If you and your family have just moved to Tokyo, finding the right Japanese preschool or kindergarten for your child can be a daunting prospect. You’re settling into a new country where English isn’t widely spoken, so it’s natural to wonder whether a local Japanese youchien or an international preschool is the better fit. Should […]

In English, an interjection is a word or expression meant to express sudden emotion or an immediate reaction. Have you ever heard your Japanese friend say things like “I see,” “Is that so,” or even “That’s amazing?” These interjections, or “aizuchi,” can be heard throughout their conversations, and they can be handy if you’re trying […]

Japanese people don’t just hear insect sounds, but “hear” insect voices. While most languages treat the chirping of crickets or the buzzing of cicadas as mere noise, Japanese culture has long considered these sounds to be koe (声), voices worthy of deep appreciation. Why do they perceive insect noises as “voices”? Read more to find […]

The grammar pattern ～ていく (te iku) is used to express a change or action that begins now and continues moving forward in time. It combines the て-form of a verb with 行く (iku), which literally means “to go,” giving the overall meaning of something “going on” or “continuing from this point.” At some point, your […]

You may be familiar with the JLPT, but have you heard of the BJT and TOPJ? While the JLPT is the most widely recognized proof of Japanese language proficiency, an increasing number of companies and foreigners are now opting for the JLPT test alternatives. But from JLPT, BJT, and TOPJ, which one should you take? […]

Whether we like it or not, AI tools are changing how we learn languages, especially when it comes to learning Japanese. Nowadays, there are so many AI tools on the market for learners to use to improve their language skills, some of which may be beneficial for your Japanese language learning journey. But what tools […]

If you’ve ever wanted to talk about the things you love doing in Japanese, 〜のが好きです (no ga suki desu) is one of the most useful grammar points you’ll pick up at the N5 level. 〜のが好きです (~no ga sukidesu) means “to like to do something.” It is used for expressing activities you like to do by […]

Ever used the Japanese grammar, でしょう (deshou)? Picture this. You recently got these new glasses, and you think they look nice. You want to tell your Japanese friend about your new glasses, but you want them to agree that they look nice. So what do you say when you want your friend to agree with […]