How to say "______________" in Japanese (Modern Colloquial Approach)

The list of Japanese words, phrases, sayings, and other useful expressions found below are current or colloquial enough so that when you put them to use in your Japanese conversations, you won't sound like a Japanese Grandpa. The list below is up to date and will keep you from sounding like you learned your Japanese from the great US Naval commander, Commodore Perry.

Don't get me wrong, pre-World War II Japanese is certainly considered polite language, but knowing how to say the words of the ancient samurai may be as useful as knowing 'Old' or 'Middle' English in the 21st century.

Most language course material is so old that it is practically useless. My best advice is to get the most current edition of all your language study guides, books, and materials.

Dictionaries of languages are continually being revised; They are updated and modified,and since words, like bread, become stale and occassionally moldy with age, words can and often do fall out of usefulness in colloquial speech. Although an interesting subject for study, ancient Japanese isn't going to be handy if you want to converse in a modern Japan.

For those who want to converse in Japanese now, it may be better to spend your time studying and learning Japanese phrases that are actally used right now in modern Japan. (This Japanese word list is up to date as of 2008 December).

A lot of times, Japanese learning tools like grammar guides, expression books, and dictionaries become outdated and the information contained therein become useless.

In conversing with the world in other languages it is necessary to revise the words of a dictionary. The following Japanese phrases are currently colloquial as of 2009 and can be used in your Japanese language conversations right away.

Learn the following Japanese words, phrases, sayings and other useful expressions to help build a strong Japanese word resevoir that you can draw upon.

Success in a language starts with knowing the words of that language.

Give this Japanese word/phrase/expression list a look over and pick out words that stick out to you first; Words that help you visualize a hint as to how to pronounce them. Something about a word that sticks out can help you remember that word. Making some correlation between your home language words and the second language will help when memorizing.

The correlation you use to remember the words/phrases/sayings/expressions might remind you of something it resembles in English. Any way you can devise to familiarize yourself with the memorization of words will help in their retention. Not only that, but I bet you'll be surprised at how many Japanese phrases you might already know.