Phones and Technology Vocabulary in Japanese
Japanese words for phones, computers and the internet, many written in katakana, with useful phrases for everyday tech situations.
Technology vocabulary in Japanese is a happy mix of katakana loanwords and native compounds, so you will recognise many terms.
Devices
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| スマホ | sumaho | smartphone |
| 携帯電話 | けいたいでんわ | mobile phone |
| パソコン | pasokon | personal computer |
| ノートパソコン | nōto pasokon | laptop |
| タブレット | taburetto | tablet |
| 画面 | がめん (gamen) | screen |
| キーボード | kībōdo | keyboard |
| 充電器 | じゅうでんき | charger |
| 電池 | でんち | battery |
| イヤホン | iyahon | earphones |
The internet
| Japanese | Meaning |
|---|---|
| インターネット | internet |
| ネット | net (short form) |
| ウェブサイト | website |
| メール | |
| パスワード | password |
| アプリ | app |
| ダウンロード | download |
| 検索 (けんさく) | search |
| 無料 (むりょう) | free of charge |
| ワイファイ / Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi |
Katakana clues
Note how many are shortened from English: スマートフォン becomes スマホ, パーソナルコンピューター becomes パソコン. Shortening is a common feature of Japanese loanwords.
Useful phrases
- Wi-Fiのパスワードは何ですか。 — What's the Wi-Fi password?
- 充電してもいいですか。 — May I charge my phone?
- 電池が切れました。 — The battery has run out.
- 電話番号を教えてください。 — Please tell me your phone number.
- メールを送ります。 — I'll send an email.
- 写真を撮ってもいいですか。 — May I take a photo?
On the phone
- もしもし。 — Hello (on the phone).
- 後でかけ直します。 — I'll call back later.
- 電波が悪いです。 — The signal is bad.
Verbs
- 送る (おくる) — to send
- 受け取る (うけとる) — to receive
- 使う (つかう) — to use
- 検索する — to search
Tips
- Recognise the katakana loanwords.
- Learn shortened forms like スマホ.
- Use the dictionary to check meanings.
English Japanese Dictionary
Offline English–Japanese dictionary with kanji, hiragana and katakana support
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