Japanese honorifics are suffixes or prefixes used to show respect or familiarity when addressing other people. How do you use them?

One of the most essential Japanese particles, で, is commonly used to indicate the location where an action takes place—similar to the English prepositions “at,” “in,” or “on.” However, many learners struggle to distinguish between で and に, since both can relate to place.  Beyond marking the location of an action, で also has several […]

If you need to provide a reason or explanation for an action, you can use the JLPT N5 grammar, 〜ので (~node). It is similar to saying “because…” in English. It is often used to make a cause-and-effect statement, such as “since A, then B.”  Essentially, you can use 〜ので to logically connect 2 statements, similar […]

Spring, or haru (春), has arrived in Japan, and that means a few things! The cherry blossoms are blooming, temperatures are warming, and locals and tourists alike have gathered to enjoy and appreciate them. In Japan, the spring season typically lasts from the beginning of March to the end of May, and you know that […]

To ask someone not to do something in Japanese, you typically use the JLPT N5 grammar pattern 〜ないでください (naide kudasai).  It is similar to saying “please do not do (something)” in English and is a polite way to request that someone refrain from an action, though it can also be framed as an instruction, advice, […]

What’s the difference between kudasai (ください) and onegaishimasu (おねがいします)?

When you’re just starting to learn Japanese, which kanji should you tackle first?

The question that perplexes all Japanese learners at the beginning: Why is ha (は) read as wa in Japanese, sounding exactly the same as わ? We all thought Japanese phonetics were pretty straightforward, but just when you think you’ve nailed the hiragana and katakana writing systems, you come across this conundrum.  Of course, once you’re […]