Are you traveling to Japan with a baby?
Good thing, Japan is among the countries that is child-friendly and easy to travel around. Of course, some challenges may arise if you go to a crowded city like Tokyo, Osaka, or Kyoto.
Although people from these cities can understand simple English, it is still helpful to know some baby-related words and phrases to help your travel become more enjoyable and less of a hassle.
In this article, we are listing some useful baby-related vocabulary and sentence patterns that you can use while in Japan.
Nouns
| ่ตคใกใใ๏ผใใใกใใ๏ผ ่ตคใๅ๏ผใใใใผใ๏ผ ๅนผๅ ๏ผใใใ๏ผ | akachan akanbou youji | baby, toddler |
| ๅญไพ๏ผใใฉใ๏ผ | kodomo | child |
| ็ไนณ๏ผใใ ใใซใ ใ๏ผ | gyuunyuu | whole milk |
| ใใซใฏ ็ฒใใซใฏ (ใใชใขใซใฏ) | miruku kona miruku | milk, formula |
| ๆฏไนณ๏ผใผใซใ ใ๏ผ | bonyuu | motherโs milk |
| ๅฎๅ
จๆฏไนณ (ใใใใใผใซใ ใ) | kanzenbonyuu | feeding infant solely with breast milk |
| ๆพไนณๆฉ๏ผใใใซใ ใใ๏ผ | sakunyuuki | breast pump |
| ๅบไนณ็ถ๏ผใปใซใ ใใณใ๏ผ | honyuubin | baby bottle |
| ใใใใถใ | oshaburi | pacifier |
| ๆไนณ๏ผใใ ใซใ ใ๏ผ | junyuu | nursing, breast-feeding |
| ไบบๅทฅๆ ้ค (ใใใใใใใใ) | jinkou eiyou | bottle feeding |
| ๆไนณๅฎค๏ผใใ ใซใ ใใใค๏ผ | junyuushitsu | nursing room |
| ๆไนณๆ๏ผใใ ใซใ ใใ๏ผ | junyuuki | lactation period |
| ้ขไนณ้ฃ๏ผใใซใ
ใใใใ๏ผ ใใใผใใผใ | rinyuushoku bebi-fu-do | baby food |
| ใใใผใซใผ; ไนณๆฏ่ป(ใใฐใใใพ) | bebi-ka-; ubaguruma | baby stroller; baby carriage |
| ใ ใฃใ็ด (ใ ใฃใใฒใ) | dakkohimo | (front) baby sling |
| ใใถใ็ด (ใใถใใฒใ) | obuhimo | back-mounted baby carrier |
| ็ฃ็(ใใถใ) | ubugi | baby clothes |
| ใใ ใใใ ใใ | yodarekake bibu | bib |
| ใใใผใใฆใใผ | bebi-pauda- | baby powder |
| ใฆใงใใใใคใใทใฅ ใใใใตใ | wetto tisshu oshirifuki | wet wipes, baby wipes |
| ๅฏๅบ๏ผใญใฉใ๏ผ ใใใ | nedoko beddo | crib, bed |
| ใใใผใใงใข | be-bi che-a | highchair, baby chair |
| ใใใค | omutsu | diaper |
| ใใใคไบคๆๅฐ (ใใใคใใใใใ ใ) | omutsu koukandai | diaper changing station |
| ใใคใฌใใฌใผใใณใฐ | toire tore-ningu | potty training |
| ใใใคๆฐ่งฆใ (ใใใคใใถใ) | omutsu kabure | diaper rash |
| ๅบ็่จผๆๆธ (ใใ ใฃใใใใใใใใใ) | shusshou shoumeisho | birth certificate |
| ๅญใฉใ้จๅฑ๏ผใใฉใใธใ๏ผ | kodomo heya | childโs room, nursery |
| ๅๅญ๏ผใตใใ๏ผ | futago | twins |
| ๅค่ๅๅจฉ๏ผใใใใถใในใ๏ผ | tataibunben | multiple birth (twins, triplets, etc.) |
| ใใใกใ | omocha | toys |
| ใฌใฉใฌใฉ | garagara | rattle |
| ๅๆๆ๏ผใฏใใใใ๏ผ | hankouki | rebellious age or stage of a kid |
| ใญใใบใกใใฅใผ | kizzu menyu | kidsโ menu |
| ใฏใฌใจใณ | kureyon | crayons |
| ๅ ็ซฅๆธ๏ผใใฉใใใ๏ผ | jidousho | childrenโs book |
| ่จๅ ๆ๏ผใใใใใ๏ผ | daycare center | |
| ๅญๅฎๅ๏ผใใใใใ๏ผ | komori uta | lullaby |
| ๅฐๅ ็งๅป (ใใใใซใใ) | shounikai | pediatrician |
