English Skills


*Gaikokujin = Foreigner

*Sugoi = Cool


Often times when walking down the street, kids will casually practice their English with me. Usually it’s very simple sentences like “What is your name?” or “How are you?”. If you’re lucky, the kids will know how to respond if you ask a question back, but the main thing is to keep them encouraged to try out speaking English since, as they get older, kids usually shy away from random street interactions.

From my experience, the Top Ten English Phrases in Japan For Elementary Students:

  1. Hello
  2. How are you?
  3. Bye Bye
  4. I have a pen.
  5. I have an apple.
  6. Pen-Pinapple-Apple-Pen.
  7. Good Job
  8. What is your name?
  9. Where are you from?
  10. I like (insert Japanese word for when they inevitably forget the English one)

No joke on the Pikotaro line… kids say this every day.

Until next time,


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