How to Say ‘Elementary school’ in Japanese
小学校
shou gakkou
[shoh gahk-koh]
💬 Usage Tip: [小学校] is the standard term for elementary school. You’ll often hear it shortened in casual talk, but keep it full in polite calls.
🇯🇵 In Japan: Many elementary schools have homeroom teachers ([担任]) who handle absence reports, but the office may take the call first.
Phrase Breakdown
小
shou
[shoh]
elementary school (kanji part)
「小」 plus 「学校」 forms 「小学校」 (elementary school). Often appears in school calls.
小学校に欠席の連絡をします。
I will contact the elementary school to report an absence.
学校
gakkou
[gahk-koh]
school (kanji part)
Part of 「小学校」, meaning “school.”
小学校に欠席の連絡をします。
I will contact the elementary school to report an absence.
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