GRAMMAR
Japanese grammar,
one piece at a time.
Explained from real lessons: what the form is, how it shrinks in speech, the mistakes learners actually make — and practice questions at the end of every article.
Start here
How to memorize kanji: learn words, see the parts, and stop collecting readings
How to memorize kanji: learn each one inside a word, break it into parts, use the sound hints, and review with spaced repetition. 10 practice questions.
How to study Japanese by yourself: what actually works, from a teacher who watches it fail
Build a practical Japanese self-study routine with kana, grammar, listening, and speaking exercises, plus ways to spot gaps and get useful feedback.
Japanese numbers 1–100: the building rule, and the three numbers that have two readings
Learn to build Japanese numbers from 1 to 100, handle alternate readings for 4, 7, and 9, understand the 10,000 unit, and start counting objects.
Japanese writing systems: why three scripts, and what each one is telling you
Hiragana, katakana, and kanji each do a different job inside one sentence. Learn what every script signals and how to start reading Japanese today.
What actually happens in a first Japanese lesson
See what happens in a first Japanese lesson, from introductions to speaking practice, with useful phrases and a clear plan for your next step.
Hiragana, katakana, kanji: which to learn first, and how long each takes
Learn hiragana first, katakana next, and kanji through useful words. I explain the order, study-time estimates, common mistakes, and reading practice.
How long does it really take to learn Japanese?
The Foreign Service Institute number is 2200 hours, but ordinary conversation arrives far sooner. See what each stage costs and how to reach it faster.
What language apps cannot teach you about Japanese
Learn what Japanese app drills leave out, from choosing polite speech to repairing misunderstandings, and practice turning familiar words into conversation.
Grammar, one piece at a time
〜どころか: "far from X, actually Y" — the pattern that overturns the whole sentence
どころか rejects a modest idea outright and replaces it with something far more extreme in the same direction. "Far from X" — the truth goes well beyond it.
どうやら (douyara): "it seems, from what I can tell" — and きっと, the confident guess
どうやら marks an inference from clues you noticed. きっと is a confident personal prediction, with or without evidence. Different questions, same "probably."
〜からといって: "just because X" does not mean Y follows
からといって names a reason people assume leads to a conclusion, then denies that conclusion. "Just because X" is true, but Y does not automatically follow.
結局 (kekkyoku) vs とうとう (toutou): "in the end" and "finally, at last"
結局 sums up the final outcome after twists and turns, sometimes despite effort. とうとう marks the exact moment a long-awaited or long-dreaded thing arrives.
〜ことにする vs 〜ことになる: the decision you made, and the one that just happened to you
ことにする marks a decision you made yourself. ことになる marks an outcome, arrangement, or rule that came about without you deciding it. Same こと, opposite direction.
に vs へ: the direction particle you can almost always swap, and the one time you cannot
に and へ both mark direction, and are usually interchangeable. に also marks the exact arrival point, existence, and time — jobs へ simply cannot do.
〜にもかかわらず: "despite that" for a fact that should have changed everything, and did not
にもかかわらず means "despite" or "in spite of" — it names a strong fact that should block an outcome, then reports the outcome happened anyway.
たまたま (tamatama) vs 偶然 (guuzen): two ways to say "by chance"
たまたま is an adverb for your own circumstance happening by chance. 偶然 names the coincidence itself and can stand alone as a noun. Both mean "by chance."
と vs や: the complete list, and the list that is just some examples
と links nouns into a complete, closed list — nothing else exists. や links nouns into a partial list, leaving items unnamed. One word changes the promise.
とにかく (tonikaku) vs ともかく (tomokaku): "anyway" — and the one that also means "extremely"
とにかく means "anyway, just do it" and doubles as a casual intensifier for "extremely." ともかく is its more literary cousin, mainly used to set something aside.
〜たとたん(に): the instant one thing happens, the other one does too
たとたんに means "the instant X happened, Y happened" — a sudden, unplanned event triggered right after the first. It only ever describes the past.
〜ようにする vs 〜ようになる: making an effort to, and ending up able to
ようにする means making an effort to do something, an intention you act on. ようになる means a change happened over time — you now can, or now do. Effort vs result.
ようやく (youyaku) vs やっと (yatto): two "finally"s, one formal and one personal
ようやく is the neutral, slightly formal "finally," comfortable in writing and gradual change. やっと is the personal, relieved "finally!" of everyday speech.
Enough in Japanese: 十分 juubun vs 足りる tariru vs もういい
Enough in Japanese: 十分 means plenty, 足りる means it just covers the need, and もういい means stop. Clear examples, readings and common mistakes.
Japanese relative clauses: how to say "the book that I bought"
Japanese has no word for "that" or "who". Put the whole clause in front of the noun: 昨日買った本 is "the book I bought yesterday." How it works, with examples.
Remember in Japanese: 覚える oboeru vs 思い出す omoidasu
English remember maps to 3 Japanese expressions: 覚える oboeru (memorize), 覚えている oboete iru (remember) and 思い出す omoidasu (recall). One table, nine drills.
ようとする vs てみる: two ways to say "try" in Japanese
ようとする is "try to" when the attempt is interrupted or fails; てみる is "try it and see" when you actually do it. 開けようとした vs 開けてみた — same English, opposite result.
ところ: how Japanese says "about to", "in the middle of" and "just did"
ところ turns a verb into a point on a timeline. 食べるところ is about to eat, 食べているところ is mid-meal, 食べたところ is just finished — three tenses, one word.
中 as じゅう and ちゅう: "all day" versus "in the middle of"
一日中 (いちにちじゅう) is all day long; 会議中 (かいぎちゅう) is in the middle of a meeting. One kanji, two readings, two completely different meanings.
〜がち, 〜ぎみ, 〜っぽい: saying someone "tends to" in Japanese
〜がち marks a bad habit that repeats, 〜ぎみ marks a slight lean in that direction, and 〜やすい marks something that happens easily. And why 成功しがち is wrong.
なぜか, なんだか, なんとなく: three ways to say "for some reason"
なぜか marks something outside you that has no explanation, なんだか marks a feeling inside you, and なんとなく means you did it with no reason at all.
〜にとって: the Japanese way to say "for me, this matters"
〜にとって marks whose point of view a judgement comes from — 私にとって大切です. It only works with evaluations, which is why 私にとって勉強します is wrong.
限る: 〜に限る, 〜とは限らない and the difference one negative makes
限る means "to limit". 〜に限る says this is the best option, 〜とは限らない says it is not necessarily so, and 〜限り sets a boundary. Here is the whole family.
くらい or ぐらい: which one, and why nobody can give you a rule
Learn why kurai and gurai are usually interchangeable in Japanese, where the choice is fixed, and how their uses extend beyond meaning about.
のせいで and のおかげで: the two Japanese words for "because of you"
Learn how no sei de assigns blame and no okage de gives credit in Japanese, how to build both forms, and when the ending changes from de to da.
には: not one particle but two, and why learners sprinkle it everywhere
には is に plus は. Once you can see the two jobs separately — target and topic — you know when to use it, and when the plain は you already had was enough.
How Do You Say "At Least" in Japanese? 少なくとも, せめて, 最低でも
"At least" in Japanese depends on intent: 少なくとも states a minimum, せめて makes a wish ("at least let me pay"), and 最低でも sets a hard floor like a deadline.
〜場合: the "if" that belongs on a sign, not in a chat
Learn how to use baai wa for formal conditions in Japanese, how it differs from tara and toki, and why it can sound stiff among friends.
How in Japanese: どうやって vs どう vs どうすれば
How in Japanese splits into どうやって (method), どう (state), and どうすればいいですか (advice). Comparison table showing which one fits. Updated 2026.
初めて, 最初に, 始めて: three words for "first," and only one is about doing it for the first time
Learn the difference between hajimete for a first experience, saisho ni for sequence, and the similar verb form meaning to begin in Japanese.
A Lot in Japanese: たくさん vs いっぱい vs 多い
A lot in Japanese is たくさん or いっぱい — but not 多い, which cannot sit before a noun. Comparison table shows where each word goes. Updated 2026.
Or in Japanese: か vs それとも vs または (Which to Use)
Or in Japanese: か links alternatives, それとも introduces another option in a question, and または suits written text. Table and practice. Updated 2026.
〜以外: "other than," "except" — and the two opposite answers it can produce
Learn how igai means other than in Japanese, how positive and negative verbs change its effect, and how it compares with hoka ni and o nozoite.
Always, Sometimes, Never in Japanese: いつも, よく, ときどき and the Full Frequency Scale
Always in Japanese is いつも, sometimes is ときどき. See the full frequency scale and why あまり and ぜんぜん only work with a negative verb.
Japanese position words: 上, 下, 中, 前, 後ろ — and the の you cannot drop
Learn Japanese position words, how no connects them to nouns, and how choosing ni or de changes what you say about a location or activity.
Japanese superlatives: 一番, 最も, and the の中で that makes them work
Learn how to form Japanese superlatives with ichiban, compare it with mottomo, and ask which option is best using natural question patterns.
〜から〜まで: "from" and "to," and the one extra syllable that changes everything
Learn how kara and made mark starting and ending points in Japanese time and place, and why made ni changes until into a deadline meaning by.
Get Used To in Japanese: 慣れる — takes に, not を
Get used to in Japanese is 慣れる, and it takes に, not を. Comparison table of 慣れました, 慣れています and related forms. Updated 2026.
〜について vs 〜として: "about" and "as", and why swapping them changes the sentence
Learn how ni tsuite marks a topic and to shite marks a role in Japanese, plus how ni taishite differs and how to use the noun form ni tsuite no.
〜という: the grammar for naming, quoting, and defining things
〜という attaches a name or a piece of speech to a noun: 田中という人, 忙しいということ. Here is what the と is doing, the four jobs という does, and why っていう is the same word.
Both in Japanese: 両方 ryouhou vs どちらも dochiramo
Both in Japanese: 両方 (ryouhou), どちらも (dochiramo) or 〜とも. 2 comparison tables, 11 example sentences plus the trick that flips both into neither. 2026.
Why Is 赤い a Japanese Adjective But 緑 Is Not?
赤い, 青い, 白い, 黒い, 黄色い and 茶色い are い-adjectives; every other colour, including 緑 (green), is a noun that needs の before another noun — 緑の車, not 緑い車.
ある vs いる (Aru vs Iru): Which "There Is" Verb Japanese Uses
ある vs いる both mean "there is": いる for things that move under their own power, ある for everything else, plants and events included. Negative of ある is ない.
〜ばかり: "nothing but," "just did," and the complaint hiding in both
ばかり after a noun means "nothing but" and usually criticises. After a past verb it means "just did." Same word, two jobs, and the た version is subjective.
〜べき: the "should" that judges, and when not to use it
べき is a moral should — what is right, not what is advisable. Pointed at a person it sounds preachy, which is why ほうがいい exists.
だけ vs しか: two words for "only," and one of them is a complaint
だけ states a fact. しか demands a negative verb and adds "and that is not enough." 1000円だけあります and 1000円しかありません are different feelings.
で vs に: the particle pair that decides whether you live or work somewhere
に marks a point — a destination, a location of existence, a time. で marks where an action happens. 東京に住む but 東京で働く, and the verb decides.
〜はず: the "should" that is a prediction, not an obligation
はず means "it should be so, based on what I know." It never means "you should do this" — that is べき, and English hides the difference behind one word.
How Do You Say "Need To" in Japanese? 〜必要がある Explained
"Need to" in Japanese is 〜必要がある — it states a requirement as a fact rather than an obligation, and attaches with が, not です, where most learners go wrong.
ほしい vs たい: wanting a thing, wanting to do, and wanting someone else to
ほしい wants a noun, たい wants a verb, and neither can be used about another person. 彼は行きたいです is wrong — it has to be 行きたがっています.
い-adjectives vs な-adjectives: the split, and the words that lie about it
い-adjectives conjugate themselves; な-adjectives behave like nouns. きれい and 嫌い end in い and belong to the second group, which is where everyone gets caught.
What Is the Difference Between 行く and 来る in Japanese?
行く and 来る in Japanese both anchor to the speaker: 来る means moving toward the speaker, so answering a call with 今行きます ("I'm going") is correct, not 来ます.
〜じゃなくて: how to say "not this, but that"
じゃなくて is the connecting negative for nouns: 学生じゃなくて、先生です. い-adjectives take くなくて, and verbs split between なくて and ないで depending on meaning.
Japanese verb groups: the three-way split every conjugation depends on
Group 1, Group 2 and the two irregulars. Some Group 1 verbs end in る too — 帰る, 走る, 知る — and the negative form is the test that never lies.
かもしれない: "maybe," and the だ you have to delete
かもしれない attaches to the plain form, but nouns and な-adjectives drop their だ first. 学生だかもしれない is wrong; 学生かもしれない is right.
こと vs の: two ways to turn a verb into a noun
こと is for abstract facts, の for things you can see and hear. 泳ぐのを見た, never 泳ぐことを見た — and some verbs only accept one of them.
〜くなる and 〜になる: how Japanese says "become"
い-adjectives take く, な-adjectives and nouns take に, and then both take なる. 忙しいになる is the error almost every beginner makes at least once.
〜まま: "as it is," and why it takes the past form
まま describes a state left unchanged. It takes the past form for verbs — 靴を履いたまま, never 履くまま — and そのまま is the phrase you will use most.
みたい, らしい, ようだ: three ways to say "apparently," and who told you
ようだ is your own judgement, みたい is its casual twin, and らしい means you heard it somewhere. The attachment rules differ too, which is where it gets messy.
〜によると: "according to," and the そうです you must not drop
〜によると names your source, and the sentence has to end in そうです or らしいです. Ending it flatly turns reported information into your own claim.
〜のに: "even though," with a complaint built in
のに means "even though" and adds disappointment or surprise. けど is the neutral version. If you would not roll your eyes saying it, use けど.
Nothing in Japanese (Casual Too): 何も, 何もない, 何でもない
Nothing in Japanese is 何も + a negative form. Casually: 何もない, 何もしてない, 何でもない, 別に. Examples, a casual-reply table and practice.
〜すぎる: "too much," and the い you have to drop
すぎる attaches to a verb stem or a bare adjective: 高すぎる, not 高いすぎる. It becomes a Group 2 verb, and in casual speech it stops meaning "too" at all.
〜たびに: "every time," and why 3日たびに is wrong
〜たびに needs an occasion, not a clock. Every time you meet someone is 会うたびに; every three days is 3日ごとに. The two are not interchangeable.
ために vs ように: two ways to say "in order to," and only one is right
ために needs a verb you control; ように needs one you do not. That single test decides which to use, and it explains why 忘れないために is wrong.
〜たり〜たり: the list that says "and other things like that"
〜たり〜たりする lists example actions and implies you left some out. It is built from the past form, and the sentence must end in する — the piece learners drop.
〜てから: "after doing," and why 食べたから means something completely different
〜てから says one action must finish before the next begins. Swap the て for a た and you get 食べたから — "because I ate" — which is a different sentence entirely.
〜ておく: doing something now so future you does not have to
〜ておく means doing something in advance, or leaving it as it is. In speech it collapses to 〜とく, which is why 買っとく sounds like a word you never learned.
〜と思います: the quotation particle, and why です never goes in front of it
と quotes a whole sentence, and what it quotes must be in plain form. 高いですと思います is wrong; 高いと思います is right. The politeness lives on 思います.
〜とき: why 行くとき and 行ったとき are two different moments
〜とき means "when," but the tense in front of it is relative, not absolute. 日本に行くとき happens before you arrive; 日本に行ったとき happens after.
わけ: わけだ, わけではない, わけがない, わけにはいかない
One noun, four grammar points. わけではない is a partial denial, わけがない is a flat impossibility, and mixing them up makes you sound much harsher than you meant.
〜やすい and 〜にくい: easy to do, hard to do, and prone to happening
Add やすい or にくい to a verb stem and you get a new い-adjective. But やすい also means "tends to," which is a different idea hiding in the same ending.
〜ようになる: the grammar for "I can do it now, and I could not before"
〜ようになる marks a change in ability or habit that happened gradually. It is the sentence every learner actually wants: 日本語が話せるようになりました.
あげる, くれる, もらう: which way is the thing moving?
Japanese has two verbs for "give" because it tracks who the thing is moving toward. あげる goes away from you, くれる comes to you, もらう is you taking it.
〜ば〜ほど: how to say "the more, the more" in Japanese
読めば読むほど means "the more you read, the more…". The verb appears twice — once in the ば form, once plain — and that repetition is the whole grammar point.
Causative-passive させられる: the form for being made to do things
させられる stacks the causative and the passive to mean "I was made to do it," and with action verbs it carries a complaint. Plus the contraction nobody teaches.
How Do You Give Advice in Japanese? 〜方がいい Explained
〜方がいい gives advice in Japanese by comparing two options — 行った方がいい means "you should go" — and it takes the past-tense verb even though it is about the future.
Japanese Adjective Past Tense: い-adj かった vs な-adj だった
Japanese い-adjectives carry their own past tense: 高い becomes 高かった, never 高いでした. な-adjectives and nouns take でした. One 7-row card, 10 practice questions.
Japanese causative form: させる, せる, and who is making whom do what
The causative means both "make someone do it" and "let someone do it". How to conjugate させる, and why に or を decides who is doing what to whom.
What Are the Four Japanese Conditionals? と, ば, たら, なら
Japanese has four ways to say "if": と means the result is automatic, ば is hypothetical, たら marks one specific event, and なら responds to what was just said.
The Japanese passive 〜られる: including the one that means "and it annoyed me"
The passive is built from 〜れる／〜られる. Japanese also has a suffering passive — 雨に降られた, "I got rained on" — which English has no form for at all.
