Useful Japanese Lessons

Useful Japanese Lessons Archive

A young woman wearing a business outfit with her right index finger extended out in front of her, as if pointing to the person looking at this image. The woman has long brownish hair and is smiling.

あなた (Anata) In Japanese: Why You Should NEVER Use It

May 27, 2023 • Dallen Nakamura • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

あなた (anata) means “you” in Japanese. While we use “you” all the time in English, it is not …

A young Asian woman wearing blue jeans and a denim jacket sitting on a gray couch. She is holding a glass of water in her right hand and giving an “okay” gesture with her left hand. There is a white fan blurred in front and to the left of the image.

10 Ways to Say “Okay” in Natural Japanese

May 2, 2023 • Yumi Nakata • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

There are many ways to say “okay” in Japanese using different levels of politeness. This article will teach …

A young woman wearing a yellow-greeish top and blue jeans standing in front of a light blue background. She has both of her hands up (palms up) to her shoulder to gesture “I don’t know.”

6 Natural Ways to Say “I Don’t Know” in Japanese

April 14, 2023 • Yumi Nakata • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

すみません。（私は）日本語が分かりません。(Sumimasen. (Watashi wa) nihongo ga wakarimasen.)Sorry. I don’t understand/don’t know Japanese. The Many Ways to Say “I Don’t …

A close-up of someone’s left hand giving a “thumbs up” gesture. In the background, a beach with the blue sky and blue ocean can be seen.

How to Say Good in Japanese Naturally: いい (ii) Vs. 良い (Yoi)

March 13, 2023 • Yumi Nakata • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

There are many ways to say “good” in Japanese, but the most straightforward words are いい (ii) and …

A young, Asian woman wearing a white shirt is facing the camera with a big smile. She has her left pointer finger touching her left cheek, while her right pointer finger is touching her right cheek. The background is light blue.

7 Ways to Say “Happy” in Japanese

March 9, 2023 • Sonya S • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

Ah, happiness. As elusive as it can be in real life, grasping the nuances of different Japanese words …

A man with his lips puckered is trying to kiss a young, Asian woman. She is leaning away from him with hands out to reject his advances.

Useful Japanese Words: What Is やめてください (Yamete Kudasai)?

March 1, 2023 • Yumi Nakata • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

If someone is bothering you or is making you uncomfortable, you need to tell them, “stop it!” やめてください …

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 …

A young, Asian woman with her right hand at her waist and her left hand held up in front of her with her left pointer finger pointing back at herself. It appears as if she is telling someone to come over. The background is dark yellowish.

11 Natural Ways to Say “Come Here” in Japanese

December 20, 2022 • Yumi Nakata • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

There is a simple way to say “Come here” in Japanese. However, there are many other less direct …

A young, Asian woman is sitting in front of her laptop on a desk with her arms raised and a big, happy smile on her face. A small potted plant, a white cup, and a smartphone is also on the desk. A bookshelf with books can be seen blurred in the background.

What Is よかった (Yokatta) In Japanese?

December 13, 2022 • Yumi Nakata • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

よかった (yokatta) is the past tense of 良い (yoi/ii), which means “good.”The meaning of よかった (yokatta) is: “It …

A young woman smiling towards the camera with her right hand up as if saying hi. There are light-green sticky notes stuck on to different parts of her body, with the name of that body part written on the note. One note is over her left eye (and reads “eye”), one note on her right cheek (that reads, “cheek”), one note on her right hand (that reads, “hand”) and one note on her left chest that reads, “body.”

A Comprehensive Guide to 40 Body Parts in Japanese

December 1, 2022 • Sonya S • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

Imagine traveling in the beautiful green countryside of Japan when you suddenly feel a sharp pain in your …

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 …

A picture of the blue sky with white clouds above a snow-capped Mt. Fuji. In the foreground on the left and right side of this image, are branches with pink flowers on them extending out into the image. There is a text overlapped on this image that reads, “What Does どうも (Dōmo) Mean?.”

What Does どうも (Dōmo) in Japanese Mean? 7 Ways to Use it Naturally

September 25, 2022 • Taiko • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

You hear the word どうも (dōmo) all the time in Japan. どうも (dōmo) has many different meanings. It …

A strip of red and white checkered cloth on top of a wooden surface. On top of this strip of cloth at the top are two red and black ladybug figures. Below this is a white card with the text, Good Luck!” on it. On top of this white card is a stem of a plant being clipped by a small clothespin. This stem has a flower at the top with black and green petals.

How to Say Good Luck in Japanese: 4 Different Ways

September 3, 2022 • Naoko Kimura • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

The most common way to wish someone good luck in Japanese is “頑張って(ね) (ganbatte (ne)).” However, “頑張って(ね) (ganbatte …

Two young women are standing on a platform at a train station. They are facing each other (with one woman’s back facing toward the camera), and have their arms open ready to embrace each other. The woman with her face towards the camera has a big smile, and looks extremely happy.

What Does お久しぶり (Ohisashiburi) in Japanese Mean?

