How many words are in this list?

This page gives 100 Japanese words on “Function words”. The full topic holds 120 in the KoKo app: 48 at the easy level, 42 at the medium level and 30 at the hard level.

Which words should I start with?

With level 1: these are the easiest words of the topic. Move on to level 2 once they come to you without thinking, then to level 3.

How can I remember this Japanese vocabulary?

By seeing each word again at longer and longer intervals, just before you forget it: that is spaced repetition. The KoKo app does it for you and tells you each day which words to review.

Can I print this list or save it as a PDF?

Yes. The “Print the list” button at the top of the page opens your device’s print dialog: choose to save as PDF to keep the 100 words and their translation, with nothing else around them.

Japanese vocabulary: function words

Pronouns, articles, demonstratives, possessives: the small words of Japanese grammar you cannot build a sentence without.

Here are 100 Japanese words on “Function words”, translated into English and sorted from easiest to hardest.

Level 1: easy 40 words

Japanese	English
一つの	aIndefinite article, masculine singular
一つの	aIndefinite article, feminine singular
少しの	a little
皆	allDeterminer or pronoun, masculine plural
-か	doQuestion marker, no literal equivalent
彼女自身	herselfReflexive pronoun, feminine singular
彼に	himObject pronoun, to him or to her
彼の	hisSingular possessor, belonging to him or her
私	ISubject pronoun, first person singular
私	meStressed form, after a preposition or on its own
-より多く	more than
私の	myPossessive determiner, before the noun
いいえ	noNegative answer
もはや-ない	no longer
何も	nothingPronoun used on its own
それの	of it
人々	one
-だけ	only
他の	other
同じ	same
彼女	sheSubject pronoun, feminine singular
いくらかの	somePartitive article, feminine singular
いくらかの	somePartitive article, masculine singular
その	theDefinite article, feminine singular
その	theDefinite article, masculine singular
彼らの	theirPlural possessor, belonging to them
ある	there isExistence
この	theseDemonstrative determiner, plural
彼ら	theySubject pronoun
この	thisDemonstrative determiner, masculine before a consonant
この	thisDemonstrative determiner, feminine singular
私たち	weSubject pronoun, first person plural
何を	whatQuestion word, object
何が	whatQuestion word, subject
何を	whatBefore a verb
いつ	when
いいえ	yesYes, contradicting a negative statement
君に	youObject pronoun, informal address
君	youSubject, informal address
あなた	youSubject, formal or plural address

Level 2: medium 35 words

Japanese	English
多くの	a lot of
あらゆる	allDeterminer, feminine singular
すべての	allDeterminer, feminine plural
誰でも	anyone
同じだけの	as much as
各	eachDeterminer, before the noun
互いに	each otherMutual action between two people
十分な	enough of
すべての人	everybodyPeople in general, everyone together
彼自身	himselfReflexive pronoun, masculine singular
どうやって	how
私自身	myself
決して-ない	never
誰も	nobodyEveryday use
一つも	nonePronoun, used on its own
どの-も	not anyDeterminer, in a negative sentence
何も-ない	nothingNegation used with the verb
私たちの	ourPossessive determiner, belonging to us
いくつもの	several
数個の	someIndefinite determiner, a small number
何か	somethingIndefinite pronoun, an unspecified thing
それ	thatDemonstrative pronoun, refers to something far away or already mentioned
それ	that oneDemonstrative pronoun, masculine singular
彼ら	themStressed pronoun after a preposition
そこにある	there isPointing out, presenting
この	thisDemonstrative determiner, masculine before a vowel
それら	thoseDemonstrative pronoun, masculine plural
多すぎる	too much
何	whatOn its own or after a preposition
どの	whichInterrogative determiner, before the noun
-の	whose
なぜ	why
なぜだめなのか	why not
君	youStressed form, after a preposition
君自身	yourself

Level 3: hard 25 words

Japanese	English
どのようにでも	any which way
何でも	anything
いつでも	anytime
どこでも	anywhere
そのまま	as it is
特定の	certain
それぞれ	each onePronoun, masculine singular
それぞれ	each onePronoun, feminine singular
彼のもの	his ownPossessive pronoun, used on its own
どこまで	how far
何個	how manyFollowed by a noun, to ask about a number
私のもの	minePossessive pronoun, used on its own
大部分	most
-も-もない	neither nor
何人も	no oneFormal or legal register
自分自身	oneselfEmphatic form, stresses the subject
私たち自身	ourselves
そのような	such
某	such a
彼ら自身	themselvesReflexive pronoun, masculine plural
これ	this oneDemonstrative pronoun, refers to something close
それら	thoseDemonstrative pronoun, feminine plural
どれ	which oneInterrogative pronoun, used on its own
誰であれ	whoever
君のもの	yoursPossessive pronoun, used on its own

Mini quiz

5 words from this page, picked at random. Find their translation.

Frequently asked questions

How many words are in this list?: This page gives 100 Japanese words on “Function words”. The full topic holds 120 in the KoKo app: 48 at the easy level, 42 at the medium level and 30 at the hard level.
Which words should I start with?: With level 1: these are the easiest words of the topic. Move on to level 2 once they come to you without thinking, then to level 3.
How can I remember this Japanese vocabulary?: By seeing each word again at longer and longer intervals, just before you forget it: that is spaced repetition. The KoKo app does it for you and tells you each day which words to review.
Can I print this list or save it as a PDF?: Yes. The “Print the list” button at the top of the page opens your device’s print dialog: choose to save as PDF to keep the 100 words and their translation, with nothing else around them.