Want to learn more about Japanese vocabulary about airports? Find out more in this cheat sheet, where we cover the takeoff and in-flight procedures!
Pronunciation, meaning, and example sentences are all provided to help boost your spoken and written Japanese levels. Do check out the first part of our Japanese airport vocabulary cheat sheet if you have yet to do so!
As the airport follows a tight schedule to prevent delay, you need to always arrive at the boarding gate 搭乗口(とうじょうぐち tōjō guchi) early before the flight takes off!
If there is a long waiting time before your boarding time, feel free to shop around in the duty-free stores 免税店 (めんぜいてん menzeiten), which can be found all over the airport.
Head to part three if you’re curious to learn more Japanese airport vocabulary!
Pronunciation: tōjō guchi he wa shuppatsu jikoku no 10-bu mae made ni okoshi kudasai.
It means: ‘Please arrive at the boarding gate at least 10 minutes before departure time.’
Example 2:
By saying: ‘出発ロビーに行く前に免税店で家族のお土産を買いました。’
Pronunciation: shuppatsu robī ni iku mae ni menzei ten de kazoku no omiyage wo kaimashita.
It means: ‘I bought souvenirs at the duty-free store for my family before heading to the departure lobby.’
Need help with learning different Japanese vocabulary about education? Check out the cheat sheet that we have created for the all the terminology that you need!
Here, we have included the vocabulary on the eight education levels, starting from nursery school to university.
People are always surprised to know just how different the Japanese school system is from the system in other countries.
The Japanese school system consists of six years of elementary school, three years of junior high school, three years of high school, and lastly, university.
Here is how the school years in Japan are divided :
Nursery school from 3 to 6 years old.
Elementary school from 6 to 12.
Middle School from 12 to 15.
High school from 15 to 18.
University from a duration of 2 to 4 years.
The majority of Japan’s junior high and high schools students are also required to wear uniforms, or seifuku (せいふく), which play an important role in Japan’s culture.
The uniform also rotates seasonally and varies between one school and the other, with some schools known for their particular design. Students are taught to have a sense of discipline and community among youth by wearing uniforms.
This is part one of our Japanese education vocabulary series, so make sure to continue to part two.
Continue on below for more vocabulary and sentence examples.
Japanese Education Vocabulary Sentence Examples
Here is how you form basic sentences with the terminology:
Example 1:
おとうとはあしたのしょうがっこうのにゅうがくしきがたのしみでしかたないのだ。
otōto wa ashita no shōgakkō no nyūgakushiki ga tanoshimi de shikatanai noda.
My younger brother can’t help but look forward to his entrance ceremony of elementary school tomorrow.
Example 2 :
こうこうをそつぎょうしたら、だいがくにしんがくするよていです。
kōkō wo sotsugyō shitara, daigaku ni iku tsumoridesu.
When I graduate from high school, I plan to go to university.
Japanese Education Vocabulary –
Japanese
Pronunciation
Meaning
ほいくえん
hoikuen
Nursey School
ようちえん
yōchien
Preschool
しょうがっこう
shōgakkō
Elementary School
ちゅうがっこう
chūgakkō
Middle School
こうこう
koūkō
High School
だいがく（がくし）
daigaku (gakushi)
University (bachelor)
だいがくいん（しゅうし）
daigakuin (shūshi)
Graduate School (masters)
はくし
hakushi
PH.D.
If you wish to have a short-term study in Tokyo, Check out our 3-month intensive Japanese courses. Also, feel free to send us an inquiry if you have any questions!
Start taking Japanese lessons and master these terminology today!
Learning Japanese for beginner is a journey that appears to be terrifying. The process of understanding the grammar structure, building up a good vocabulary based, and strengthening communication skills may seem too much of a work to do.
Let’s be honest, learning a new language is not easy. But with endurance, a motivated attitude and with a determined goal, anything is possible.
How many times have you written “to learn a new language” or “to master the Japanese language” on your new year’s resolution? It is now almost halfway through the year, and how did that progress go?
If you have not even remotely gotten close to begin, don’t worry, many others are on the same boat as you.
