English to Japanese translation of list of words

[sairis]

I watched a YouTube video about quick ways to learn a language, and decided to try labeling all of my household items or making a giant poster board filled with names of household items. But when consulting with my English-Japanese dictionary, I found MANY different ways to say the same things. My dictionary does not give individual descriptions or necessarily say if the order of words listed is the order of most commonly used. Also, with some items, I find it kind-of hard to believe that the ONLY way to say it is a katakana version of the English word. I looked at lots of online dictionaries and searched forums for answers but I am still confused for the most part. If anyone is fluent in Japanese and has lived in Japan for awhile could help me with this extremely LONG list (or at least part of it)...I'd very much appreciate it. I guess I'll list the words I got from my dictionary. If someone could tell me which words are the MOST commonly used (if any that are listed) plus fill in the blanks of the ones I couldn't find, thank you very much!!
Also, I can't read kanji, so please respond in hiragana/katakana/romaji only. Thanks!
couch - neisu/sofua
entertainment center - ?
speaker - kakuseisouchi/supika
bookcase - hombako/shosou/shoka/hondana
shelf - shierufu/tsuridana/kazaridana
kleenex - keshougami/hanagami/teishu
plastic food container - shokkan
candle - rousoku/kyandoru/hadakarousoku
napkins - napukin/kuchifuki/kin
oven - obun/renji
stove - sutobu/renji
countertop - tenita/kaunta/temban
sink - nagashidai
fridge - reizouko/reitouki
freezer - reitouko/furiza
drying rack (for dishes) - ?
tea kettle - mizutsugi/mizusashi/kama
wall kitchen cupboard - tsuritodana/kitchinkyabinetto
pantry - haizenshitsu?
cat litter box - ?
cat litter box enclosure house - nekogoya?
cat litter (gravel) - ?
closet - oshiire/kurozetto
dish soap - sekkenzara
bowl - bouru/owan/domburibachi
cups - kappu/suinomi/mokuhai
sharp kitchen knives - gyuutou/naifu
cutting board - komaita/katteingubodo
plastic saran wrap - saranrappu/rappufuirumu
paper towel - papataoru/kichinpapa
paper plates - kami no osara?
dish scrub brush - tawashi/kamenokotawashi
door - monko/doa
back door - urakido/urasedo
front door - ?
airconditioner - kuukichouwaki/kuuchousetsubi/reibouki/eakon
electric heater - denkisutobu/shisuhita/damboukigu
water heater - denkionsuiki
shoe rack - getabako/kutsubako
board games - ?
laundry detergent - ?
cake mix - ?
canned fruit/vegetables - ?
can opener - ?
bread maker - ?
electric beater - ?
power strip - maruchisoketto/shouenetappu
electrical outlet - konsento/sashikomi
carpet - kapetto/shikimono/mousen
rug - ragu/juutan
toilet plunger - rabakappu/puranja
body wash - shabon/gyakuseisekken
shampoo - shampu/sempatsuzai
conditioner - heakondeishona/rinsu
bath sponge (scrubby) - ?
shaving razor - kamisori/sori
bed sheets - ?
blanket - moufu/buranketto
pillow - makura/piro
desk - tsuki/tsukue/kian/desuku
external harddrive - ?
power cord - dengenkodo
extention cord - ?
headphones - ?
wireless router - ?
magnets - magunetto/boujishaku
hair brush - burasshu
tooth brush - ?
tooth paste - ?
battery charger - juudenki
phone charger - ?
hair clip - pachindome/kamidome
hair tie - shushu
deodorant - nioikeshi/deodoranto/seikanzai
nail file - tsumeyasuri/neirufuairu
vacuum - shinkuusoujiki
dish-washing rag - ?
water heater - kyuutouki/denkionsuiki/yuwakashiki
bath robe - ?
bath tub - furouke/yokujou
cheese - kanraku/chizu
frozen meals - ?
couch cover - ?
slow cooker-crock pot - ?
underwear - shitagi/shini
fruit juice - jusu/shiruke/kajuu
butter - bata/gyuuraku
spices - supaisu/koumiryou
salt - shokuen/seien/shio
pepper (spice) - koshou/pepa
bathroom cleaning spray - bannouyogoreotoshi
toilet bowl cleaner - keshousekken
bleach - burichi/ensokeihyouhakuzai/hyouhakuzai
fabric softener - juunanshiagezai/juunanzai
trash bags - gomibukuro
sandwhich/ziplock bags - ?
table lamp - toboshi/rampu
ceiling light - toboshi
parking lot - mansha
parking space - chuushajou
seat of car - untenseki
tires - taiya
brake pedal - ?
gas pedal - ?
turn signal - furassha/houkoushijiki
brights - ?
headlights - zenshoutou
brake lights - ?
tail lights - ?
cat tower - ?
incense - ?
hair straightener - ?
comb - kushi/komu
concealer (makeup) - ?
osculating fan -
bra - buraja/bura
winter hat - boushi/kirenoboushi
presents/gifts (christmas wrapped gifts) - hikimono
sewing machine - mishin
nightlight - ?
decorations - okazari/jokun
vase - hanaire/hanaike/hanatate
flower vase - kaki/kabin/kahei/hanagame
picture frame - shashintate/fuoto furemu
wall art/painting - kaiga
door knob - ?
door lock/latch - ?
usb flash drive - ?
wallet - waretto/kawazaifu/saifu
disposable latex gloves - ?
clothes washing machine - sentakuki/sentakki
spatula - hera/supachura/furaigaeshi/kibera
orange peeler - ?
apple slicer - ?
colored pencils - ?
hand soap - ?
plastic shoe mat (indoor drying mat for snow) - ?
batteries - denchi/batteri/houretsu
sticky note - ?
dream catcher (native american decor) - ?
piano bench/stool - piano no _?
outside temperture reader - ondomemori?

