Core words: Stage 3

319 words for narrower topics; half of them rank in the top 1,704 of spoken Japanese.

319 words in 76 chunks, learned alongside Stage 3 of the main list. Start with Sitting and lining up and use Next at the bottom of each page.

1. 1Sitting and lining upVerbs: movingsuwaru sit, sit downnarabu line up, queue; be in a rowatsumaru gather, get together, meet updoku get out of the way, move aside
2. 2Following and chasingVerbs: movingtsuite kuru follow (me); come along (with me)tsuite iku go along with, follow; keep upchikazuku approach, get closeoikakeru chase, run aftermikakeru happen to see, spot, come across
3. 3Trains and busesVerbs: movingnoru get on, ride (a train, bus, car, bike)oriru get off (a train, bus); go downkomu get crowded, be busy (with people)norikaeru change (trains, buses), transfer
4. 4Cooking and clearing upVerbs: home and routinesuteru throw away, throw out; abandonkiru cut; hang up (a phone); switch offyoui suru prepare, get (something) readyyaku grill, bake, toast; burn
5. 5Morning routineVerbs: home and routineokosu wake (someone) up; causearau washdekakeru go out (on an outing or errand)kigaeru change clothes, get changedkayou go regularly (to school, work, a gym); commute
6. 6Getting the message acrossVerbs: talkingtsutaeru tell, pass on (a message); get acrosstsutawaru get across; come through; be passed downtsuujiru get through; be understood; connect (a call)houkoku suru report; let (someone) know
7. 7Discussing plansVerbs: talkinghanashiau talk it over, discussteian suggestion, proposalsansei suru agree; be in favouriidasu bring up; start saying; be the first to suggest
8. 8Making sense of thingsVerbs: thinking and feelingnattoku suru be convinced, accept; be satisfied (with a reason)handan suru judge, decide; judgmentgokai misunderstanding; misunderstandkonran suru get confused; be in chaos
9. 9Courtesy and forgivenessVerbs: dealing with peopleyurusu forgive; allow, permitmataseru keep someone waitingenryo suru hold back (out of politeness); politely declineyuzuru give up (a seat, a turn); hand overkamawanai don't mind; it's fine
10. 10More and lessVerbs: change, start and endfueru increase; go up; grow in numberfuyasu increase; add moretamaru pile up; build up; be saved upsageru lower; turn down; bring down; clear (plates)hikaeru cut down on; hold back from; refrain
11. 11Borrow, return, hand overVerbs: handling thingskariru borrow; rent; use (someone's toilet)kaesu give back; return; reply (to a message)watasu hand over; give; passmotte kuru bring (a thing)
12. 12Send and deliverVerbs: handling thingsokuru send; see off; take (someone) hometodoku arrive (parcels, messages); reachtodokeru deliver; take (something) to someone; hand inhakobu carry; move (things)
13. 13Find and loseVerbs: handling thingsmitsukeru find; spot; come acrossnakusu lose (something); get rid ofotosu drop; lose (by dropping); lowerhirou pick up (from the ground); find; catch (a taxi)kakusu hide; keep secrethakken discovery; a find
14. 14Checking thingsVerbs: effort and resultskakunin suru check; confirmshiraberu look up; look into; investigatechekku suru check; look overtashikameru make sure; check for yourselfkuraberu compare
15. 15Mistakes and do-oversVerbs: effort and resultsmachigau be wrong; be mistakenmisu suru make a mistake; slip upyarinaosu redo; start overminogasu miss (seeing); let slide
16. 16Learning and practiceVerbs: effort and resultsrenshuu suru practise; trainshuuchuu suru concentrate; focusnarau learn (from someone); take lessonsmanabu learnkeisan suru calculate; work out (numbers)
17. 17Lies and getting caughtVerbs: trouble and conflictbareru get found out; come outdamasu trick; deceive; contsukamaru get caught; get arrested; hold on tonusumu stealgomakasu cover up; dodge; fudge
18. 18Men, women, peoplePeopleotoko man; guyonna womanningen human; personjosei woman; female
19. 19Boss and coworkersPeoplejoushi boss; superiorshain employee; staff memberbuka subordinate; someone on your teamdouryou coworker; colleague
20. 20Teams and groupsPeopledaihyou representative; on behalf ofmenbaa member (of a team, band or group)guruupu groupriidaa leader
21. 21Students and classmatesPeoplegakusei studentkouhai junior (at school or work)seito pupil; studentdoukyuusei classmate; someone in your year at school
22. 22Men and women by settingPeopledansei man; malejoshi girls; womendanshi boys; guysossan middle-aged guy; old man
