In Japan, you might run into plenty of situations where you will need to say “I don’t understand,” especially if you’re just starting to learn Japanese. The most common and straightforward way to say “I don’t understand” in Japanese is わからない (wakaranai) in casual speech, or わかりません (wakarimasen) in its polite form. But Japanese actually […]
Learn how many hours of study it will take you to pass each level of the JLPT. This illustrated guide compares how many hours of Japanese study per JLPT level. Did you know that it takes just as long to pass the N2 as it does to become a certified public accountant in the US?
Did you know that the Japanese language has three types of writing systems? They are hiragana, katakana, and kanji. Hiragana is curvy, represents small syllables, and is used for grammatical information, particles, and native Japanese words! Katakana is straight, also represents small syllables, and is used for loanwords from other languages. Kanji are complex characters […]
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 […]
Between people’s fascination with Japanese culture and the desire to live in Japan, Japanese has become one of the most popular languages to learn – but also the hardest, too.
If you’ve ever wanted to say “me too!” in Japanese, も (mo) is your particle. One of the most natural and frequently used particles in the language, も marks inclusion. It signals that something is being added to a group, a conversation, or a shared experience. Think of it as the Japanese way of saying […]
The JLPT N4 grammar 〜しよう closely translates to “let’s do!” The grammar is actually the volitional form of する, meaning “to do.” Volitional form is a verb conjugation that is used to express an invitation or suggestion. So let’s break down what the volitional form is, how it works, and how we can use it […]
The Japanese particle に (ni) is one of the language’s most essential — and most versatile — building blocks. Used to mark location, destination, time, purpose, and more, に roughly corresponds to “in,” “at,” “to,” or “towards” in English, though its exact meaning always depends on context. If you’re a beginner trying to get a […]
