In this blog series, we will give some critical vocabulary for politics in Japanese.

These vocabulary words are designed to expand your range of words so that you can have more elaborate conversations.

(This will be a regular series and these blogs are primarily designed for intermediate-advanced learners – so for beginner learners we advise that you check out some of our other blogs here! 🙂 )

General Japanese words about Politics

Japanese words about forms of Government

In Japanese, there are several words that can be used to say “But” or “however” – such as kedo, shikashi, and demo.

Today we will look at the word でも (demo) and how it can be used in a Japanese conversation. It’s one of the most essential JLPT N5 grammar points.

In Japanese, the word for “But” is でも。

It usually appears at the beginning of a sentence after an initial concept.

For example:

日本人ともっと話したいです。でも、私の日本語はあまり上手ではありません。
nihonjin to motto hanashitai desu. demo, watashi no nihongo wa amari jouzu dewa arimasen.
I want to speak to Japanese people more. But my Japanese is not so good.

or

スーパーに行きました。でも、閉まっていた。
Suu-paa – ni ikimashita. demo, shmatteita.
I went to the supermarket, but it was closed

Demo is often used to start a new sentence or to connect two ideas together.

Grammar Point: でも

でも is a conjunctive particle that is used to connect two clauses. It is similar to the English word “but” in that it is used to contrast two ideas. However, there are a few key differences between the two words.

First, でも can be used at the beginning of a sentence, but “but” cannot. For example:

• でも、私は日本語が下手です。 (Demo, watashi wa nihongo ga heta desu.) – But I am not good at Japanese.

Second, でも is more informal than “but.” It is commonly used in everyday conversation, but it is not as appropriate for formal writing.

How to Use でも

でも can be used in a variety of ways to express different shades of meaning. Here are a few examples:

• To contrast two ideas:
• 私は日本語が話せます。でも、日本語が書けません。 (Watashi wa nihongo ga hanasemasu. Demo, nihongo ga kaけません.) – I can speak Japanese, but I cannot write Japanese.
• To express a concession:
• 今日は忙しいです。でも、あなたのために時間を作ります。 (Kyou wa isogashii desu. Demo, anata no tame ni jikan wo tsukurimasu.) – I am busy today, but I will make time for you.
• To express a reservation:
• 私は日本語が上手だと思います。でも、まだまだ勉強が必要です。 (Watashi wa nihongo ga umai to omoimasu. Demo, madamada benkyou ga hitsuyō desu.) – I think I am good at Japanese, but I still need to study.

Examples of でも in Japanese Sentences

Here are a few examples of how でも is used in Japanese sentences:

• 私は日本語が好きです。でも、漢字が難しいです。 (Watashi wa nihongo ga suki desu. Demo, kanji ga muzukashii desu.) – I like Japanese, but kanji is difficult.
• 今日は晴れです。でも、風がとても強いです。 (Kyou wa hare desu. Demo, kaze ga totemo tsuyoi desu.) – It is sunny today, but the wind is very strong.
• 私は日本に行きたいです。でも、お金がありません。 (Watashi wa nihon ni ikitai desu. Demo, okane ga arimasen.) – I want to go to Japan, but I don’t have money.

Conclusion

でも is a very common Japanese word that can be used to express a variety of different meanings. By following the tips in this article, you can learn how to use でも correctly and confidently in your Japanese conversations and writing.

Try it yourself! We’ve compiled 30 other N5 grammar points, so check them out here to prepare the upcoming test!

How to Use Microsoft IME on Windows 10 to Type in Japanese

For Mac, iPhone, iOS click here.
Looking to type in Japanese?
In our modern age, typing has become an essential and integrated part of daily life. From emails to Facebook comments to Google searches, we type almost without thinking on a regular basis.
But what if you want to practice typing in Japanese? Isn’t it exciting that for us in 2020, it’s super easy to do so? Back before Windows came out if you wanted to type in Japanese you had to buy a keyboard with kana. Even now most Japanese keyboards come still standard with kana on them, but not many young people use the kana keys because typing in romaji has become more popular.
In recent years, Windows has come out with a Japanese IME – Japanese typing software that utilizes Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji using an English keyboard. What’s more: it’s super simple to install and easy to use!