Because in Japanese: から kara vs ので node
から gives your own reason, ので just states how things are and reads softer in an apology. 18 example sentences show when to attach each one and why.
How Do You Say "Lend" or "Borrow" in Japanese? 貸す vs 借りる
"Lend" in Japanese is 貸す (kasu); "borrow" is 借りる (kariru) — the particle に does not tell you which, only the verb does. Pattern and examples here.
これ, それ, あれ, どれ: the こそあど grid and how to read it
これ and この are not interchangeable, そ belongs to the listener, and あ is for things you both already know. One grid covers all twenty words.
〜ながら: "while doing" — and why the second verb is the real one
〜ながら joins two actions by the same person, and the second one is the main action. How to build it, why 間に exists, and the literary ながら that means "although".
〜なくてもいい: how to say "you don't have to" in Japanese
〜なくてもいい comes from the negative te-form and literally means "even if you don't, it's fine." How to build it, and why も disappears in speech.
The particle の: five jobs, and only one of them is "of"
の links nouns, replaces a noun you already know, turns verbs into nouns, and ends casual questions. Why 高いの本 is wrong and 赤いの is right.
さえ: the "even" that sets a floor, and the 〜さえ〜ば that means "if only"
さえ picks the least likely example to make a point, and 〜さえ〜ば means "if only that one thing". How it eats を and が, and why すら is its bookish twin.
〜し: the "and" that means "and there's more where that came from"
〜し lists reasons and implies you have left some out. One し alone is enough, and it is why 疲れたし、帰ろう sounds so much more natural than 疲れたから.
次第: "as soon as", "it depends on", and the business email version
次第 does three different jobs: 着き次第 means "as soon as", 天気次第 means "depends on the weather", and 〜次第です closes business emails. How to tell them apart.
そうです has two meanings: "it looks like" and "I heard"
雨が降りそうです and 雨が降るそうです differ by one syllable and mean completely different things. How the two そう attach, and why よさそう is not いいそう.
てしまう and ちゃった: the grammar of "oops, I did it"
てしまう does two jobs at once: it finishes an action completely, and it adds regret. Here is how to tell the two apart, and why ちゃった is everywhere in anime.
〜ている: why 知っている means "I know" and not "I am knowing"
〜ている has two meanings — an action in progress, and a state left behind. The verb decides which, and that is why 知っている is "I know" and 行っている is "has gone".
〜ても: "even if" — and the question words that turn it into "no matter what"
〜ても is the te-form plus も. It means "even if," and with a question word it becomes 何をしても — "no matter what I do." Plus when けど is right instead.
Transitive and intransitive verbs: 開ける vs 開く, and why Japanese prefers the second
Japanese has verb pairs where English has one word. 開ける takes を and names who did it; 開く takes が and does not. The endings that hint at which is which.
つもり: how to say what you intend to do — and the つもり that means you were wrong
つもり states a settled intention. 〜ないつもり and つもりはない are not the same strength, and 〜たつもり means you only thought you had done it.
は vs が: the rule that is never broken, and four that usually hold
は sets the topic, が points at the subject. Start with the question-word rule — 誰が, never 誰は — and the rest of は vs が follows from it.
What Are Japanese Question Words? 何, どこ, いつ and More
Japanese question words — 何 (what), どこ (where), いつ (when), 誰 (who), どう (how), なぜ (why) — slot into the sentence where the answer goes, then add か to ask.
ことができる vs the potential form: two ways to say "I can" in Japanese
Japanese has two ways to say "I can" — 話せます and 話すことができます. Here is how to build both, and the particle that quietly changes between them.
Nakereba naranai: how do you say "must" in Japanese?
Nakereba naranai means "must" or "have to" in Japanese, expressing obligation. For example, 明日、早く起きなければなりません means "I have to get up early tomorrow."
It Depends in Japanese: 場合による and によって
It depends in Japanese: reply 場合によります on its own, and use 〜によって plus 違う or 変わる inside a sentence. Compare 次第, により and によりけり.
たことがあります: how to say "I have done this before" in Japanese
たことがあります is not a past tense — it says a time exists when you did something. How to build it, and why it breaks if you use it for yesterday.
Te Form Japanese: How to Make the て-Form for Every Verb
The te-form connects a verb to what follows without ending the sentence: drop -u, add -te (or -de) — the exact rule depends on the verb group, below.
〜より〜の方が: how comparisons actually work in Japanese
AよりBの方が puts the winner right before の方が. The other basic shape, AはBより, puts it first. The full comparison set, including ほど and 一番.
How you sound
Anata meaning: あなた is "you", so why do Japanese people avoid saying it?
Anata (あなた) means "you", but saying it to someone can feel distant or rude. When あなた is natural, how 君 (kimi) differs, and what Japanese speakers say instead.
What does "black company" mean in Japanese? ブラック企業 explained
ブラック企業 (burakku kigyou) is slang for an exploitative employer — illegal overtime, harassment, no balance. Nothing to do with race. ホワイト企業 is its opposite.
Business Trip in Japanese: 出張 (shutchou) vs 旅行 vs 遠征
出張 (shutchou) is a work trip your company sends you on. 旅行 (ryokou) is travel for fun. 遠征 (ensei) is an "expedition" — anime fans use it for pilgrimage trips.
How to say "complain" in Japanese: 愚痴 vs 文句 (and クレーム)
愚痴 (guchi) is venting to a friend who listens. 文句 (monku) is complaining with an edge, to the person responsible. クレーム is a formal business complaint.
How to say "disappointing" in Japanese: 期待外れ, いまいち, 拍子抜け
がっかり is plain disappointment. 期待外れ is a thing that failed to meet expectations. いまいち is a mild "meh." 拍子抜け is letdown after built-up tension.
"Exaggerate" vs "vague" in Japanese: 誇張・大げさ vs 曖昧・ぼかす
誇張 (kochou) and 大げさ mean exaggerating — making something sound bigger than it is. 曖昧 (aimai) means vague or unclear. One inflates, the other blurs.
How to say "something feels off" in Japanese: 違和感 vs 不安 vs 心配
違和感 (iwakan) is the feeling something is off, not fear or worry. 不安 is anxiety about the future; 心配 is worry about someone specific. Uneasy blurs all three.
ぎりぎり (girigiri): "just barely, right at the edge" — and かろうじて, the formal version
ぎりぎり marks anything sitting right at a limit — time, money, a passing grade — with a casual, slightly breathless feel. かろうじて says the same thing formally.
How to say "let loose" in Japanese: 羽目を外す vs 調子に乗る vs はしゃぐ
羽目を外す (hame wo hazusu) means to let loose or go overboard at a party. 調子に乗る is getting carried away or cocky. はしゃぐ is innocent excitement — three tones.
へこむ (hekomu): to feel down, deflated by something specific
へこむ (hekomu) literally means "to dent," and casually means feeling down after a specific setback. 落ち込む is more neutral and can describe deeper, longer sadness.
Retired in Japanese: 引退 vs 退職 (and Idol 卒業)
引退 (intai) is retiring from a career or sport for good. 退職 (taishoku) is leaving a company job. Idols use a third word entirely: 卒業.
いっそ (isso): "might as well" go all the way
いっそ (isso) means giving up on a half-measure for a more drastic option — "might as well." どうせ is resignation; むしろ is a preference, not an escalation.
コスパ vs タイパ: "cost performance" and "time performance" in Japanese
コスパ (cost performance, value for money) and タイパ (time performance, value for time spent) are two of modern Japanese's most common efficiency buzzwords.
くどい (kudoi): too heavy, too long, too many times
くどい (kudoi) describes anything excessive and wearying: food too rich, a story too long-winded, a point made too many times. It always signals "enough already."
草 (kusa) and "w" in Japanese: why "grass" means "lol" online
草 (kusa, "grass") and the letter w are Japanese internet slang for laughing, born from stacking w after w until the row of w's started looking like grass.
まみれ (mamire): covered in something messy, not just "a lot of it"
まみれ (mamire) attaches to a noun to mean physically covered or smeared in something messy — blood, mud, sweat, dust. だらけ covers abstract "full of" instead.
満員 vs 売り切れ: "full" of people, "sold out" of things
満員 (manin) means full of people — a packed train, a full venue. 売り切れ (urikire) means sold out of stock — no more tickets, food, or products left to sell.
Natural disaster in Japanese: 天災 vs 人災 (and the genius trap)
天災 (tensai) is a natural disaster; 人災 (jinsai) is human-caused. 天災 is also a perfect homophone of 天才, "genius" — same sound, unrelated word.
のんびり vs てきぱき: unhurried and brisk, both compliments
のんびり (nonbiri) describes a relaxed, unhurried pace. てきぱき (tekipaki) describes moving briskly and competently through tasks. Neither means lazy or careless.
How to say "notorious" in Japanese: 悪名高い vs 評判がいい vs 有名
悪名高い (akumyou-dakai / akumei-dakai) is notorious — famous for something bad. 有名 is just famous, no judgment. 評判がいい/悪い is a milder good or bad reputation.
思わず (omowazu) vs つい (tsui): two ways to say "I couldn't help it"
思わず marks a sudden, involuntary reaction to something — a gasp, a laugh. つい marks a small, often repeated lapse in self-control, like eating one more snack.
それな (sorena) meaning: "exactly," "same," "so true" — Japanese agreement slang
それな is casual Japanese slang for "exactly," "same," or "so true," used to agree enthusiastically with what someone just said, especially in texting.
How to say "supply and demand" in Japanese: 需要と供給
需要 (juyou) is demand, 供給 (kyoukyuu) is supply — 需要と供給 reverses the English word order. 需給バランス is the balance; 品不足 is what happens when it breaks.
てっきり (tekkiri): "I was totally sure" — and I was wrong
てっきり (tekkiri) marks a confident assumption that turned out false, used with と思ったら. まさか is different: disbelief at something surprising, not a wrong guess.
"The grass is greener" in Japanese: 隣の芝生は青い and related idioms
隣の芝生は青い (tonari no shibafu wa aoi) is Japanese for "the grass is greener." ないものねだり is wanting what you can't have; 足るを知る is being content instead.
うっかり (ukkari) vs わざと (wazato): "by accident" and "on purpose"
うっかり marks a careless slip — forgetting, dropping, mixing up. わざと is the opposite: doing it on purpose. Swap them and you flip the meaning entirely.
ワンチャン (wanchan) meaning: "maybe, there's a chance" — from ワンチャンス, one chance
Wanchan (ワンチャン) means "maybe, there's a chance" in casual Japanese. Short for ワンチャンス (one chance), it is often traced to mahjong slang.
わざわざ (wazawaza): going out of your way, on purpose
わざわざ (wazawaza) means going out of your way, an effort beyond what was needed. It can express gratitude for the effort, or gently question why someone bothered.
Ki ni naru meaning: curious, bothered or interested in someone?
気になる means something caught your attention and will not let go: curious, bothered, or interested in someone. How it differs from 心配, 気にする and 気に入る.
Ukeru meaning: 受ける for classes and exams, ウケる for "that's hilarious"
受ける means to take a class or exam, or to receive something. Written ウケる, it is slang for "that's so funny." How one verb covers both, with examples.
Japanese abbreviations (略語): why so many words become four syllables
Japanese shortens long words by taking the first two sounds of each half — スマートフォン becomes スマホ, 就職活動 becomes 就活. Once you know the rule you can decode new ones.
ちょっと: "a little", "excuse me", and the polite no that never says no
ちょっと means "a little" — and also softens requests, gets attention, and refuses invitations. How to hear which one, and why 今日はちょっと… is a complete answer.
Okay in Japanese: 大丈夫 daijoubu, いいよ and the OK that means no
大丈夫 covers fine, safe, no problem, and at a shop counter it is usually a polite no thanks. 19 example sentences show which meaning you are hearing.
How to say goodbye in Japanese: さようなら is almost never the right one
さようなら sounds final and Japanese adults rarely say it. The goodbyes people actually use — お疲れさま, 失礼します, じゃあね, また明日 — and how to pick one by situation.
How to say yes in Japanese: はい is not only "yes"
はい, ええ, うん, そうです, わかりました — the Japanese words for yes, what each one really agrees to, and why はい to a negative question means the opposite of English.
わからない vs 知らない: two ways to say "I don't know", one of them cold
分からない (can't work out) vs 知らない (never learned it) — 9 sections, 6 common mistakes, and 10 practice questions, including why 知っていません doesn't exist.
一応 (ichiou): the word Japanese uses to hedge almost anything
一応 means "just in case," "more or less," and "technically yes" — one word covering four jobs. Here is what it actually signals, and when it undersells you.
書き言葉 and 話し言葉: the Japanese you speak is not the Japanese you write
Written Japanese swaps けど for が, でも for しかし, and 〜てる for 〜ている. The full conversion list, plus the four habits that mark an essay as spoken out loud.
暑い, 熱い, 暖かい, 温かい: four temperature words, two pairs of homophones
Learn how Japanese distinguishes hot weather from hot objects and warm air from warm things, using different kanji for atsui and atatakai.
地味 and 派手: the Japanese pair that is not "boring" and "flashy"
地味 is usually translated as "plain" and 派手 as "flashy", and both translations are misleading. Here is what the pair actually means, and when 地味 is a compliment.
人魚 and 人形: how one extra beat changes the word completely
にんぎょ is a mermaid, にんぎょう is a doll — the only difference is one extra beat. How Japanese long vowels work, and how to hear them.
本音 and 建前: what they actually mean, and why it is not lying
Explore honne and tatemae in Japanese, from private thoughts to socially appropriate words, and learn why politeness is not simply dishonesty.
やばい meaning: the one word that covers "amazing", "terrible" and "I have to go"
Explore how yabai shifted from dangerous to a flexible Japanese slang word, learn to read its context, and discover terms like gachi and emoi.
Japanese idioms: 15 慣用句 (and 10 proverbs) that actually come up in conversation
Most Japanese idioms are built from body parts, and a second family is built from other people's eyes. Both tell you something about how the language thinks.
ましょう, ましょうか, ませんか: "let's", "shall I", and the invitation ladder
ましょう assumes you already agree, ませんか asks first, and ましょうか offers to do it for you. Which one to use, and why ましょう can sound pushy to a boss.
〜んです: the ending that connects your sentence to the situation
〜んです does not add meaning — it says "this explains something." How to build it, why 学生んです is wrong, and why too many んですか sounds like an interrogation.
〜てください: polite, but not as polite as you think
〜てください is an instruction with a please on it. How to build it, the negative 〜ないでください, and the four rungs above it for when you need to actually ask.
Keigo vs casual: how to know when to switch in Japanese
Keigo has five official categories, but three jobs matter first: polite, respectful and humble. Here is what each does and when speakers actually switch.
Te mo ii desu ka: how do you ask "can I" in Japanese?
Te mo ii desu ka means "may I" or "can I" in Japanese, asking permission to do something. For example, 写真を撮ってもいいですか means "May I take a photo?"
てはいけません: how strong is "you must not" in Japanese?
てはいけません states a rule, not a request. Here is how it differs from だめ, ないでください, and the anime shout んじゃない, with a strength ladder.
だ or です: the one decision that changes how you sound
Learn when to use だ and です, how verbs and adjectives change, and why plain forms belong inside polite sentences, with examples and practice.
San, kun, chan, sama: how Japanese honorifics work
Learn what san, kun, chan, and sama signal about relationships, how to choose a name, and when dropping an honorific can sound too familiar.
How Do You Say "I" in Japanese? Ore, Boku, Watashi Compared
"I" in Japanese depends on who is speaking: わたし is the safe, neutral default, ぼく is soft and used by men, and おれ is blunt, for men with close friends only.
What anime teaches
Ara ara meaning: what あらあら really says, and who actually says it
Ara ara (あらあら) means "oh my" or "my, my": a soft sound of surprise, mostly used by women. Why anime gave it a teasing image, plus あら, あらら, おやおや and まあまあ.
Darkness in Japanese: 闇 (やみ), 暗い, and what it means when a character goes 闇落ち
Darkness in Japanese is 闇 (やみ, yami); "dark" is 暗い (くらい). Learn 真っ暗 and 暗闇, light 光 as the opposite, 心の闇, and the anime word 闇落ち.
Dattebayo meaning: Naruto's だってばよ, and the real Japanese ってば inside it
Dattebayo (だってばよ) is Naruto's catchphrase, a pushy "I'm telling you!" on the end of his lines. What each part means, the real ってば, and other anime tics.
Demon in Japanese: 鬼 (おに), 悪魔 (あくま) and the 魔王 of isekai
Demon in Japanese is 鬼 (oni) for the horned demon of folklore and 悪魔 (akuma) for the Western devil. Learn 魔王, 妖怪, 鬼滅の刃, slang like 鬼かわいい and 小悪魔.
Dragon in Japanese: 竜 and 龍 (りゅう / たつ), plus ドラゴン
Dragon in Japanese is 竜 or 龍, read りゅう or たつ. Learn which kanji to use, when anime says ドラゴン instead, the 辰 zodiac year, and words like 恐竜 and 竜巻.
Fate in Japanese: 運命 (うんめい), 宿命, 縁, and the red string of fate
Fate in Japanese is 運命 (うんめい). Learn 運命の人, 運命に逆らう, how 宿命 and さだめ differ, 縁 for meant-to-be connections, 赤い糸, and 自分の運命は自分で決める.
Omae wa mou shindeiru meaning: お前はもう死んでいる
Omae wa mou shindeiru (お前はもう死んでいる) means "You are already dead", from Fist of the North Star. Word by word, why ている means "is dead", and the NANI meme.
Japanese honorifics: さん, くん, ちゃん, さま and when to use nothing at all
さん is the safe default, くん and ちゃん are warmth with a direction, さま is distance upward — dropping all of them is its own loud statement. How the set works.
