Speaking and pronunciation
Practical guides on speaking, grammar, pronunciation, listening, and study planning, written for learners who want to use Japanese in real life.
Speaking and pronunciation · Page 18
How to Say Take Your Time in Japanese: Yukkuri de Ii and Goyukkuri
The casual way to say take your time in Japanese is yukkuri de ii yo (ゆっくりでいいよ). Politely, say isoganakute ii desu yo (急がなくていいですよ), no need to hurry. Goyukkuri dōzo (ごゆっくりどうぞ) is what shop and restaurant staff say to customers.
9 min readAno Sa, Nee Nee, Chotto Kiite: Getting a Friend's Attention in Japanese
To get a friend's attention in Japanese, say nē nē (hey, hey) or ano sa (so, listen), and for big news add chotto kiite! (listen to this!). These are casual openers for friends and family; with strangers and staff you still use sumimasen.
9 min readTeasing in Japanese: Ijiru, Karakau and How to Take a Joke
Ijiru (いじる) means to tease someone playfully, poking fun at a habit or a slip so the whole group laughs, usually including the target. Karakau (からかう) is broader: to make fun of or to kid someone, which can be gentle or mean. The classic playful comeback is mō! yamete yo, hey, cut it out!
9 min readMaking Up After a Fight in Japanese: Kenka, Nakanaori and Apologies
To make up after a fight in Japanese, apologise for something specific, such as iisugita, gomen (I said too much, sorry), and then suggest nakanaori shiyō, let's make up. Kenka means a fight or an argument, and nakanaori means reconciliation.
9 min readJapanese Nasal G (Bidakuon): The Soft 'Nga' Sound Explained
Bidakuon (鼻濁音) is a soft, nasal way of pronouncing g, like the ng in singer followed by a vowel. In traditional standard Japanese it is used for g in the middle of a word and for the particle ga, while g at the start of a word stays hard. Today it is optional and becoming less common.
9 min readJapanese for a Takoyaki Party: Takopa Phrases for Home Parties
A takopa (タコパ) is a takoyaki party: friends gather at someone's home around an electric takoyaki pan and cook the octopus balls together. The key lines are takopa shiyō! (let's have a takopa!), nanika motte iku ne (I'll bring something), hikkurikaeshite ii? (can I flip them?) and yaketa yo! (they're done!).
9 min readJapanese at a Yoga Class: Following Instructions and Poses
A Japanese yoga teacher talks almost entirely in short te-form commands: iki o sutte (breathe in), haite (breathe out), ryōte o ue ni (both hands up). Learn about thirty body and direction words, a handful of pose names and one line about injuries, and you can follow a whole class.
10 min readJapanese at a Bouldering Gym: Grades, Safety and Climber Talk
At a Japanese bouldering gym you will need four kinds of Japanese: the first-visit briefing (hajimete desu), grades (nan-kyū desu ka), cheers (ganba! and naisu!) and turn-taking (osaki ni dōzo). Climbers are famously friendly, and a finished problem is an easy way to start a conversation.
10 min readJapanese for Fishing: Tackle Shops, Piers and Fishing Talk
To go fishing in Japan, ask nani ga tsuremasu ka (what are people catching?) at the tackle shop, esa wa dore ga ii desu ka (which bait is best?), and learn to shout tsureta! when you hook one. If you catch nothing, anglers say bōzu deshita.
10 min readJapanese for Photographers: Camera Talk and Asking to Take Portraits
To ask someone in Japan if you can take their picture, say shashin o totte mo ii desu ka, may I take your photo? Add what you will do with it, such as kao wa utsushimasen (I won't show your face), and accept a no gracefully. The rest of this guide covers camera-shop Japanese and talking settings with other photographers.
10 min readJapanese for Buying Skincare and Makeup at a Drugstore
To buy skincare at a Japanese drugstore, say your skin type (binkanhada nan desu, I have sensitive skin), name the product type (keshōsui, nyūeki, hiyakedome), and ask osusume wa dore desu ka, which do you recommend? Ask tesutā wa arimasu ka before trying anything.
9 min readJapanese for Running a Race in Japan: Marathons and Cheering
Japanese races have their own vocabulary: zekken (bib), kyūsuijo (water station), gōru (finish) and kansō (finishing the race). The crowd shouts faito! and ganbare!, and afterwards runners ask taimu wa dō deshita ka, how was your time?
9 min readPractical guides
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