Andrew Garrison

“He’s so cool!”  This kind of comment is common in many different cultures, including Japanese. But, how do you say “cool” in natural Japanese? We’re here to discuss just that; we’ll break down the word, its meanings, and uses in this article. As you may have already guessed, the word for “cool” in Japanese is … Read more

You may remember studying the “5ws” (and how) in English class at some point. These words are essential communication tools in Japanese.  In this guide, we’ll break each word down and explain it in full detail. Some of these question words have multiple forms (for polite/formal conversations). Take time to read each explanation carefully and … Read more

The word すみません (sumimasen) is one of the first words you learn in Japanese class. It is an ULTRA useful word used every day in Japan: in business and stores, talking to people, anime…pretty much everywhere. It doesn’t take long for learners to pick up on this word, which means “excuse me” or “sorry.”  However, … Read more

There are multiple ways to form conditional statements in Japanese, often known as “if” statements in English. One such method is the と (to) conditional, of which we will discuss the meaning and usage in detail in this article. While this conditional is often considered an “easy” grammar point, some things can be tricky. So … Read more

One of the most famous phrases in Japanese is the greeting よろしくお願いします (yoroshiku onegai shimasu). よろしくお願いします is commonly used in a variety of situations and can be translated into many different English phrases depending on the context. よろしくお願いします means “I ask for your favor,” but in reality, it’s a far more versatile phrase than that … Read more

For students of Japanese who have progressed to an intermediate level in their studies, one of the best tools in their grammatical toolbelt is the ability to form conditional sentences. Conditional sentences in English use the conjunction “if,” but Japanese has multiple grammar points for creating conditional sentences. The one we will look at in … Read more

The たら (tara) form is often used in Japanese, and it can be a valuable tool if you are familiar with its meanings and uses. There are several of them, and we’ll break them all down in this article to help make this grammar point clear and natural for you to understand. The たら is … Read more

When making plans or discussing future events in Japanese, the ability to say the days of the month is a necessity. These days of the month can be tricky, but we’ll break it down step-by-step so you can learn them as easily as possible.  Before we break all of the days down, let’s look at all … Read more

In English, the potential form of verbs uses the word “can” (can do, can see, etc.). How do you use the potential form in Japanese?  In this article, we will discuss the different forms and uses of the Japanese potential form and some of the nuances within them. できる (Dekiru): The Backbone of the Potential … Read more

The word 頑張って (ganbatte) is a common and useful word when speaking Japanese. It means “do your best” or “fight” as a form of encouragement. While many learners of Japanese pick this word up early, no matter where you are in your journey, 頑張って is an excellent word to have in your toolbelt. In this … Read more

There are multiple ways to string verb phrases together in Japanese, one of which is by using the て (te)-form. The て-form is used to comprehensively list the actions of someone or something like: 夜ご飯を食べて寝た。(Yoru gohan o tabete neta.)  I ate dinner and slept. Another grammar point can also be used to make a list: … Read more