〜なし: the short, hard way to say "without" in Japanese
なし is the noun form of ない, and it ends sentences with a flatness that ありません cannot. Here is なし, なしで, なしに, ぬきで, and why anime uses the short one.
ぜんかい: 前回 and 全開 are different words, and the episode set they belong to
Learn zenkai, konkai, and jikai for last time, this time, and next time in Japanese, and distinguish zenkai from its sound-alike meaning full power.
ネタバレ: how to say "spoiler" in Japanese, and how to ask people not to
ネタバレ is the Japanese word for a spoiler — literally "the material leaked". Here is how to use it, how to warn people, and the fandom words that sit next to it.
先輩 and 後輩: the relationship anime is built on, and how to use the words
Learn how senpai, kouhai, and douki describe relationships in Japanese, how to address each person, and when polite speech fits school or work.
声優 (seiyuu): what the word means, and why Japan has a separate word for it
Explore what seiyuu means, how Japanese voice acting differs from dubbing elsewhere, and the vocabulary for discussing who voices each character.
Why the Japanese you learned from anime sounds rude
Anime is full of real Japanese — spoken by characters who are allowed to be rude. Here is what to keep, what to soften, and how to tell which is which.
The best anime to learn Japanese from — and how to study a scene
Choose anime that builds useful Japanese, compare six shows, avoid copying character speech, and turn short scenes into everyday conversation practice.
How to watch anime with Japanese subtitles without burning out
Learn a manageable Japanese subtitle routine for anime: study one short scene, choose useful lines, and practise speaking without losing the fun.
Yare yare meaning: what does this anime phrase mean?
Learn what yare yare means, how tone changes eight familiar anime phrases, and how to use them naturally in everyday Japanese conversations.
Talking to real people
Allergy in Japanese: アレルギー, 〜アレルギーがあります, and 花粉症
Allergy in Japanese is アレルギー. Learn 卵アレルギーがあります, 〜は入っていますか, 〜抜きでお願いします, 乳製品, 小麦, 花粉症, and how to explain an allergy clearly at a restaurant.
Excuse me in Japanese: すみません, 失礼します, and the one you need on a crowded train
Excuse me in Japanese is usually すみません (sumimasen). Which phrase to use to get attention, squeeze past people, enter a room, ask a stranger, or call a waiter.
In my opinion in Japanese: 個人的には, 私としては, and why 私の意見では sounds stiff
In my opinion in Japanese is usually 個人的には (こじんてきには) plus 〜と思います. Learn 私としては, 私から見ると, あくまで個人的な意見ですが, and how to ask どう思いますか.
Please in Japanese: ください, お願いします, and the どうぞ trap
Please in Japanese is ください (kudasai) or お願いします (onegaishimasu) when you ask, and どうぞ (douzo) when you offer. Which to use, casual forms, and anime lines.
Small talk in Japanese: 世間話, 雑談, and the openers that actually work
Small talk in Japanese is 世間話 (せけんばなし) or 雑談 (ざつだん). Learn the weather openers, the ね that invites agreement, safe topics, aizuchi and polite closers.
甘える (amaeru): leaning on someone's kindness — and 甘やかす, spoiling them back
甘える is acting sweetly dependent, leaning on someone's kindness. 甘やかす is the other side — indulging or spoiling that person. Here is how the verb pair works.
人見知り (hitomishiri): shy around strangers — and 内気, shy by nature
人見知り is shyness specifically around people you do not know yet, fading with familiarity. 内気 is a lasting quiet personality. Here is how to tell them apart.
How to ask for a deadline extension in Japanese: always with your own new date
Asking for more time in Japanese pairs an apology with a specific new date you can commit to — 〇日まで延ばしていただけますか — never an open-ended "more time."
How to cancel a reservation in Japanese: 予約をキャンセルしたいのですが
Say 予約をキャンセルしたいのですが ("I would like to cancel my reservation, but...") by phone or in person. のですが leaves room for staff to ask details.
How to change your order in Japanese: すみません, やっぱり does the whole job
Changing your mind after ordering leads with すみません and やっぱり ("actually, on second thought"), framing the change as your own imposition, not a complaint.
How to reschedule in Japanese: リスケ, and the request that has to come with it
リスケ (resuke) is shorthand for rescheduling, but the word alone is not the request — it needs a proposed new date or a question about theirs attached.
How to return or exchange something in Japanese: レシートはありますか comes first
Returning or exchanging an item in Japan starts with the receipt — レシートはお持ちですか — since most stores will ask for it before hearing your reason at all.
How to say thank you again later in Japanese: 先日は, 先ほどは, その節は
Japanese re-thanks people days after the fact. 先日は covers a few days ago, 先ほどは covers minutes, and その節は is for one big favor, formally.
How to say you will be late in Japanese: the message matters more than the lateness
Being late in Japan is less rude than being late without warning. A short text with a new arrival time — 10分ほど遅れます — is the expected move, before you arrive.
How to send a polite reminder in Japanese: 催促 without sounding like a complaint
A Japanese reminder softens with 念のため (just in case) and 行き違いでしたら (if we crossed messages) so it never reads as an accusation, even for money or deadlines.
片思い (kataomoi): unrequited love — and 両思い, when it goes both ways
片思い is one-sided romantic feelings, unreturned. 両思い is when both people like each other, mutually. Here is the vocabulary for the whole arc between them.
気が合う (ki ga au): clicking with someone — and 馬が合う, the horse idiom for the same thing
気が合う means clicking with someone effortlessly, same wavelength, same sense of humor. 馬が合う is an idiom about a horse and rider that means exactly the same thing.
気まずい (kimazui): an awkward atmosphere — and 微妙, when something is just unclear
気まずい is the tension you actually feel around someone after something happened. 微妙 is when a relationship, opinion, or situation is simply hard to classify.
負けず嫌い (makezugirai): hating to lose — and 頑張り屋, just trying hard
負けず嫌い describes someone driven by hating to lose, competitive by nature. 頑張り屋 describes someone who always tries hard, whether or not anyone is competing.
生意気 (namaiki): cocky for your rank — and 図々しい, shameless for anyone
生意気 criticizes someone for acting above their station — a junior talking back to a senior. 図々しい criticizes boldness regardless of rank. Here is the difference.
お節介 (osekkai): meddling help nobody asked for — and 面倒見がいい, the wanted version
お節介 is unwanted meddling dressed as help. 面倒見がいい is the same initiative, but welcome. The difference is not the act itself, it is whether anyone asked for it.
Jikka, jimoto, kisei: how Japanese talks about "going home"
実家 is your parents' home, 地元 is your hometown area, and 帰省 is the trip back there. Why "I went to my town" sounds odd in Japanese, and what people say instead.
と言えば and そういえば: how to say "speaking of" in Japanese
と言えば means "speaking of" and links to what someone just said. そういえば means "that reminds me" and changes the subject. How to use both, plus と言ったら.
Japanese job interview phrases: what to say from the door to the bow
The set phrases a Japanese interview runs on, in order: 失礼します at the door, 御社 for their company, 申します for your name, and the question to ask at the end.
Japanese sarcasm: 皮肉, 嫌味, and why "すごいですね" can be an insult
Japanese sarcasm is not delivered by tone of voice. It arrives as excessive politeness, over-praise or a stated obvious fact — why learners miss it entirely.
Business Japanese vocabulary the JLPT never teaches you
御社, 弊社, 進捗, 懸念, 承知しました — the words that fill a Japanese workplace and barely appear in textbooks. What each one means and who says it.
How to disagree in Japanese without sounding blunt
違います is for facts, not opinions. The phrases Japanese actually uses to disagree — たしかに〜ですが, とは少し違って, それはどうでしょうか — and when to use each.
〜あたり and 〜につき: how to say "per person" in Japanese
一人あたり is "per person" for calculations, お一人様につき is "per person" for rules, and 一人ずつ is "one at a time" — three phrases English collapses into one word.
ただいま and おかえり: the four greetings a Japanese home runs on
ただいま means "I am back" and おかえり means "welcome back" — two halves of one exchange. Here are all four door greetings, plus why anime wives say おかえりなさい、あなた.
四字熟語: the four-character idioms worth actually learning
A 四字熟語 packs a whole proverb into four kanji — 一石二鳥, 十人十色, 臨機応変. Which ones are used in daily life, and how to fit them into a sentence.
だいたい: "roughly", "mostly", and the one that means "in the first place"
Learn how daitai means roughly, mostly, or in the first place in Japanese, with natural examples, common mistakes, and practice questions.
Japanese words for beautiful: きれい, 美しい, かわいい and what each one claims
きれい is the everyday word and also means clean. 美しい is beauty with distance. かわいい is not "beautiful" at all. What each word actually claims.
What Is "Delicious" in Japanese? 美味しい, うまい, 絶品 Compared
"Delicious" in Japanese is 美味しい (oishii) — polite anywhere. うまい means the same but sounds blunt and male-coded; 絶品 is for truly outstanding food only.
What Is "Happy" in Japanese? 嬉しい, 楽しい, and 幸せ Compared
"Happy" in Japanese splits three ways: 嬉しい reacts to something that happened, 楽しい describes an enjoyable activity, and 幸せ is the settled happiness of a life.
Tired in Japanese: 疲れた, 眠い, だるい — the right pick
Tired in Japanese: 疲れた, 眠い, だるい and へとへと explained with audio and a comparison table so you pick the right word every time. Updated 2026.
難しい and 大変: "difficult" and "tough" are not the same complaint
Learn how muzukashii describes difficulty and taihen describes hardship in Japanese, with vocabulary to explain how challenging something feels.
〜にあたる: the word you need when two languages do not line up
Learn how ni ataru expresses equivalents, dates, and matching relationships in Japanese, and how its meaning differs from ni atatte.
いくらですか: asking how much something costs, and understanding the answer
Learn to ask prices with ikura desu ka, handle fast replies with useful follow-up questions, and read Japanese price tags before you ask.
What Do いただきます and ごちそうさま Mean in Japanese?
いただきます is said before eating in Japanese — the humble form of "to receive." ごちそうさまでした is said after, thanking whoever prepared or provided the meal.
残業, 出勤, 有給: the Japanese work vocabulary that arrives late and matters early
Learn Japanese workplace vocabulary for overtime, going to work, and paid leave, with the verbs and particles needed to use each term naturally.
もったいない: the word for "what a waste", and why it is bigger than that
Explore how mottainai describes wasted food, money, talent, and opportunities in Japanese, and how it can also be used to turn down a compliment.
飲み会 and 無礼講: the words you need at a Japanese drinking party
Explore Japanese drinking party vocabulary, what happens at a nomikai, and why a bureikou announcement does not always erase workplace rank.
お邪魔します: what to say when you walk into a Japanese home
お邪魔します literally means "I am going to be a nuisance" — what you say at the door. The phrase on the way out is the same verb, past tense.
お疲れさま: the Japanese phrase that means hello, goodbye, thank you and well done
お疲れさまです is the most-used phrase in Japanese work life, and it is not about tiredness. What it does, who you say it to, and why ご苦労さま gets people in trouble.
Asking for directions in Japanese: 一番近い駅, and the four words in the answer
すみません、駅はどこですか gets you a direction; understanding the answer needs まっすぐ, 右, 左 and 曲がる. Here is the full exchange, plus 最寄り駅 and how to check you understood.
How do you say "how do you say...?" in Japanese?
Learn how to ask what something is called in Japanese, use shorter everyday phrases, and ask for a word even when you do not know it in English.
どれくらいかかりますか: how to ask "how long does it take" in Japanese
Learn to ask how long something takes in Japanese with kakaru, answer questions about time and cost, and avoid a particle mix-up that matters.
Repeat in Japanese: もう一度お願いします mou ichido onegaishimasu
To ask someone to repeat in Japanese, say すみません、もう一度お願いします (sumimasen, mou ichido onegaishimasu). 21 example lines add slower speech and simpler words.
Expensive in Japanese: How to Say 高い (takai) Politely
Expensive in Japanese is 高い (takai). Say 高いですね politely, 高すぎます for "too expensive," 安い for cheap, and how to turn down a price without sounding rude.
How to say your age in Japanese: 〜歳, the four readings that break, and 二十歳
Ages take the counter 歳: 三十歳 is さんじゅっさい. Four numbers change the reading, and 20 has its own word — 二十歳 is はたち. Here is the full set plus how to ask politely.
Talking about hobbies in Japanese: 趣味は何ですか, and the answer that sounds natural
趣味は何ですか is easy to ask and surprisingly hard to answer well. Here is the vocabulary, the 〜ことです and 〜のが好きです patterns, and why a bare noun often sounds flat.
Japanese personality adjectives: how to describe someone without insulting them
Learn Japanese personality adjectives, from kind and serious to cheerful, and spot words that sound like compliments but can cause offense.
What Do You Say When Someone Sneezes in Japanese?
Japanese has no everyday equivalent of "bless you" — the normal response to a sneeze is silence. If someone keeps sneezing and looks unwell, say 大丈夫ですか or お大事に.
Japanese transportation vocabulary: the words, and the particle that surprises everyone
Learn Japanese transportation vocabulary and the particles used with noru and oriru, so you can talk about getting on and off vehicles correctly.
How Do You Talk About the Weather in Japanese? 暑い vs 暖かい
Japanese weather words split by whether you like the temperature: 暑い is unpleasantly hot, 暖かい is pleasantly warm, same split covers 寒い and 涼しい.
Congratulations in Japanese: おめでとう, and when not to say it
Learn how to say congratulations in Japanese for birthdays, weddings, graduations, and New Year, plus casual forms and when to avoid them.
でございます: the です you hear in every Japanese shop, and what it is doing
でございます is the extra-formal version of です. Here is when it is used, how it differs from ございます and いらっしゃいます, and why 〜になります on a coffee cup is a famous mistake.
How to say "haircut" in Japanese: 切る, 刈る, 剃る and the sentence that means you did it yourself
Learn Japanese words for haircuts, trimming, and shaving, plus practical salon and barber phrases to explain how you want your hair cut.
How to say hello in Japanese: こんにちは is not the default you think it is
Japanese greetings depend on time of day and relationship, and several have no English equivalent — おはよう, こんにちは, お疲れ様, ただいま — and when each one fires.
How to say no in Japanese: いいえ answers questions, it rarely refuses invitations
いいえ answers yes/no questions, but a bare いいえ is rarely how Japanese refuses. Here is how they actually refuse — ちょっと, 大丈夫です, 難しいです.
How to say "I'm sick" in Japanese — and why 病気です is usually the wrong one
Learn Japanese words for feeling sick, how to describe your symptoms, and practical phrases for telling your workplace you need a day off.
すみません Meaning: When to Use It vs ごめん and 申し訳ありません
すみません is the middle rung of the Japanese apology ladder: ごめん for friends, 申し訳ありません at work. Which fits, why すみません also means thank you, and how to reply.
ありがとうございます Meaning and Use: Thank You in Japanese
ありがとうございます is thank you for now; ありがとうございました closes the whole thing. The full ladder from ありがとう to 助かりました and おかげさまで, plus what to reply.
I love you in Japanese: 好き, 大好き, 愛してる and why the last one is almost never said
Learn why Japanese couples rarely say aishiteru, what suki communicates, why it uses ga, and how people express love in everyday conversation.
Brother in Japanese: 兄 ani vs お兄さん oniisan (family words)
Brother in Japanese is 兄 ani for your own and お兄さん oniisan for someone else's. 2 tables and 11 examples cover the family words you need and the uchi-soto rule.
How Do You Introduce Yourself in Japanese? 自己紹介 Template
A Japanese 自己紹介 (jikoshoukai) follows a fixed five-part shape: greeting, name, where you are from, one detail, and closing — the same template every time.
What Are Japanese Taste Words? 甘い, 酸っぱい, しょっぱい and More
Japanese taste words cover the same five basics as English — 甘い (sweet), 酸っぱい (sour), しょっぱい (salty), 苦い (bitter), 辛い (spicy) — plus texture words English lacks.
Days of the week and dates in Japanese — and the planets hiding in them
The seven weekday kanji are the same seven planets behind Tuesday and Saturday in English. Plus the irregular dates: ついたち, はつか, しがつ, くがつ.
How Do You Ask "What Does This Mean?" in Japanese?
Ask どういう意味ですか for a word's meaning, 何と言いますか to say it, 何と読みますか for a kanji. A 6-row cheat sheet and 10 practice questions.
How to tell time in Japanese: 時, 分, and the readings that break
4時 is よじ, 9時 is くじ, and 3時 and 3時間 mean completely different things. The irregular readings, the に rule, and where 午前 goes.
Japanese counters: the six you need and the escape hatch for everything else
You cannot say "two beers" in Japanese without a counter. Learn つ, 人, 本, 枚, 個 and 杯, the sound changes that break them, and what to do when you forget one.
Japanese filler words: えーと, あの, なんか — and why silence is worse
えーと is thinking out loud, あの is aimed at the listener, なんか is "like". The fillers that buy you time, plus the あいづち that keep the other person talking.
Japanese homophones: はし, あめ, かみ — and how anyone tells them apart
Japanese has many homophones because it has few sounds. Pitch separates some, kanji separates the rest, and speakers work around the ones that survive both.
What Is Japanese Onomatopoeia? Giongo vs Gitaigo Explained
Japanese onomatopoeia splits into 擬音語 (giongo), actual sounds like ワンワン, and 擬態語 (gitaigo), states like ドキドキ or ワクワク — everyday adult words, not just comics.
和製英語: the English words in Japanese that are not English
マンション is not a mansion and コンセント is not consent. A guide to 和製英語 — where these words come from, the four types, and why they are hardest for English speakers.
The two questions that keep a Japanese conversation alive
Learn two simple Japanese questions for asking about meaning and finding missing words, then practise using the answers to keep a conversation going.
