You are meeting a Japanese friend or new acquaintance in a relaxed setting. You want to greet them naturally, introduce yourself without sounding stiff, and ask a few friendly questions about their life. This page gives you three short speaking exercises that use phrases from the lessons on informal greetings, casual self-introductions, and basic personal questions. You will speak aloud, respond to follow-up turns, and check whether you communicated clearly.
Preparation: pick phrases that fit the relationship
Before you speak, decide how close you are to the person. With a close friend, use short casual forms like やあ (yaa), 元気？ (genki?), or おつかれ (otsukare). With a new acquaintance, start with はじめまして (hajimemashite) and then use polite patterns such as 私はアレックスです (watashi wa Arekkusu desu) and カナダから来ました (Kanada kara kimashita). For questions, choose the polite version if you are unsure: お仕事は何ですか (o-shigoto wa nan desu ka), ご出身はどちらですか (go-shusshin wa dochira desu ka), 趣味は何ですか (shumi wa nan desu ka). If the other person uses casual forms like 仕事は何？ (shigoto wa nani?), you can mirror that style. Write down two or three phrases you plan to use, then say them aloud once before the exercise. This helps you avoid freezing when the conversation starts.
Handling the harder turn: when the other person asks you back
The tricky moment in a relationship conversation is often when the other person turns the question around. They might say あなたは (anata wa) after answering your question, or ask どう？ (dou?) or 元気？ (genki?) right after you greet them. You need a ready response that keeps the conversation going. One useful strategy is to answer briefly and then add one detail. For example, if they ask お仕事は何ですか, you can answer with a short statement and then use the source phrase 専攻は何ですか to ask about study. If they ask 趣味は何ですか, you can answer with the source phrase ハイキングが好きです and then ask a follow-up question. If you do not understand a question, you can use the source phrase ご出身はどちらですか to redirect the conversation politely. Practise this turn-taking aloud so you can respond without long pauses.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
やあ。
Hey.
yaa
おーい。
Hey! / Yoohoo!
ooi
元気？
You good? / How are you?
genki?
どう？
What's up? / How's it going?
dou?
はじめまして。
Nice to meet you.
Hajimemashite.
私はアレックスです。
I'm Alex.
Watashi wa Arekkusu desu.
カナダから来ました。
I'm from Canada.
Kanada kara kimashita.
趣味はハイキングです。
My hobby is hiking.
Shumi wa haikingu desu.
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
やあ、元気？
Hey, you good?うん、元気。どう？
Yeah, I'm good. What's up?おーい、ちょっと来て。
Hey, come here a sec.おつかれ。今行く。
Hey, you must be tired. I'm coming now.Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
Greeting a close friend after class
You run into your friend Yuki in the hallway after a long day of classes. You have not seen each other since morning. Yuki looks tired but smiles when she sees you.
Your task: Greet Yuki with one casual phrase from the lesson. Then ask how she is doing. After she answers, respond with a short comment about your own day. Speak all of this aloud as if Yuki were in front of you.
Introducing yourself at a language exchange
You are at a small language exchange event. A person named Kenji sits next to you and says はじめまして。私はケンジです (hajimemashite. watashi wa Kenji desu). He seems friendly and is about your age.
Your task: Respond with your own name, where you are from, and one interest. Use the source phrases 私はアレックスです, カナダから来ました, and ハイキングが好きです. Say all three pieces aloud in a natural order.
Asking about work and free time at a casual gathering
You are at a friend's birthday party. You meet someone named Aya who you have not met before. She asks you お仕事は何ですか (o-shigoto wa nan desu ka). You answer, and then you want to keep the conversation going by asking about her.
Your task: Answer Aya's question about your work or study. Then ask her one polite question about her job, her major, or her hometown. After she answers, ask one more question about her free time or hobbies. Speak all of this aloud.
Common questions
I am not sure whether to use casual or polite forms with a new person. What should I do?
Start with polite forms like はじめまして and です/ます endings. If the other person uses casual forms such as 元気？ or 仕事は何？, you can gradually match their style. Use the source phrase 趣味は何ですか when you want to ask a polite question.
What if I forget a phrase in the middle of a conversation?
You can pause and use a source phrase you know well, such as ご出身はどちらですか, to keep the conversation moving. It is better to use a short correct phrase than to force a long complicated one.
Sources and further reading
- japanese: greet friends casuallyChecked September 2026
- japanese: introduce yourself sociallyChecked September 2026
- japanese: ask basic personal questionsChecked September 2026
Practice real time conversations on Yapr for faster learning.
Take today's Japanese into a conversation with a Yapr AI tutor. Speak, make mistakes, and try again.
Practice on Yapr