A close-up of a blackboard with someone's hand holding a piece of white chalk in the right-hand corner of the image. The text on the backboard reads, "Wait a moment"

What Does Chotto Matte Mean?

ちょっとまって (chotto matte) means “wait a moment,” and it’s used in a wide variety of situations, from everyday conversation to more formal scenarios.  How to Use Chotto Matte in Japanese ちょっと (chotto) is a very useful word you are probably already familiar with. It means “a little bit, slightly.”  Chotto is an informal expression, but … Read more

A bunch of Post-It sticky notes of different colors on a board. Each has resolutions written on it like lose weight, find love, quit smoking, save money, etc. This is to illustration the meaning of the Tsumori form in Japanese.

The Tsumori Form in Japanese

Tsumori is a “must-know” grammar point when we want to talk about our plans and intentions. Let’s see how to use it properly and sound natural in everyday conversation!  つもり(Tsumori): Plan (To Do), Intention Tsumori is used to express strong intentions and plans, and it is widely used in daily conversations. It can be used … Read more

Someone's two hands holding a white bowl over a grey/blackish table as if asking for food.

How To Say I’m Hungry in Japanese

Let’s have a look at the three common ways to say “I’m hungry” in Japanese: お腹が空いた。 (Onaka ga suita.) 腹が減った。  (Hara ga hetta.) お腹がぺこぺこ。   (Onaka ga peko peko.) We’ll also talk about the sound your stomach makes when you are hungry: お腹がぐーぐー鳴る。(Onaka ga guu guu naru.) Be sure to check out our “Learning Japanese … Read more