In this article, we will introduce a number of ways to learn Japanese consistently, without getting side-tracked.
1.Study with mobile apps
If you have experience with studying with textbooks and this did not work out for you, why not try to study with Japanese language applications on your phone?
Just set a small starting goal of 5 minutes of studying on the Japanese language app, so that your goals are more achievable.
If you are struggling with memorizing kanji, we have compiled a few Kanji apps here in the blog post, recommending different type of learners.
The apps here help beginners to practice with remembering and understanding the Hiragana and Katakana writing system. The apps have a build-in tracing system, where you can practice writing Japanese letters.
Read more about kanji app and our review of the popular study app Duolingo here!
2. Study with social media,
If you have a habit of spending more than an hour on social media all together, why not use some of the time to allocate to your Japanese studies? Here we show you some ways to learn Japanese through social media.
Instagram
It is easy to get lost within the world of Instagram with so much content and inspiration out there. One way to get your Japanese study time while going on Instagram, is to follow some of the Japanese learning Instagram accounts.
We, Coto Academy, have our own Instagram account where we post every single day on Japanese vocabularies, phrases, and current events.
IG Stories of JLPT Kanji, Grammar, Vocabularies Quizzes
Themed Japanese Vocabulary
How to use onomatopoeia
Kanji Vocabulary
Japanese Phrases
Grammar videos on IGTV
By following us, you would not have to specifically find the time in your day to study Japanese, but we provide the information for you on Instagram, where you can engage with.
YouTube
To get more accustomed to the Japanese language and to get used to native Japanese speaking in Japanese, using YouTube to study is the best method.
With a visual aid, it is easier to understand Japanese grammar particles and structures. We post weekly JLPT grammar videos, introducing new concepts. If your main source of social media is YouTube, this is the perfect method for you to squeeze in bits of studying time.
Additionally, listening to our Native teachers speak Japanese may help you to get used to the pronounciation of Japanese words.
Coto provides short educational videos, but if you would like to delve into longer videos, that thoroughly explains grammar, vocabulary, and reading comprehension, check out our list of 50 Youtube channels here.
The YouTube channels we have compiled here varries in learning formats. Ranging from traditional formats of explaining each grammar concept to you to channels that explains through a song so that the concepts are easier to remember to many vlog channels going through their daily life in Japan.
For Japanese learners that want to learn Japanese, learning videos is one of the best methods to do so, because the educational videos are delivered as if it is a personal lesson between the teacher and the student. Learning through Japanese vlogs
Following our blog
Our blog includes a variety of content you can highly benefit from, which contributes to learning Japanese!
We write blogs on topics such as grammar blog posts, tips on how to study Japanese, and how to pass each JLPT level. We also combine Japanese culture with Japanese learning, such as our blog post on teaching Japanese learners how to maximize their learning with using phrases from Japanese anime.
We also create our own Coto Kanji practice worksheets and provide them on our blog. Our Coto blog provides a wide array of Free Kanji practice worksheets ranging from JLPT N5~N2 Kanjis. This way, learners that are starting out can have easy access to resources to study Japanese straightaway.
3. Listen to podcasts and join clubhouse
Traditional methods of studying Japanese is great, but if you want to progress to another level, listening to Japanese podcasts and joining a clubhouse group is one way to do so.
Joining clubhouse Japanese language groups encourages Japanese learners to strengthen communication skills. The groups we have compiled allows members to practice the language together.
Why you should learn by listening to podcasts or Clubhouse:
Easy to slot in time for it –
For when you often communte to work or school,
Exercise throughout the day
Strengthen listening skills
Gain communications skills for casual conversations
Become friends with like minded people to encourage each other to study
If you like to watch Japanese tv shows or anime, what better way to learn Japanese than to learn by continuously watching the shows? This way, you can learn natural phrases used for daily life, during your leisure time.
Did you also know that by adding this extention on your google chrome, you can learn Japanese on Netflix? By installing this extention, you can hover words you are unfamiliar with in the subtitles, and save the words to review for later. This extention translates the words for you, and provides romaji on top of kanji so you can practice reading the Japanese subtitiles.