Installing the Japanese IME on Windows 10

Just in case you don’t already have the IME installed on your computer, let’s run through how to do that real quick! (if you already have the IME installed, skip to Typing in Japanese)
First, click on the start button in the bottom left-hand corner and open “Settings”.

Second, navigate to “Time & language” and click to go into that.

Next, open “Region & language” and select the “Add a language” button listed under Languages.

Select “日本語 – Japanese” and voila! “Japanese is added” means that the Microsoft IME is now installed and ready to go. Confirm by checking the language bar on the bottom right side of the display, which is probably still set to ENG (English). So go ahead and switch that to “Japanese Microsoft IME” to try it out!

You will notice that the keyboard still types English characters because it is set to [ A ]. This mode is used for typing English words with a Japanese keyboard, so click [ A ] and the typing mode will change to [ あ ]. Now you can type in Japanese Kana and Kanji on an English keyboard!
Now that we have installed the Microsoft IME, let’s try it out!

Romanization Systems for Typing in Japanese

The first thing you need to know is that there are 3 systems of romanization for Japanese: nihon-shiki (日本式), the Hepburn system, and kunrei-shiki (訓令式).
In short, the nihon-shiki is a transliteration of the Japanese writing system, the Hepburn system was historically the nihon-shiki’s competing system, and the kunrei-shiki is a modernized variation of the Hepburn system. The main difference is that the nihon-shiki directly transliterates the kana into English, whereas the Hepburn and kunrei systems convert into roman words with clear pronunciation. For example, nihon-shiki converts ち into “ti”, even though ち is actually pronounced “chi”.
These are generalizations because the distinctions are more complicated. The main thing to keep in mind is that the Hepburn system uses more punctuation than the others, making it a bit more difficult to type with. I recommend sticking with the kunrei-shiki, but if typing on the IME using the nihon-shiki works better for you then you can use that instead. 

Using the Microsoft IME to Type Japanese

Alright, now you are all set to give it a shot! Open up Microsoft Word (or any other word processing app you use) and switch your keyboard mode. It will be in the default mode (Half-width alphanumeric) where you can type in English like normal. The only exception is that some of the punctuation keys will have different values.
Let’s say you wanted to type in Hiragana to start. You can switch the keyboard by right-clicking the language bar on the bottom right-hand side and selecting “Hiragana”.

When you type, it will first appear as alpha-numeric (romaji) until you enter a valid kana. Try typing a Japanese word like hajimemashite and it should convert into はじめまして. Then hit “enter” and the IME will leave the kana word as it is, and is ready for you to input the next word.

What About Typing Kanji?

But what about selecting kanji? Let’s say you want to type sushi, for example, and want to use its kanji: 寿司. Type in sushi and it will convert to すし, but instead of pressing “enter”, tap the space bar instead. A list will pop up and you can use the arrow keys and space bar to go through the options available, so go to 寿司 and hit enter.

Since many Japanese kanji share common readings, multiple kanji options will appear for you to select from. However, this means you need to be able to recognize the kanji you are trying to use.
When you are all done, shortcut easily back to English typing mode with “alt” + “shift”.
For information regarding our Japanese courses, click the link below or right here.
Some of the images displayed are from cosom.co.

Start taking Japanese lessons from Coto Academy and become fluent in speaking and typing!

Do you want to learn to type written Japanese? Are you looking for apps – websites and other tools that will improve your Japanese writing composition skill? 

You may never have the time to master the handwriting of each individual kanji – but thanks to computer input methods – you are now able to compose writing in Japanese without the need of a calligraphy brush.

