Francesca Rex-Horoi 
The short answer is: No, Japanese is not a tonal language. Rather than being a tonal language, Japanese is considered a ‘pitch-accent language’. You might be wondering why. If you’re interested in finding out more, read on for the long answer too! What is a tonal language? Before looking at why Japanese is not a … Read more
While Japanese is spoken by the majority of people in Japan, it may come as a surprise that it’s not the official language of the country! You’re probably thinking, wait – what? Let us explain! What is an official language? An official language (known as kouyogo/公用語 in Japanese) is a language recognised by law for … Read more
People learning Japanese and Chinese are often curious about the relationship between them. After all, they are spoken by hundreds of millions of people daily and play an important role in communication and cultural exchange. Chinese is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world and Japanese and Chinese are both very popular … Read more
One of the best known ways to say ‘shut up’ in Japanese is urusai / うるさい. This versatile word also has the definitions of ‘noisy’, ‘annoying’ and ‘irritating’ but we guarantee using urusai with a loud voice will get anyone to tone it down a little… or a lot! There’s something about Japanese and describing … Read more
If you’re wondering how to learn Japanese or what’s the best way to learn it, you might be interested in exploring your language learning style. Language learning styles are part of a larger category known as ‘Learning Styles’ which are divided into four major groups: visual, auditory (also called ‘verbal’), kinesthetic (also called ‘tactile’) and … Read more
In the world of Japanese, there are a few words for demons. Japan is famous for its mythology and countless spirit beings, both good and bad. Today we’re going to talk about the ‘bad’ ones! In Japan, demons are often portrayed as evil, dangerous beings that cause fear or harm to humans. However, there are … Read more
Just like how we have other words in English for ‘man’ such as guy, bloke, or dude, Japanese has synonyms for ‘man’ which you should know! The kanji for male in Japanese is 男 (kunyomi: otoko, onyomi: dan) and you will often see it written on public toilets in Japan, so if there’s one take … Read more
One of the first words we learn in Japanese is onna / 女 meaning ‘woman/female’, but it can also be one of the least polite ways to refer to women. When referring to people in Japanese, it’s good to be conscious of the feeling that different words may give to the listener. More appropriate words … Read more