Talking about your job in Japanese — the one particle that trips everyone
Learn to describe your job and workplace in Japanese, choose the right particle, and answer everyday work questions with clear examples.
Akihabara & otaku Japan
Japanese lessons in Akihabara: your options, and what to learn before you go
Japanese lessons for Akihabara: schools, short courses, tutors or online prep? Compare them, then learn the tag words that matter: 中古, 買取, ジャンク, 税込.
垢 (aka) meaning: Japanese internet slang for "account" — 裏垢, 鍵垢, and 垢バレ
垢 (aka) is internet slang short for アカウント (account), the base for compounds like 裏垢 (secret account) and 鍵垢 (locked, private account).
〜民 (min) suffix: how Japanese internet slang turns any group into "-ites"
The suffix 〜民 (min), literally "citizen" or "people," attaches to almost any noun online to mean "the people of X" — Twitter民, ジブリ民, and more.
二次元 vs 三次元 (nijigen vs sanjigen): "2D" fiction and "3D" reality in otaku Japanese
二次元 (2D) means fictional anime, manga, and game characters; 三次元 (3D) means the real, physical world — a dividing line fandom culture jokes about constantly.
スパチャ and 投げ銭: how Japanese livestream tipping culture works
スパチャ (super chat) is YouTube's paid highlighted comment; 投げ銭 (nagesen, "throwing money") is the broader Japanese word for tipping any streamer.
Otaku slang in Japanese: 推し, 尊い, 沼 and the words fandom actually runs on
Learn Japanese fandom slang such as oshi, toutoi, numa, and kamikai, with literal meanings and examples that help you use these words naturally.
Japanese shopping phrases: how do you ask for a price?
Ten Japanese shopping phrases for Akihabara: これ、いくらですか？ (How much is this?), what staff will say to you, and the one question that finds the item you came for.
Anison bon-odori at an overseas anime convention — and what to say if you join
Discover how anime songs bring bon-odori to overseas conventions, and learn useful Japanese for joining the dance and talking with other fans.
From the podcast
How to Play Shiritori: The Japanese Word Chain Game Rules
Shiritori: say a word starting with the last sound of the one before it, going around the circle — you lose on ん, a repeat, or no answer. Rules here.
Studying Japanese with anime: two traps to avoid
Yes, you can study Japanese with anime — but two traps wait: genres that teach Japanese nobody speaks, and voices too clear for real speech. How to avoid both.
Anime pilgrimage (seichi junrei): how to actually plan it
Seichi junrei (聖地巡礼) means visiting the real places an anime is set in — the topic of episode 48 of the NihonGO podcast. How to plan the trip, 5 FAQs and the Japanese you need.
The Yamanote Line game: rules, rhythm, and how not to lose
The Yamanote Line game: pick a category, clap a steady rhythm, and name something in it on your beat; miss, repeat, or break rhythm and you are out.
Lesson notes
Deadline in Japanese: 締め切り (shimekiri) vs 期限 (kigen) vs 納期, and the 機嫌 trap
Deadline in Japanese is 締め切り (shimekiri). Learn 期限 vs 納期, 締め切りに間に合う, the までに vs まで trap, and why 期限 sounds like 機嫌 (mood).
Humble in Japanese: 謙虚 (kenkyo) vs 謙遜 (kenson) vs 控えめ, and why "no, no, not at all" is not fake modesty
Humble in Japanese is 謙虚 for a trait and 謙遜 for playing down praise. Learn 控えめ, 腰が低い, and how to answer a compliment without sounding fake.
Man and Woman in Japanese: 男 vs 男性 vs 男の人, 女 vs 女性 vs 女の人 — which one sounds blunt
Man in Japanese is 男 (おとこ), woman is 女 (おんな), but both can sound blunt alone. See when 男の人, 男性, 男の子 and 男子 are typical, and how to avoid rude ones.
Relatable in Japanese: 共感できる (kyoukan dekiru), わかる, and あるある — three ways to say "I feel that"
Relatable in Japanese splits by meaning: 共感できる for feelings, 感情移入 for characters, あるある for shared moments. Plus how to say why not.
Actually in Japanese: 実は (jitsu wa) reveals, 実際 reports, 本当は confesses
Actually in Japanese has overlapping options: 実は introduces news, 実際 stresses real experience, 本当は contrasts the truth with appearances. Examples inside.
But in Japanese: でも, けど, が, しかし — which one goes where
In the basic "but" use, でも opens a new sentence, けど and が join two clauses, and しかし is the formal opener. Plus the other でも, as in お茶でも.
Cold in Japanese: 寒い (samui) for the air, 冷たい (tsumetai) for things you touch
Cold in Japanese is 寒い (samui) for weather and how you feel, 冷たい (tsumetai) for things you touch. Plus 風邪, 冷える, 冷める and 寒がり.
For example in Japanese: 例えば (tatoeba), とか, など and how to list things without sounding like a textbook
For example in Japanese is 例えば (tatoeba). It works alone; とか or など are optional extras, and it also sets up "say…" hypothetical situations.
Same in Japanese: 同じ (onaji) takes no な, and 一緒 is not always "same"
"Same" in Japanese is 同じ (onaji): no な or の before a noun (同じ店), and "same as X" is Xと同じ. Plus when 一緒 means "together," and 同じくらい vs 同じように.
適当 (tekitou) means both "just right" and "sloppy": how to tell which one you just heard
Tekitou (適当) can mean "suitable," "a reasonable amount," or "careless." The situation tells you which, more than whether you hear 適当な or 適当に.
Which in Japanese: dore, dotchi, dochira and dono explained
Which in Japanese usually depends on how many options you have: どっち/どちら for two, どれ for three or more, どの before a noun. Plus どちら様 and どちらでも.
Why in Japanese: なんで vs どうして vs なぜ
Why in Japanese: なんで (casual), どうして (neutral), なぜ (formal). Polite forms, why questions that sound like blame, and how to answer.
Accident in Japanese: 事故 (じこ), 交通事故, and what to say when something goes wrong
Accident in Japanese is 事故 (jiko), as in 交通事故 (traffic accident). Learn 事故に遭う vs 事故を起こす, 人身事故 on trains, and the "by accident" words.
Beer in Japanese: ビール (biiru), 生ビール, とりあえず and how to order one
Beer in Japanese is ビール (biiru), with a long ii. Learn 生ビール, とりあえず生, 乾杯, counters like 一杯 and 一本, and how to order at an izakaya.
Animal in Japanese: 動物 vs 生き物, plus names, kanji and counters
Animal in Japanese is 動物 (doubutsu). Learn how it differs from 生き物, ペット and 獣, common animal names with kanji, 匹/頭/羽 counters, and anime foxes and tanuki.
Enjoy in Japanese: 楽しむ, 楽しい and 楽しみ explained
Enjoy in Japanese is 楽しむ (tanoshimu), but "I enjoyed it" is usually 楽しかった. Learn 楽しむ vs 楽しい vs 楽しみ, "enjoy your trip", and common mistakes.
Fruit in Japanese: 果物 (kudamono) vs フルーツ, with names and kanji
Fruit in Japanese is 果物 (kudamono), with a reading learners rarely guess. See 果物 vs フルーツ, hiragana, katakana and kanji for common fruits, and 実がなる.
Idea in Japanese: アイデア, 考え, 案, and how to say "no idea"
Idea in Japanese is アイデア (aidea) in katakana, but 考え, 案 and 発想 fit many cases better. Learn how to say "good idea" and "no idea" naturally, plus mistakes.
Meat in Japanese: how do you say and read 肉 and 牛肉, 豚肉, 鶏肉?
Meat in Japanese is 肉 (niku). Learn how to read 牛肉, 豚肉, 鶏肉, ひき肉 and 焼肉, why 牛肉 is not "ushi niku", and how to say you cannot eat meat.
Medicine in Japanese: how do you say 薬 (kusuri) and use it with the right verb?
Medicine in Japanese is 薬 (kusuri), often お薬 when polite. Learn the verbs 飲む, 塗る and さす, pharmacy words, 医学 vs 薬, and anime potions.
Place in Japanese: 場所, 所, and when to use each
Place in Japanese is 場所 (basho). Learn 場所 vs 所 (tokoro), 居場所, 会場, 席, the 〜のところ trick, and why 1st place is not 場所. Includes practice.
Police in Japanese: 警察, 警察官, お巡りさん and 交番 explained
Police in Japanese is 警察 (keisatsu) for the organization, 警察官 for the officer, お巡りさん in speech. Learn 交番, 110 vs 119, 刑事, and what to say.
Restaurant in Japanese: レストラン, お店, 食堂 and how to eat out
Restaurant in Japanese is レストラン (resutoran), but it sounds Western. Learn 店, 食堂, 居酒屋, ファミレス, plus what to say when you enter, order, pay and leave.
Tea in Japanese: how do you say お茶, 紅茶 and お茶する?
Tea in Japanese is お茶 (ocha), usually green tea. See why 茶 alone is rare, how 紅茶 means black tea, and what お茶する and お茶でもどう？ really mean.
Vegetable in Japanese: how do you say 野菜 and name common vegetables?
Vegetable in Japanese is 野菜 (yasai). Learn the polite お野菜, menu words like 野菜炒め, nine common vegetable names, and how to say you do not eat meat.
Visit in Japanese: 行く, 訪ねる, 訪れる, 訪問する or 伺う?
Visit in Japanese is usually 行く or 遊びに行く in conversation. Learn when 訪問する, 訪ねる, 訪れる and 伺う fit, how formal each is, and the mistakes to avoid.
Bright in Japanese: how do you use 明るい (akarui)?
Akarui means bright in Japanese: a bright room, a cheerful person, a bright color. 部屋が明るい means "The room is bright." Here is how it behaves.
Carry in Japanese: 運ぶ vs 持つ and the verbs that mean "carry"
Carry in Japanese is 運ぶ when you move something from A to B and 持つ when you hold it. Plus 持ち歩く (carry around), 背負う (on the back), 抱える (in the arms) and 持ち込み.
Coffee in Japanese: how do you say and order コーヒー?
Coffee in Japanese is コーヒー (koohii), written in katakana with a long ー. Learn 珈琲, kissaten vs cafe, how to order hot or iced, and common mistakes.
Computer in Japanese: pasokon, konpyūtā and dennō
Computer in Japanese is usually パソコン (pasokon) in daily life, コンピューター for the technology, and 電脳 for sci-fi. Here is when to use each, plus PC verbs.
Die in Japanese: 死ぬ, 亡くなる and why 死ね is not a joke
Die in Japanese is 死ぬ (しぬ), but for a real person who has passed away you say 亡くなる. Learn 死んだ, 死にます, 死ね, 死ぬほど and the anime and game phrases.
Few in Japanese: how do you say "few" and "a little" with 少ない and 少し?
Few in Japanese is 少ない (sukunai) for "not many / not much", and 少し (sukoshi) for "a little". 人が少ない means "there are few people". Here is how to use both.
Hobby in Japanese: how do you say 趣味 (shumi) and talk about yours?
Hobby in Japanese is 趣味 (しゅみ, shumi). Say 趣味は〜ことです ("My hobby is doing ~"), and 趣味は本を読むことです means "My hobby is reading books."
Left in Japanese: how do you say left and right (左 hidari, 右 migi)?
Left in Japanese is 左 (hidari) and right is 右 (migi). For example, 左に曲がってください means "Please turn left." Learn the kanji, 左右, and the left-over trap.
Perfect in Japanese: how do you say it with 完璧 (kanpeki)?
Perfect in Japanese is 完璧 (かんぺき, kanpeki), a na-adjective: 完璧な計画, 完璧に覚えた. See the kanji, hiragana, パーフェクト, 完全, and ばっちり.
Push and pull in Japanese: 押す (osu) and 引く (hiku)
Push in Japanese is 押す (osu) and pull is 引く (hiku). Learn the door signs 押 and 引, the particles, and why hiku also means to catch a cold or draw a gacha.
Special in Japanese: how do you say it with 特別 (tokubetsu)?
Special in Japanese is 特別 (とくべつ, tokubetsu): 特別な日, 特別に教える. See the kanji, hiragana, スペシャル, 特に, 特殊, and 限定 so you pick the right one.
How do you say "stand" and "sit" in Japanese? 立つ and 座る
Stand in Japanese is 立つ (tatsu) and sit is 座る (suwaru). 立ってください means "please stand," and the ている form tells you if someone is already standing or sitting.
Touch in Japanese: 触る, 触れる, and "keep in touch"
Touch in Japanese is 触る (さわる) for putting a hand on something, 触れる (ふれる) for a light touch, and 連絡する for "keep in touch". Signs and examples.
Another in Japanese: もう一つ, 他の, or 別の?
Another in Japanese depends on what you want: もう一つ is one more of the same, 他の and 別の mean a different one. Learn which to use when you order or shop.
Anything in Japanese: 何か (nanika), 何でも (nandemo) or 何も (nanimo)?
Anything in Japanese is 何か in questions (何か食べますか), 何でも for "whatever" (何でもいい), and 何も plus a negative for "not anything." Here is how to pick.
Bring in Japanese: 持ってくる (motte kuru) vs 持っていく (motte iku)
Bring in Japanese is 持ってくる when the thing comes toward you and 持っていく when it goes away. Plus 連れてくる for people and 持参 for formal Japanese.
How do you say "everyone" in Japanese? みんな, 皆さん, 皆様 and 全員
Everyone in Japanese is みんな (casual), 皆さん (polite, when addressing people), 皆様 (very formal) or 全員 (counting every member). Here is when to use each one.
Exactly in Japanese: そのとおり, ちょうど, まさに (and which one you mean)
Exactly in Japanese is そのとおり or そうそう when you agree, ちょうど for exact amounts and times, and まさに for emphasis. Here is how each one sounds, and the rude trap.
Find in Japanese: 見つける, 見つかる, and 探す explained
Find in Japanese is 見つける when you spot something and 見つかる when it turns up. 探す is to look for it. Plus how to say "find out" and "I find it fun".
Heavy in Japanese: how do you say 重い (omoi) and its opposite 軽い?
Heavy in Japanese is 重い (omoi), written おもい in hiragana. Its opposite is 軽い (karui). Learn the conjugations, idioms, and how to ask about weight.
How do you say "ride" in Japanese? 乗る and the に particle
To ride in Japanese is 乗る (noru), and it takes に, not を: 電車に乗る means "ride the train." Plus 乗り換える, 降りる, 乗せる and idioms like 調子に乗る.
Ugly in Japanese: 醜い, ブサイク, ダサい, and which one is safe to say
Ugly in Japanese is 醜い in writing, ブサイク for faces, ダサい for uncool clothes or taste, and 汚い for dirty things. Here is which one is safe and which one hurts.
Wash in Japanese: how do you say 洗う, 洗濯する, and お手洗い?
Wash in Japanese is 洗う (あらう): 手を洗う, 顔を洗う, 皿を洗う. Clothes use 洗濯する, teeth use 磨く, and お手洗い is a polite word for the toilet. Masu form: 洗います.
Arrive in Japanese: 着く (tsuku), 到着する, 届く and which one to use
Arrive in Japanese is 着く (tsuku) for people, 届く (todoku) for packages. Learn 到着する, 来る, 帰る and 間に合う, and why it is 駅に着く, not 駅で着く.
Be careful in Japanese: 気をつけて (ki wo tsukete) and the other ways to say it
Be careful in Japanese is usually 気をつけて (ki wo tsukete). Learn when to say 危ない, 注意して, 慎重に or 無理しないで instead, and why お大事に is not "take care".
By the way in Japanese: ところで (tokorode) vs ちなみに (chinamini) and when to use each
By the way in Japanese is ところで (tokorode) for a new topic and ちなみに (chinamini) for related extra info. Learn そういえば, 余談ですが and how anime says them.
Calm Down in Japanese: 落ち着いて (Ochitsuite) and 7 More Ways
Calm down in Japanese is 落ち着いて (ochitsuite). Learn 落ち着け, 冷静に, まあまあ, 焦らないで and 深呼吸して, plus who you can safely say each one to.
Continue in Japanese: 続ける (tsuzukeru) vs 続く (tsuzuku) and how to say "keep going"
Continue in Japanese is 続ける (tsuzukeru) when you do the continuing and 続く (tsuzuku) when something just goes on. Plus 〜続ける, 続き, 継続する and 引き続き.
Decide in Japanese: 決める (kimeru) vs 決まる (kimaru) vs ことにする
To decide in Japanese you pick between 決める (I decide it), 決まる (it gets decided) and ことにする (I decided to). Here is how they differ, with anime examples.
Leave in Japanese: 出る (deru), 出かける (dekakeru), 帰る (kaeru) and more — which one do you need?
Leave in Japanese is not one word: 出る for exiting a place, 帰る for heading home, 置いていく for leaving behind, やめる for quitting. Learn which verb fits.
Practice in Japanese: 練習 (renshuu), 稽古, 訓練 and which one to use
Practice in Japanese is usually 練習 (renshuu), and 練習する is the verb. But 稽古, トレーニング, 訓練, 実践 and 習慣 cover the other meanings of "practice."
Put in Japanese: 置く (oku), 入れる (ireru) and the verbs English hides inside "put"
Put in Japanese depends on where the thing ends up: 置く for a surface, 入れる for inside, 着る for clothes, 貼る for stickers. Here is the full set with examples.
What's wrong in Japanese: どうしたの (doushita no), and why 何が悪い sounds angry
What's wrong in Japanese is どうしたの (doushita no), not the word-for-word 何が悪い, which sounds like a challenge. Polite, casual and anime versions explained.
