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 62
Visiting 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 readJapanese 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 readJapanese 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.
15 min readVisiting 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 readHow 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 readJapanese 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.
9 min readBusiness 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 readFear of Speaking Japanese: How to Overcome Speaking Anxiety Step by Step
Speaking anxiety is not a sign that you have studied too little. It usually means you have never practised speaking in conditions that were safe enough to fail in, and that is fixable in a few weeks.
9 min read12 Common Japanese Speaking Mistakes Learners Make (and How to Fix Them)
Most Japanese learners make the same dozen speaking mistakes, and nearly all of them are habits rather than gaps in knowledge. Here are the twelve that appear most often and the fix for each.
10 min readPolite vs Casual Japanese: How to Switch Without Sounding Awkward
Polite and casual Japanese express the same facts but manage a different relationship. Switching well is about context as much as conjugation.
4 min readJapanese Aizuchi: Listening Responses That Make Conversation Flow
Good Japanese conversation is not silent while one person speaks. Aizuchi show attention, emotion, and understanding without stealing the turn.
5 min readPractical guides
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