5. Learn through songs
Do you like listening to J-pop? Want to learn how to sing them, or understand what the song lyrics mean without having to search it up everytime? In our previous post, we have compiled Japanese songs and artists we recommend learning Japanese from!
By practicing sing the Japanese songs, this can improve your Japanese pronounciation, which can aid you in the future when you want to improve communication skills. Trying to understand the story behind the lyrics include understand vocabulary and grammar structure.
By accomplishing this, learning throught the lyrics also can link to strengthening reading comprehension skills.
6. Sign up to Coto Academy!
There are many free and affordable resources out there on the internet. Coto Academy provides many ways for people that are interested in learning Japnese.
Sign up to Coto online classes, affordable and consistent
Coto Academy provides Japanese lessons for anyone in the world. We have online group lessons, as well in-person group lessons. The classes we have arranged are very affordable, which makes students easier for them to continue the classes.
Consistency is a very key aspect in studying languages, so that your muscle memory does not forget what you have learnt.
Among the variety of classes we offer, we highly recommed the Japanese Crash Course for beginners with zero experience with Japanese.
Are you struggling with stroke order? You’re not alone. Some kanji have more than a few strokes to remember. That is why we are so happy to share about this! Kanjibro is a new tool for finding the stroke order of most common Kanji (Kanji that appear in open source Japanese dictionaries.) Using Kanjibro to find stroke order is simple:
Type your kanji in the search (You can also paste it)
The animated stroke order will pop up for each kanji.
It’s that simple. One great thing about this tool and one that we’re very proud of – is that Kanjibro is made by one of our students. Here is his message about the project:
When I started to learn Japanese a year and a half ago, the difficulty to take notes was the most frustrating bit while learning. (to take notes is probably the best way to process and retain information I think.) So after discussion with my Japanese pals and classmates, the idea of being able to take notes, and therefore writing kanji without making any mistakes, became a crucial need. We checked google but there was no “simple” solution allowing us to paste a sentence, check how to write it, and then proceed out conversation in Japanese. With this tool our classes or sessions started to be way much more productive. As we weren’t spending too much time trying to write kanji. Basically after class or a conversation session, we were able to study each kanji properly on our own. I’m glad to hear this tool is useful! 😀
If you’re looking to learn how to practice writing kanji – you may also be interested in our kanji writing worksheets. These worksheets provide an easy way to practice Japanese writing and also have stroke order diagrams that teach you the correct order of the strokes. If you’d like to see all of the available JLPT Kanji Writing Workbooks – please visit Coto Kanji Writing Workbooks
If you are interested in studying Japanese in Tokyo, find out more about our school by filling out the form below.
Do you want to know how to pass the JLPT N5? Are you starting Japanese from zero as a complete beginner?
This guide will give you information about:
What is the JLPT N5?
Scoring sections for the JLPT N5 – What Sections is it divided into?
Registering for the JLPT N5
How to study to for the N5 Kanji and Vocabulary Section
How to study to for the N5 Grammar and Reading Section
What is the JLPT N5
The JLPT N5 is the first level of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test ( also known as the 日本語能力試験)
It is the standardized examination used by universities and employers inside and outside of Japan to test a persons Japanese language ability.
Recently – the JLPT N5 has become more necessary when applying for certain types of student visas to Japan – and in some cases it is actually required that you have a JLPT N5 passing certificate before you can apply.
As you can see from the graphic below (students who self reported their study hours) – it takes about 460 hours of study for a person to go from 0 – to passing the Jlpt N5 comfortably.
This should not scare you – that’s just around 2-3 hours a day of study for 6 months.
Important note: You should also keep in mind that studying for the N5 level includes learning the Japanese written alphabets of katakana and hiragana for the first time.
So it really depends whether or not you’re learning to actually write those characters by hand – or simply you just want to be able to read them for the purposes of passing the exam.
We definitely recommend that you learn to write them – as it also makes learning to read much easier – but if you have limited time before you need to pass the exam, you can consider that as a way to shorten the time it takes.
How is the JLPT N5 Scored? What sections appear on the JLPT N5
Scoring for JLPT is divided into 2 sections, vocabulary,grammar,reading and listening.
