This podcast episode is about various phrases you can use to start up a conversation in Japanese. It is important to remember that each conversation is unique and how you start one depends on who you are talking to and the situation. However, in this episode you will hear some of the most common phrases you are likely to hear used by Japanese people. One final thing to remember is that this episode focuses on casual conversations between friends.

Here is a full vocabulary list taken from the podcast

Japanese	Pronunciation	English
久しぶり	Hisashiburi	Long time no see
元気？	Genki?	How you doing?
相変わらず	Aikawarazu	…as usual
バタバタしてる	Batabata shiteru	Really busy / hectic
夏バテ	Natsubate	Exhaustion from the summer
つらい	Tsurai	Tough
最近どう？	Saikin dō?	How’ve you been?
すごく暑い	Sugoku Atsui	Very hot
すごく寒い	Sugoku Samui	Very cold
熱中症	Necchūshō	Heat stroke
風邪をひいちゃった	Kaze o hiichatta	I caught a cold
インフルエンザ	Infuruenza	Influenza
気をつけてね	Ki o tsukete ne	Take care

 

Podcast Dialog 1

A:	久しぶり元気？	Hisashiburi genki	Long time no see, you good?
B:	元気だよ。あみは？	Genki da yo. Ami wa?	I’m good. And you Ami?
A:	相変わらずバタバタしているよ。最近どう？	Aikawarazu batabata shiteru yo. Saikin dō?	Busy as usual. How’ve you been?
B:	そうだね。ちょっと夏バテがつらい。	Sō da ne. Chotto natsubate ga tsurai.	Well, I’ve been suffering due to the summer heat.
A:	最近はすごく暑いよね。熱中症にならないように気をつけてね。	Saikin wa sugoku atsui yo ne. Necchūshō ni naranai yō ni ki o tsukete ne.	It’s been really hot recently hasn’t it? Be careful not to get heat stroke.
B:	はーい！	Haai	Sure.

Dialog 2

A:	久しぶり元気？	Hisashiburi genki	Long time no see, you good?
B:	元気だよ。あみは？	Genki da yo. Ami wa?	I’m good. And you Ami?
A:	相変わらずバタバタしているよ。最近どう？	Aikawarazu batabata shiteru yo. Saikin dō?	Busy as usual. How’ve you been?
B:	そうだね。ちょっと風邪をひいちゃったよ。	Sō da ne. Chotto kaze o hiichatta yo.	Well, I caught a cold.
A:	最近はすごく寒いよね。インフルエンザにならないように気をつけてね。	Saikin wa sugoku samui yo ne. Infuruenza ni naranai yō ni ki o tsukete ne.	It’s been really cold recently hasn’t it? Be careful not to get influenza.
B:	はーい！	Haai	Sure.