Japanese for Caregivers: Essential Words & Phrases

Care work in Japan runs on kind, clear, everyday Japanese. You don't need to be fluent, but knowing the right words for the body, daily routines, and gentle requests makes you safer, more confident, and more trusted by residents and colleagues. Here's a starter set to build on.

Polite phrases you'll use constantly:

• おはようございます (ohayō gozaimasu) — good morning
• だいじょうぶですか (daijōbu desu ka) — are you okay?
• ゆっくりしてください (yukkuri shite kudasai) — please take your time
• いたいですか (itai desu ka) — does it hurt?
• てつだいましょうか (tetsudaimashō ka) — shall I help you?

The body (からだ, karada):

• あたま (atama) — head
• て (te) — hand · あし (ashi) — leg/foot
• おなか (onaka) — stomach
• せなか (senaka) — back

Daily care actions:

• たべる (taberu) — to eat · のむ (nomu) — to drink
• たつ (tatsu) — to stand · すわる (suwaru) — to sit
• あるく (aruku) — to walk
• おふろ (ofuro) — bath · トイレ (toire) — toilet
• くすり (kusuri) — medicine

Vital signs & health:

• ねつ (netsu) — fever/temperature
• けつあつ (ketsuatsu) — blood pressure
• みゃく (myaku) — pulse
• きぶん (kibun) — feeling/condition

The fastest way to make these stick is to learn them in context and review daily. Practise reading them with Komichi's free study decks — start with hiragana if the kana still feels new. And when you're ready to turn this into a career, read caregiver & nursing jobs in Japan for Indians.