When traveling to Japan, there are so many types of accommodation to choose from: from both modern hotels and traditional Japanese ryokan, to tiny capsule hotels and AirBnBs.
Another underrated possibility is a home stay! This is an arrangement where you rent a room in someone’s home, often sharing common areas.
Home stays are a great way to immerse yourself in the Japanese lifestyle and even improve your Japanese language skills!
They are especially beneficial for longer stays such as working holidays or study abroad periods, and they are common for student exchange programmes.
If you’re headed to Japan to stay with a Japanese family on a homestay, here is some essential vocabulary to help you get by.
Scroll to the end of this post for a handy free printable version!
Introductory phrases
| English | Kanji | Hiragana | Romaji |
| Hello | こんにちは | こんにちは | konnichiwa |
| Nice to meet you | 初めまして | はじめまして | hajimemashite |
| My name is 〇〇 | 私の名前は〇〇 | わたしのなまえは〇〇 | watashi no namae wa〇〇 |
| I look forward to getting along with you | よろしくお願いします | よろしくおねがいします | yoroshiku onegaishimasu |
| Thank you for taking care of me | お世話になります | おせわになります | osewa ni narimasu |
Learn the essential Japanese you need for your trip with this FREE Absolute Beginner course. Start with simple greetings, useful phrases and everyday Japanese, even if you've never studied Japanese before.
Everyday Interactions
While cohabiting with other people, it’s important to be mindful of the spaces and utilities you share.
Putting in the effort to greet each other and being respectful of the shared space will add to the camaraderie and make for a more comfortable coexistence for everyone.
| English | Kanji | Hiragana | Romaji |
| Good morning | おはようございます | おはようございます | ohayou gozaimasu |
| Good night | お休みなさい | おやすみなさい | oyasumi nasai |
| Thank you for this meal (before eating) | いただきます | いただきます | itadakimasu |
| Thank you for this meal (after eating) | ご馳走様でした | ごちそうさまでした | gochisousama deshita |
| Can I have seconds? | おかわりできますか | おかわりできますか | okawari dekimasu ka |
| Can I help you? | 手伝いましょうか | てつだいましょうか | tetsudaimashou ka |
| Can I have a shower? | シャワーを浴びてもいいですか | しゃわーをあびてもいいですか | shawaa wo abite mo ii desu ka |
| Can I have a bath? | お風呂に入ってもいいですか | おふろにはいってもいいですか | ofuro ni haitte mo ii desu ka |
| Can I use the washing machine? | 洗濯機を使ってもいいですか | せんたくきをつかってもいいですか | sentakuki wo tsukatte mo ii desu ka |
| I’ll be back (said when leaving) | 行ってきます | いってきます | ittekimasu |
| Safe travels (said to the person who is leaving) | 行ってらっしゃい | いってらっしゃい | itterashai |
| I’m home (said upon return home) | ただいま | ただいま | tadaima |
| Welcome back (said to the person who has returned home) | お帰り(なさい) | おかえり(なさい) | okaeri (nasai) (polite) |
Clarification and Repetition
Immersion into a language is one of the most effective ways to build your skills. It can also be one of the most exhausting ways, as you are not just studying the language but living it.
If you find yourself struggling to understand something, here are some phrases that will help you out.
After all, language and communication are not necessarily the same thing! While it’s great that you can improve on your language skills during a home stay, the main objective should be that everyone has a pleasant living experience.
| English | Kanji | Hiragana | Romaji |
| I don’t understand | 分かりません | わかりません | wakarimasen |
| Can you repeat that? | もう一度お願いします | もういちどおねがいします | mou ichido onegaishimasu |
| Can you say it slower? | もっとゆっくり話してください | もっとゆっくりはなしてください | motto yukkuri hanashite kudasai |
| Can you say that in English? | 英語で言ってもらえますか？ | えいごでいってもらえますか？ | eigo de itte moraemasu ka |
Free Japanese homestay phrases printable
We’ve put all these Japanese homestay phrases into a handy printable cheat sheet format, so you can print it out and take it with you for quick reference. Just click on the image to download:
Want to take your Japanese studies even further? Check out this free beginner course, covering everything you need to know before you go!
Learn the essential Japanese you need for your trip with this FREE Absolute Beginner course. Start with simple greetings, useful phrases and everyday Japanese, even if you've never studied Japanese before.
Related posts
- Visiting a Japanese Home? Essential Etiquette You Need to Know!
- Must-Know Phrases for Visiting a Japanese Home
- 30+ Basic Japanese Phrases for Travelers to Japan
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Hannah is a half Irish/half Japanese girl living in Ireland. Her love for Japan and the Japanese language led her to studying languages and translation in university where she specialised in Japanese. She spent a year studying abroad at Rikkyo University in Tokyo. In her free time, Hannah enjoys using her sewing machine to upcycle clothes and create new pieces!