Prepare one specific topic
Pick a topic you know in your own language and can discuss with basic Japanese. “How you spend Sundays” is easier to work with than “culture.” Prepare one short answer yourself so your partner has something to ask about too.
For a café conversation, try よくカフェに行きますか？ (Yoku kafe ni ikimasu ka? Do you often go to cafés?), then どんなカフェが好きですか？ (Donna kafe ga suki desu ka? What kind of cafés do you like?). Offer your own answer, such as 静かなカフェが好きです (Shizuka na kafe ga suki desu. I like quiet cafés).
Give your first 15 minutes a shape
- Minutes 0–3. Say hello, check sound and ask to go slowly. Agree when you’ll switch languages if it’s an exchange.
- Minutes 3–7. Ask your prepared opener. Give a short answer of your own and ask one follow-up based on what you heard.
- Minutes 7–12. Move from facts to preferences. Ask what they like or recommend and share your own example.
- Minutes 12–15. Ask for the spelling of one word you heard. Say thanks and decide if you want to set a topic for next time.
Keep a few phrases for when you get stuck
| Japanese | How to say it | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| もう一度お願いします。 | Mō ichido onegai shimasu. | Please say it one more time. |
| もう少しゆっくり話してもらえますか？ | Mō sukoshi yukkuri hanashite moraemasu ka? | Could you speak a little more slowly? |
| チャットに書いてもらえますか？ | Chatto ni kaite moraemasu ka? | Could you write that in the chat? |
| 日本語で何と言いますか？ | Nihongo de nan to iimasu ka? | How do you say that in Japanese? |
Use captions when you miss the thread
Try to follow the question by ear first. Glance at the captions for a word you missed, then look back at the person when you reply. Read the original-language captions if your goal is to recognize spoken Japanese. Switch to translated captions when you need the meaning to keep a social chat going.
To prepare again, choose an everyday topic from the Japan Foundation’s Irodori starter materials. Listen to a short example, then say a version that is true for you. Irodori starter lessons and audio.