Do you want to learn Japanese? Start by reading through these posts for a fun introduction to the Japanese language, including useful Japanese words, basic Japanese grammar and other Japanese lessons for beginners!
Saying ‘wife’ in Japanese may not be as easy as 123. The most common Japanese word for ‘wife’ is okusan (奥さん / おくさん). But hang on, there’s also tsuma (妻 / つま), kamisan (上さん / かみさん), and many more! Husbands typically address their wives by their given name when talking to each other. But some … Read more
Family is no doubt one of the most important things in any culture. For people who are getting married soon or already are (congratulations!), you might be curious about Japanese words for family members. There are many ways to say husband in Japanese: otto (夫 / おっと) is the general term, but shujin (主人 / … Read more
Otoko no ko or danshi? Depending on age and stage of life, there are a few ways to say ‘boy’ in Japanese. Words for describing people in Japanese have different uses and nuances. Here we will go over the different words for ‘boy’ in Japanese and how to use them in the right context. … Read more
You probably recognize the kanji for woman/female, 女, but how do you say ‘girl’ in Japanese? There are several words for ‘girl’ in Japanese and many of you know that this is because Japanese has formal and informal ways of describing people. For example, even though the kanji just mentioned for ‘woman’ is onna / … Read more
Ever wondered how to crack a joke in Japanese? The majority of Japanese jokes are based on wordplay (kotoba asobi / 言葉遊び) and puns (dajare / 駄洒落) – and if you’re able to say one smoothly, you’re sure to impress even the most stoic of your friends! Why are wordplay jokes so popular in Japanese? … Read more
Among the first few vocabulary we learn in any language is how to call our family members. A standard word for father in Japanese is otousan (お父さん / おとうさん). But did you know that there are many other ways to refer to your father in Japanese? Depending on who you are speaking to or talking … Read more
Unlike the English language, there is no single word for ‘brother’ in Japanese. In fact, it is hard to separate the importance of age and hierarchy in the family in learning about family members. Ani (兄 / あに) is the word for ‘older brother’ in Japanese while otouto (弟 / おとうと) means ‘younger brother’. But … Read more
Warning: This post contains language not appropriate for young readers. Curious about curse words in Japanese? We swear we won’t tell! (no pun intended…) It’s easy to get the impression when first learning Japanese that everything is ultra-polite and it’s impossible to sound offensive. But just like any other language, Japanese comes with its fair … Read more