When you take the JLPT N5 – the test will be divided into two testing sections. This means that you will have a cumulative score for the Kanji, Vocabulary, Reading and Grammar. And you will be tested separately with a listening section.
During this listening section you will listen to audio segments that they play and have to answer questions given to you in those audio segments.
How to Register for the JLPT N5
Registering for the JLPT will depend on your country of residence – to find out where you can take the JLPT and where you can register for it – you can consult our registration guide.
Learning the JLPT N5 Kanji & Vocabulary
The N5 Contains roughly 100 or so Kanji that you need to memorize and around 800 vocabulary words.
(Of course you can pass without fully knowing all of these – but there are no guarantees which words will be appearing on your exam.)
We have created a handy JLPT Mega list that you can download and track your progress with – it has all of the Kanji and Vocabulary that you will need to pass the exam.
We would also recommend you check out our list of the top 100 japanese words.
We also have a JLPT N5 Kanji writing workbook that you can buy online and print at home.
This workbook contains stroke order diagrams that will teach you the strokes that you need in order to learn how to write the characters properly.
We have also provided several of the worksheets free of charge at the below links!
These are very useful as they cover many of the Kanji that you will be tested on during the N5 exam.
Although there is no separation between the points scoring for the vocabulary and the grammar section – we would recommend that you study for them differently.
A good way to get a head start on this grammar is to check out some of our handy basic grammar guides – as well as our te form conjugation guide.
JLPT Sensei also provides a handy n5 grammar list that you can use in your studies.
If you are studying for the JLPT N5 – we have online lessons that will help you to prepare!
Do not hesitate to get in touch and good luck with your learning.
Start taking Japanese lessons and pass JLPT N5!
This week we have a student story from Jeff, one of our Coto Online students that have been taking Online Lessons to prepare for the JLPT N2
Jeff was kind enough to share his study habits with us and his experience in passing the JLPT N2
So without further Ado here is what Jeff-san had to say when we asked him about his experiences passing the JLPT N2
What is your experience with learning Japanese, studying at coto and passing the JLPT N2?
I began learning Japanese 5 years ago. At the time I was in the US Navy and stationed in Japan, at the Yokosuka naval base near Yokohama. My wife is Japanese and it was always my goal to be able to talk to her and her family in Japanese rather than English, so I began taking evening courses at Coto, and after I separated from the Navy I was able to take the intensive course at Coto for 8 weeks prior to moving back to the US. This gave me a good foundation to continue studying Japanese with Coto online courses. Back in the US, I have been taking online lessons with Uehara-sensei roughly once a week. After I passed the N3 level, the only grammar study I did was through Coto online classes with Uehara-sensei, learning grammar from the “Natural and Fluent” worksheets. On my own I tried to read Japanese novels, looking up all the Kanji and words I didn’t know and making Anki flashcards from them, which in the beginning could be 10-20 words a page, so great for vocabulary building. I slowly worked through the novels of Tsujimura Mizuki such as Asa ga Kuru and Kagami no Kojo, the travel books by Murakami Haruki (I love his travel books but I don’t really care for his novels), as well as the crime novels by Miyabe Miyuki which were difficult but accessible after passing N3. Initially, I also read all the daily articles on NHK News Web Easy, and was able to gradually transition to regular NHK News Web stories. For listening, I would listen to Mook Study which is a Japanese history podcast, and the absolutely fantastic YouTube channel by Nakata Atsuhiko, which covers history, literature and current events. And of course, watching any and every Japanese language program on Netflix with Japanese language subtitles if available. I have seen all 58 episodes of Shingeki no Kyojin more than a few times. I don’t think to study primarily from native materials is a good strategy to maximize your score on the JLPT, but it is much more enjoyable than spending your free time doing drills from grammar or test prep books. Fortunately, the Natural and Fluent worksheets and online lessons from Coto combined with studying from real books, videos and podcasts was enough to pass N2, and more importantly, when visiting Japan, Japanese rarely respond in English anymore when I start a conversation. And I can communicate with my wife and her family in Japanese about most topics!
