Useful Japanese Lessons

A low table in a tatami style Japanese room with chairs that sit directly on the ground. On the table are three meals made up a different dishes like salmon, egg, and assorted vegetables.

How To Say Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner Japanese Naturally

June 26, 2021 • Satoko Kakihara • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

You’ve probably heard different words to refer to the various meals of the day in Japanese. But how …

A young, Asian woman dressed in a blue and red kimono holding a blank, white sign. On the sign is text that reads, "The Japanese Conditional Form Tara If/When ~."

How to Use the Japanese Conditional Form たら (Tara)

June 25, 2021 • Andrew Garrison • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

The たら (tara) form is often used in Japanese, and it can be a valuable tool if you …

A young, Asian woman looking off to the left side of the image with her finger to her mouth as if thinking about something. The text on the image reads, "How to Use To Omoimasu in Japanese."

How to Use と思います(To Omoimasu) in Japanese

June 25, 2021 • Margherita Pitorri • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

と思います (to omoimasu) means “I think” in Japanese. It is widely used in both casual and formal situations …

A young, Asian woman holding a map and pointing at something to the left off in the distance. Behind her are many blossoming cherry blossom cherries with pink flowers and a Japanese castle.

ていく (Te Iku) & てくる (Te Kuru) in Japanese: More Than Just Coming and Going

June 12, 2021 • Margherita Pitorri • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

Te iku and te kuru can express: A physical movement in space; Consistency within an ongoing process; A …

The Himeji Castle seen from afar, with the surrounding landscape and sky visible all around. There is text in it that reads, "The Sou Form in Japanese: It Looks Like ~ I Hear That ~"

Using the Sou Form in Japanese: It Seems/Looks Like ~/ I Hear That ~

June 12, 2021 • Satoko Kakihara • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

The 〜そう (~sou) suffix expresses two different things: It seems/looks (like) I hear (that). Let’s take a look …

A girl putting on a Japanese school uniform (a white shirt with blue skirt and red tie).

How to Say to Wear in Japanese: 6 Ways to Get Dressed

May 29, 2021 • Risa • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

The general way to say “wear” Japanese is 着る (kiru). However, there are actually many different ways to …

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

May 29, 2021 • Kristin Schreiner • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

At some point in your Japanese-learning journey, you’re bound to stumble on zu form verbs. Don’t worry—if you’ve …

A young, Japanese girl explaining the Japanese word, "Yabai" with Japanese and English text displayed on the screen.

JapanesePod101 Review – Is It Worth It?

May 27, 2021 • Dallen Nakamura • 15 Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

Disclaimer: This article includes affiliate links. This means that if you click and purchase something, I may receive …

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How to Say Girl in Japanese Naturally: 5 Different Ways

May 25, 2021 • Erin Himeno • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

The Japanese word for girl is 女子 (joshi). As with the Japanese word for boy, there are several …

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

May 23, 2021 • Margherita Pitorri • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

Tsumori is a “must-know” grammar point when we want to talk about our plans and intentions. Let’s see …

The days of the week, from Monday - Sunday, are displayed on yellow sticky notes, one note for each day on a black background. Each day also has a face, starting with a sad face on Monday, eventually becoming a happy face on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Learn the Days of the Week in Japanese

May 21, 2021 • Momoko Hoyt • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

Do you know how to say Monday in Japanese? How about Tuesday? In this article, you can learn …

A picture of a calendar with a pink piece of notepaper stuck in the middle of it with a red pushpin. On the note it reads, "The Days of the Month in Japanese."

The Days of the Month in Japanese

May 21, 2021 • Andrew Garrison • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

When making plans or discussing future events in Japanese, the ability to say the days of the month …

A group of business people (4 men and 2 women) talking to each other. The two women are talking in one group, and the 4 men are talking in their own group.

Sou in Japanese: One Of the Most Useful Words You’ll Learn

May 21, 2021 • Satoko Kakihara • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

We use そうです (sou desu) and its variations to confirm or ask about the way things are. Related …

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 • Kristin Schreiner • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

How do you say ‘is’ in Japanese? It’s just one tiny word in English, but it has several …

An office with glass windows that can see through to the outside. People are talking to each other, with two men in the center, facing each other and bowing.

The Complete Guide to Japanese Honorific Titles: San, Sama, Chan, Kun, & More

May 8, 2021 • Momoko Hoyt • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

What are honorifics? Honorifics are words used to imply high status, politeness, or respect. The Japanese language has …

A wooden sign with the words, "UNLOCK YOUR POTENTIAL" written on it. The blue sky and white clouds is in the background.

