Rooms
Many modern flats are described by their rooms: 2LDK means two bedrooms plus a living, dining and kitchen area.
▶ 玄関 げんかん genkan entrance hall ▶ 居間 いま ima living room (also リビング) ▶ 台所 だいどころ daidokoro kitchen (also キッチン) ▶ 寝室 しんしつ shinshitsu bedroom ▶ 和室 わしつ washitsu Japanese-style tatami room ▶ お風呂 おふろ ofuro bath, bathroom ▶ トイレ toire toilet ▶ ベランダ beranda balcony
Furniture and things
A mix of native words and loanwords.
机 つくえ tsukue desk 椅子 いす isu chair ベッド beddo bed 布団 ふとん futon futon bedding テレビ terebi TV 冷蔵庫 れいぞうこ reizōko fridge 窓 まど mado window ドア doa door 鍵 かぎ kagi key 電気 でんき denki light; electricity エアコン eakon air conditioner 洗濯機 せんたくき sentakuki washing machine
Saying where things are
Use position words with の and ある for objects, いる for people and pets.
台所 だいどころ daidokoro kitchen に ni in 冷蔵庫 れいぞうこ reizōko fridge が ga (subject) あります arimasu is
▶ Daidokoro ni reizōko ga arimasu. “There’s a fridge in the kitchen. ” Why: Place に, thing が, あります. 鍵 かぎ kagi key は wa (topic) 玄関 げんかん genkan entrance に ni in あります arimasu is
▶ Kagi wa genkan ni arimasu. “The key is in the entrance. ” Why: Known thing は, place に. 猫 ねこ neko cat は wa (topic) ベッド beddo bed の no ’s 下 した shita under に ni at います imasu is
▶ Neko wa beddo no shita ni imasu. “The cat is under the bed. ” Why: A cat is alive: います.
Shoes off, slippers on
Shoes stay in the 玄関. Indoors people wear slippers, but never on tatami, and there are separate toilet slippers that stay in the toilet.
At the door お邪魔します おじゃまします ojama shimasu “sorry to intrude”: said entering someone’s home
Indoors スリッパ surippa slippers: not on tatami
In the toilet トイレのスリッパ トイレのスリッパ toire no surippa toilet slippers: stay in the toilet
Household chores
Most chores are noun + する.
掃除 そうじ sōji cleaning 洗濯 せんたく sentaku laundry 料理 りょうり ryōri cooking 皿洗い さらあらい saraarai washing up ゴミ出し ゴミだし gomidashi taking out rubbish 買い物 かいもの kaimono shopping 片付け かたづけ katazuke tidying up アイロン airon ironing
Renting a flat
Japanese rentals have their own vocabulary, including key money paid to the landlord.
Word Meaning Note ▶ 家賃 やちん yachin rent monthly ▶ 敷金 しききん shikikin deposit returned, minus repairs ▶ 礼金 れいきん reikin key money a gift to the landlord ▶ 間取り まどり madori floor plan 1K, 2LDK… ▶ 駅から徒歩5分 えきからとほごふん eki kara toho gofun 5 min walk from station every listing ▶ 不動産屋 ふどうさんや fudōsan’ya estate agent where you start
Sorting rubbish
Rubbish is sorted strictly and collected on fixed days. Each town publishes its own calendar.
▶ 燃えるゴミ もえるゴミ moeru gomi burnable rubbish ▶ 燃えないゴミ もえないゴミ moenai gomi non-burnable rubbish ▶ 資源ゴミ しげんゴミ shigen gomi recyclables ▶ ペットボトル petto botoru plastic bottles ▶ 粗大ゴミ そだいゴミ sodai gomi large items (book a collection)
Check yourself
Say each one in Japanese, then open the answer to check and hear it.
There’s a fridge in the kitchen. Show answer ▶ 台所に冷蔵庫があります。 だいどころにれいぞうこがあります Daidokoro ni reizōko ga arimasu.
The key is on the desk. Show answer ▶ 鍵は机の上にあります。 かぎはつくえのうえにあります Kagi wa tsukue no ue ni arimasu.
(entering someone’s home) Show answer ▶ お邪魔します。 おじゃまします Ojama shimasu.
I’m home! Show answer ▶ ただいま。 Tadaima.
I do the laundry on Sundays. Show answer ▶ 日曜日に洗濯します。 にちようびにせんたくします Nichiyōbi ni sentaku shimasu.
Please take off your shoes. Show answer ▶ 靴を脱いでください。 くつをぬいでください Kutsu o nuide kudasai.
Daily routine at home
Verbs for an ordinary day, in the polite ます form.
▶ 起きます おきます okimasu get up ▶ 顔を洗います かおをあらいます kao o araimasu wash my face ▶ 歯を磨きます はをみがきます ha o migakimasu brush my teeth ▶ 料理します りょうりします ryōri shimasu cook ▶ 掃除します そうじします sōji shimasu clean ▶ 洗濯します せんたくします sentaku shimasu do the laundry ▶ お風呂に入ります おふろにはいります ofuro ni hairimasu take a bath ▶ 寝ます ねます nemasu go to bed