Boyfriend in Japanese: 彼氏 (かれし), 彼女 (かのじょ), 恋人, 付き合う, and 元カレ
Boyfriend in Japanese is 彼氏 (かれし) and girlfriend is 彼女 (かのじょ), which also means "she". Learn 恋人, 付き合う, 元カレ, 今カレ and how to ask 彼氏いる？
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner in Japanese: 朝ご飯, 昼ご飯, 晩ご飯 and More
Breakfast, lunch and dinner in Japanese are 朝ご飯 (あさごはん), 昼ご飯 (ひるごはん) and 晩ご飯 (ばんごはん). Learn 朝食, 朝飯, ランチ, 夜ご飯 and when each one fits.
Child in Japanese: 子ども (こども), 子, お子さん, 子どもっぽい, and 子どもらしい
Child in Japanese is 子ども (こども), also written 子供. Learn 子, うちの子 vs お子さん (your kid vs theirs), 子どもっぽい vs 子どもらしい, the rude ガキ, and こどもの日.
Earthquake in Japanese: 地震 (じしん), 揺れる, 震度, 余震, and 津波
Earthquake in Japanese is 地震 (じしん). Learn 揺れ, 震度 vs マグニチュード, 余震, 津波, 避難, the quick small talk after a quake, and the 自信 homophone trap.
Travel in Japanese: 旅行 (りょこう) vs 旅 (たび), plus 観光, 出張, and 旅行に行く
Travel in Japanese is 旅行 (りょこう) for a trip in general and 旅 (たび) when the journey itself is the focus. Learn 旅行に行く, 旅に出る, 観光, 出張, and common mistakes.
Achieve in Japanese: 達成 (たっせい), 叶える, 実現, and 達成感
Achieve in Japanese is 達成する (たっせいする), as in 目標を達成する. Learn 達成感 (sense of accomplishment), 夢を叶える, 実現する, やり遂げる, 成し遂げる, and when to use each one.
Addicted in Japanese: ハマる, 〜中毒, 依存, and やめられない
Addicted in Japanese is ハマる for being hooked on a hobby and 〜中毒 (ちゅうどく) for a stronger "addict". Learn スマホ中毒, 依存症, やめられない, 沼, and how serious each one sounds.
Angel in Japanese: 天使 (てんし), 堕天使, and why a sleeping baby is 天使
Angel in Japanese is 天使 (てんし, tenshi). Learn fallen angel 堕天使, 天使の輪 for shiny hair, nurses as 白衣の天使, the compliment 天使すぎる, and angels in anime.
Arm in Japanese: 腕 (うで), 腕がいい, 腕を組む, and 腕によりをかける
Arm in Japanese is 腕 (うで). Learn 腕を組む, 腕立て伏せ, 二の腕, and how 腕 also means skill in phrases like 腕がいい, 腕を上げる, 腕前, and 腕によりをかける, with practice.
Autograph in Japanese: サイン, サイン会, 色紙, and the polite way to ask
Autograph in Japanese is サイン. Learn how to ask サインをいただけますか, サイン会 (signing event), サイン入り, 色紙 boards, 直筆, and why documents use 署名 or a ハンコ.
Baby in Japanese: 赤ちゃん (あかちゃん), 抱っこ, いないいないばあ, and the ベビーカー
Baby in Japanese is 赤ちゃん (あかちゃん, akachan). Learn 赤ん坊 and 新生児, 抱っこ and おんぶ, ハイハイ, いないいないばあ, how to congratulate a new parent, and why a stroller is a ベビーカー.
Back in Japanese: 背中 (せなか), 腰, 後ろ, 戻る, and 背中を押す
Back in Japanese is 背中 (せなか) for the body part. Learn 腰 for the lower back, 後ろ for behind, 戻る for coming back, 裏 for the reverse side, and 背中を押す.
Bag in Japanese: かばん (kaban), バッグ and 袋 (fukuro)
Bag in Japanese is かばん or バッグ for a bag you carry, 袋 (ふくろ) for a shop bag. See how to answer 袋いりますか？ at the konbini, plus リュック, エコバッグ and 紙袋.
Bath in Japanese: お風呂 (おふろ), 風呂に入る, 湯船, 銭湯, and 風呂上がり
Bath in Japanese is お風呂 (おふろ), and taking a bath is お風呂に入る, "enter the bath". Learn シャワーを浴びる, 湯船, 銭湯 (public bath), 温泉, 長風呂, and 風呂上がり.
Bed in Japanese: ベッド, 布団 (ふとん), 布団を敷く, 布団を干す, and 枕
Bed in Japanese is ベッド, but many people sleep on a 布団 (ふとん) on the floor. Learn 布団を敷く, 布団をたたむ, 布団を干す, 枕 (pillow), 寝る, and 寝坊 (oversleeping).
Beginner in Japanese: 初心者 (しょしんしゃ), 初級, 素人, and how to say "I'm still a beginner"
Beginner in Japanese is 初心者 (しょしんしゃ). Learn まだ初心者です, 初級 vs 入門 for classes, 初心者向け, 新人 at work, 素人 vs プロ, and gaming words like 初見.
Bird in Japanese: 鳥 (とり), 鳥肌, 一石二鳥, and why 焼き鳥 is chicken
Bird in Japanese is 鳥 (とり, tori). Learn 小鳥 and 鶏, why 焼き鳥 means chicken, 鳥肌 for goosebumps, 一石二鳥, 立つ鳥跡を濁さず, the paper crane, and bird sounds like チュンチュン.
黒い (くろい) means black in Japanese: 真っ黒, 腹黒い, 黒歴史
Black in Japanese is 黒 (くろ), or 黒い as an adjective. Learn 真っ黒, 黒字 (profit), 腹黒い (scheming), 白黒つける, ブラック for black coffee, and the slang 黒歴史.
Blood in Japanese: 血 (ち), 血液型, 鼻血, 献血, and 血がつながる
Blood in Japanese is 血 (ち). Learn 血が出る (to bleed), 血液型 (blood type) and its personality myths, 鼻血 (nosebleed), 献血 (blood donation), 血圧, and 血がつながる.
Blue in Japanese: 青 (ao), 青い (aoi), 真っ青 and 青信号
Blue in Japanese is 青 (あお), or 青い as an adjective. Learn why a green light is 青信号, 真っ青 (deep blue or pale), 水色 (light blue), 紺 (navy), 青春 (youth), and 青二才.
Body in Japanese: 体 (からだ), 体調, 体力, 体重, and 体が硬い
Body in Japanese is 体 (からだ). Learn 体にいい (good for you), 体調 (physical condition), 体力 (stamina), 体重 (weight), 体が硬い (stiff), and お体に気をつけて (take care).
Bone in Japanese: 骨 (ほね), 骨折, 豚骨, and 骨が折れる
Bone in Japanese is 骨 (ほね). Learn 骨折 (a broken bone), 魚の骨, 豚骨 ramen, and idioms like 骨が折れる and 骨休め, with examples, a table, and practice.
Book in Japanese: 本 (ほん), 冊, 文庫本, and the Japanese word for unread books, 積読
Book in Japanese is 本 (ほん, hon), counted with 冊. Learn 本屋 and 図書館, 小説, 文庫本 and 単行本, 立ち読み, the free bookstore cover, and 積読, a stack of books you never read.
Boss in Japanese: 上司 (じょうし), 社長, 部長, and the coworker word 同僚
Boss in Japanese is 上司 (じょうし) for your manager and 社長 for the company president. Learn 同僚 (coworker), 部下, 部長, 課長, 店長, and the anime bosses 親分 and ボス.
Brain in Japanese: 脳 (のう), 脳みそ, 脳トレ, and 脳内
Brain in Japanese is 脳 (のう). Learn 脳みそ, 頭脳, 脳トレ (brain training), 脳内 (in my head), 頭を使う, and how Japanese usually talks about being smart.
Breath in Japanese: 息 (いき), 深呼吸, ため息, and 息抜き
Breath in Japanese is 息 (いき). Learn 息を吸う and 息を吐く, 深呼吸, ため息, 息が切れる, and the idioms 息抜き, 一息つく, 息が合う, and 息をのむ, with practice.
Bridge in Japanese: 橋 (はし), 箸 vs 端, 橋渡し, and 危ない橋を渡る
Bridge in Japanese is 橋 (はし). Learn how it differs from 箸 (chopsticks) and 端 (edge), 歩道橋, つり橋, 橋渡し, and the idiom 危ない橋を渡る, with practice.
Brown in Japanese: 茶色 (chairo), 茶色い, 茶髪 and こげ茶
Brown in Japanese is 茶色 (ちゃいろ), "tea color", or 茶色い as an adjective. Learn 茶髪 (dyed brown hair), こげ茶 (dark brown), ベージュ, ブラウン, and 小麦色 for tanned skin.
Buy in Japanese: 買う (kau) and What You Say at a Shop
Buy in Japanese is 買う (かう), a godan verb: 買います, 買った, 買って. Learn 買い物, 買ってくる, これをください, 買える, 購入 and 売る (sell) with examples.
Call in Japanese: 電話する, 呼ぶ (よぶ), 〜と呼ぶ, and 折り返す
Call in Japanese is 電話する (でんわする) for a phone call and 呼ぶ (よぶ) for calling someone over or calling them a name. Learn 電話をかける, タクシーを呼ぶ, 〜と呼ぶ, and 折り返し電話.
Car in Japanese: 車 (kuruma), 車に乗る, 駐車場 and 車酔い
Car in Japanese is 車 (くるま). Learn 車に乗る (get in a car), 車で行く, 自動車, 駐車場 (parking lot), 軽自動車 (mini car), 車酔い (carsickness), and counting cars with 台.
Cat in Japanese: 猫 (ねこ), ニャー, and the idioms only cat people get
Cat in Japanese is 猫 (ねこ, neko). Learn kitten, stray cat and calico, how to count cats with 匹, what ニャー and ゴロゴロ mean, and idioms like 猫舌 and 猫をかぶる.
Chair in Japanese: 椅子 (いす), 座る, 席, and 椅子取りゲーム
Chair in Japanese is 椅子 (いす). Learn 座る, the difference between 椅子 and 席, 車椅子, 座布団, 正座, 椅子取りゲーム, and how to say "chairperson" with 議長.
Cherry blossom in Japanese: 桜 (さくら), お花見, 満開, and サクラサク
Cherry blossom in Japanese is 桜 (さくら, sakura). Learn お花見, 満開 and 散る, 夜桜 and 花吹雪, the proverb 花より団子, why サクラサク means you passed, and サクラ as a shill.
Choice in Japanese: 選択 (せんたく), 選択肢, 選ぶ, and おまかせ
Choice in Japanese is 選択 (せんたく), and options are 選択肢 (せんたくし). Learn 選ぶ (to choose), どっちにする？, 〜しかない (no choice), いい選択, 二択, and おまかせ (chef’s choice).
City in Japanese: 都市, 市 (し), 町 and 街 (まち), 都会, and 地元
City in Japanese is 都市 (とし), 市 (し) for an official city, or 町/街 (まち) in conversation. Learn 都会 vs 田舎, 下町, 市役所, 街並み, and 地元 (your hometown).
Clean in Japanese: きれい (kirei), 掃除 (souji), and the な-adjective trap
Clean in Japanese is きれい (kirei) for "clean/pretty" and 掃除する (souji suru) for "to clean". きれい looks like an い-adjective but is a な-adjective.
Cliché in Japanese: ありきたり, ベタ, お約束, 王道, and 定番
Cliché in Japanese is ありきたり (unoriginal) or ベタ (corny, predictable). Learn ベタな展開, お約束 (an expected trope), 王道, 定番 (a staple), テンプレ, and マンネリ.
Clock in Japanese: 時計 (とけい), 腕時計, 目覚まし時計, and 時計回り
Clock in Japanese is 時計 (とけい). Learn 腕時計 (watch), 目覚まし時計 (alarm clock), 時計回り (clockwise), 体内時計, and how to say a clock is fast or slow.
Close in Japanese: 閉める vs 閉まる vs 閉じる, plus 近い and 親しい
Close in Japanese is 閉める (shimeru) for a door or window. Learn 閉まる, 閉じる, 閉店, and the other "close" words: 近い for near and 親しい for close friends.
Clothes in Japanese: 服 (ふく), 着る vs はく, 着替える, 私服, and 着物
Clothes in Japanese is 服 (ふく). Learn why Japanese uses 着る for shirts but はく for pants and shoes, かぶる for hats, 脱ぐ, 着替える, 私服, and 着物.
Cloud in Japanese: 雲 (くも), 曇り, 入道雲, and 雲の上の人
Cloud in Japanese is 雲 (くも). Learn 曇り (cloudy), 雲一つない, 入道雲, うろこ雲, idioms like 雲行きが怪しい and 雲の上の人, and クラウド for cloud storage.
Confidence in Japanese: 自信 (じしん), 自信がある, and the 地震 that sounds the same
Confidence in Japanese is 自信 (じしん). Learn 自信がある, 自信を持って, 自信満々, 自信過剰, 自己肯定感, 堂々と, and how not to confuse 自信 with 地震 (earthquake).
Convenient in Japanese: 便利 (べんり), and why 都合 is a different word
Convenient in Japanese is 便利 (べんり), a な-adjective for things and places. For schedules, use 都合. Learn 不便, 都合がいい, コンビニ, 楽 and 使いやすい with examples.
Cook in Japanese: 料理する (りょうりする), 作る, and what people actually say
To cook in Japanese is 料理する (りょうりする), but people usually say ご飯を作る. Learn 自炊, 煮る・焼く・炒める・揚げる・茹でる, 料理人 and how to say you cook well.
Country in Japanese: 国 (くに), 外国, 海外, 国際, and 〜か国
Country in Japanese is 国 (くに). Learn お国はどちらですか, 外国 vs 海外, 国内 (domestic), 母国 (home country), 国際 (international), and counting countries with 〜か国.
Crowded in Japanese: 混んでる (こんでる) and 空いてる
Crowded in Japanese is 混んでいる, said 混んでる in speech. Learn 空いてる (not crowded), 混雑, 満員, ぎゅうぎゅう, and how to ask 混んでますか at a restaurant.
Cry in Japanese: 泣く (なく), 涙 (なみだ), 泣き虫, and why a movie can be 泣ける
Cry in Japanese is 泣く (なく, naku), and tears are 涙 (なみだ). Learn 泣き虫, 号泣, 嬉し泣き, 泣ける for a moving story, sounds like うるうる and しくしく, and 鳴く for animals.
Dance in Japanese: 踊る (おどる), ダンス, 盆踊り, and 踊ってみた
Dance in Japanese is 踊る (おどる) as a verb and ダンス or 踊り as a noun. Learn ダンスを踊る, 振り付け (choreography), 盆踊り, 舞う, and the 踊ってみた video genre.
Dangerous in Japanese: 危ない (あぶない) vs 危険 (きけん), and the shout "Look out!"
Dangerous in Japanese is 危ない (あぶない) in speech and 危険 (きけん) on signs. Learn the shouted 危ない！, 危なかった, やばい, 気をつけて and how 怖い differs.
Death in Japanese: 死 (し), 亡くなる, and why the number 4 is avoided
Death in Japanese is 死 (し, shi); "to die" is 死ぬ, and the polite "pass away" is 亡くなる. Why 4 is unlucky, condolence phrases, chopstick taboos, and 死ぬほど.
Desk in Japanese: 机 (つくえ), デスク, 机に向かう, and the front desk
Desk in Japanese is 机 (つくえ). Learn デスク, 勉強机, 机の上, the idiom 机に向かう, デスクワーク, and how to say "front desk" with 受付 and フロント.
Dirty in Japanese: 汚い (きたない), 汚れる vs 汚す, and why 汚いぞ! means "unfair"
Dirty in Japanese is 汚い (きたない), an い-adjective. Learn 汚れる vs 汚す, 汚れ, 散らかっている, 不潔, ずるい, and why anime heroes shout 汚いぞ! at cheaters.
Discrimination in Japanese: 差別 (さべつ) vs 区別 (くべつ), and 差別化
Discrimination in Japanese is 差別 (さべつ), unfair treatment. 区別 (くべつ) is neutral "telling things apart". Learn 差別される, 人種差別, 区別がつかない, 見分ける, and business 差別化.
Doctor in Japanese: 医者 (いしゃ), お医者さん and 先生
Doctor in Japanese is 医者 (いしゃ), politely お医者さん, and you call a doctor 先生. Learn 医師, 診てもらう (to see a doctor), and clinic departments like 内科, 外科, and 皮膚科.
Dog in Japanese: 犬 (いぬ), ワンワン, お手, and the loyal dog ハチ公
Dog in Japanese is 犬 (いぬ, inu). Learn puppy, Shiba and Akita, the bark ワンワン, dog commands like お手 and おすわり, idioms like 犬猿の仲 and 負け犬, and ハチ公.
Doll in Japanese: 人形 (にんぎょう) plus ひな人形, だるま, こけし
Doll in Japanese is 人形 (にんぎょう). Learn ひな人形 for the Girls' Day festival, だるま, こけし, フィギュア, 人形みたい, and how ぬいぐるみ differs from 人形.
Door in Japanese: ドア, 扉 (とびら), 戸, 引き戸, and ドアが閉まります
Door in Japanese is ドア, with 扉 (とびら) for grand or fantasy doors and 戸 (と) for traditional ones. Learn 引き戸, 自動ドア, ノック, and train door announcements.
Drink in Japanese: 飲む (のむ), 飲み物, and why you "drink" medicine
Drink in Japanese is 飲む (のむ), a verb that also covers medicine and soup. Learn 飲み物, 飲みに行く, お酒, 飲めない and how to politely say you do not drink.
