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Learn Essential Japanese Vocabulary for Beginners – A1 Level visualisation

Learn Essential Japanese Vocabulary for Beginners – A1 Level

Fundamental Japanese Vocabulary for Beginners (A1 Level).
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When learning Japanese at the A1 level (beginner), focusing on essential vocabulary is crucial for building foundational language skills. The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) defines A1 as the ability to understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at satisfying concrete needs. Below are the most important types of words to learn at this level:

Key Vocabulary Categories for Japanese A1

1. Basic Greetings and Expressions

  • こんにちは (Konnichiwa) - Hello
  • さようなら (Sayounara) - Goodbye
  • ありがとう (Arigatou) - Thank you
  • すみません (Sumimasen) - Excuse me / Sorry
  • おはようございます (Ohayou gozaimasu) - Good morning
  • こんばんは (Konbanwa) - Good evening

2. Numbers and Counting

  • 1 to 10: いち, に, さん, し/よん, ご, ろく, なな/しち, はち, きゅう, じゅう (ichi, ni, san, shi/yon, go, roku, nana/shichi, hachi, kyuu, juu)
  • Days of the week: 月曜日 (Getsuyoubi - Monday), 火曜日 (Kayoubi - Tuesday), etc.
  • Basic counters: ひとつ (hitotsu - one thing), ふたり (futari - two people)

3. Pronouns

  • わたし (Watashi) - I/me
  • あなた (Anata) - You
  • かれ (Kare) - He/him
  • かのじょ (Kanojo) - She/her

4. Common Verbs

  • たべる (Taberu) - To eat
  • のむ (Nomu) - To drink
  • いく (Iku) - To go
  • くる (Kuru) - To come
  • する (Suru) - To do
  • ある/いる (Aru/Iru) - To exist (for objects/people)

5. Adjectives

  • おおきい (Ookii) - Big
  • ちいさい (Chiisai) - Small
  • あたらしい (Atarashii) - New
  • ふるい (Furui) - Old

6. Everyday Nouns

  • Objects: ほん (Hon - Book), てがみ (Tegami - Letter), かぎ (Kagi - Key)
  • Places: がっこう (Gakkou - School), えき (Eki - Station), いえ/うち (Ie/Uchi - House)
  • Food and drinks: ごはん (Gohan - Rice/meal), みず (Mizu - Water), おちゃ (Ocha - Tea)

7. Question Words

  • なに/なん (Nani/Nan) - What
  • どこ (Doko) - Where
  • いつ (Itsu) - When
  • だれ (Dare) - Who

8. Particles

Particles are essential in Japanese grammar:

  • は/が (wa/ga) – Topic/subject markers
  • を (wo) – Object marker
  • に/へ (ni/e) – Direction markers

9. Onomatopoeia

Japanese uses many onomatopoeic words that are common even for beginners:

  • Example: ぺこぺこ (Peko-peko) – Hungry

10. Cultural Words

Understanding culturally significant words can help with basic interaction:

  • Honorifics: Adding -さん, -くん, or -ちゃん

By focusing on these core categories of vocabulary and practicing them in context through greetings, simple sentences, and daily interactions, learners can build a strong foundation in Japanese at the A1 level.

References

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