Picking People up?Where did the Word come from?Usage Examples When you are learning a foreign language, studying slang is a funny way to deepen your vocabulary. Not only will you speak more fluently but you will sound more like a native speaker. Moreover, slang gives you an interesting point of view on society. Let’s see how Japanese people […]

「彼」Kare and「彼女」Kanojo「私」Watashi   Japanese Personal Pronouns are really hard to get for Japanese learners. In truth, we rarely use them. Not only “I” 「私・watashi」and “you”「あなた・anata」are hard to get, but third person pronouns are also problematic. These include “he”「彼・kare」 and “she” 「彼女・kanojyo」which can typically lead to common Japanese mistakes.   「彼」Kare and「彼女」Kanojo Generally speaking, in the […]

Contents: Subject Omission Referring to more than 2 People… Why should I avoid using あなた (Anata)? Subject Omission Japanese is not always easy to use, especially when it comes to identifying the sentence’s subject. A sentence in English always requires a subject, but that’s not the case for the Japanese. In particular, personal pronouns such as […]

  Describing someone as Egocentric, Selfish or even Self-centered…Derivation of the Word 自己中 (Jikochuu)In a Formal Context…  Describing someone as Egocentric, Selfish or even Self-centered… Jiko chuu「自己チュー」「自己中」「ジコチュー」! It is a well known fact that Japanese society cares for selflessness and considers it to be an important value. For Japanese people, nothing is greater than to put others’ need before […]

Ki o Tsukuete! Meaning of 気を付けて (Ki o Tsukete)When to use 気を付けて (Ki o Tsukete)? What does 気を付けて (Ki o Tsukete) Mean? Have you ever heard of this Japanese expression before? When learning foreign languages, some nuances can often get lost when we try to translate a certain word or phrase into our native language. We found […]

It is well known that Japanese summer can be unbearably hot and humid, especially during July and August. All day long people will drag themselves from a building’s shadow to the cool undergrounds of Tokyo’s metro and shopping mall, resting from the heat. One would hope that at sundown, the heat would die down… But alas! During summer, when […]

Expressing GratitudeWhat is 助かります (Tasukarimasu)?Usage ExamplesBeing more Respectful Expressing Gratitude Learning Japanese is not always easy, especially when you have to understand some very tricky nuances. When you received help and want to express your gratitude, what should you say? What is “I appreciate that” in Japanese? The answer is a simple word… tasukarimasu! What is 助かります […]

July’s Japanese word: Natsubate Have you experienced Japanese summer yet? They are very hot and humid! Starting July, temperatures reach such point that you have literally the impression to be in a permanent sauna. Not only foreigners, but Japanese people too suffer from the Japanese summer heat. You may feel physically tired, lose your appetite and have trouble […]