Drive in Japanese: 運転する (うんてん), ドライブ, 免許, and ペーパードライバー
Drive in Japanese is 運転する (うんてんする). Learn ドライブ (a pleasure drive), 運転免許 (driver’s license), 運転手, 左側通行, 安全運転, and the wasei-eigo ペーパードライバー.
Ear in Japanese: 耳 (みみ), 初耳, 耳が痛い, and 耳が遠い
Ear in Japanese is 耳 (みみ). Learn 初耳 (news to me), 耳が痛い (it stings to hear), 耳にする (to happen to hear), 耳が遠い (hard of hearing), 耳を傾ける, and 耳打ち (whisper).
Earth in Japanese: 地球 (ちきゅう), 地面, 土, 地震, and 地球に優しい
Earth, the planet, is 地球 (ちきゅう) in Japanese. Learn 地面 (the ground), 土 (soil), 大地, 地震 (earthquake), 地球温暖化 (global warming), and 地球に優しい (eco-friendly).
Eat in Japanese: 食べる (たべる), 食う, 召し上がる, and "let's eat"
Eat in Japanese is 食べる (taberu). Learn its forms, "let's eat" with 食べよう, the rough 食う, polite 召し上がる, why soup is "drunk", and words like 食べ放題.
Efficient in Japanese: 効率がいい, 効率的, and why it is 非効率, not 不効率
Efficient in Japanese is 効率がいい or 効率的 (こうりつてき). Learn 効率よく, 非効率 (not 不効率), 効率化, 要領がいい, 手際がいい, and how 効率 relates to タイパ.
Energy in Japanese: 元気 (げんき), エネルギー, 体力, and 元気をもらう
Energy in Japanese is 元気 (げんき) for a person and エネルギー for power. Learn 体力, 気力, テンション, 元気が出る, 元気をもらう, and エナジードリンク, with practice.
Excited in Japanese: ワクワク (wakuwaku), 楽しみ, 興奮, and which one fits
Excited in Japanese is usually ワクワク (wakuwaku). Learn 楽しみ, ドキドキ, テンションが上がる and 盛り上がる, plus why 興奮する can sound intense or awkward.
Excuse in Japanese: 言い訳 (いいわけ), 口実, and the "excuse me" that is a different word
An excuse in Japanese is 言い訳 (いいわけ). Learn 言い訳しないで, 言い訳になりますが, 口実, 理由 vs 言い訳, and why "excuse me" is すみません or 失礼します, not 言い訳.
Exercise in Japanese: 運動 (うんどう), 運動不足, 筋トレ, and ラジオ体操
Exercise in Japanese is 運動 (うんどう). Learn 運動する, 運動不足, 筋トレ, ジムに行く, 体を動かす, ラジオ体操, and 練習問題 for the other kind of "exercise".
Experience in Japanese: 経験 (けいけん) vs 体験 (たいけん), and 〜たことがある
Experience in Japanese is 経験 (けいけん) for experience built over time and 体験 (たいけん) for a hands-on, one-time experience. Learn 経験者, 未経験, 体験レッスン, 経験を積む and 〜たことがある.
Eye in Japanese: 目 (め), 目がない, 目立つ, and 一目惚れ
Eye in Japanese is 目 (め). Learn 目がいい (good eyesight), 目が覚める (to wake up), 目がない (to be crazy about), 目立つ, 目を通す, 一目惚れ (love at first sight), and 目薬.
Face in Japanese: 顔 (かお), 顔が広い, 顔を出す, ドヤ顔, and 顔文字
Face in Japanese is 顔 (かお). Learn 顔を洗う, 顔色 (complexion), 顔に出る, 顔が広い (well-connected), 顔を出す (to show up), ドヤ顔 (smug face), and 顔文字 (kaomoji).
Famous in Japanese: 有名 (ゆうめい), and how it differs from 人気 (popular)
Famous in Japanese is 有名 (ゆうめい), a な-adjective. Learn 有名な人, 〜で有名, and the key contrast with 人気 (popular), plus 名物, 話題, 有名人 and 超有名.
Fear in Japanese: 恐怖 (きょうふ), 怖さ, 怖がる, 〜恐怖症, and ビビる
Fear in Japanese is 恐怖 (きょうふ) for terror and 怖さ for the scariness of something. Learn 恐れ, 怖がる, phobias like 高所恐怖症, 不安 (anxiety), 恐ろしい, and the slang ビビる.
Fight in Japanese: 戦う (たたかう), 喧嘩 (けんか), and the anime cry 戦え!
Fight in Japanese is 戦う (たたかう) for battles and 喧嘩 (けんか) for arguments and brawls. Learn 戦え, 喧嘩する, 争う, 闘う vs 戦う, 口喧嘩, and ファイト as "you can do it".
Finger in Japanese: 指 (ゆび), 親指 to 小指, 指輪, and 指切りげんまん
Finger in Japanese is 指 (ゆび). Learn all five finger names from 親指 to 小指, 指輪, 指をさす, the pinky promise 指切りげんまん, and 後ろ指をさされる.
Finish in Japanese: 終わる vs 終える, 〜終わる, 済む, 終了, and おしまい
Finish in Japanese is 終わる (おわる) when something ends and 終える (おえる) when you finish something. Learn 〜終わる (finish doing), 済む, 終了, 完成, and おしまい.
Fire in Japanese: 火 (ひ), 炎 (ほのお), 火事, and why a post can go 炎上
Fire in Japanese is 火 (ひ, hi); a flame is 炎 (ほのお) and a house fire is 火事 (かじ). Learn 花火 and 火山, 火をつける, 119, 火に油を注ぐ, and the internet word 炎上.
Fish in Japanese: 魚 (さかな), 釣り, 刺身, and 骨が多い
Fish in Japanese is 魚 (さかな). Learn 焼き魚, 生魚, 刺身, 魚屋, 金魚, 釣り (fishing), 魚介類 (seafood), 骨 (bones), and the kanji 魚 inside fish names like 鮭 and 鯛.
Floor in Japanese: 床 (ゆか) vs 階 (かい), 一階 to 三階, and 床暖房
Floor in Japanese is 床 (ゆか) for the surface you stand on and 階 (かい) for a building level. Learn 一階, 二階, 三階, 何階, 地下, 床暖房, and the 床 in 床屋.
Flower in Japanese: 花 (はな), 高嶺の花, 花を持たせる, and the nose that sounds the same
Flower in Japanese is 花 (はな, hana). Learn 花びら and 花束, seasonal flowers, idioms like 高嶺の花, 両手に花 and 花を持たせる, 華がある, and the homophone 鼻 (nose).
Fly in Japanese: 飛ぶ (とぶ), 飛べ, 飛行機, and 時間が経つのが早い
Fly in Japanese is 飛ぶ (とぶ). Learn 飛んで, the command 飛べ!, 飛行機で行く (to fly somewhere), 飛び立つ, 跳ぶ for jumping, and how to say "time flies" in Japanese.
Food in Japanese: 食べ物 (たべもの), 料理, ご飯, 和食, and 食事
Food in Japanese is 食べ物 (たべもの). Learn 料理 (dish, cuisine), ご飯 (meal or rice), 食事, 和食 vs 洋食, ご飯行こう (let’s grab food), 屋台, and 好きな食べ物.
Foot in Japanese: 足 (あし), 足が速い, 足を引っ張る, and 裸足
Foot in Japanese is 足 (あし), which covers both foot and leg. Learn 足が速い, 足元に気をつけて, 裸足 (barefoot), and idioms like 足を洗う, 足が出る, and 足を引っ張る.
Forever in Japanese: 永遠 (えいえん), ずっと, いつまでも, and ズッ友
Forever in Japanese is 永遠に (えいえんに) in songs and vows, and ずっと in everyday speech. Learn いつまでも, 永久, 一生, the slang ズッ友, and which one sounds natural.
Forget in Japanese: 忘れる (わすれる), 忘れた vs 忘れてた, and 忘れ物
Forget in Japanese is 忘れる (わすれる). Learn 忘れました vs 忘れていました, 忘れないで, 忘れ物 for things left behind, 忘れっぽい, ど忘れ, 置き忘れる and 忘れられない.
Fox in Japanese: 狐 (きつね), the nine-tailed fox, and a fox's wedding in the rain
Fox in Japanese is 狐 (きつね, kitsune). Learn the nine-tailed fox, Inari shrine foxes, きつねうどん, the sound コンコン, and idioms like 狐の嫁入り and 狐につままれる.
Free time in Japanese: 暇 (ひま), 空き時間, 暇つぶし, and 手が空く
Free time in Japanese is 暇 (ひま) or 時間がある. Learn 暇な時 (in your spare time), 空き時間 (a gap in your day), 暇つぶし (killing time), 余暇, and how to ask "are you free?".
Freedom in Japanese: 自由 (じゆう), ご自由にどうぞ, 自由席, and 不自由
Freedom in Japanese is 自由 (じゆう). Learn 自由に (freely), ご自由にどうぞ (help yourself), 自由席 (unreserved seats), 自由研究, 不自由 (inconvenience), and the kanji for a tattoo.
Friendship in Japanese: 友情 (ゆうじょう), 絆, and 喧嘩するほど仲がいい
Friendship in Japanese is 友情 (ゆうじょう). Learn 絆 (bond), 仲直り (making up), 喧嘩するほど仲がいい, 犬猿の仲, 腐れ縁, and why 友情・努力・勝利 is a famous shonen motto.
普通 (futsuu) meaning: "normal", and the slang 普通に that means "actually, genuinely"
Futsuu (普通) means normal, usual or ordinary. Learn 普通の, 普通は, the slang 普通においしい ("actually good"), 普通電車, 普通預金 at the bank, and when 普通 is an insult.
Future in Japanese: 未来 (みらい) vs 将来 (しょうらい), 今後, and これから
Future in Japanese is 未来 (みらい) or 将来 (しょうらい). Learn when to use each, 将来の夢, 今後, これから, 近い将来, and how Japanese talks about the future without a future tense.
Garden in Japanese: 庭 (にわ), 日本庭園, 枯山水, 家庭菜園, and 盆栽
Garden in Japanese is 庭 (にわ). Learn 日本庭園 (Japanese garden), 枯山水 (rock garden), 家庭菜園 (vegetable garden), ガーデニング, 庭いじり, 植物園, and 盆栽.
Ghost in Japanese: 幽霊, お化け, and why Japanese ghosts have no feet
Ghost in Japanese is 幽霊 (ゆうれい, yuurei); the casual, cartoon word is お化け (おばけ). Learn うらめしや, お化け屋敷, 肝試し, 怪談, and why ghosts are a summer thing.
Gift in Japanese: プレゼント, 贈り物 and how to give one
Gift in Japanese is プレゼント in everyday speech and 贈り物 (おくりもの) in polite language. Learn 贈る, お祝い, お返し, 包む, 気持ちばかりですが, and how to accept a gift.
Glasses in Japanese: めがね (眼鏡), めがねをかける, and グラス vs ガラス
Glasses in Japanese is めがね (眼鏡). Learn めがねをかける (to wear glasses), サングラス, コンタクト, 老眼鏡, だてめがね, and how グラス and ガラス are different.
God in Japanese: 神 (かみ), 神様, and why fans call a great episode 神回
God in Japanese is 神 (かみ, kami), or politely 神様. Learn goddess and shrine words, the 八百万の神, 死神, and slang like 神回 and 神対応, plus the かみ homophone trap.
Gold in Japanese: 金 (きん), 金色, 金メダル, 金継ぎ, and 沈黙は金
Gold in Japanese is 金 (きん), and the color is 金色 (きんいろ). Learn 金メダル, 金髪 (blond), 金継ぎ (gold-repaired pottery), 黄金, and why the same kanji means money and Friday.
Gray in Japanese: 灰色 (はいいろ), グレー, ねずみ色, and グレーゾーン
Gray in Japanese is 灰色 (はいいろ), "ash color", or the loanword グレー. Learn ねずみ色 (mouse gray), 灰色の空, グレーゾーン (gray area), 白髪 for gray hair, and 灰 (ash).
Green in Japanese: 緑 (みどり), 緑色, 緑茶, グリーン車, and みどりの日
Green in Japanese is 緑 (みどり), and since there is no 緑い, you say 緑の or 緑色の. Learn 黄緑, 緑茶, 抹茶, 緑が多い (leafy), グリーン車 on trains, and when Japanese calls green 青.
Habit in Japanese: 習慣 (しゅうかん) vs 癖 (くせ), 口癖, and クセが強い
Habit in Japanese is 習慣 (しゅうかん) for routines and 癖 (くせ) for quirks and bad habits. Learn 習慣にする, 口癖, 癖になる (addictive), クセが強い, and 早起きの習慣.
Hair in Japanese: 髪 (かみ), 髪の毛, 毛, 前髪, 白髪, and 寝癖
Hair in Japanese is 髪 (かみ) or 髪の毛 for the hair on your head, and 毛 (け) for body hair and fur. Learn 前髪 (bangs), 白髪 (gray hair), 寝癖 (bed head), くせ毛, and 髪を結ぶ.
Hangover in Japanese: 二日酔い (ふつかよい), and every stage of drunk before it
Hangover in Japanese is 二日酔い (ふつかよい). Learn 二日酔いです, 飲みすぎた, ほろ酔い, 酔っ払い, お酒に弱い, 迎え酒 and what to say the morning after a drinking party.
Healthy in Japanese: 健康, 元気 or ヘルシー? Which one to use
Healthy in Japanese is 健康 (けんこう) for body condition, 元気 (げんき) for energy, ヘルシー for low-calorie food. Learn which to use, plus 体にいい and 丈夫.
Heart in Japanese: 心 (こころ), 心臓, ハート, and the kanji hiding in every feeling
Heart in Japanese is 心 (こころ) for the emotional heart, 心臓 (しんぞう) for the organ, and ハート for the shape. Learn 心から, 胸, ドキドキ, and why 心 sits inside 愛 and 思.
Homework in Japanese: 宿題 (しゅくだい), 宿題を出す, and the business 宿題
Homework in Japanese is 宿題 (しゅくだい). Learn 宿題をする, why teachers 宿題を出す, 提出, 課題 and レポート, summer homework, and the business phrase 宿題にさせてください.
Honest in Japanese: 正直 (しょうじき), and why 素直 is not the same word
Honest in Japanese is 正直 (しょうじき). Learn 正直に言うと for "to be honest", casual ぶっちゃけ, how 素直, 誠実 and 嘘つき differ, and how anime uses 正直に言え.
Hospital in Japanese: 病院 (びょういん), and the 美容院 (びよういん) trap
Hospital in Japanese is 病院 (びょういん). Do not mix it up with 美容院 (びよういん), a hair salon. Also clinic, doctor, 入院, 救急車 and 薬局, with practice.
House in Japanese: 家 (いえ) vs うち, 実家, 一軒家, and マンション
House in Japanese is 家 (いえ), but home is often うち. Learn 実家 (your parents’ home), 自宅, 一軒家 (detached house), マンション vs アパート, 玄関, and 家に帰る.
Ikigai meaning: what 生きがい means to Japanese speakers (it is smaller than the diagram)
Ikigai (生きがい) means "something that makes life worth living". How Japanese people really use it, why the four-circle diagram is Western, and words like やりがい.
Lazy in Japanese: 怠け者 (なまけもの), めんどくさい and how people really say it
Lazy in Japanese: 怠け者 describes a lazy person, but めんどくさい is what people say about their own feeling. Learn 怠ける, サボる, だるい, ぐうたら and more.
To Listen in Japanese: 聞く (きく) also means hear and ask
To listen in Japanese, say 聞く (kiku): 音楽を聞く is "listen to music". The same verb also means "hear" and "ask". Here is how to tell the three apart.
Married in Japanese: 結婚しています, not 結婚します (and why と, not を)
Married in Japanese is 結婚しています. Learn why 結婚します means "will marry", why you marry someone with と, and the words 独身, 既婚, 婚約, 新婚, 離婚 and 俺の嫁.
Money in Japanese: お金 (おかね), why the お is almost always there, and how to read 円
Money in Japanese is お金 (おかね). Learn why the お stays, what bare 金 sounds like, how 円 prices are read, and when to use 代, 料金 or 費.
Moon in Japanese: 月 (つき), 満月, and what 月が綺麗ですね really means
Moon in Japanese is 月 (つき, tsuki). Learn full moon, crescent and moon viewing, why 月 also means month and Monday, the moon rabbit, and the famous 月が綺麗ですね line.
Music in Japanese: 音楽 (おんがく), 曲, 歌, and how to talk about the songs you love
Music in Japanese is 音楽 (おんがく, ongaku). Learn 曲 and 歌, 歌う and 聴く, 楽器, ライブ, 洋楽 vs 邦楽, アニソン, 音痴, and the phrases to talk about your favorite songs.
Near and far in Japanese: 近い (ちかい) and 遠い (とおい), and the に / から trap
Near in Japanese is 近い (ちかい), far is 遠い (とおい). Learn 駅に近い vs 駅から遠い, 近く, 近所, そば, 隣, 歩いて5分, and how anime uses 遠い for distance of the heart.
New in Japanese: 新しい (あたらしい), 新 words, and 新品 vs 中古
New in Japanese is 新しい (あたらしい), an い-adjective. Learn 新品, 新鮮, 最新, 新作, 新学期 and how to ask "anything new?" with 最近どう？ and 何か新しいこと？
Open in Japanese: 開ける vs 開く, ひらく, 営業中, and 心を開く
Open in Japanese is 開ける (あける) when you open something and 開く (あく) when you describe something open or opening. Learn ひらく, 営業中, オープン and 心を開く.
Pay in Japanese: 払う (はらう), 支払い, おごる, and "pay attention" too
Pay in Japanese is 払う (はらう). Learn 払います and 払わない, how to ask カードで払えますか, what 一括 means at the register, おごる for "my treat", 払い戻し and 注意を払う.
