Posts
Japanese name suffixes explained: -san, -kun, -chan, -sama, -sensei and -senpai
In Japanese you rarely say someone's name on its own. A small suffix goes after it, and th…
Japanese name suffixes explained: -san, -kun, -chan, -sama, -sensei and -senpai
In Japanese you rarely say someone's name on its own. A smal…
How to improve Japanese listening: anime, podcasts, shadowing and casual speech
Many Japanese learners can read a textbook dialogue easily and still lose the thread when…
How to improve Japanese listening: anime, podcasts, shadowing and casual speech
Many Japanese learners can read a textbook dialogue easily a…
Japanese verb conjugation for beginners: ru-verbs, u-verbs, masu and te form
Japanese verbs look intimidating at first, but they are remarkably regular. There are only…
Japanese verb conjugation for beginners: ru-verbs, u-verbs, masu and te form
Japanese verbs look intimidating at first, but they are rema…
Japanese sentence structure for beginners: word order, verbs and politeness
Japanese grammar looks strange at first, but its basic structure is consistent and logical…
Japanese sentence structure for beginners: word order, verbs and politeness
Japanese grammar looks strange at first, but its basic struc…
Common mistakes Japanese learners make, and how to fix them
Japanese is full of traps that catch nearly every learner, mostly because English habits l…
Common mistakes Japanese learners make, and how to fix them
Japanese is full of traps that catch nearly every learner, m…
How to learn Japanese on your own: a self-study roadmap from kana to conversation
Japanese has a reputation for being hard, and the writing system does take time. But the g…
How to learn Japanese on your own: a self-study roadmap from kana to conversation
Japanese has a reputation for being hard, and the writing sy…
Katakana loanwords explained: why English sounds different in Japanese
Japanese is full of words borrowed from English, written in katakana. That sounds like goo…
Katakana loanwords explained: why English sounds different in Japanese
Japanese is full of words borrowed from English, written in…
How to study kanji: how many you need, radicals, readings and spaced repetition
Kanji are the part of Japanese that intimidates people most, and the part that rewards a g…
How to study kanji: how many you need, radicals, readings and spaced repetition
Kanji are the part of Japanese that intimidates people most,…
Japanese greetings and everyday phrases: ohayō, sumimasen, itadakimasu
A handful of everyday Japanese phrases go a long way. They are short, they are said consta…
Japanese greetings and everyday phrases: ohayō, sumimasen, itadakimasu
A handful of everyday Japanese phrases go a long way. They a…
Counting in Japanese: numbers, counters and the irregular readings
Counting in Japanese has a reputation for being hard, because the word for "three" changes…
Counting in Japanese: numbers, counters and the irregular readings
Counting in Japanese has a reputation for being hard, becaus…
Japanese keigo basics: teineigo, sonkeigo and kenjōgo explained with examples
Keigo (敬語), Japanese polite language, has a fearsome reputation, even among Japanese peopl…
Japanese keigo basics: teineigo, sonkeigo and kenjōgo explained with examples
Keigo (敬語), Japanese polite language, has a fearsome reputat…
JLPT levels explained: N5 to N1, sections, pass marks and test dates
The Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) is the most widely taken Japanese exam in th…
JLPT levels explained: N5 to N1, sections, pass marks and test dates
The Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) is the most wi…
Japanese particles explained: は vs が, を, に, で, へ, の and も
Particles are the small words that come after a noun and tell you what it is doing in the…
Japanese particles explained: は vs が, を, に, で, へ, の and も
Particles are the small words that come after a noun and tel…
How to learn hiragana and katakana fast: a simple plan for beginners
Japanese uses three scripts: hiragana, katakana and kanji. Kanji takes years, but the two…
How to learn hiragana and katakana fast: a simple plan for beginners
Japanese uses three scripts: hiragana, katakana and kanji. K…
Kana, kanji and conversation: how is your Japanese going?
This is a room for anyone studying Japanese, from learners on their very first hiragana to…
Kana, kanji and conversation: how is your Japanese going?
This is a room for anyone studying Japanese, from learners o…