Emergency
If you’re traveling to Japan, you’re going to want to know words that have to do with “emergency” situations. You don’t want to be caught off guard in a foreign country. If you’re in trouble, you need to be able to ask for some help, whether that help is finding a bathroom or getting someone who speaks English.
トイレ (toire) = Toilet. Everyone has to use the toilet at some point, so if you need help finding it, this is the word for you.
手洗い (tearai) = Bathroom. Just like toilet, but a little more all-inclusive. You can feel free to use either of these in a pinch, though.
助けて (tasukete) = HELP. Just yell this out and (maybe) someone will come to your aid… if you’re lucky.
わかりません (wakarimasen) = I don’t understand. If someone is speaking to you in Japanese and you don’t understand them (if you’re using this list, then maybe you don’t) then you can just tell them you don’t understand what they’re saying. Follow that up with “eigo, eigo” (which you’ll learn in a minute) and you’ll be golden.
やめて！ (yamete!) = Stop it! Maybe somebody is messing with you and you want them to stop (yakuza? probably not). This is what you’d want to say.
英語 (eigo) = English. Sometimes you just need someone who speaks some English. Everyone in Japan is supposed to be able to speak English, though you might have trouble finding the right person depending on where you are.
服 (fuku) = Clothes. Don’t ask… I just thought it would be terrible to lose your clothes, and with all the hot springs and perverts, you never know.
死にそう (shini sou) = Seems Like I’m Going To Die. When things get really serious, you may need to pull out all the stops.
警察 (keisatsu) = Police. If something really bad happens, these are the guys you’re going to want to ask for.
危ない (abunai) = Dangerous. You’ll see this on signs and stuff too. If someone says “abunai” to you, you should probably watch your step.
危険 (kiken) = Peril, Hazard. Basically, this is a fancier abunai. You’ll see this on signs as well.
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Asking
Asking broad general questions, then using body language to tell people the rest is a really fun way to get by in a country where you don’t speak the language!
どうした？ (doushita?) = What Happened? Then again, you probably won’t understand what the person responds with, but it’s always nice to ask.
どうして？ (doushite?) = Why? You never know…
