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 32
How 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 readHow to Say It's Expensive in Japanese: Takai, Discounts and Cheaper Options
Takai means expensive, but how you say it in a Japanese shop decides whether you sound like a thoughtful customer or a rude one.
9 min readHow to Say One More Time in Japanese: Mō Ichido and Mō Ikkai
Asking someone to say it again is the most useful survival phrase a learner can have, and Japanese gives you polite, casual and very formal ways to do it.
9 min readHow to Say I'm Worried in Japanese: Shinpai, Ki Ni Naru and Fuan
Shinpai is the word most learners know for worry, but Japanese separates worrying about someone, feeling uneasy and something simply bothering you.
8 min readJapanese at a Flower Shop: Bouquets, Budgets and O-mimai Flowers
Ordering a bouquet at a Japanese flower shop is a short, friendly conversation, and the florist will ask almost the same four questions every time: what it is for, what budget, what colours and whether to wrap it.
12 min readJapanese at a Wedding as a Guest: Go-shūgi, Uketsuke and Imikotoba
A Japanese wedding follows a clear script from the reply card to the after-party, and a guest who knows a dozen phrases and a few customs will feel completely at ease.
12 min readJapanese at a Home Center: DIY Words, Wood Cutting and Delivery
A hōmu sentā is where people in Japan buy everything from screws and paint to storage boxes and garden soil, and a small set of words unlocks almost every aisle.
10 min readJapanese at a Nail Salon: Booking, Gel Designs, Off and Aftercare
Japanese nail salons are known for detailed gel art, and a short list of menu words lets you book, choose a design and ask for changes without guesswork.
10 min readBanzai Meaning: Ten Thousand Years, the Three-Cheer Ritual and When to Join In
Banzai, written 万歳, literally means ten thousand years and is shouted three times with both arms raised as a formal cheer of celebration or long life at weddings, election victories and send-offs, not as a casual hooray.
12 min readPractical guides
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