The Japanese Potential Form: A Complete Guide

May 6, 2021 • Andrew Garrison • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

In English, the potential form of verbs uses the word “can” (can do, can see, etc.). How do …

A field of yellow tulips with one, single red tulip standing out.

How to Say “Only” in Japanese: 6 Different Ways

April 28, 2021 • Risa • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

The standard way to say “only” in Japanese is だけ (dake). However, there are many other ways to …

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

April 24, 2021 • Margherita Pitorri • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

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 …

Someone wearing a white karate gi uniform with a black belt, standing in front of the flag of Japan.

How to Use Ganbatte in Japanese: Along With Ganbaru, Ganbarimasu, & More

April 24, 2021 • Andrew Garrison • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

The word 頑張って (ganbatte) is a common and useful word when speaking Japanese. It means “do your best” …

A silhouette of a Japanese gate and a samurai sitting on his knees holding a sword. The title reads, "The Causative Form in Japanese: A Detailed Guide"

Japanese Causative Form: A Detailed Guide

April 23, 2021 • Satoko Kakihara • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

Imagine that you’re a genius high school student who is the vice president of the school council. You …

A picture of tree going through the four seasons; on the left, the pink flowers are in bloom. Next, to the right of it, is green leaves. To the right of that, yellow leaves. And last, to the far right, a bare tree with no leaves.

How to Say the Seasons in Japanese

April 20, 2021 • Andrew Garrison • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

Japan takes great pride in its seasons, each with its own characteristics. If you plan to visit Japan …

A Zen sand garden with smooth, curved lines running through it, with three stones stacked on top of each other in the middle. The text on the images says, "10 Useful Japanese Proverbs to Sound Like a Native Speaker."

10 Useful Japanese Proverbs to Make You Sound Like a Pro

April 15, 2021 • Momoko Hoyt • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

Proverbs are used a lot in Japanese conversations. There are approximately 43,000 Japanese proverbs, according to the Great …

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 • Kristin Schreiner • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

If you’re speaking English, you probably don’t think much about whether your verbs are transitive or intransitive. In …

A Japanese temple with Mt. Fuji in the background and a cherry blossom tree in the foreground illustration. The title says, "A complete guide to the Bakari form in Japanese."

The ばかり (Bakari) Form in Japanese: A Complete Guide

April 11, 2021 • Margherita Pitorri • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

Bakari (ばかり) is a word that Japanese learners usually stumble upon early in their studies. We use the …

A young, Asian woman in a pink-ish dress holding her first finger to her lips as if to say "shhh" to be quiet.

How to Say Shut Up in Japanese

April 1, 2021 • Yuka Fujiwara • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

Have you ever wanted to say “shut up” in Japanese? Even though Japan is a polite society, there …

A young, Asian woman with her arms crossed in front of her face to form an "X" shape.

How to Say No in Japanese

March 30, 2021 • Yuka Fujiwara • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

When you live in Japan, you’ll encounter times when you’d like to say “no.” There are many phrases …

A Japanese Torii Gate looking outside into nature, with the title of the article on a black rectangle that says, "How to Use the たり (-Tari) Form in Japanese.

Japanese Tari Form: Listing Actions Or Qualities

March 30, 2021 • Andrew Garrison • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

There are multiple ways to string verb phrases together in Japanese, one of which is by using the …

A young, Asian woman with a blue, white, and orange stripped shirt with both pointer fingers pointing to herself.

How Do You Say “I” in Japanese?

March 30, 2021 • Risa • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

The general way to refer to yourself in Japanese is by using the word 私 (watashi). While this …

A young Asian boy dressed in a Japanese school uniform and backpack waving to someone.

How to Say Boy in Japanese Naturally

March 13, 2021 • Erin Himeno • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

The Japanese word for “boy” is 男子(danshi). There are several other words for boy that depend on the …

White butterflies and flowers on tree branches drawn on a blue background with the words "Happy Birthday" on the bottom in white text.

How to Say Happy Birthday in Japanese

March 5, 2021 • Erin Himeno • No Comments • Useful Japanese Lessons

Happy birthday in Japanese is 誕生日おめでとう (tanjoubi omedetou). Birthday celebrations in Japan are quieter and more personal than …

Useful Japanese Lessons Archive