Beginning Japanese for Travel and Fun

Nice to Meet You! Hajimemashite!
I am (your name). Watashi wa, (your name) desu.
or -- My name is (your name). Watashi no namae wa (your name) desu.
I am grateful for your kindness. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu!

You probably noticed two emboldened sylables, wa and no in the above sentences,
and you probably figured out that wa is a subject marker for watashi (I) and no is a marker for assigning possession to watshi (changing it from I to my).

Speaking about someone:
This is (name). Kore wa (name).
  Then the person you are introducing can say hajimemashite and
yoroshiku onegaishimasu.

What is this? Kore wa nan desuka?
This is a book. Kore wa hon desu.
This is my dog. Kore wa watashi no inu desu.
What is suika? Suika wa nan desuka?
Hints: marui (round), midori (green), kiiro (yellow)
aka (red), omoi (heavy), oishi (delicious), nioi ga ii (good smell),
tane (seeds), amai (sweet)
Suika is watermelon! Suika wa watermelon desu!
You are smart! Jouzu
Please hold (it). Motte kudasai.
Please hold the knife. Houcho wo motte kudasai.
It's dangerous! Abunai desu. Be careful. Ki wo tukete
Cut it. Kiru; Open it. Akeru
How is it? Dou desua?

You probably noticed the emboldened ka after desu and figured-out that
the ka turned the into a question.

A few useful phrases

What is this called in Japanese? Kore wa, nan to iimasuka?
Please help me! Tasukete kudasai.

new vocabulary: Hajimemashite, watashi, namae, kore, hon, inu, suika, tasukete, kudasai, jouzu, marui, midori, aka, omoi, nan, iimasu, nioi ga ii, kiru (kitte kudasai), akeru, amai,

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Meeting someone for the second time, talking about families and pets, and saying goodbye

How are you? Genki desuka?
Yes, Fine! Hai, Genki desu!

The particle WA marks the subject in a sentence. For example: "This is a book" becomes Kore wa hon desu.

Pet talk part 1

This is a cat. Kore wa neko desu.
This is a dog. Kore wa inu desu.
Is Buster a cat? Basta- wa neko desuka?
No, Buster is a inu. Iie, Busta- wa inu desu.

Under one roof part 1
(In Japan, grandparents often live in the same house with the eldest son or daughter, but sometimes)

This is a house. Kore wa ie desu. (note that iie, no, is not pronounced like ie, house)
This is my house. Kore wa watashi no ie desu.
This is my mother. Kore wa watashi no okaasan (or haha).
This is my father. Kore wa watashi no Otoosan (or oto). Note: Husband is Otto in Japanese -- Not to be confused with Otoosan!
David's mother's name is Jean. De-bido san no okaasan no namae wa Ji-nu desu).|
What is your older brother/sister's name? Oniisan/Oneesan no namae wa nan desuka?
What is your younger brother/sister's name? Otooto/Imooto no namae wa nan desuka?
I am a twin. Watashi wa futago desu.
This is my grandmother/grandfather. Kore wa watashi no Obaasan/Ojiisan.
(You could also substitute the suffix, san for chan. For example, Obaachan/Ojiichan. Chan is used when the person is know to you.
Sayuri's grandfather's name is Noboru. Sayuri no Ojiisan no namae wa Noboru desu.
Whose grandmother is this? Dare no obaachan desuka?
My father is a carpenter. Watashi no otoosan wa daiku desu.
My mother is a housewife. Watashi no okaasan wa shufu desu.
My father was a pharmacist. Watashi no otoosan wa yakuzaishi deshita.
Who is this? Kore wa dare?
This is my wife. Kore wa tsuma desu.

Today is hot. Kyou wa atsui desu.
Would you like some water? Mizu ikaga deska?
Is this your water? Kore wa anata no mizu deska?
Yes it is. Hai, sou desu.
No it isn't. Iie, tigaimasu.
Is this Sarah's water? Kore wa Seirachan no mizu desuka?
No, it's Selu's water. Iie, kore wa Selu no mizu desu.
What is this? Kore wa nan desuka?
This is a pen. Kore wa pen desu.
This is a bag. Kore wa kaban desu.
These are chopsticks. Kore wa hashi (or, disposable chopsticks, waribashi)
This is a bridge. Kore wa hashi desu. (bridge ennunciation emphasizes the second sylable, shi, compared to the first sylable with chopsticks)
This is candy/rain. Kore wa ame/ame (candy has the second sylable emphasized).
This is spicy. Kore wa karai desu.

