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 129
Tsumori in Japanese: Intentions, Plans and I Thought I Had
Tsumori is the word Japanese speakers reach for when they want to say what they mean to do, and also when things did not turn out the way they meant.
9 min readHou ga ii in Japanese: Giving Advice Without Sounding Bossy
Hou ga ii is the everyday way to tell someone what they had better do, and a small change in form or tone decides whether it sounds caring or pushy.
9 min readKoto ni Suru and Koto ni Naru: I Decided vs It Was Decided
Japanese has two ways to announce a decision, and choosing between them says as much about who decided as it does about what happens next.
10 min readNi Shimasu in Japanese: Choosing, Ordering and Making Things
When a Japanese waiter asks what you would like, the most natural answer is not a request at all but a decision: kōhī ni shimasu, I'll go with coffee.
11 min readShi in Japanese: Listing Reasons the Way People Really Talk
Ask a Japanese friend why they like a place and you will often hear a string of reasons joined by one tiny syllable: yasui shi, chikai shi, oishii shi.
10 min readKurai and Gurai in Japanese: About, So Much That, and At Least
Kurai and gurai look like one small word for about, but in conversation they also exaggerate, belittle and scold, sometimes all in the same afternoon.
10 min readJanai Desu ka in Japanese: Isn't It?, You Know, and N Janai
Janai desu ka looks like a simple negative question, but in real conversation it more often means you know, doesn't it, or I told you so, and your voice decides which one.
10 min readKa Dō Ka in Japanese: Whether, and Questions Inside Sentences
"I don't know when he's coming" and "I haven't decided whether to go" are some of the most useful sentences in any language, and Japanese builds both with one small particle.
9 min readSasete Itadaku in Japanese: Humble Permission and When It's Too Much
Sasete itadakimasu is one of the most recognisable sounds of polite Japanese, and one of the most argued about.
9 min readJapanese at a Car Rental Counter: Insurance, ETC and Mantan
Picking up a rental car in Japan usually takes ten minutes of paperwork and a walk around the car, and nearly all of it follows the same script.
9 min readJapanese at an Electronics Store: Specs, Voltage and Warranty
A big Japanese electronics store can fill eight floors, and the staff are usually happy to help, as long as you can say what you are looking for.
9 min readJapanese at a Department Store: Floors, Depachika and Gift Wrap
A Japanese department store is a small city stacked on top of itself, and a handful of phrases unlocks every floor from the food hall to the rooftop.
11 min readPractical guides
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