-Jeff , Coto Student
——-
Preparing for the JLPT N3? In this blog, we will be covering 20 essential JLPT N3 grammar points for the JLPT N3 test!
This grammar point is used to express an alternative. It can be combined with a verb, い-adjective, な-adjective and noun!
Study the JLPT Smarter with Coto Academy!
Getting ready for the JLPT? Boost your chances of passing with Coto Academy’s JLPT Prep Course — designed for busy learners. This class is perfect for students who plan to take the JLPT exam and work optimally towards their objectives. It covers exam practices and explanations of essentials such as Japanese grammar, vocabulary, kanji, and more!
This grammar point means ‘only’ or ‘just’, and is used with nouns.
っけ
Grammar Point 3: っけ Kke
This grammar point is used during a conversation when the speaker is trying to recall some information. It is usually used when asking a question in order to confirm or affirm something.
くらい ぐらい
Grammar Point 4: くらい / ぐらい Kurai / Gurai
This grammar point is used to express an approximation of things and can also mean ‘to the extent of …’.
くせに
Grammar Point 5: くせに Kuseni
This grammar point is often used to express blame, anger or criticism.
ばかり
Grammar Point 6: ばかり Bakari
This grammar point is often used to express shock, surprise or negative judgment. The meaning is not always negative and will usually depend on the context. To get a more nuanced understanding of how ばかり is used, check out our Online JLPT N3 Prep Course!
べき
Grammar Point 7: べき Beki
This grammar point is used to say something we should or must do. It can be used as べき or べきだ.
だらけ
Grammar Point 8: だらけ Darake
This grammar point means ‘full of’ or ‘covered with’, and is combined with nouns.
ふりをする
Grammar Point 9: ふりをする Furi o suru
This grammar point is used when someone is pretending to be or acting as something that is not true.
がたい
Grammar Point 10: がたい Gatai
This grammar point is used to express something that is so difficult to do, it may even be impossible and cannot be done. It is used by combining with a verb-ます form. When adding this grammar point to the verb, be sure to remove ます at the back.
まま
Grammar Point 11: まま Mama
This grammar point expresses something as it is or that it has a lack of change.
んだって
Grammar Point 12: んだって Ndatte
This grammar point is a quoting particle used in conversations to express what you have heard other people say.
もらいたい
Grammar Point 13: もらいたい Moraitai
This grammar point is used to express a want or desire for something, usually when asking for favors. It can be used by combining it with a verb-て form.
なぜなら
Grammar Point 14: なぜなら Nazenara
This grammar point is usually used in formal situations, to express a reason or cause for something.
にかわって
Grammar Point 15: にかわって Ni kawatte
This grammar point is usually used when someone is replacing someone, or doing something on behalf of someone. Do note that this can only be used with people and not with objects!
らしい
Grammar Point 16: らしい Rashii
This grammar point is used to say ‘it seems like’, ‘I heard…’ or ”apparently…’.
This grammar point is used when giving advice or suggestions to someone. It can mean either ‘should’ or ‘should not’ depending on the context.
しかない
Grammar Point 19: しかない Shikanai
This grammar point expresses that there is no choice but to do something. It can be used by adding it to verbs.
たびに
Grammar Point 20: たびに Tabini
This grammar point means ‘every time’ or ‘whenever something happens’.
Want to learn more N3 Grammar points?
Get access to our JLPT N3 Grammar Guidebook! This Handy N3 Textbook will allow you to learn all of the important grammar points covered on the JLPT N3 exam. This version includes all 127 grammar points you need to pass the JLPT N3!
Start taking Japanese lessons and pass JLPT N3 exam!
Read More:
Preparing for the JLPT N3? In this blog, we will be covering 20 essential JLPT N3 grammar points for the JLPT N3 test!
This grammar point is used to express an alternative. It can be combined with a verb, い-adjective, な-adjective and noun!
きり
Grammar Point 2: きり Kiri
This grammar point means ‘only’ or ‘just’, and is used with nouns.
っけ
Grammar Point 3: っけ Kke
This grammar point is used during a conversation when the speaker is trying to recall some information. It is usually used when asking a question in order to confirm or affirm something.
