Useful Words in Japanese

While the standard textbook definition for you in Japanese is あなた (anata), this pronoun is highly nuanced and depends on the situation and to whom you speak. This can be difficult to master, but this article will teach you how Japanese people say you naturally and discuss the most common Japanese words for the pronoun. … Read more

There are two ways to say “please” in Japanese: ください（Kudasai）– often used when requesting an action or a specific object. お願いします（Onegai shimasu）– a slightly more polite word used when asking for a service or favor. Both words are acceptable in polite conversation. Depending on the sentence structure and the situation, one might be better than … Read more

The generic word for friend in Japanese is 友人 (yuujin). Japanese people have many different ways to say the word friend. These words depend on how close the relationship is and with whom they are speaking. This article will discuss the words you can use to talk about your friend in Japanese.  Be aware that, … Read more

The Japanese for older sister is 姉 (ane), while the word for younger sister is 妹 (imouto). Unlike English, there is no general way to say sister in Japanese without implying age difference. However, there are a few ways to say sister in Japanese. Let’s take a look at the different ways to say sister … Read more

The word for brother in Japanese depends on whether they are older or younger than you. Your older brother is 兄 (ani) in Japanese, while younger brother is 弟 (otouto). There is no way to say brother in Japanese without implying the sibling’s age. 7 Ways to Say Brother in Japanese Let’s look at 7 … Read more

The “standard” word for husband in Japanese is 夫 (otto). Whereas there are many nuanced words for wife in Japanese, “husband” has only a few specific terms that depend on whose husband is being referred to. In this article, we’ll look at the different ways to say husband in Japanese. 1. 主人 (Shujin) – (One’s … Read more

In Japanese, yes is often translated as はい (hai). However, there are more meanings to the word hai than just yes. Sometimes a question shouldn’t be answered with hai. In this article, we’ll discuss the many ways to say yes in Japanese. Polite Ways to Say Yes in Japanese In Japan, it’s considered impolite to … Read more

The general word for father in Japanese is お父さん (otousan). However, there is more than one way to say father in Japanese. In a previous article, we discussed the various terms for mother in Japanese and when to use them. The same rules apply here: depending on whose father you’re speaking about and the social … Read more

The “standard” word for wife in Japanese is 奥さん (okusan). However, there are actually many different ways to say wife in Japanese. Which one you use will depend on who you are talking to. In this article, we’ll look at the many ways to say wife in Japanese and how to use each one correctly.  … Read more

The “general” Japanese word for mother is お母さん (okaasan). However, there are many different ways to say mother in Japanese, depending on who you are talking to. Knowing the right word to use can be complicated, but are ways to learn Japanese quickly and easily. Let’s take a look at the different ways to say … Read more

The word すごい (sugoi) is very popular, even among people who don’t know a lot of Japanese.  Sugoi has two major definitions: amazing and terrible. That’s pretty sugoi itself, right?  Not only does sugoi have two very different meanings, but it’s also quite flexible within a sentence. Sugoi can be an adverb, adjective, or just an exclamation of delight. You can use it with your friends and your … Read more

Say you’re watching the sun setting behind Mt. Fuji. How do you tell your Japanese friend that the scene is beautiful? Or perhaps your partner just walked in wearing a new dress. How would you compliment them? Let’s look at how to say beautiful in Japanese.   Beautiful in Japanese: Utukushii (美しい) or Kirei (綺麗)? … Read more

Japanese speakers often use the word Naruhodo(なるほど) in everyday conversation.  Learning how to use naruhodo correctly can make your Japanese sound very natural.  However, you need to be careful in certain situations, as misusing the word can lead to awkward conversations. So let’s take a detailed look into the naruhodo, as well as similar expressions … Read more

Learning Japanese can be daunting. It is a language with three levels of formality depending on social standing and the situation the speaker is in. There are easy and fun ways to learn Japanese though.  “ありがとう” (Arigatou), or thank you, is one of the first textbook Japanese phrases we are taught. But if you are the one … Read more

Planning a trip to Japan? Interested in learning Japanese? Then you have come to the right place. Although a lot of people are already familiar with the word arigatou, there are more ways to say thank you in Japanese. I will be sharing different ways to say thank you, as well as explaining the meaning … Read more

When you’re learning to speak Japanese, it can sometimes feel like you’re learning more than just one language.  That’s because you use different words and grammar depending on who you’re talking to. It’s expected that you acknowledge a person’s social status in the language that you use. If you’re going to interact with Japanese people … Read more

Konnichiwa!  Hello! While the word “konnichiwa” is often translated as a basic “hello” in English, it doesn’t work in all situations.  If you want to learn how to say hello in Japanese the right way, this guide will teach you everything you need to know. In Japanese, there is no one word that can be … Read more

Learning how to say I love you in Japanese can be a little confusing.  This is because in Japan, it’s not common to tell your partner “I love you” in a direct way like we do in English.  In addition to this, there are several ways to say I love you in Japanese.  This is because in … Read more