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 6
Culture and etiquetteJapanese 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 read
Culture and etiquetteJapanese 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 read
Culture and etiquetteJapanese 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 read
Culture and etiquetteJapanese 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 read
Culture and etiquetteVisiting 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 read
Culture and etiquetteJapanese 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 read
Culture and etiquetteJapanese Gestures and Body Language Explained
Half of a Japanese conversation happens below the neck. Learn what the hands are saying and the sentence that usually rides on top of each gesture, and everyday exchanges suddenly make sense.
15 min read
Culture and etiquetteJapanese Seasonal Greetings and Yearly Events
The Japanese year is a calendar of set phrases. Learn which line belongs to which month and you can open almost any conversation with the words a native speaker was already expecting.
14 min read
Culture and etiquetteVisiting a Japanese Home: Etiquette and Phrases
A home visit is the one situation where every step has a set phrase and the host is quietly hoping you know it. This guide walks through the visit in order, with the lines you say and the lines you will hear back.
16 min read
Culture and etiquetteHow to Give and Receive Compliments in Japanese
A compliment in Japanese is a small negotiation. The giver keeps it light and specific, the receiver plays it down, and both walk away pleased. Here is how each side sounds, and where the traps are.
15 min read
Speaking practiceJapanese Roleplay Practice With AI: 25 Scenarios to Try With a Tutor
Free chat with an AI tutor is pleasant but shapeless. A roleplay gives you a situation, a politeness level, and a reason to finish the sentence, which is what real conversation demands.
8 min read
Business JapaneseBusiness Japanese Practice With AI: Meetings, Phone Calls, and Keigo Roleplays
Most professionals know more keigo than they can use. Roleplaying a phone call or a meeting update with an AI tutor closes that gap, because the phrases arrive under mild pressure, the way they will at work.
9 min readPractical guides
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