This week we will share a list of tools that we recommend to our students studying with us at our Japanese language school in Tokyo.

• Question and Answer Sites (HiNative, Quora)
• Community Correction / Notebook Services
• Kanji Writing Apps and  PDF Worksheet Workbooks

With computers – it has never been easier to be able to compose writing in Japanese. In the old days – you would need to learn each individual kanji and write it by hand. 

But no longer! This has lead to many people being able to learn how to write articles and publish blogs in Japanese without having to have thousands of hours of classroom instruction in writing.

This article is all about how you can type written Japanese – and the tools that we recommend to get feedback on your writing and correction.

Japanese Question and Answer Websites

The first tool that we recommend is Question and Answer sites:

If you have been on the internet recently – you may have heard of the website called Quora or Yahoo answers. These websites specialize in crowdsourcing answers for general questions.

But did you know that Quora has a Japanese language specific section?

Below is a list of Q and A sites with where you can get answers about specific usage of Japanese. And at some of these site syou can even have your Japanese proofed by native speakers.

Hi Native

Hi Native is a platform to connect language learners with native speakers of that language so that they can get corrections on the language that they are learning. 

For example – I could type something in Japanese and on Hi Native – A native Japanese speaker can explain to me the correct usage or nuance of the statement that I am trying to make.
 

Quora: Japanese Learning Section

 

Quora is the largest question and answer site on the internet and their Japanese language section has around 250,000 followers on it.  You can ask questions here and also search for questions similar to yours. 

A big warning here is that the people answering the question can often be anonymous and might not be a native speaker.  So be careful to check the responses that you get with a native speaker.
 

italki.com community answers

italki.com has a question and answer section that is typically staffed by Japanese teachers that are willing to answer your questions for free!  This is a nice tool that you can use.
 

Community Notebook Tools

There are several websites online that offer a community sourced proofreading solution.

• Hinative
• Italki

On these websites – you have the ability to write something in Japanese and then have it proofread by native speakers where they will offer you the corrections.

This is different from a question and answer tool in the sense that it allows you to have free correction of your writing.  This is a powerful and free way to improve your Japanese writing ability.

Kanji Writing Applications / Workbooks

Many people can obtain a very high level of comprehension in Japanese listening, speaking, reading, and typing – without ever actually learning how to write Kanji characters for themselves. 

There are several applications that will help you to write in Japanese by learning the stroke order from scratch.

At Coto – we have also begun producing a series of Japanese Kanji writing workbooks that you can download and print for very low cost!

• Skritter
• Coto Academy JLPT N5 Kanji Writing Workbook

Have you ever wonder how and where did the Japanese language come about? or any Japanese language facts?

Here are the top 10 mindblowing ones for you!

1. There are many ways to refer “I” in Japanese

In English, you refer yourself as “I”. But in Japanese, there are many more ways to refer to yourself. Other than 私 (watashi), there are 僕 (boku), 俺 (ore), 俺様 (oresama), 自分 (jibun) and 拙者 (sessha).

“僕” (boku) ー It is often ussed by males. This is less formal than “私” but usually accepted in a business settling as well.

“俺” (ore) ー Similar to “僕””, it is often used by males. However, “俺” has a more aggressive tone than “僕”. I would not recommend using this word as it would be considered rude towards the Japanese.

“俺様” (oresama) ー You might have heard this word in a couple of animes like Dragon Ball. For this word, you should not use it in front of your boss.

“自分” (jibun) ー This word is referred to yourself. The interesting part is you can use “自分” as a second person too! Confusing right?

“拙者” (sessha) ー Another classical way of saying “I” which means “clumsy person”. You should use this word only when you are a samurai because being humble about their abilities was a samurai thing to do.

2. Japan is the only country to have the Japanese language as their official language.

But, this does not mean Japan is the only place where the language is spoken.