Verbs
| ใใ ใฆใใใคใใ | yodateru wo tsukeru | to put on a bib |
| ใใใผใซใผใใใ | bebi-ka- wo osu | to push a stroller |
| ๅ ฅๆตดใใ๏ผใซใ ใใใใใ๏ผ | nyuuyoku suru | to bathe |
| ๆใ็ๆฟใใ (ใตใใใใใใ) | fuku wo kigaeru | to change (oneโs) clothes |
| ใใใคใๅใๆฟใใ (ใใใคใใจใใใใ) | omutsu wo torikaeru | to change diaper |
| ใใฃใทใใใ | geppu wo suru | to burp |
| ่ฒใฆใ๏ผใใ ใฆใ๏ผ ๅญ่ฒใฆ๏ผใใใ ใฆ๏ผ | sodateru kosodate | to raise (a child) |
| ้ขๅใ่ฆใ (ใใใฉใใใฟใ) | mendou wo miru | to care for / to look after (a child) |
| ้ๆพใใซใใ (ใฎใฐใชใใซใใ) | nobanashi ni suru | to let a child by him/herself; to leave unregulated |
| ๅฑใ๏ผใใใ๏ผ | shikaru | to reprimand or scold |
| ๆ้ณดใ๏ผใฉใชใ๏ผ | donaru | to yell (in anger) |
| ่คใใ๏ผใปใใ๏ผ | homeru | to praise |
| ๆผๅฏใใใ๏ผใฒใใญใใใ๏ผ | hirune wo suru | to take a nap |
| ใใฃใคใ | kuttsuku | to cling to |
| ๅฏใใใคใใ(ใญใใใคใใ)๏ผ ๅฏใใ๏ผใญใใ๏ผ | nekashitsukeru; nekasu | to lull a child to sleep |
| ใๆผใใใใ (ใใใใใใ) | omorashi suru | wetting oneself |
| ๆดใใ๏ผใใฐใใ๏ผ | abareru | to be riotous (to jump or run around, etc.) |
| ็ใใใ๏ผใใพใใใ๏ผ | amayakasu | to spoil or pamper |
| ใใใถ | onbu | carry a baby on oneโs back |
| ใฏใใฏใใใ๏ผ ๅใคใ้ใ๏ผใใคใใฐใ๏ผ | haihari suru๏ผ yotsunbai | to crawl on all fours |
| ๅญๅฎใใ๏ผใใใใใ๏ผ | komori suru | to babysit |
| ๅญๅฎๅใๆญใ (ใใใใใใใใใ) | komoriuta wo utau | to sing a lullaby |
Useful Sentence Patterns
A. Location and Price
| (OBJECT) ใฏใฉใใงใใใ | (OBJECT) wa doko desu ka. | Where is theโฆ? |
| (OBJECT) ใฏใใใใงใใใ | (OBJECT) wa ikura desu ka. | How much is theโฆ? |
| For example: | ||
| ใใใคใใใใใ ใใฏใฉใใงใใใ | Omutsu koukandai wa doko desu ka. | Where is the diaper changing section? |
| ใใ ใซใ ใใใคใฏใฉใใงใใใ | Jyunyuushitsu wa doko desu ka. | Where is the nursing station? |
| ใใใใถใใฏใใใใงใใใ | Oshaburi wa ikura desu ka. | How much is the pacifier? |
B. Age and Number of Children
| (SUBJECT) ใฎใใฉใใฏ๏ผฟใฃใใใคใงใใ | (SUBJECT) no kodomo wa ___ kkagetsu desu. | (SUBJECT)โs child is ____ months. |
| (SUBJECT) ใฎใใฉใใฏ๏ผฟใใใงใใ | ((SUBJECT) no kodomo wa ___ sai desu. | (SUBJECT)โs child is ____ year/s old. |
| (SUBJECT) ใฏ๏ผฟ๏ผฟใซใใฎใใฉใใใใพใใ | ((SUBJECT) wa ___ nin no kodomo ga imasu. | (SUBJECT) has/have ___ children. |
| For example: | ||
| ใใใใฎใใฉใใฏใใใใใคใงใใ | Watashi no kodomo wa sankagetsu desu. | My child is three months old. |
| ใใฎใใใฎใใฉใใฏใใ ใใใใงใใ | Kanojo no kodomo wa jyuusai desu. | Her child is ten years old. |
| ใใใฏใใพใใใซใใฎใใฉใใใใพใใ | Kare wa ima sannin no kodomo ga imasu. | He now has three children. |
C. Asking and Giving Permission
When you want to ask for permission in Japanese, you only need to change the verb to its ~ใฆ(~te) form, then add ใใใใงใใ (mo ii desu ka).
