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 19
Japanese for Dog Owners: Walks, Dog Parks and Chatting with Owners
On a dog walk in Japan, the conversation starts with sawatte mo ii desu ka (may I pet him?), then nansai desu ka (how old?) and otoko no ko desu ka, onna no ko desu ka (boy or girl?). If your dog barks at someone, a quick sumimasen, hoechatte smooths things over.
9 min readJapanese for Volunteering in Japan: Signing Up and Helping Out
To volunteer in Japan, say borantia ni sanka shitai desu (I'd like to volunteer), and on the day ask nani o sureba ii desu ka (what should I do?). End with otsukaresama deshita, thanks for your hard work, to everyone.
9 min readTotonou Meaning: Japan's Sauna Boom and the Words Sauna Fans Use
Totonou (ととのう) is the word Japanese sauna fans use for the deeply relaxed, clear-headed feeling after a cycle of sauna, cold plunge (mizuburo) and resting in the open air (gaikiyoku). The everyday verb means to be in order; in sauna talk it describes being reset.
9 min readJapanese at Round1: Bowling, Batting Cages and Spocha with Friends
At Round1 or any Japanese bowling alley, tell reception ni-gēmu de onegai shimasu (two games, please) and your shoe size in centimetres. In the lane, shout sutoraiku!, groan oshii! and keep track with tsugi, dare no ban? (whose turn next?).
9 min readJapanese for a BBQ with Friends: Riverside Barbecue Phrases
To suggest a barbecue, say bābekyū shinai? (Want to have a BBQ?). At the grill, the key words are yaketa (it's cooked), mada nama (still raw) and kogechatta (it got burnt), and at the end everyone says gomi wa mochikaeri: we take our rubbish home.
10 min readJapanese for Carrying a Mikoshi: Joining a Local Festival
To ask to join, say omikoshi o katsugitai desu (I'd like to carry the mikoshi). On the day you will chant wasshoi, follow short calls from the organisers, say kōtai shimasu when you swap out, and end with a shared meal called the naorai.
10 min readJapanese for a Day at the Beach: Umi no Ie, Swimming and Sunburn
Invite friends with umi ni ikō! (Let's go to the beach!). At the beach, the umi no ie huts rent parasols and showers, yūei kinshi means no swimming, and after too long in the sun you will hear hiyake shichatta: I got sunburnt.
9 min readJapanese at a School Festival (Bunkasai): Stalls, Shows and Chat
A bunkasai (文化祭) is a school's culture festival, where each class runs a stall, café, exhibit or show. As a visitor, nan no omise desu ka? (What's your stall?) starts a conversation, and sugoku tanoshikatta desu (It was really fun) ends it.
9 min readJapanese at a Mochitsuki: Rice-Pounding Events and Their Calls
A mochitsuki (餅つき) is a rice-pounding event where steamed sticky rice is beaten into mochi with a wooden mallet, the kine, in a mortar, the usu. The crowd calls yoisho! with each strike, and if someone asks yatte mimasu ka? (Want to try?), say yes.
10 min readJapanese for Watching Football: J-League, World Cup and Sports Bars
Football is sakkā in Japanese. Start with doko no fan? (Which team do you support?), shout gōru! for a goal and oshii! for a near miss, and when the referee gets it wrong, ima no wa fauru desho: that was a foul, surely.
10 min readJapanese for Board Game Night: Rules, Turns and Mahjong Basics
At a board game night, say rūru o oshiete (teach me the rules), ask tsugi wa dare no ban? (whose turn is it?), and end with mō ikkai yarō (let's play again). At a mahjong table, the calls are pon, chī, ron and tsumo.
10 min readGoukon Meaning: Japanese Group Dates and How to Talk at One
Gōkon (合コン), often spelled goukon, is a Japanese group blind date: a few men and a few women, usually strangers to the other side, meet over dinner and drinks. Each side has an organiser, the kanji, and the evening runs on a toast, self-introductions, small talk and, if it goes well, swapping LINE.
10 min readPractical guides
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