hacks and pronunciation tips for beginners.
• Checklist of apps, study resources and real-life practice suggestions.

How to use this crash course

Complete one day’s lesson every day. Each lesson contains: core phrases (Japanese + romaji + short meaning), mini practice, and one short homework. Repeat aloud, record yourself, and practice with a friend or voice assistant whenever possible.

Estimated daily time: 20–45 minutes. No textbooks required.

7-Day Lesson Plan (Fast & Practical)

Day 1 — Essential Greetings & First Contact

Goal: Learn how to say hello, goodbye, thank you, sorry and introduce yourself. These build rapport and open doors.

Core Phrases

こんにちは

Kon'nichiwa — Hello / Good afternoon

おはようございます

Ohayō gozaimasu — Good morning (polite)

こんばんは

Konbanwa — Good evening

ありがとう / ありがとうございます

Arigatō / Arigatō gozaimasu — Thanks / Thank you (polite)

すみません

Sumimasen — Excuse me / Sorry (also used to get attention)

はじめまして

Hajimemashite — Nice to meet you

よろしくお願いします

Yoroshiku onegaishimasu — Please treat me well / Nice to meet you (polite closer)

私の名前は___です

Watashi no namae wa ___ desu — My name is ___

Pronunciation & Quick Tips

• Japanese is largely syllable-based: pronounce vowels clearly (a, i, u, e, o).
• Politeness matters: add ~masu / gozaimasu for polite forms.
• Use sumimasen to politely get attention anywhere (shops, trains).

Mini Practice (10–20 min)

1. Say each phrase aloud 10x, focusing on consistent vowel sounds.
2. Record yourself saying “Nice to meet you — My name is ___.” and compare.
3. Practice greeting in front of a mirror for natural delivery.

Homework

Write and memorize 10 greeting exchanges you might use at an airport or hotel.

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Day 2 — Transport & Directions

Goal: Understand key words for trains, buses, tickets and directions. Be able to ask “Where is…?” and say your destination.

Core Phrases

駅はどこですか？

Eki wa doko desu ka? — Where is the station?

___ に行きたいです

___ ni ikitai desu — I want to go to ___

切符をください

Kippu o kudasai — Please give me a ticket

この電車は___に行きますか？

Kono densha wa ___ ni ikimasu ka? — Does this train go to ___?

乗り換え

Norikae — Transfer

出口

Deguchi — Exit

右 / 左 / まっすぐ

Migi / Hidari / Massugu — Right / Left / Straight

Practical Tips

• Show the name of your destination to station staff or on maps — many will help even with limited Japanese.
• Major stations often have English signage — follow the symbols for transfers and exits.
• When in doubt, say すみません、___ はどこですか？ while pointing at map or phone.

Mini Practice

1. Learn the words for “ticket”, “platform”, “exit”, and “transfer”.
2. Practice asking directions aloud and with a map screenshot.

Homework

Save screenshots of directions between two common points (hotel ↔ station) and practice saying them in Japanese.

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Day 3 — Restaurants, Ordering & Food

Goal: Order food, ask about ingredients, pay and handle common restaurant interactions.

Core Phrases

メニューをお願いします

Menu o onegaishimasu — Menu, please

これをください

Kore o kudasai — I'll have this (point at menu)

おすすめは何ですか？

Osusume wa nan desu ka? — What's recommended?

お会計をお願いします

O-kaikei o onegaishimasu — The bill, please

ベジタリアンです / アレルギーがあります

Bejitarian desu / Arerugī ga arimasu — I'm vegetarian / I have allergies

箸

Hashi — Chopsticks (ask if you need them)

Useful Notes

• Pointing at menu images is perfectly acceptable. Use これ to indicate "this".
• If you have allergies, show them on your phone in Japanese or carry an allergy card in Japanese.
• Tipping is not customary — service is included in price.

Mini Practice

1. Find a simple Japanese menu online; practice ordering 3 items using これをください.
2. Practice asking "What's recommended?" and "Can I have the bill?" aloud.

Homework

Save screenshots of common food names (rice, fish, chicken, vegetarian) and practice pronouncing them.

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Day 4 — Shopping, Money & Numbers

Goal: Handle basic shopping interactions: price checks, sizes, counting money and polite refusals.

Core Phrases

いくらですか？

Ikura desu ka? — How much is this?

別々にお願いします

Betsu-betsu ni onegaishimasu — Separate bills, please

試着してもいいですか？

Shichaku shite mo ii desu ka? — May I try this on?

