Informal Nihongo

Let's make a reference for a bunch of informal Japanese phrases. Many of these are idiomatic, that is, they mean something other than the obvious literal meaning of the words they use. (In English, "you're pulling my leg" is a good example of an idiom: what it means has nothing to do with legs or pulling!)

Obviously, informal speech may not be polite speech. In fact, some of these phrases are pretty abrupt or downright rude. Don't speak like an anime character in real life.

あばよ very informal "goodbye" あぶね eroded form of あぶない or "dangerous" あち いって literally "go over there," or "get lost" あち かえれ get back, go far away あほ fool, simpleton, idiot, a bit softer than バーカ あほんだら emphatically あほ あいつ "that guy" or "that one dude" or "hey you" あくまびと literally "devil person" or "spirit" あまい literally "sweet," naïve, gullible あの a thinking word, um, uh... あれ an exclamation of surprise or inquiry いいだろう "it's all good, right?" or "it's a deal?" いいじゃない "isn't it good, acceptable?" いいかもしらない "perhaps it's good, acceptable" いいよ "it's good!" いけない "that won't go" or it's hopeless いくぜ a masculine command, "let's go!" いや something "disagreeable," or that's terrible! うんち slang for someone physically inept うるさい literally "noisy," shut up, be quiet うっせ erosion of うるさい うそ a lie, a fib, falsehood うそつき a "lie maker," a liar えと a thinking word, um, hm... えっち pronouncing "H", short for へんたい, perverted エロじじ "erotic daddy," dirty old man おは erosion of おはよう or good morning おまえ literally "you in front of me," you there おい a call to get attention, hey over there! おまた erosion of おまたせしました, sorry to keep you waiting おsす another erosion to mean good morning おもしろい "amusing", funny, interesting おもろい erosion of おもしろい おひさ erosion of おひさしぶり, long time no see

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