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 210
Transitive and Intransitive Verbs in Japanese
English opens a door and a door opens with the same verb. Japanese gives you two verbs, and choosing the right one decides whether you sound like you did something or like something simply happened.
14 min readThe Japanese Potential Form: Saying What You Can Do
Can you speak Japanese, can you come tomorrow, can you eat natto: the potential form answers all three, and it is also the form you need to describe your own progress honestly.
14 min readJapanese Volitional Form and Making Suggestions
The volitional is the form behind every let's, shall I, and I am thinking of doing in Japanese. Learn it once and you can propose, offer, and state your plans without sounding abrupt.
15 min readTurning Verbs into Nouns in Japanese: Koto and No
Every sentence that starts with speaking Japanese is or I like watching needs a verb turned into a noun. Koto and no are the two tools, and choosing between them is easier than most textbooks make it look.
16 min readJapanese Relative Clauses: Describing Nouns
Every long Japanese sentence you have struggled to follow is built from one move: a whole clause sits in front of a noun and describes it. Learn that move and the sentences unfold in order.
15 min readObligation and Permission in Japanese
Japanese has no single word for must. It says if you do not do it, that will not do, and then shortens the whole thing to two syllables in casual speech. This guide untangles the full forms, the contractions, and the permission questions that go with them.
15 min readJapanese Bowing Etiquette and What to Say While Bowing
A bow in Japan almost always comes with words. Get the depth roughly right and the phrase exactly right, and people will read you as polite even when your grammar wobbles.
13 min readJapanese Gift Giving and Omiyage: Phrases and Etiquette
Omiyage is one of the few Japanese customs where the words are fixed and the gift is flexible. Learn the handful of lines each side says and any box of sweets becomes a smooth exchange.
14 min readJapanese Onsen Etiquette and the Phrases You Need
An onsen visit is almost silent once you are in the water. The talking happens at reception and in the changing room, and it is short, predictable, and easy to prepare.
13 min readJapanese Izakaya Phrases and Drinking Etiquette
An izakaya evening has a rhythm, and the Japanese follows it. Learn the lines in the order the night unfolds and you will always know what comes next.
13 min readVisiting a Japanese Temple or Shrine: Etiquette and Words
A shrine or temple is one of the few places in Japan where you are expected to follow a sequence of actions without being told. This guide gives you the sequence, the words on the signs, and the phrases you will actually say.
15 min readJapanese Table Manners and Mealtime Phrases
Most Japanese table manners are easy to copy once you see them. The harder part is the sentence that goes with each moment, and that is what this guide gives you, with the reply you will hear back.
15 min readPractical guides
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