Good Morning. Ohayou Gozaimasu
Good Afternoon/Hello. Konnichiwa
Good Night. Oyasumi nasai.
Goodbye. Bye Bye or Sayonara
Stay well! Ogenki de!
Please be careful! Ki wo tsukete kudasai!
Please wait. Matte kudasai.

Teacher talk: Everyone (repeat) Minna de

New Vocabulary: hai, iie, ie, uchi, genki, neko niyau, inu, Basuta-, hana （花　flower; 鼻), Okaasan, haha, Otoosan, Otto, de-bido, ji-nu, oniisan, oneesan, otooto, futago, hitoriko, daiku, shufu, yakuzaishi, deshita, kyou, atsui, mizu, ikaga desuka, tigaimasu, nan deska, kaban, hashi (chopsticks), hashi (bridge　橋), ame (candy), ame (rain　雨), otto, tsuma, Ohayou Gozaimasu, Konnichiwa, Oyasumi nasai, Ogenki de, karai, matte kudasai

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Reviewing for new students and Show and Tell

Writing Practice -- keeping your writing strokes in order -- Kakijun

Greetings:

Sorry, It became late. Sumimasen, Osoku narimashita. 
Note: late is osoi/osoku; to become is naru/nari; recall deshita/mashita as the way to make a verb past tense

Between new students: Nice to meet you. Hajimemashite

Between former students:

How are you doing? Ogenki deska?
Yes, fine. Hai genki desu!
How about you? Anata wa?

Additional family words for conversation:

Do you have any brothers and sisters? Kyoudai imasuka?
I am an only child. Watashi wa hitoriko desu.

Show-and-Tell phrases/grammar practice:

This is my _____. Kore wa, watashi no _______ desu.
This is my marimba. Kore wa watashi no marimaba desu.
Who is this? Kore wa watashi desu.
Is this you? Kore wa anata desuka?
What is this? Kore wa nan desuka?
Good picture! Ii shyashin!
This is my friend's dog. Kore wa watashi no tomodachi no inu.
He is my son. Kare wa watashi no musuko.
His name is Jacob. Kare no namae wa Jacob.
How old is he? Ikutsu desuka?
This is Lake Biwa. Kore wa Biwako.
Lake Biwa is very pretty. Biwako wa tottemo kirei desu.
It is very big. Tottemo ookii desu.
This is my violin. Kore wa watashi no baiorin desu.
It was made by Aurther Connor in Virginia. Bajinia no A-sa- Kana- ga tsukurimashita. (to make tsukuru/tsukuri)
Is Aurther Connor your friend? A-sa Kana- ga o tomadachi desuka?
Yes, he's my friend. Hai. Watashi no tomodachi desu.
How old is he. Kare wa ikutsu desuka?
He's eighty-three years old. Kare wa hachi-jyuu sai desu.
This is a bow. Kore wa yumi desu.
What color is it? Nani iro desuka?
How many arrows do you have? Ikutsu arimasuka?
About 16. Jyuu-roku gurai.
These are birds. Kore wa tori desu.
What kind of birds. Nan no tori desuka?
This is a brown headed nuthatch and an indigo bunting, and a ruby-throated hummingbird.
What color is the indigo bunting? Indigo bantingu wa ao desu.
This is my family's picture. Kore wa watashi no kazoku no shyashin desu.
Where is your family? Kore wa nihon no kazoku desu.
When is this picture? Kore wa itsu desuka?
This is June 22, 2004. Kore wa roku gatsu niju-ni nichi, nisen yonnen desu.
Thank you very much. Arigatou gozaimashita.

Talking about dates:

Today is June 30th. Kyou wa roku-gatsu san-jyuu nichi.

New vocabulary: sumimasen, kyoudai ismasuka, hitoriko, osoi/osoku, nari/naru, watashi no, anata, ii shyashin, tomodachi no inu, musuko, namae, ikutsu desuka, biwako, tottemo, kirei, yumi, nani iro desuka, itsu desuka, kazoku, jyuu-roku gurai, nisen yonnen, ao/aoi, midori, arigatou gozaimashita