カードで払えますか？

Kādo de haraemasu ka? — Can I pay by card?

サイズは何ですか？

Saizu wa nan desu ka? — What size is this?

Numbers Quick Reference

Japanese	Romaji	Number
零	rei / zero	0
一	ichi	1
二	ni	2
三	san	3
四	yon / shi	4
五	go	5
六	roku	6
七	nana / shichi	7
八	hachi	8
九	kyū / ku	9
十	jū	10

Mini Practice

1. Practice prices aloud: “300円” — sanbyaku en.
2. Roleplay buying a souvenir: ask price, ask size, ask to pay by card.

Homework

Memorize numbers 1–20 and practice reading price tags on photos.

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Day 5 — Staying Safe: Medical & Emergency Phrases

Goal: Explain symptoms, ask for help, and know how to call for emergency services.

Core Phrases

助けてください

Tasukete kudasai — Please help

病院に行きたいです

Byōin ni ikitai desu — I want to go to a hospital

具合が悪いです

Guai ga warui desu — I feel unwell

アレルギーがあります

Arerugī ga arimasu — I have an allergy

警察を呼んでください

Keisatsu o yonde kudasai — Please call the police

Important Numbers & Tips

• 110 — Police (police emergencies)
• 119 — Fire & ambulance
• Carry an info card with your name, blood type (if known), allergies and hotel address in Japanese.
• When communicating symptoms, show photos or use translation apps for clarity.

Mini Practice

1. Write down your emergency card in Japanese (name, hotel, allergies).
2. Practice saying “I need a doctor” and “I’m allergic to ___.”

Homework

Save emergency numbers and the address of your country's embassy in Japan on your phone.

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Day 6 — Politeness, Etiquette & Cultural Phrases

Goal: Learn polite behaviours and a few social phrases to avoid accidental rudeness and show respect.

Key Concepts

• Bow slightly when greeting or thanking — small bow is common for casual interactions.
• Remove shoes where indicated and follow signage.
• Keep voices low on trains and public spaces; avoid phone calls on trains.

Polite Phrases

失礼します

Shitsurei shimasu — Excuse me (entering or leaving a room)

いただきます / ごちそうさまでした

Itadakimasu / Gochisōsama deshita — Said before and after eating

大丈夫です

Daijōbu desu — It's okay / I'm fine

Mini Practice

1. Practice bow + greeting sequence: bow → say greeting → small bow again.
2. Review signs: 靴を脱ぐ (kutsu o nugu) — Remove shoes; 喫煙 (kitsuen) — Smoking area.

Homework

List five etiquette rules you might see in Japan and learn the Japanese keywords for them.

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Day 7 — Putting It All Together: Short Roleplays & Quick Review

Goal: Use the week’s phrases in real-life simulated scenarios and build confidence to communicate in simple situations.

Suggested Roleplays

1. Airport → Hotel: Greet, ask for shuttle, show reservation, ask for breakfast time.
2. Train trip: Ask platform, buy ticket, confirm transfer.
3. Restaurant: Ask for table, order, ask about dish ingredients, pay.
4. Emergency: Explain feeling unwell, ask for ambulance or hospital.

Quick review checklist

• Greeting phrases: こんにちは, ありがとうございます.
• Transport: 駅はどこですか？, 切符をください.
• Restaurants: これをください, お会計をお願いします.
• Emergency: 助けてください, numbers 110 & 119.

Next steps

Keep practicing aloud, add 5–10 new words per day after the course, and use language-exchange apps or voice assistants for practice. Building small habits will retain what you learned in 7 days.

Cheat Sheet — Must-Know Phrases (Printable)

Copy this list to your phone for quick reference.

Basic

• こんにちは — Kon'nichiwa — Hello
• おはようございます — Ohayō gozaimasu — Good morning
• ありがとう(ございます) — Arigatō — Thank you
• すみません — Sumimasen — Excuse me / Sorry
• はい / いいえ — Hai / Iie — Yes / No

Travel

• 駅はどこですか？ — Eki wa doko desu ka? — Where is the station?
• ___ に行きたいです — ___ ni ikitai desu — I want to go to ___
• 切符をください — Kippu o kudasai — Ticket, please

Restaurant

• メニューをお願いします — Menu o onegaishimasu — Menu, please
• これをください — Kore o kudasai — I’ll have this
• お会計をお願いします — O-kaikei o onegaishimasu — Bill, please

Emergency

• 助けてください — Tasukete kudasai — Help!