Japanese learning blog
Practical guides on speaking, grammar, pronunciation, listening, and study planning, written for learners who want to use Japanese in real life.
All articles · Page 116
Yamete Meaning: Stop It, Yamete Kudasai and Yameru Explained
Yamete is the everyday Japanese way to say stop it or don't, and depending on the tone and the ending you add, it can sound playful, pleading, firm or genuinely angry.
11 min readIya Meaning in Japanese: No, Iya Da, Iya Iya and Iya na Yokan
Iya is two words that sound the same: a casual interjection meaning no or well, and an adjective meaning unpleasant or unwanted, and between them they appear in almost every Japanese conversation.
10 min readMoshikashite Meaning: Could It Be, Perhaps and Polite Guessing
Moshikashite is the Japanese could it be...? or by any chance, the word you reach for when you suspect something and want to check it without sounding too sure.
9 min readTashika ni Meaning: Indeed, Tashika and Tashikameru Explained
Tashika ni is the Japanese that's true or fair point, one of the most common ways to agree in conversation, while tashika on its own quietly means if I remember correctly.
9 min readNandemo Nai Meaning: It's Nothing, Nandemo Ii and Nani mo Nai
Nandemo nai is the Japanese it's nothing or never mind, and like its English equivalent, it often means the opposite of what it says.
9 min readHow to Say I'm Thirsty in Japanese: Nodo ga Kawaita and O-mizu
Japanese does not have a single adjective for thirsty. Instead, you say that your throat has dried: nodo ga kawaita.
10 min readHow to Say Sorry to Keep You Waiting in Japanese: Omatase Shimashita
Japanese has a fixed phrase for the moment you finally arrive or return: omatase shimashita, "I have made you wait". You will hear it every day, from friends to waiters to call centres.
10 min readHow to Say Let Me Think in Japanese: Chotto Kangaesasete and Kentō
Japanese gives you plenty of ways to pause before answering, and some of them quietly mean no. Knowing which is which is as useful as knowing how to say them.
9 min readHow to Say I'm Nervous in Japanese: Kinchō, Dokidoki and Agaru
Japanese separates the tense feeling before a big moment from the worry about what might go wrong, and uses different words for each.
8 min readHow to Say Sorry for the Trouble in Japanese: Go-meiwaku and O-tesū
Japanese apologies often focus on the inconvenience you caused someone rather than on the mistake itself, and there is a precise phrase for each kind of trouble.
9 min readHow to Say Thank You for Everything in Japanese: Iroiro Arigatō
When you want to thank someone for everything, Japanese rarely translates "everything" word for word. Instead, it thanks people for all the care they gave you over time.
10 min readHow to Say I'm Angry in Japanese: Okotte Iru, Hara Ga Tatsu, Mukatsuku
Japanese has many words for anger, and they differ a lot in strength and rudeness. Choosing the right one matters more than knowing the most dramatic one.
10 min readPractical guides
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