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Yumi Nakata Archive

A young Asian woman is crossing her arms in front of her to form an “X,” the gestures for “no” or “no good” in Japanese.

Useful Japanese Words: What Does 断る (Kotowaru) Mean?

February 22, 2023 • Yumi Nakata • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons
私は田中さんの招待を断った。(Watashi wa Tanaka-san no shōtai o kotowatta.)I turned down Mr. Tanaka’s invitation. The most common meaning of 断る …
A man and woman are sitting on a bench. The man is only wearing shorts, slippers, sunglasses, and a hat. He appears to be hot and enjoying hot weather. He is also drinking a drink. There is a woman sitting next to him. She is wearing warm clothes and a thick coat, as if it is winter. The bench is on grass and there are clouds in the background of the image.

How to Say Hot and Cold in Japanese: Different Words for Different Situations

December 21, 2022 • Yumi Nakata • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons
The words “hot” and “cold” are very easy to master in English, but they can be a little …
An image of five, small white cubs with letters on them. Them are placed side-by-side on top of a wooden surface. The words spell out the word, “IDIOT.”

What Is ばか (Baka) in Japanese? How Is It Used?

October 31, 2022 • Yumi Nakata • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons
ばか means idiot, ridiculous, silly, foolish, stupid, or ignorant. It can be written in hiragana, ばか (baka), in …
A sentence that reads, “I MUST DO THIS!” in white chalk on a black/gray surface. The “O” in the word “DO” is replaced with a small, red heart figure.

What Is なければならない (Nakereba Naranai) In Japanese?

October 18, 2022 • Yumi Nakata • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons
なければならない (nakereba naranai)is used to express an obligation to do something. It means “must, “have to,” or “should” …
An illustration of three sets of hands clapping in the middle bottom of this image. On the left and right and side, there is a hand giving a thumbs up. There are small white circles and stars on a blue background in this image.

What Is “さすが (Sasuga)” in Japanese? How Do You Use It?

October 14, 2022 • Yumi Nakata • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons
さすが (sasuga) has many uses in Japanese. It generally means: As one would expect. / Just as you’d …
A picture of a large, orange Japanese Torii gate in the middle of a calm ocean in shallow water. In the background, there are mountains and land with some buildings. Text on this image in reads, "Using もう (Mō) and まだ (Mada) in Japanese"

Using もう (Mō) and まだ (Mada) in Japanese: An In-Depth Guide

October 6, 2022 • Yumi Nakata • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons
Depending on how it’s used, もう (mō) and まだ (mada) can have different meanings. Generally, they can have …
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