Poor in Japanese: 貧乏 (びんぼう), 貧しい, かわいそう, and 下手 explained
Poor in Japanese is 貧乏 for no money, 貧しい for serious poverty, かわいそう for pity, and 下手 for bad at something. Learn which one fits and how it sounds.
Quiet in Japanese: 静か (しずか), and why 静かにして！ sounds blunt
Quiet in Japanese is 静か (しずか), a な-adjective. Learn 静かな場所, 静かにしてください, 大人しい, 無口, and how うるさい and 黙れ really sound in anime.
Rain in Japanese: 雨 (あめ), 梅雨, ザーザー and しとしと, and the 雨男 who brings it
Rain in Japanese is 雨 (あめ, ame); "it rains" is 雨が降る. Learn 大雨 and 小雨, the rainy season 梅雨, rain sounds ザーザー and しとしと, 雨宿り, and the 雨男 who brings rain.
Read in Japanese: 読む (よむ), 読めない, 読み方, and how to "read the room"
Read in Japanese is 読む (よむ), a む-verb. Learn 読みます, 読んで, 読める vs 読めない, 読み方 (how to read a kanji), 音読, 読書, and 空気を読む (read the room).
Red in Japanese: 赤 (あか), 赤い, 真っ赤, 赤字, and 紅白
Red in Japanese is 赤 (あか), or 赤い as an adjective. Learn 真っ赤 (completely red), 顔が赤くなる (to turn red in the face), 赤字 (deficit), 赤信号, 赤の他人, and 紅白.
Respect in Japanese: 尊敬 vs 尊重, and the "respect" you show with words
Respect in Japanese is 尊敬 (そんけい) for people you look up to and 尊重 (そんちょう) for respecting wishes and choices. Learn 敬意, 憧れ, リスペクト and 舐めるな.
Run in Japanese: 走る (はしる), the verb that looks easy but is not
Run in Japanese is 走る (はしる), a godan verb that looks like an ichidan one: 走ります, 走って, 走った. Plus 逃げる, ジョギング, and why "run a business" is not 走る.
School in Japanese: 学校 (がっこう), 小学校 to 大学, 部活, and 放課後
School in Japanese is 学校 (がっこう). Learn 小学校, 中学校, 高校, 大学, 学校に通う, 塾 (cram school), 部活 (club activities), 放課後 (after school), and 制服.
Side job in Japanese: 副業 (ふくぎょう), バイト, 本業, and 掛け持ち
Side job in Japanese is 副業 (ふくぎょう). Learn how it differs from バイト and パート, plus 本業, 掛け持ち, 副収入, 稼ぐ, 副業禁止 and how to talk about your own side hustle.
Sleep and wake up in Japanese: 寝る, 眠る, 起きる and 目が覚める
Sleep in Japanese is 寝る (neru) and wake up is 起きる (okiru). Learn 眠る, 目が覚める, 起こす, おやすみ, 寝坊, 昼寝 and why 寝ている means "is asleep".
Smell in Japanese: 匂い vs 臭い (both におい), 香り, and 匂いがする
Smell in Japanese is におい: 匂い for nice or neutral smells, 臭い for bad ones. Learn いい匂いがする, 嗅ぐ, 臭い (くさい), 香り, 焦げ臭い, and the anime line 臭うな.
Speak in Japanese: 話す (はなす), and why you say 日本語が話せます
To speak in Japanese, use 話す (はなす). Learn 日本語が話せます vs 日本語を話す, 少し話せます, and how 話す differs from 言う and しゃべる, with practice.
Stubborn in Japanese: 頑固 (がんこ), 意地っ張り, and the stubborn that is a compliment
Stubborn in Japanese is 頑固 (がんこ). Learn 頑固な人, 頭が固い, the anime favorite 意地っ張り, and positive words like 粘り強い for "won't give up".
Students in Japanese: 学生 (gakusei) vs 生徒 (seito) vs 児童 (jidou)
The word student in Japanese is 学生 (gakusei) for university students and 生徒 (seito) for middle and high school pupils. Learn 児童, 留学生, 生徒会 and more.
Think in Japanese: 思う vs 考える, and why "I think" softens every sentence
Think in Japanese is 思う (omou) for opinions and feelings, 考える (kangaeru) for deliberate thinking. Learn と思います, ようと思う, 思いつく, and how "I think" softens speech.
Thirsty in Japanese: のどが渇いた (nodo ga kawaita) and why it is past tense
Thirsty in Japanese is のどが渇いた (nodo ga kawaita), literally "my throat has dried." Learn why it uses past tense, plus casual forms and 何か飲みたい.
Train in Japanese: 電車 (でんしゃ), plus 列車, 新幹線 and the に particle
Train in Japanese is 電車 (でんしゃ) in daily speech. Learn 列車, 汽車, 新幹線, 地下鉄, 駅, 電車に乗る and 降りる, 乗り換え, 終電 and station announcements.
Walk in Japanese: 歩く (aruku), 歩いて行く, 散歩 and 徒歩 explained
Walk in Japanese is 歩く (aruku). Learn 歩いて行く, why you walk 道を not 道で, plus 散歩, 徒歩5分, 歩ける and 歩きスマホ, with practice and anime lines.
Water in Japanese: 水 (みず), お水, お冷 and お湯 explained
Water in Japanese is 水 (みず), or お水 when polite. Hot water is お湯, and restaurant water is お冷. Learn how to ask for water, plus 水曜日, 香水, 水着 and anime 水 moves.
Where is the bathroom in Japanese: トイレはどこですか, and why "bathroom" is the wrong word
Where is the bathroom in Japanese? Say トイレはどこですか. Learn why トイレ, お手洗い and お風呂 are different rooms, plus how to ask to borrow one and read signs.
White in Japanese: 白 (しろ), 白い, 真っ白, 白紙, and 白状する
White in Japanese is 白 (しろ), or 白い as an adjective. Learn 真っ白 (pure white), 頭が真っ白になる (mind goes blank), 白紙に戻す, 白状する, 白い目, and ホワイト企業.
Yellow in Japanese: 黄色 (きいろ), 黄色い, 黄色い声, 黄信号, and 黄身
Yellow in Japanese is 黄色 (きいろ), or 黄色い as an adjective. Learn 黄色い声 (excited squeals), 黄信号 (a warning sign), 黄身 (egg yolk), 黄金, and the idiom くちばしが黄色い.
Young in Japanese: 若い (わかい), 若者, 年下 and how to compliment someone
Young in Japanese is 若い (わかい), an い-adjective. Learn 若者, 年下, 若手, 少年, 若く見える and 若造, plus when "you look young" is a safe compliment.
Amazing in Japanese: すごい and the five other words that beat it
Amazing in Japanese is すごい, but it is casual. Learn すげえ, 最高, 素晴らしい, 見事, さすが and やばい, and which one fits news, food or business.
Cheap in Japanese: 安い (やすい), and the "easy" words it gets mixed up with
Cheap in Japanese is 安い (やすい), an い-adjective. It sounds like 〜やすい (easy to do) and 易しい (easy). Learn 安い, お得, 安っぽい, 格安 and how to haggle politely.
Fun in Japanese: 楽しい vs 面白い, and the 楽しみ that means "looking forward to"
Fun in Japanese is 楽しい (tanoshii). Learn 楽しい vs 面白い, 楽しかった, 楽しみにしています and 楽しんで！, plus 遊ぶ and 盛り上がる, with anime examples.
Happy Birthday in Japanese: 誕生日おめでとう and the two things you add for someone older
Happy birthday in Japanese is 誕生日おめでとう (tanjoubi omedetou). Add お and ございます for a boss, or say たんおめ to friends. Hiragana and dates inside.
How Are You in Japanese: 元気？ and Why Nobody Asks It Daily
How are you in Japanese? 元気？ is casual and お元気ですか is formal, but Japanese people rarely ask either one the way English speakers do.
Let's Go in Japanese: 行こう, 行くぞ and the 行きましょう you actually use with adults
Let's go in Japanese is 行こう (casual) or 行きましょう (polite). 行くぞ is a hero's "here we go!", not an invitation. Learn each, plus common mistakes.
Long Time No See in Japanese: 久しぶり and the three endings that change who you can say it to
Long time no see in Japanese is 久しぶり with friends, お久しぶりです when polite, and ご無沙汰しております in business. Learn who gets which, and how to reply.
I Miss You in Japanese: Why There Is No One Word, and the 会いたい People Actually Text
Japanese has no single verb for "miss." Say 会いたい to miss a person, 寂しい when you feel lonely, 恋しい for home. Texts, anime lines and mistakes.
Nice to Meet You in Japanese: はじめまして is only half of it
Nice to meet you in Japanese is はじめまして, your name, then よろしくお願いします. Formal, casual, hiragana and kanji forms, plus how to reply.
Now in Japanese: 今 (ima), 今すぐ, and the "now" that isn't 今
Now in Japanese is 今 (いま, ima). Learn 今すぐ, 今から, 今まで, たった今, and why English "now, ..." is さて or じゃあ, plus how anime says 今だ！
Today, Tomorrow and Yesterday in Japanese: 今日・明日・昨日 and why the kanji don't match the sounds
Today, tomorrow and yesterday in Japanese are 今日 kyou, 明日 ashita and 昨日 kinou. Readings, formal forms, and why no に follows them.
You're Welcome in Japanese: Why どういたしまして Is the Textbook Answer Nobody Gives
You're welcome in Japanese is どういたしまして, but people rarely say it. Learn いえいえ, とんでもないです, 気にしないで and when to say nothing at all.
Believe in Japanese: how to say 信じる, "I believe in you" and "I can't believe it"
Believe in Japanese is 信じる (shinjiru). 君を信じてる means "I believe in you", and 信じられない means "I can't believe it". Plus 信用 vs 信頼 vs 思う.
Cheers in Japanese: Kanpai or Kampai? 乾杯 (かんぱい)
Cheers in Japanese is 乾杯 (kanpai), said as everyone lifts a glass. Learn かんぱーい, 〜に乾杯, glass etiquette, and why it is not "thanks".
Crazy in Japanese: やばい, 頭おかしい, 狂ってる and what each one really says
Crazy in Japanese is やばい, 頭おかしい, 狂ってる or クレイジー, but each one hits differently. Learn which are safe, which are rude, and what to say instead.
Cute in Japanese: かわいい, かわいらしい, and the かわいそう trap
Cute in Japanese is かわいい (可愛い, kawaii), an i-adjective used for people, pets and objects. Learn the variants, the かわいそう trap and how to compliment safely.
Dream in Japanese: 夢 (yume) for Sleep and for Goals
Dream in Japanese is 夢 (ゆめ), for both the dream you have in your sleep and the dream you chase in life. The verb is 見る: 夢を見る, not 夢をする.
Embarrassed in Japanese: 恥ずかしい, 照れる, 気まずい and When to Use Each
Embarrassed in Japanese is usually 恥ずかしい (hazukashii), but 照れる, 気まずい and 恥をかく cover other kinds of embarrassment. Learn which one fits and why.
Favorite in Japanese: 一番好き, お気に入り, 推し and when to use each
Favorite in Japanese is usually 一番好き (most liked), as in 一番好きなアニメは〜です. Learn when to use お気に入り, 大好き, 好物 and 推し, with kanji and hiragana.
Forgive in Japanese: How to Say "Forgive Me" (許す, 許して, 勘弁して)
Forgive in Japanese is 許す (yurusu). 許してください means "please forgive me", but daily life usually calls for ごめん or すみません. Learn when each fits.
Hate in Japanese: 嫌い, 大嫌い, 嫌 and the softer options
Hate in Japanese is 嫌い (きらい), as in 〜が嫌い, and 大嫌い is the strong form. Learn 嫌, 苦手 and あまり好きじゃない, plus when each one is rude.
Lucky in Japanese: ラッキー, 運がいい, ついてる and 縁起がいい
Lucky in Japanese is ラッキー in casual speech and 運がいい in neutral speech. ついてる means "on a roll", and 縁起がいい describes lucky signs, numbers and charms.
Nervous in Japanese: 緊張する, ドキドキ, and the words around them
Nervous in Japanese is 緊張する (kinchou suru). 緊張している means "I am nervous right now"; ドキドキ is a pounding heart, あがる is stage fright.
Play Piano in Japanese: 弾く, 吹く, 叩く and Why There Is No Single "Play"
Japanese uses 弾く (hiku) for strings/keys (piano, guitar), 吹く (fuku) for wind instruments (flute, harmonica), and 叩く (tataku) for drums and percussion.
Proud in Japanese: 誇り, 誇らしい, 自慢 and why "I'm proud of you" sounds odd
Proud in Japanese is 誇らしい or 誇りに思う for pride, 自慢 for something you show off, and 鼻が高い for a close person. Here is what to say instead of "I'm proud of you."
Sleepy in Japanese: how do you say 眠い (nemui) and its relatives?
Sleepy in Japanese is 眠い (ねむい, nemui), as in 眠いです, "I am sleepy." Learn ねみー, 眠くなる, 眠そう, 眠たい, 眠気 and うとうと, plus when each one fits.
Smart in Japanese: 頭がいい, 賢い, and which one to say
Smart in Japanese is usually 頭がいい (atama ga ii), "good head." Learn 賢い, 頭が切れる, 優秀 and 天才, plus why スマート means slim, not smart.
Stupid in Japanese: baka, aho and the words that sit around them
Stupid in Japanese is バカ (馬鹿, baka) in Tokyo and アホ (aho) in Kansai. Learn how they differ, softer and harsher alternatives, and when to never say them.
Surprised in Japanese: びっくりした, 驚いた and how people actually react
Surprised in Japanese is びっくりした (everyday) or 驚いた (neutral, written). Learn the past-tense trap, the に particle, えっ and うそ, and 驚かせる.
Very in Japanese: とても, すごく, 非常に, めっちゃ and when to use each
Very in Japanese is とても in neutral speech, すごく in casual speech, and 非常に in formal writing. Here is how めっちゃ, 超, かなり and あまり fit in.
Worried in Japanese: 心配 (shinpai) and the words around it
Worried in Japanese is 心配 (shinpai): 心配です, 心配している, 〜が心配だ. Learn how it differs from 不安, 気になる and 悩む, plus how to say "don't worry."
Again in Japanese: また vs もう一度, and when 再び belongs
Again in Japanese has three main words. また means again or see you later, もう一度 means one more time, and 再び is formal and written. Here is which to use.
Almost in Japanese: ほとんど (hotondo), ほぼ (hobo) and もう少しで
Almost in Japanese is three different words: ほとんど and ほぼ for "nearly all," そうになった for near misses, もうすぐ for "almost there." Which to use, when.
Already and still in Japanese: もう vs まだ, and the negative that flips both
もう is "already" or "no longer," まだ is "still" or "not yet." Learn how negatives flip both words, how to answer もう食べましたか, and how anime uses もういい and まだまだ.
Also in Japanese: the particle も, and which particles it replaces
The main way to say "also" or "too" in Japanese is the particle も. It replaces は, が and を, but attaches after に, で and と. Learn the rules and the traps.
Angry in Japanese: 怒る, ムカつく, キレる — and why 怒い is not a word
Angry in Japanese is 怒っている (okotte iru), from the verb 怒る. Learn 怒られる, 叱る, ムカつく, イライラ, キレる and 腹が立つ, and why 怒い is wrong.
Before and after in Japanese: 〜前に takes the dictionary form, 〜後で takes た
Before in Japanese is 前に after the dictionary form (寝る前に). After is 後で after the た-form (食べた後で). Learn the tense trap and the noun pattern with examples.
Big and small in Japanese: 大きい vs 大きな, and when big means 広い
Big in Japanese is 大きい (ookii) and small is 小さい (chiisai). But 大きな works only before a noun, and a big room is usually 広い, not 大きい.
Bored in Japanese: 退屈, つまらない, 暇 and 飽きた — which one you mean
Bored in Japanese is 退屈, つまらない, 暇 or 飽きた, and each one means something different. Learn which word fits, with a table and anime examples.
Busy in Japanese: 忙しい, バタバタ, and why a busy shop is 混んでいる
Busy in Japanese is 忙しい (isogashii) for people and schedules, but 混んでいる for crowded places and 話し中 for a phone line. Here is which one to use.
Cool in Japanese: かっこいい, クール, 涼しい and 冷たい — four different 'cool's
Cool in Japanese is not one word. かっこいい is stylish, 涼しい is a cool breeze, 冷たい is cold to the touch, and being cool with something is いいよ. Here is which to use.
Definitely and never in Japanese: 絶対, 必ず, 決して — which ones can go negative
Definitely in Japanese is 絶対 or 必ず, but only 絶対 also works with a negative (絶対行かない). Learn 必ず, 決して, 一度も, 全然 and 二度と, with examples and a chart.
Different in Japanese: 違う is a verb, and 同じ breaks the な rule
"Different" in Japanese is 違う (chigau), a verb, not an adjective. "Same" is 同じ (onaji), a な-adjective that drops な before nouns. Plus 別, 異なる and 様々.
Easy in Japanese: 簡単, 易しい, 楽 — and the 優しい that isn't about difficulty
Easy in Japanese is 簡単 for simple steps, 易しい for low-level problems, and 楽 for effortless or comfortable. Here is how to pick, plus the 優しい trap.
Fast, early, slow and late in Japanese: 早い vs 速い, and one 遅い for both
Fast in Japanese is 速い, early is 早い, and both are read はやい. 遅い covers slow and late. Plus 遅れる, 早め, ゆっくり and the risky 手が早い.
Friend in Japanese: 友達, 親友, 仲間 — and the one anime can't stop saying
Friend in Japanese is 友達 (tomodachi), but 友人, 親友, 仲間, 知り合い and 幼なじみ each mean something different. Learn which word fits which relationship.
