The first thing you need to know about saying ‘you’ in Japanese is that… you probably shouldn’t say it! Anata (あなた) is the direct translation of ‘you’ but it’s rarely used by native speakers and sounds offensive if not used correctly. If you really need to say it, the unspoken rule of how to say … Read more
The leaves are changing colour, the days are getting shorter, there’s a nip in the air… Autumn is here! (Or fall, depending on where you’re from ? ) Perhaps you already know that the seasons are very important in Japan. In Japanese culture, people honour the changes in the seasons with foods, drinks, customs, festivals … Read more
Chances are you already know that watashi means ‘I’ in Japanese. We hate to break it you but… there are more than 10 other ways to say ‘I’. Yikes! We’ve decided to help you out by writing an entire article on how to say I in Japanese. Just like Japanese honorifics, deciding how to say … Read more
The Japanese are known for their politeness, but because of their polite nature, it can be hard to say no in a straightforward way. That’s why there are many ways to say no in Japanese! The most direct way to say ‘no’ in Japanese is iie (いいえ). But just like in English, there are many … Read more
We all know that Japan is famous worldwide for being a polite culture. Japanese honorifics are one of the ways that people show this respect when speaking to each other. “Honorific” means to give or show honor or respect. Honorifics are small words that come before a name (a prefix) or after a name (a … Read more
After you learn to say ‘hello’ in Japanese, next you’d be curious about how to say ‘goodbye’, right? How do you say goodbye in Japanese? Usually, the first Japanese word for goodbye that we learn is sayonara (さよなら). Well, it does mean ‘goodbye’ – but not in the same way the English word does! In … Read more
So you want to learn Japanese, but you don’t have time or money for classes? Learning a new language is hard, and most people who try end up quitting before they get very far. It takes time and persistence. The Pimsleur courses are one of the most famous self-study language courses out there. They use … Read more
Finally! The long, cold winter is over, and spring is arriving in Japan! Spring is many people’s favourite season in Japan. As in other countries, spring is a sign of new life and a fresh start. The most famous symbol of spring in Japan is sakura – cherry blossom flowers. As you will see, there … Read more