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May 23, 2016

Learning Japanese: Knowing the Punctuation used in Japanese Writing

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Without punctuation, language is doomed to be ambiguous. And yet, you would be quite surprised to discover that in Japan, punctuation did not even exist before the 19th century. Despite it being widespread during the Meiji Era, it wasn’t until 1946 that the Japanese punctuation we know of today was imposed by the Ministry of […]

May 19, 2016

Japanese for Love: How to express your feelings

Having many loan words, Japanese for love sometimes might sound familiar to our ears. That’s why it’s not that difficult to learn these useful words and phrases Love-Love…?Origins of Love-Love (ラブラブ)Other Loan words related to LoveTraditional Japanese words related to Love Love-Love…? – They are so love-love!– What are you saying?!– ラブラブだって!– Ah! You […]

May 10, 2016

Moshi Moshi (もしもし): Japanese Phone Etiquette

Speaking in Japanese on the phone is a next level challenge for most students. Here's our handy guide for some key phrases that you need to know.

May 6, 2016

Ways to say "I Love You" in Japanese

How Do Japanese people use “I Love You”? Do you know how to say “I love you” in Japanese? You may have heard “ai shiteru” or “suki” as ways to express love in Japanese. In this article we explain the Japanese nuances behind the love related words in Japanese. On the other hand, check out […]

April 25, 2016

Understand Better Keigo: Japanese Honorific Prefixes お and ご

Introduction Rules of Japanese Honorific Prefixes Frequent Expressions Japanese Polite Prefixes When learning the Japanese respectful speech called Keigo, the attention is often focused on verbs construction and the social relations between a speaker and a listener. However, Keigo covers more than set expressions and situational examples, and in particular Japanese uses Honorific Prefixes. Most of […]

April 21, 2016

An Introduction to Japanese Keigo

A foreigner's guide to Japanese honorific, humble and polite forms.

April 13, 2016

Sushi in Japanese: How to go about ordering in a restaurant

Eating Sushi is a must when coming to Japan, but can you order Sushi in Japanese? We don’t want you to have that problem during this wonderful experience Origins of SushiWalking into a Sushi RestaurantAppreciating your SushiTypes of Sushi MealsFrequently Asked Questions regarding eating SushiConclusion Origins of Sushi Sushi embarked its journey around the […]

April 11, 2016

Knowing how to say "No" in Japanese

Saying 'no' in Japan is a tricky subject. The Japanese will rarely give a direct no to an answer, preferring instead to give an indirect answer that conveys the message of no.

April 8, 2016

How to Introduce Yourself in Japanese! Jikoshoukai (自己紹介)

Are you going to live in Japan? Better prepare yourself with a Japanese self-introduction – a jikoshoukai. Having this language knowledge early in your Japanese study will help you establish yourself among Japanese friends and colleagues. In various contexts in Japan (such as school, work, parties, etc.) you will need to introduce yourself. What should […]

April 6, 2016

Learning to say Good Morning in Japanese: Ohayougozaimasu, Ohayou

Greeting in the Morning Be the first to say it! Other Morning Greetings In a Working Environment… Greeting in the Morning Ohayou gozaimasu! おはようございます！ Good morning! Having a good command of Japanese greetings is the first step towards building smooth relationships in Japan. Whether you are coming for a short trip or for a few […]

April 4, 2016

How to Use Japanese Honorific Titles: San, Sama, Kun and Chan

If you have heard san, sama, kun and chan before, then you know that in Japan, you just simply do not call people by their names! Or you would be very rude. Indeed, to address someone or speak about someone, you need to use the “Japanese honorific title”. To navigate Japanese society smoothly, you should […]

March 29, 2016

Japanese "Kira Kira" Names – A New Trend In Japanese Culture

IntroductionWhat exactly are the “Kira Kira” Names (キラキラネーム)?Why the “Kira Kira” Names?“Kira Kira” Names 2015 Ranking! What Are Japanese Kira Kira Names? Lately, trending Japanese baby names are shifting towards a new unknown level of weirdness. Ever heard of “Kira Kira” names? Literally meaning “sparkly” or “shiny”, those are bizarre names sounding completely different from […]