 

[FinancialWar]

fail...

 

[Rinilex]

1) While some of the more basic, commonly found items in a household might be useful (れいぞうこ、テレビ、ベッド), trying to force yourself to memorise an enormous list with items like "toilet cleaner" and "slow-cooker crock pot" when you're new to the language is unnecessary and a bit silly. You're wasting a lot of time.

2) Any online dictionary can tell you what you need to know - 英語例文検索 ～ビジネスメールや英文の手紙の文例～ - Weblio辞書 , 国語・英和・和英・類語・中国語辞書検索 - goo辞書 - as far as telling you the vocab goes.

3) If you don't know any kanji, start learning now. You're not doing yourself any favours by sticking to kana in the long run; if you really want to learn the language, you'll have to face it at some point or other. You won't understand anything written otherwise.

4) Don't always believe YT videos.

I'm struggling to find a situation where you'd need to know "cat litter box enclosure house" in Japanese...

 

[SomeCallMeChris]

Weblio has a good set of examples under 例文, but the examples from ALC/web-eijiro are also useful, kitchen knifeの意味・用例｜英辞郎 on the WEB：アルク
The right 'knife' for kitchen knives generally is 'houchou'; 'naifu' is good for table knives. Each kind of knife has its own specific name too, of course.

Some things you're never going to find ... a 'dream catcher' isn't going to be found in Japan unless it's a souvenir from America, so it's simply going to be called by its English name.
You can find katakana spellings of 'dream' and 'catcher' separately without too much trouble if you really want to put it together. However, nobody from Japan is going to understand what it is anyway, except for those who have spent time in America and know what it is in English.

I'm struggling to find a situation where you'd need to know "cat litter box enclosure house" in Japanese...

Maybe if you're shopping for litter boxes in Japan.... of course you need to know the kanji version of it to read the boxes.
Or you could just look at the pictures on the boxes. And since 'litter box' is apparently described with 猫のトイレ (neko no toire) and similar phrases, I would guess the 'litter box enclosure house' will turn out to be something like 猫のトイレの屋根 (neko no toire no yane) or similar... yes, there's google hits for that and 猫のトイレ（屋根付き）. Anyway, by the time you need it you'd already know the words that make it up, but I guess there's no harm in learning terms for obscure items when they are compounds of common words.

PS: If you can't read kanji, install rikaichan/rikaikun/rikaisama for your browser. Also, learn the kanji for the words you're learning.

 

[nekojita]

There's a vocabulary builder on Erin's Challenge.

In general, be careful about romanisation, particularly with regards to things like long vowels, also extended katakana. Sofa is not "sofua", it's spelt ソファ or ソファー in katakana and フア (fua) and ファ (fa) are different sounds. Speaker is スピーカー not スピカ, and so on.

Katakana words are not uncommon when you're dealing with household objects which are relatively new or imported. If you are dealing with words for traditional bits of furniture (こたつ、たたみ、ふとん etc) you're more likely to find hiragana/kanji. Either way, don't force yourself to use a kanji/hiragana word if the katakana is common - チーズ not 乾酪(kanraku).

For more unusual words, I'd suggest using the wiki trick - look up the wikipedia entry in English, then check for a 日本語 link on the side bar. (dream catcher = ドリームキャッチャー).

Since it's on topic, people may enjoy this checklist of items for newlyweds setting up house. I didn't get a 天ぷら鍋 when I got married and now I feel cheated (brb, telling husband we need a tempura pot, also for him to learn to cook tempura).