For example, in the Republic of Palau, Japanese is considered a minority language is spoken there. As of 2010, 1% of Californians and 15% of Hawaiian residents speak Japanese!

3. The Japanese language is one of the most fast-paced spoken languages in the world. 

Research has been done and shown that Japanese is confirmed as one of the most-fast paced spoken languages in the world! It has an informational density of 0.49, a syllabus rate of 7.84 and an information rate of 0.74.

Compared to 6 other more major languages like English and Mandarin, the Japanese language definitely out beat them.

4. The Japanese language has no genetic relation to any other languages.

Kanji is adopted from Chinese characters and used as a Japanese writing system. Despite popular beliefs, Japanese is not related or derived from the Chinese language at all.

They do not belong to the same language family as Chinese. Considered to be one of the most unique languages in the world, the Japanese language is said to have no direct derivation! How interesting is that!

5. Romaji has an interesting origin.

During the 16th century, some may think Romaji came from the European countries. But, as a matter of fact, it does not!

Romaji has its roots in Christianity!

During the 1500s, the romaji is developed by a Japanese Catholic. They wanted to help European missionaries evangelize and promote their Jesuit religion in Japan without having to learn the complex character systems of Japanese. The oldest form of Japanese romanization is based on Portuguese.

Fun fact, the first Japanese-English dictionary to feature romaji was published by James Curtis Hepburn in the 1800s. Thus, Hepburn Romanization.

6. Japanese is the 9th most commonly spoken language by native speakers.

With around 130 million native Japanese speakers, this makes it the 9th most spoken language. It is most space-concentrated of all the most spoken languages.

Even though Through Globalisation Japanese cultures such as anime, manga and even JPop are becoming more popular. Thus, foreigners are interested in learning Japanese due to the spread of Japanese culture.

7. The Japanese language boasts a specific alphabet system for writing foreign words.

During the Heian period, Kanji words are hard to read and to accommodate this, 片仮名 (カタカナ) is adopted for the purpose of aiding in the reading of Kanji. Thus, making it easier for the Japanese to read them. 

Back to 951AD, 片仮名 (カタカナ) was used by Buddhist monks to annotate Chinese writing for Japanese readers, similar to 振り仮名 (ふりがな).

Over time, it became a way for Japanese officials to communicate with foreign traders. 片仮名 (カタカナ) consists of 48 syllabograms.

8. Japanese is not a tonal language.

The Japanese language is monotonous as compared to English. Many East Asian languages are toned in nature. For example, Mandarin and Thai rely on tone to convey meaning.

Like all languages, the Japanese do have a certain rhythm and cadence to its words and sentences. For non-native Japanese speakers, learning the cadence of the language can be difficult and challenging.

9. Little is known about the Japanese language during their prehistory.

The Japanese language’s origins that came about is still unknown today. Some sources claim that the Japanese language was brought to Japan during the early-to-mid 2nd century BC.

Others say that Japanese is connected to the Ural-Altaic language family, which includes Turkish, Mongolian, Machu, and Korean. Japanese also shows similarities to Austronesian languages like Polynesian.

There is no direct evidence that can be discerned about this period of Japanese must be based on the reconstruction of the old Japanese.

10. The Japanese language does not have a plural form

Those who have studied the Japanese language would have noticed that they do not have a plural form.
For example, in English, if it is in the singular form, we say “This is a book”. In plural form, we say “these are books”. But, Japanese is otherwise.

We say “これはほんです” (kore wa hon desu.) – This is a book, does not matter if it is singular or plural. Japanese have counters to explain if it is a lot such as ”たくさん” (takusan) – A lot or ”さまざま” (samazama) – Various.

Despite whether its singular or plural, the form of the word does not change.

Do you feel that your mind has been blown by these facts? Does it excite you to learn more Japanese? Click the link below for the different types of Japanese courses you can take,

If you are interested in studying Japanese in Tokyo, find out more about our school by filling out the form below.