| (SUBJECT) ใฏ(OBJECT) ใ (VERB STEM) ใฆใใใใงใใใ | (SUBJECT) wa (OBJECT) wo (VERB STEM) te mo ii desu ka? | May Iโฆ? / Can Iโฆ? |
| ใใฉใใฎใใใใใใใใงใจใฃใฆ ใใใใงใใใ | Kodomo no shashin wo koko de totte mo ii desu ka? | Can I take a picture of my child here? |
On the other hand, if you want to give permission, change the verb to its ~ใฆ(~te) form, then add ใใใใงใ (mo ii desu).
| SUBJECT) ใฏ(OBJECT) ใ (VERB STEM) ใฆใใใใงใใ | (SUBJECT) wa (OBJECT) wo (VERB STEM) te mo ii desu. | You mayโฆ / You canโฆ |
| For example, | ||
| ใฏใใใใใง(ใใใใใ)ใจใฃใฆใใใใงใใ | Hai, koko de (shashin wo) totte mo ii desu | Yes, you can take a photo here. |
D. โTo existโ โ ใใ (aru) / ใใ (iru)
These sentence patterns will come in handy if you are looking for certain things or persons in certain areas. Note that you will only use ใใ(aru) for non-living things, whileใใ(iru) for living things. Both these verbs mean โto existโ or โto beโ.
Non-Living Things
| (NOUN) ใฏ (LOCATION) ใซใใใพใใ | (NOUN) WA (LOCATION) NI ARIMASU. | (Noun) is in (location). |
| (LOCATION) ใซ (OBJECT) ใใใใพใใใ | (LOCATION) NI (OBJECT) GA ARIMASU KA. | Is there (object) in (location)? |
*To make it negative, just change ใใใพใ (arimasu) to ใใใพใใ (arimasen).
| For example: | ||
| Q: ใใฟใพใใใใใใผใใงใขใใใใพใใใ | Sumimasen, bebi-che-a ga arimasu ka. (eg. at a restaurant) | Excuse me, do you have a highchair? |
| A: ๏ผใใใผใใงใขใฏ๏ผใใใใซใใใพใใ | (bebi-che-a wa) asoko ni arimasu. | (The highchair is) Over there. |
Living Things
| (NOUN)ใฏ(LOCATION)ใซใใพใใใ | (NOUN) wa (LOCATION) ni imasu ka. | Is (noun) in (location)? |
| (LOCATION) ใซ (NOUN) ใใใพใใ | (LOCATION) ni (NOUN) ga imasu kaใ | Is (noun) in (location)? |
| (NOUN)ใฏ ใฉใใซใใพใใใ | (NOUN) wa DOKO ni imasu ka. | Where isโฆ? |
*To make it negative, just change ใใพใ (imasu) to ใใพใใ (imasen).
| Examples | ||
| Q: ใใใใซใใใฏใฉใใซใใพใใใ | Shounikai wa doko ni imasu ka. | Where is the pediatrician? |
| A: (ใใใใซใใใฏ)๏ผใใใซใใพใใ | (Shounikai wa)ni kai ni imasu. | (The pediatrician) is on the 2nd floor. |
Now that you have learned some baby-related words and how to use them, we hope that these will help in making your trip in Japan with your baby easier and more enjoyable.
If you have any useful tips and phrases to add, please share it with us by commenting below.
