Kristin Schreiner

Kristin has been learning and using Japanese since her first visit to Japan in 2004. Her interest in the language developed through several return visits and a year spent living in Kyoto. Thanks to her undergraduate major in Japanese Studies, this interest grew into a much broader passion for Japanese literature, which she is currently studying as a Ph.D. student. In addition to her research, she works as a teaching assistant, helping students learn about Japan and Japanese.

A small blackboard with a wooden frame hanging on a wooden wall. The text in English reads, "Desu, Da, & Desho in Japanese."

How To Use Desu , Da, & Deshō in Japanese

July 6, 2021 by Kristin Schreiner

So you’ve started learning Japanese! As you’ve gone along, I bet you’ve stumbled across the word desu. It shows up so often, but what does it mean? And, most importantly, how can you use it in your sentences? What is Desu? です (desu) is a copula. I know, that sounds like unhelpful grammar jargon, right? … Read more

A younger, Asian woman in a black business suit with her right hand out as if to say, "stop." She is holding a white board that reads, "The Zu Form in Japanese."

The Zu Form in Japanese: A Classic Negative Form

November 29, 2021May 29, 2021 by Kristin Schreiner

At some point in your Japanese-learning journey, you’re bound to stumble on zu form verbs. Don’t worry—if you’ve learned basic Japanese verb conjugations already, this is easy to pick up! What is the Zu Form? The zu form is similar to the nai form. They mean the same thing: both are ways of creating negative … Read more

A young woman in a kimono sitting down on a rock in front of a pond in a Japanese garden. The text on it reads, "ある (Aru) Vs. いる (Iru) What's the Difference?"

How to Use ある (Aru) and いる (Iru) in Japanese

May 10, 2021 by Kristin Schreiner

How do you say ‘is’ in Japanese? It’s just one tiny word in English, but it has several equivalents in Japanese! We’ll go over two of these here: ある (aru) and いる (iru). What Are ある (Aru) and いる (Iru)? ある (aru) and いる (iru) are what we call ‘verbs of existence.’ In English, you’d … Read more

A woman wearing a traditional Japanese outfit (kimono) holding a Japanese style umbrella walking on a street towards a temple in the background. The text on this images says, "Transitive and Intransitive Verbs in Japanese: A Step-By-Step Guide."

Transitive and Intransitive Verbs in Japanese

April 14, 2021 by Kristin Schreiner

If you’re speaking English, you probably don’t think much about whether your verbs are transitive or intransitive. In Japanese, though, the difference matters a lot. You might have to use a different sentence structure or even a different word! First, you might be wondering… What Are Transitive and Intransitive Verbs? A transitive verb is a … Read more