23. 23Babies kids and agePeopleakachan babytoshiue older (than someone)gaki brat; kidwakamono young people; the youth
24. 24Plans and occasionsLife and timekonkai this timeyotei plans; schedulehonjitsu todaysenjitsu the other day
25. 25Past present and futureLife and timejidai era; period; days (of your life)mirai the futurekako the pastgenzai now; currently; the present
26. 26Pointing to a timeLife and timekoro time when; around (a time)kongo from now on; in futureshunkan moment; the instant (something happens)izen before; previously
27. 27The future and chancesLife and timeshourai the future; in the futuretaimingu timing; the right momentkanousei possibility; chance; potentialkono saki from now on; up aheadkikai chance; opportunity; occasion
28. 28Memories and storiesLife and timekioku memory; recollectionaru hi one day (in a story)dekigoto event; something that happened
29. 29Happiness and thanksMind and feelingsshiawase happy; happinesskansha suru be grateful; gratitudeegao smile; smiling facekibou hope; wish; preference
30. 30Sensing and feelingMind and feelingsiwakan a sense that something's offishiki consciousness; awarenesskanjou emotion; feelingskankaku sense; feel; feeling (in the body)yokan hunch; feeling (something will happen)
31. 31Reasons and factsReasons and situationsriyuu reasonsekinin responsibility; blamejijitsu fact; the truthjijou circumstances; reasons; situation
32. 32Trouble and limitsReasons and situationsgenkai limit; breaking pointgomeiwaku trouble, inconvenience (caused to someone)toraburu trouble, a problem; a disputefutan burden; cost, share (of a bill)
33. 33Basics and conditionsReasons and situationskihon the basics; basicallyjouken condition; terms, requirementsnaiyou content; what it's about; the detailskouho option, shortlist; candidate
34. 34Goals and plansReasons and situationsmokuteki purpose, aimsakusen plan, strategy; tacticsmokuhyou goal, targetyuusen suru put first, prioritise
35. 35Information and secretsTalk and informationhimitsu secretjouhou information; info, a tipkiroku record; logkiji article (news, magazine, online)
36. 36Opinions and excusesTalk and informationiken opinion, viewtachiba position; standpoint; someone's situationiiwake excuseadobaisu advice
37. 37From place to worldPlacesbasho place; spot; locationmachi town; part of town, the streetssekai worldsekaijuu all over the world; the whole world
38. 38Home and neighboursPlaceskinjo neighbourhood; nearbymanshon apartment; apartment blockjitaku home; one's own houseotaku your home; someone's home (polite)
39. 39Shops and parksPlacesomise shop; restaurant, cafékonbini convenience storesuupaa supermarketkouen park
40. 40Cleaning and choresHome and everyday thingssouji suru clean (a room or house); cleaninggomi rubbish; trashkaji housework; choresdougu tool; equipment; gear
41. 41Clothes and shoesHome and everyday thingsfuku clothes; outfitkutsu shoeskutsushita sockszubon trousers; pants
42. 42Water, tea and coffeeFood and drinkocha tea (green tea); a drink breakkoohii coffeeomizu wateroyu hot water
43. 43Breakfast basicsFood and drinkpan breadtamago egggyuunyuu milkchiizu cheese
44. 44Teams and workplacesWork and schoolchiimu teamgenba the site; the scenepuro pro; professionaljimusho office; agencyshokuba workplace; work
45. 45School classesWork and schooljugyou class; lesson (at school or university)tesuto test; exam; trial runshukudai homeworkkumi class (school homeroom); group; pairteishutsu suru to hand in; to submit
46. 46Society and the newsSociety and newsjiken incident; case (crime)yo no naka the world; society; lifeshakai society; the working worldmasukomi the media; the press
47. 47Big topicsSociety and newskankyou environment; surroundings, conditionsrekishi historykyouiku education; training
48. 48Trips awayGetting aroundryokou trip; travelnimotsu bags; luggage; parcelomiyage souvenir; gift brought back from a triponsen hot springtabi journey; travel
49. 49Out and back homeGetting aroundkaeri the way back; coming homeomukae picking someone up; meeting someoneodekake going out; a day outshuuden last train
50. 50Nature and animalsNature and animalsshizen nature; naturalkawa riverdoubutsu animal
51. 51Sky and sceneryNature and animalssora skyhoshi starsakura cherry blossom; cherry treekeshiki scenery; view
52. 52Messages and onlineFree time and techmeeru email; text messagenetto the internet; onlinemesseeji messagetsuuhan online shopping; mail order
