Want to learn Japanese hiragana? In this blog, we share our own PDF learning Hiragana practice sheets and links to some popular apps for learning Japanese. Just started learning Japanese? Head to our main article about the Japanese writing system for a more comprehensive guide! Apps for Learning Hiragana If you are just getting started […]
While China and Japan may be relatively close geographically and both shape today’s cultural, economic, business, and pop culture landscapes, the Chinese and Japanese languages have clear distinctions. The Chinese language is estimated to be spoken by more than one-fifth of the world’s population. Japanese, on the other hand, is primarily spoken in Japan. And […]
Apples and oranges. Walking and running. Swiftly and slowly. In English, connecting ideas is usually as simple as inserting the word “and” between two items. But in Japanese, expressing “and” is a bit more nuanced. In fact, the language offers multiple ways to connect words, phrases, and even full sentences. This depends on what you’re […]
You’ve probably seen them before — tiny block symbols with Japanese characters that sneak into your Android or iPhone emoji keyboard. They look official, almost cryptic. These aren’t random at all. They’re part of the Japanese Kanji emoji series. But why do these even exist to begin with? Well, here’s something interesting: the word emoji […]
The phrases, ittekimasu, itterasshai, tadaima, okaerinasai symbolize so well Japanese spirit that once you grasp the nuance of their meaning you will have a deeper understanding of Japanese culture.
It is well-known that the Japanese language is considered one of the hardest languages to learn. According to the Foreign Service Institute (FSI), which trains U.S. diplomats and government officials in languages and cultures, Japanese is classified as a “Super-Hard” language. But there’s an important caveat: FSI’s rankings are based on how long it takes […]
Learn how to say the Japanese word for But or However in this blog!
If you’re planning on visiting Japan, you should make the trip twice! Once in the spring to experience the cherry blossoms, and again in autumn to witness the beautiful sight of the tree leaves turning red (momiji)! While cherry blossoms symbolize new life and fresh beginnings, momiji, written as 紅葉, marks the start of the […]
Hiragana, katakana, and kanji make up the Japanese writing system. When you start learning Japanese, figuring out how to read and write can feel overwhelming; after all, Japanese is completely different from the Roman alphabet! You then learn that there are three different writing systems used all at once. How is that even possible? Not […]
Did you know the Japanese language makes more use of passive language than English? Read about how to use the Japanese passive voice here!
