Hannah Stafford

Just as in English, the question ‘how much’ can be posed with a few different meanings in Japanese! You may want to ask how much something costs, how much time someone has, or ask about a quantity of something. For example, if you want to ask how much something costs in Japanese, the word is … Read more

Questions are essential building blocks of language. Whether you are trying to navigate a new country or want to create an engaging conversation and keep it flowing, knowing how to ask the right questions in Japanese will get you there!  Let’s start with what is sometimes called the ‘5 W’s’ in English: who, what, where, … Read more

Water is one of the most essential elements of life – and it shows up in many parts of the Japanese language too! The everyday word for water in Japanese is mizu (水). But did you know there are separate words for hot and cold water in Japanese? There are also several interesting kanji compounds … Read more

Fire is a force of nature in every culture, and Japan is no exception! The main word for fire in Japanese is hi (火 / ひ). You will also come across the word kaji (火事 / かじ), which is used for a destructive blaze such as a house fire. In Japanese, there are several words … Read more

Conversing about the weather is essential when it comes to making small-talk in Japan! Whether it be by the water cooler in the workplace, or a one-liner at the beginning of an email, some form of acknowledgment of the current weather is a great way to break the ice and get a conversation flowing.  Below … Read more

There are so many pleasant ways to describe a woman’s beauty: pretty, cute, gorgeous, the list goes on! For a more masculine beauty, we can always use neutral terms such as ‘good-looking’ or ‘attractive’, and even ‘cute’ – but ‘handsome’ gives off a certain air of charm and manliness that a guy might like to … Read more

Whether you are learning Japanese for use in everyday life or just for fun, body parts are a practical set of vocabulary to have under your belt! Not only will it improve your speaking and comprehension skills in day-to-day conversations, it would also be extremely helpful if you find yourself in an emergency situation such … Read more

‘To wear’ in Japanese is kiru… It’s also haku, kaburu, kakeru… and the list goes on! Depending on which article of clothing you are wearing, there is a suitable corresponding verb to mean ‘wear’. It’s easy enough to get the hang of, as each of the different verbs are designated to respective categories of clothes … Read more