Funny in Japanese: 面白い, おかしい and the 'funny' that means something's wrong
Funny in Japanese splits in two: 面白い for ha-ha and interesting, おかしい for strange or broken. Learn 笑える, 爆笑, 草, and why calling someone おかしい is rude.
Good job in Japanese: よくやった, さすが and why direction matters
Good job in Japanese depends on who praises whom: よくやった goes downward, さすが fits people you respect, and 勉強になりました is the safe reply to a superior.
Good morning and good night in Japanese: おはよう, おやすみ and the evening greeting in between
Good morning in Japanese is おはよう (casual) or おはようございます (polite). Good night is おやすみ, but only when someone is going to bed. Here is what to say in between.
Heisha and onsha meaning: 弊社, 御社, 貴社 — whose company is it?
Heisha (弊社) means "our company" in humble Japanese; onsha (御社) means "your company." Learn 貴社, 当社 and うち, and which one to use in an interview.
Help in Japanese: 助けて vs 手伝って, and 助かる for "that helps"
Help in Japanese splits in two: 助けて means rescue me (an emergency), 手伝って means give me a hand with a task. Plus 助かる for "that helps" and 救う.
Hope in Japanese: 〜といいな, 〜ますように and 希望
Hope in Japanese is usually said with 〜といいな or 〜ますように, not the noun 希望. For example, 明日晴れるといいね means "I hope it is sunny tomorrow." Here is how each form works.
Hungry in Japanese: お腹が空いた, ペコペコ and 腹減った
Hungry in Japanese is お腹が空いた (onaka ga suita). Learn why it uses the past tense, what it means for right now, plus ペコペコ, 腹減った, 小腹が空いた and お腹いっぱい.
Hurry up in Japanese: 急いで, 早く and the さっさと you don't want to hear
Hurry up in Japanese: 急いで asks someone to speed up, 早く urges them to do it soon, and さっさと is the irritated version. Learn which to use and to whom.
I don't care in Japanese: どうでもいい, 別に, and the なんでもいい that's actually friendly
English "I don't care" is two different things in Japanese. どうでもいい and 別に are cold; なんでもいい, どちらでもいい and お任せします are soft ways to say "anything is fine."
I see in Japanese: なるほど, そうなんだ and the 相づち that keep people talking
There is no single "I see" in Japanese. なるほど, そうなんだ, そうですか, わかりました and へえ each mean something different, and this guide shows when to use which.
Important in Japanese: 大事, 大切, 重要 — three words, three temperatures
Important in Japanese is 大事, 大切, or 重要. 大事 is the everyday word, 大切 adds feeling, 重要 is for writing and business. Plus 肝心 and 〜ことが大事だ, with examples.
Jet lag in Japanese: 時差ボケ, and the other things Japanese can be ボケ about
Jet lag in Japanese is 時差ボケ (jisaboke): 時差 (time difference) plus ボケ (fogginess). Learn how to use it, plus 寝ぼけ, 休みボケ, 平和ボケ and one risky ボケ.
Later and soon in Japanese: 後で, もうすぐ, すぐ and the そのうち that may never come
Later in Japanese is 後で (ato de) for plain "later", のちほど for formal, もうすぐ and まもなく for "soon", すぐ for "right away". Here is how they differ.
Limited in Japanese: 限定, and the 以上/未満 on every sign
Limited in Japanese is usually 限定 (gentei), as in 期間限定 "limited time" or 限定版 "limited edition". Learn 以上, 以下 and 未満 too, so you can read signs correctly.
Motomoto meaning: もともと, 'originally' — and why it's not もっと
Motomoto (もともと) means originally, to begin with, or by nature. Learn how it differs from もっと (more), 最初から, 本来 and 元来, with examples and practice.
Next in Japanese: 次, 今度, 来週 — and the 今度 that can mean "this"
Next in Japanese depends on the kind of next: 次 for order, 来週 for the coming week, 今度 for next time, 隣 for beside. Here is how to pick the right one.
Of course in Japanese: もちろん, 当然, and the "of course" that sounds cold
Of course in Japanese is もちろん. But 当然 and 当たり前 can sound cold. Learn which "of course" fits each situation, with a table, examples and practice.
Probably in Japanese: たぶん, でしょう, おそらく — and where きっと sits
Probably in Japanese is たぶん in conversation, おそらく in the news, and でしょう at the end of a sentence. きっと is stronger, かもしれない is weaker.
Promise in Japanese: 約束, keeping it, breaking it, and when it just means 'plans'
Promise in Japanese is 約束 (yakusoku). Learn 約束する, 約束を守る and 約束を破る, 約束だよ, 指切りげんまん, and why 約束がある can also mean "I have plans."
Really in Japanese: 本当に, ほんと?, マジ? — the reaction and the intensifier
Really in Japanese is two different words: ほんと？/本当？ as a reaction, and 本当に/すごく/めっちゃ as an intensifier. Here is how to pick by job and politeness.
Sad and lonely in Japanese: 悲しい vs 寂しい, and 切ない in between
Sad in Japanese is 悲しい when something happened, 寂しい when someone or something is missing. Learn 切ない, 落ち込む, 悲しむ, 寂しがる and 泣ける with examples.
Scary in Japanese: 怖い means both scary and scared
Scary in Japanese is 怖い (kowai), and the same word also means scared. Learn how to tell the two apart, plus 怖がる, 恐ろしい, ゾッとする, ビビる and 苦手.
Should have in Japanese: 〜ばよかった, the grammar of regret
"Should have" in Japanese is usually 〜ばよかった: 早く予約すればよかった means "I should have booked earlier." Learn how to build it and how it differs from 〜べきだった.
Shut up in Japanese: うるさい, 黙れ, and why anime is not your etiquette guide
Shut up in Japanese is うるさい (noisy!) or 黙れ (a harsh command) in anime, but 静かにしてください in real life. Here is how strong each one is and who you can say it to.
Stop in Japanese: やめて vs 止まって — quitting and halting are different verbs
Stop in Japanese has three main verbs: やめる (quit doing something), 止まる (something halts) and 止める (you halt it). See which one fits, with examples.
Strong and weak in Japanese: 強い, 弱い, and the に that turns them into skills
Strong in Japanese is 強い (tsuyoi) and weak is 弱い (yowai). Add に and they become skills: 数字に強い means good with numbers, お酒に弱い means bad with alcohol.
Take care in Japanese: 気をつけて, お大事に, and which one fits the goodbye
There is no single "take care" in Japanese. Use 気をつけて when someone heads out, お大事に when they are sick, お元気で for long goodbyes, ご自愛ください in writing.
Together in Japanese: 一緒に, みんなで and 共に
Together in Japanese is usually 一緒に, as in 友達と一緒に行く, "go with a friend." But みんなで, 共に and plain と also carry "together." Here is which to use.
Wait in Japanese: 待って, 待ってください and お待ちください
Wait in Japanese is 待つ (matsu). 待って is casual, 待ってください is polite, and 少々お待ちください is what shops say. Here is when each one fits, with examples.
Welcome in Japanese: ようこそ, いらっしゃいませ — and "you're welcome" is a different word
Welcome in Japanese is ようこそ when you greet a guest, いらっしゃいませ in shops, and どういたしまして for "you're welcome". Here is which one to use and when.
Honki (本気) meaning: "serious" in Japanese and the four other words for it
Honki (本気) means "in earnest" or "for real". Learn how it differs from 真剣, 真面目, 深刻 and マジ, the other Japanese words for "serious", with anime examples.
Mikata meaning: how do you say "ally" and "enemy" in Japanese?
Mikata (味方) means "ally" or "someone on your side" in Japanese, and its opposite is teki (敵), "enemy". Learn 味方をする, 肩を持つ, and the anime phrases.
Old in Japanese: 古い, 年をとった, 年上 and which "old" you mean
Old in Japanese is 古い for things, but people who are old are 年をとった or 年配の方, and an older person is 年上. 古い人 means old-fashioned, not elderly. Examples inside.
Getting a weird look in Japanese: 変な目で見られる and 白い目で見られる
To get a weird look in Japanese is 変な目で見られる, literally to be seen with strange eyes. 白い目で見られる is a colder, disapproving look. Examples and mistakes.
Innate in Japanese: 生まれつき, 先天的, and 後天的 for what you learn
Innate in Japanese is 生まれつき (umaretsuki) in everyday speech and 先天的 (sententeki) in formal or medical talk. Its opposite, acquired, is 後天的.
Ojousama meaning: お嬢様, 箱入り娘, and the rich girl in anime
Ojousama (お嬢様) means a young lady from a wealthy or well-bred family, or a polite word for someone else's daughter. 箱入り娘 is a sheltered daughter.
Popular in Japanese: 人気 vs 流行り, and how to say something is trending
Popular in Japanese is 人気 (ninki) for things people like over time and 流行り (hayari) for what is in fashion right now. How to choose, with examples.
Stuck in Japanese: 詰まる, 行き詰まる, and the other ways to be stuck
Stuck in Japanese depends on what is stuck: 詰まる for a blocked pipe or a word you cannot get out, 行き詰まる for a plan going nowhere, and 挟まる for a trapped finger.
Chuunibyou meaning: what 中二病 really means in Japanese
Chuunibyou (中二病) means "eighth-grader syndrome": acting as if you have secret powers or a dark destiny. It is a teasing label, not an illness.
Goal in Japanese: 目標 vs 目的, and when to say ゴール
Goal in Japanese is usually 目標 (mokuhyou), a target you can reach and measure. 目的 (mokuteki) is the purpose behind it. Here is how to tell them apart.
Lottery in Japanese: 宝くじ, 抽選 and how to say you won
Lottery in Japanese is 宝くじ for tickets and 抽選 for a draw, like concert tickets. You win with 当たる or 当選する, and lose with 外れる or 落選する.
Ni watatte grammar: 〜にわたって vs 〜にかけて, "over" a period
〜にわたって means "over the whole span" of a time, place or range: 三日間にわたって. 〜にかけて means "from around A to around B." Here is how to tell them apart.
Picky eater in Japanese: 好き嫌いが多い, 偏食 and 食わず嫌い
A picky eater in Japanese is 好き嫌いが多い人. 食わず嫌い means refusing food you have never tried, and it is also used for anything you dismiss without trying.
Prejudice in Japanese: 偏見, 先入観 and 決めつける
Prejudice in Japanese is 偏見 (henken). 先入観 is a preconception you had before you knew anything, and 決めつける means jumping to a conclusion about someone.
Progress in Japanese: 上達, 進歩 and 進捗 are three different words
Progress in Japanese depends on what is moving. A skill improving is 上達, society or technology advancing is 進歩, and a task moving forward is 進捗.
Ruined in Japanese: 台無し, だめになる and 水の泡
Ruined in Japanese is usually 台無し (dainashi): 台無しになる when it gets ruined, 台無しにする when someone ruins it. Here is when to use だめ, 壊す or 水の泡.
Victim in Japanese: 被害者, 犠牲者, 被災者 and 被害者ヅラ
Victim in Japanese is usually 被害者 (higaisha). 犠牲者 is a victim who died, 被災者 is a disaster victim, and 被害者ヅラ means playing the victim.
Art style in Japanese (画風 英語): 絵柄, 画風, 作風 and 作画
Art style in Japanese is 絵柄 (egara) for manga and anime drawings, 画風 for a painter, 作風 for a creator's whole style including story, and 作画 for animation.
Contagious in Japanese: うつる, うつす and 感染
Contagious in Japanese is うつる (utsuru): 風邪がうつる means a cold spreads to you. うつす (utsusu) is giving it, 感染 (kansen) is the formal word, and yawns うつる too.
Elderly in Japanese: お年寄り, 年配の方, 高齢者 and why not 老人
Elderly in Japanese is お年寄り in everyday speech, 年配の方 for a polite "older person," 高齢者 in news and forms. 老人 can sound blunt, and 古い人 means old-fashioned.
Good at and bad at in Japanese: 上手, 得意, 下手, 苦手
Good at in Japanese is 上手 (jouzu) or 得意 (tokui); bad at is 下手 (heta) or 苦手 (nigate). 上手 and 下手 judge skill, 得意 and 苦手 are about you. Do not brag with 上手.
Japanese gaming terms: 死にゲー, 格ゲー, クソゲー and the slang gamers use
Japanese gaming terms gamers really say: genre slang like 死にゲー, 音ゲー and 格ゲー, verdicts like 神ゲー and クソゲー, plus クリア, 詰む, 課金 and ネタバレ, with examples.
Japanese proverbs (ことわざ) people still actually say
Japanese proverbs are called ことわざ (kotowaza). Here are the ones people still use, grouped by money, perseverance and life, and how they sound in conversation.
Rebel in Japanese: 反抗する, 反逆, 反乱 and 反旗を翻す
To rebel in Japanese is usually 反抗する. 反逆 is rebellion against a ruler, 反乱 is an armed uprising, and 反旗を翻す is the idiom. 反旗 is a noun, not a verb.
Survive in Japanese: 生き残る, 生き延びる and 乗り切る
Survive in Japanese is 生き残る (ikinokoru) when others did not make it, 生き延びる when you get through danger, and 乗り切る for surviving a hard week. Not 生き残す.
Courage in Japanese: 勇気 (yuuki) and the verbs that go with it
Courage in Japanese is 勇気 (yuuki). You 勇気を出す to find courage, and something 勇気が要る when it takes courage — not 勇気がかかる. Plus 度胸, 根性 and 勇者.
Dousei vs doukyo: how do you say "living together" in Japanese?
同棲 (dousei) is a couple living together before marriage; 同居 (doukyo) is sharing a home with family. How to pick the right word, and the neutral way to say it.
Jealous in Japanese: urayamashii, shitto or yakimochi?
羨ましい (urayamashii) is friendly envy, 嫉妬 (shitto) is real jealousy, and やきもち is jealousy in love. Which one to say, plus the slang うらやま and いいなあ.
Mushiro meaning: how does むしろ flip a sentence in Japanese?
むしろ (mushiro) means "rather" or "if anything": the opposite of what someone expected is closer to the truth. How to use it, and how it differs from かえって.
Two Days Ago in Japanese: おととい ototoi vs 二日前 futsuka mae
Two days ago in Japanese is おととい ototoi when counted from today and 二日前 futsuka mae from any other moment. 3 tables, plus weeks, months and years.
けど: "but" is only half its job — the other half is softening
Learn how kedo means but between Japanese clauses and softens requests, refusals, and introductions when it appears at the end of a sentence.
休憩, 休暇, 休み: three words for a break, and one of them is not a verb
Learn how kyuukei, kyuuka, and yasumi describe breaks and leave in Japanese, and why taking leave uses the verb toru instead of suru.
Sensei meaning: 先生 is not quite "teacher," and you never call yourself one
先生 literally means "born before" — someone further along a path. It covers doctors, politicians and artists, and is the one title you cannot apply to yourself.
ただ: "free," "merely," and "but" — three words sharing one sound
Learn how tada can mean free of charge, nothing more than, or but in Japanese, and use its position in a sentence to work out the intended meaning.
Good Luck in Japanese: 頑張って ganbatte and why it is not luck
頑張って and 頑張れ both push someone to try harder, which backfires on a person already trying their hardest. 13 example sentences show the safer alternative.
Japanese dialects: 関西弁, 博多弁, 津軽弁 — and why standard Japanese is only about 150 years old
Japanese dialects differ in copula, negation, vocabulary and pitch. Here is what 方言 changes, the main regional groups, and why some get subtitles on TV.
Japanese duration counters: 時間, 日間, ヶ月 — and why 二月 is not "two months"
Learn how Japanese distinguishes clock times and calendar dates from durations, with counters for hours and months and tricky readings explained.
熟字訓: the kanji compounds whose reading is attached to the whole word
Discover how jukujikun gives a whole kanji compound one reading, why kyou is read as a unit, and how these readings differ from ateji in Japanese.
しかたがない and しょうがない: the Japanese shrug, and the two other things it does
Learn how shikata ga nai and shouganai express acceptance in Japanese, plus related patterns meaning there is no point or something is unbearable.
How to start reading in Japanese: 多読, graded readers, and the ふりがな shortcut nobody mentions
Extensive reading (多読) means reading far below your ceiling without a dictionary. How to pick a level and find furigana material for a real novel, early.
Getting started
How to type in Japanese: the IME, the space bar, and the っ nobody can find
Set up Japanese input on Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android, then learn the four keystrokes that trip everyone up: ん, っ, ー and choosing the right kanji.
How to write your name in Japanese: katakana, sound by sound
Foreign names go in katakana and follow the sound, not the spelling. How to convert your name, the rules that decide ー and ッ, and why kanji names are a trap.
JLPT levels explained: N5 to N1, the pass marks, and which one to take
What N5 through N1 certify, the official pass marks and section minimums, and how to pick the level worth sitting — from a teacher who preps students.
Grammar that clicks
Japanese past tense: 〜ました, 〜た, and the form that is not about the past
How to make the Japanese past tense: ます→ました, the plain 〜た built from the te-form, the negative 〜ませんでした — and the た that means "it just happened".
Japanese plurals: 〜たち, 〜ら, 〜がた — and why 本 means both book and books
Japanese nouns do not mark number. What 〜たち, 〜ら, 〜がた and 〜ども actually do, why 本たち is wrong, and how 田中さんたち means "Tanaka and the others".
Japanese word order: the verb goes last, and the rest is negotiable
Japanese is subject-object-verb, but particles do the real work, so the middle of a sentence reorders freely. What stays fixed, and why you must hear the end.
The particle を: the object marker that also means "through" and "out of"
を marks what a verb acts on — but it also marks the space you move through and the place you leave. Why it is written を and read "o", and when を becomes が.
