If you’ve ever dined at a Japanese restaurant, you’ve likely seen people press their palms together and say “Itadakimasu” before eating and “Gochisousama deshita” afterward. In English, these are usually translated as “Let’s eat” and “Thank you for the meal.” But while they function like “saying grace,” the meaning goes much deeper than simple manners. […]

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 […]

In Japanese, the word “どうも” (doumo) is a very versatile and frequently used word that can mean a few different things depending on the context.  どうも, pronounced “dou-mo,” is a phrase you’d come across when you’re eating in at an izakaya or a restaurant. You can also use it to thank someone. You can also […]

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 切る (kiru) means “to do completely” or “to do to the end”. It’s also a verb meaning “to cut,” but as a JLPT N3 grammar point, it’s a phrase that you can use to express a sense of completion or accomplishment. It generally refers to: Make Sure to Watch Coto Academy’s YouTube […]

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! […]

The JLPT N3 grammar 〜がち (~gachi) is a phrase you can use to describe something that tends to happen easily or often, closely meaning “tend to,” “frequently,” or ”to do something easily.” The phrase is mostly used in a negative context. The most common situations you can use this phrase: Make Sure to Watch Coto […]

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 […]

After mastering hiragana, one of the three Japanese writing systems, the natural next step is to learn katakana, the second Japanese syllabary. Commonly used to write loanwords, katakana represent the same set of sounds as hiragana, but they look completely different. Katakana characters are typically boxier and more geometric, with sharp corners, in contrast to […]