August 29, 2022 • TheTrueJapan • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

“お久しぶり！ (ohisashiburi!)” or “久しぶり！ (hisashiburi!)” is a common Japanese greeting that is said whenever you haven’t seen someone …

An image of a clear glass cup tipped over on a brown wooden floor. There is a pool of milk all over the floor, which appears to have come from the tipped over glass.

What Does しょうがない (Shōganai) Mean? A Guide to Shōganai and Shikata Ga Nai

August 24, 2022 • Dallen Nakamura • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

Have you ever been in a situation you couldn’t control, and the only thing you could do was …

A young couple embracing one another. The woman on the left has her arms wrapped around the man’s neck, while the man to the right has his arms wrapped around her back. Their faces are close to each other as if about to kiss. Blurry buildings can be seen in the background.

How to Say I Miss You in Japanese: 3 Natural Ways

August 24, 2022 • Naoko Kimura • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

“I miss you” is such a versatile expression in English. You can use it with friends, family, or …

Pieces of paper on a desk that have Japanese kanji characters written on them with a brush and black ink. On top of these papers is a red notebook in the center on the image and a Japanese notebook for practicing writing characters is on top of it.

Award-Winning Japanese Words You Should Know

August 23, 2022 • Hiroko America • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

The “buzzwords award” started in Japan in 1984, and since then, the “words of the year” get announced …

A woman’s hands are touching at the wrists to form a cup with her hands. She is holding her cupped hands up to the sky as if cupping the sun in her hands.

How to Say Sun in Japanese: Words and Related Expressions

July 30, 2022 • Miguel Angel Morcillo • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

The sun. The source of life and even considered a god among many cultures. Japanese culture also values …

A red heart that is on a blackish-grayish blackboard type of background. On the blackboard in white chalk, a EKG line is drawn from the left side of the heart, extending to the right side of the heart. In front of the heart, a white, curvy line is overlaid on it and connects to the two white, chalk lines on the left and right side of the heart. This makes it appear as if the white EKG line is one solid line that is running above the red heart.

What Does Doki Doki in Japanese Mean?

July 30, 2022 • Naoko Kimura • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

ドキドキ (doki doki) is used to express emotions such as nervousness, excitement, expectation, surprise, and so on. It …

A birds-eye image of a group of 8 people sitting around a large, yellow, tabletop. Only the arms and hands of most people at the table can be seen. There are also cups of coffee, notebooks, and books on the table. In the center of the table is a white speech bubble with a black border, both of which are created by white or black colored squares. In this speech bubble, the words, “WHAT’S UP?” is displayed.

8 Ways to Say “What’s Up” in Japanese

July 25, 2022 • Sonya S • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

Most beginner Japanese classes teach you “konnichi wa” or “ogenki desu ka” as ways to greet people, but …

An image of two human silhouettes climbing up a hill. The person at the top is extending their hand to the outstretched hand of the person below. The shining sun is in the background, peering through space between the two people’s outstretched hands.

What Does 助けて (Tasukete) Mean in Japanese?

July 19, 2022 • TheTrueJapan • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

If you are in serious trouble, you can ask for help using the phrase 助けて (tasukete). 助けて (tasukete) means …

An image of a large, red, Japanese Toori gate in the background with sakura trees on either side of it and grass below. There are five Japanese girl dolls dressed in traditional Japanese clothes standing in a row and smiling in the foreground.

Japanese Names For Girls: Common, Popular, and Unconventional Names

July 16, 2022 • Orie Adams • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

Japanese girl names changed a lot with the times. In this list, you’ll find some of the most …

An illustration of what appears to be Mt. Fuji in Japan with its image reflecting off the water below. There is also a cherry blossom branch with flowers in bloom in the foreground, and the moon in the background in the sky.

How to Say Moon in Japanese: Words and Related Expressions

July 12, 2022 • Miguel Angel Morcillo • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

The moon is full of symbolism, relevant to any culture in the world, and Japanese culture is no …

A close-up image of a young businesswoman holding up a smartphone to her ear.

What Does Moshi Moshi Mean in Japanese? Does It Really Mean “Hello?”

July 8, 2022 • Naoko Kimura • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

Using もしもし (Moshi Moshi): Saying Hello on the Phone In Japan, もしもし (moshi moshi) is commonly used when some …

A man, woman, and two little girls are standing in front of a blackboard. Each of them are pointing to a picture on the blackboard drawn in white chalk. The items written on the blackboard are $ = + (image of a) house + (image of a) dress + (image of a) hand-held gaming system.

Using 欲しい (Hoshii) in Japanese: A Way to Express Desire

July 6, 2022 • TheTrueJapan • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

In Japanese, 欲しい (hoshii) means “to want” and is used when: you want a physical object (noun) you …

An illustration of the man and woman bathroom figures. On the left, the background is blue with the male figure crossing his legs and arms as if he really needs to use the bathroom. On the right on a red background, the woman figure is also crossing her legs and arms in front of her as if she needs to use the bathroom.

How to Say Poop in Japanese: 7 Ways to Be An Expert in Excrement!

July 6, 2022 • Katherine B • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

Poop. Everyone does it, but nobody talks about it. Or at least, not often. Even so, there are …