From double entendres, puns, paraprosdokians, spoonerisms, and more, adding wordplay, or kotoba asobi (言葉遊び), to your Japanese repertoire will spice up your language and express more of your sense of humor and personality. We naturally use play on words to tell jokes and have fun when speaking with our friends. And Japanese is no different. […]
Of all of the existing Japanese particles, the particle の (no) is the one that is used most to indicate possession, such as my, your, or its. It can also be translated to “of” or “about” in certain contexts. As you move beyond beginner-level learning materials, you will eventually learn that の can be used […]
気味（ぎみ) is a JLPT N2 grammar pattern used to describe a tendency or slight condition. It translates loosely as “looks,” “seems,” or “tends to,” and often carries a slightly negative nuance. Because of this, we often use 気味 (gimi) to describe things like being prone to illness, feeling a bit tired, or having a mild […]
The JLPT N3 phrase そんなに (sonna ni) is a very useful everyday phrase that means, “that much,” “so much,” or “to that extent.” Most often, そんなに appears in negative sentences to downplay or deny the extent of something, making statements sound softer or more polite. When used in positive sentences, it typically conveys surprise or […]
The JLPT N3 〜み (~mi) is a suffix that attaches to adjectives (mostly い-adjectives) and turns them into nouns. It’s similar to adding ~ness to an adjective in English (i.e., sweetness). However, there are some differences, the biggest being that nouns with 〜み express a quality or condition that cannot really be measured. They are […]
The JLPT N3 grammar 〜かける/かけだ/かけの (kakeru/ kakeda/ kakeno) is a very useful expression to describe when you have started something but haven’t finished, or when you’re in the middle of something. The expression is mostly used to say: Let’s take a look at kakeru, kake no, and kake da, their grammar structure, examples, and notes! […]
Have you heard of the JLPT N3 phrase 〜て仕方がない (~te shikata ga nai)? It a useful phrase for when you want to describe how something was unavoidable or that the speaker couldn’t help but feel a certain emotion. This phrase most closely translates to the following: Make Sure to Watch Coto Academy’s YouTube Video About […]
The JLPT N3 Grammar, に決まっている (ni kimatte iru), is a versatile phrase you can use to express that you are certain about something or that something is bound to be or happen. It is similar to the English expressions: surely, certainly, it must be, or bound to. It is often used to: Learn its meaning, […]