53. 53Sport and exerciseFree time and techsupootsu sport; sportsyakyuu baseballjimu gym (fitness)taikai tournament; competition; big meetkatsudou activity; activities (club, volunteer, work)
54. 54Looks and what's insideThings, kinds and amountsmitame looks; appearancekatachi shape; formnakami contents; what's inside; substancehonmono the real thing; genuine; real
55. 55Half and the restThings, kinds and amountshanbun halfnokori the rest; what's left; leftoversichibu part; some (of)bubun part; section; bit
56. 56Types and levelsThings, kinds and amountstaipu type; kind; someone's type (romantically)reberu level; standardshurui kind; type; varietysetto set (of things); meal set; setting up
57. 57Next, last, the endThings, kinds and amountstsuzuki what comes next; the rest; continuationoshimai the end; over; that's itsaishuu last; finalrenzoku in a row; consecutive; a series
58. 58Favourites and treatsThings, kinds and amountsokiniiri favourite (thing, place); favourites listdochira mo both; (with a negative) neithergohoubi reward; treatrisuto list
59. 59Special and wonderfulAdjectives: things and situationstokubetsu specialyuumei famoussuteki lovely, wonderfulkanpeki perfect, flawlesssubarashii wonderful, excellent
60. 60Important and preciousAdjectives: things and situationstaisetsu important; precious, deartaishita much, serious, great (mostly with a negative)juuyou important, crucialkichou precious, valuable, rare
61. 61Safe or in dangerAdjectives: things and situationsbuji safe, unharmed; without troublekiken dangerous; dangeranzen safe; safetyjunchou going well, on track
62. 62Strong, weak, detailedAdjectives: things and situationskuwashii detailed; knows a lot aboutkomakai small, fine; detailed; pickyusui thin; weak, watery (taste); pale (colour)koi strong, rich (taste); dark, deep (colour); thick
63. 63How you do or say itAdverbs: manner and certaintyshikkari properly; firmly; reliablechokusetsu directly; in personhakkiri clearly; plainly; for certainkichinto properly; neatly; correctlysonna fuu ni like that; that way
64. 64Again, for now, never againAdverbs: manner and certaintynido to never againhisashiburi ni for the first time in ages; after a long timearatamete again (another time); anew; once more, properlyittan for now; for a moment; oncehikitsuzuki continuing; still; as before
65. 65Right away, on the spotAdverbs: manner and certaintysassato quickly; hurry up andsassoku right away; without delaydouji the same time; simultaneoussono ba the spot; there and then
66. 66Finally and coming soonAdverbs: manner and certaintytsui ni finally; at lastiyoiyo at last (it's here); finally about totoutou finally; in the endmamonaku shortly; soon
67. 67Small requests and adviceAdverbs: manner and certaintynakayoku getting along; on good termstsuide ni while you're at it; on the way; alsonen no tame just in case; to be safenarubeku as much as possible; if possible
68. 68Quietly and by accidentAdverbs: manner and certaintyukkari carelessly; absent-mindedly; by mistakesotto gently; quietly; softlykossori secretly; sneakily; on the quietjitto still; fixedly; patiently
69. 69Just now, in no timeAdverbs: manner and certaintytatta ima just now; this very momentatto iu ma ni in no time; in the blink of an eyeitsu no ma ni when did...?; before I knew itkyoujuu ni by the end of today; sometime today
70. 70Not at all, neverDegree wordsmattaku (not) at all; totally; geezsappari (not) at all; refreshing; lightissai (not) at all; absolutely nokesshite never; by no means
71. 71At least, no moreDegree wordssemete at least; if nothing elsesukunakutomo at least; no less thankore ijou any more (than this); furthernani yori above all; more than anything
72. 72More and moreDegree wordsdondon more and more; quickly; one after anothersukoshi zutsu little by little; a bit at a timemasumasu more and more; even moresara ni even more; further; on top of that
73. 73Just a littleDegree wordstatta only; justhon no just a; a mere; only a littlechotto shita small; slight; minortashou a little; somewhat; more or less
74. 74Moods at a glanceSound and feeling wordsbootto spaced out; absent-mindednikoniko smiling; beamingmoyamoya uneasy; bothered; unresolved feelingukiuki cheerful; in high spirits
75. 75Sleep and tirednessSound and feeling wordsgussuri soundly (asleep)furafura dizzy, unsteady; drifting aimlesslykutakuta worn out, exhaustedutouto dozing off, nodding off
76. 76Warm, muggy, rainy weatherSound and feeling wordspokapoka nice and warm; cozyjimejime damp, humidzaazaa pouring (rain)mushimushi muggy, hot and humid