くらい ぐらい
Grammar Point 4: くらい / ぐらい Kurai / Gurai
This grammar point is used to express an approximation of things and can also mean ‘to the extent of …’.
くせに
Grammar Point 5: くせに Kuseni
This grammar point is often used to express blame, anger or criticism.
ばかり
Grammar Point 6: ばかり Bakari
This grammar point is often used to express shock, surprise or negative judgment. The meaning is not always negative and will usually depend on the context. To get a more nuanced understanding of how ばかり is used, check out our Online JLPT N3 Prep Course!
べき
Grammar Point 7: べき Beki
This grammar point is used to say something we should or must do. It can be used as べき or べきだ.
だらけ
Grammar Point 8: だらけ Darake
This grammar point means ‘full of’ or ‘covered with’, and is combined with nouns.
ふりをする
Grammar Point 9: ふりをする Furi o suru
This grammar point is used when someone is pretending to be or acting as something that is not true.
がたい
Grammar Point 10: がたい Gatai
This grammar point is used to express something that is so difficult to do, it may even be impossible and cannot be done. It is used by combining with a verb-ます form. When adding this grammar point to the verb, be sure to remove ます at the back.
まま
Grammar Point 11: まま Mama
This grammar point expresses something as it is or that it has a lack of change.
んだって
Grammar Point 12: んだって Ndatte
This grammar point is a quoting particle used in conversations to express what you have heard other people say.
もらいたい
Grammar Point 13: もらいたい Moraitai
This grammar point is used to express a want or desire for something, usually when asking for favors. It can be used by combining it with a verb-て form.
なぜなら
Grammar Point 14: なぜなら Nazenara
This grammar point is usually used in formal situations, to express a reason or cause for something.
にかわって
Grammar Point 15: にかわって Ni kawatte
This grammar point is usually used when someone is replacing someone, or doing something on behalf of someone. Do note that this can only be used with people and not with objects!
らしい
Grammar Point 16: らしい Rashii
This grammar point is used to say ‘it seems like’, ‘I heard…’ or ”apparently…’.
This grammar point is used when giving advice or suggestions to someone. It can mean either ‘should’ or ‘should not’ depending on the context.
しかない
Grammar Point 19: しかない Shikanai
This grammar point expresses that there is no choice but to do something. It can be used by adding it to verbs.
たびに
Grammar Point 20: たびに Tabini
This grammar point means ‘every time’ or ‘whenever something happens’.
Want to learn more N3 Grammar points?
Get access to our JLPT N3 Grammar Guidebook! This Handy N3 Textbook will allow you to learn all of the important grammar points covered on the JLPT N3 exam. This version includes all 127 grammar points you need to pass the JLPT N3!
Preparing for the JLPT N3? In this blog, we will be covering 20 essential JLPT N3 grammar points for the JLPT N3 test!
This grammar point is used to express an alternative. It can be combined with a verb, い-adjective, な-adjective and noun!
きり
Grammar Point 2: きり Kiri
This grammar point means ‘only’ or ‘just’, and is used with nouns.
っけ
Grammar Point 3: っけ Kke
This grammar point is used during a conversation when the speaker is trying to recall some information. It is usually used when asking a question in order to confirm or affirm something.
くらい ぐらい
Grammar Point 4: くらい / ぐらい Kurai / Gurai
This grammar point is used to express an approximation of things and can also mean ‘to the extent of …’.
くせに
Grammar Point 5: くせに Kuseni
This grammar point is often used to express blame, anger or criticism.
ばかり
Grammar Point 6: ばかり Bakari
This grammar point is often used to express shock, surprise or negative judgment. The meaning is not always negative and will usually depend on the context. To get a more nuanced understanding of how ばかり is used, check out our Online JLPT N3 Prep Course!
べき
Grammar Point 7: べき Beki
This grammar point is used to say something we should or must do. It can be used as べき or べきだ.
だらけ
Grammar Point 8: だらけ Darake
This grammar point means ‘full of’ or ‘covered with’, and is combined with nouns.
ふりをする
Grammar Point 9: ふりをする Furi o suru
This grammar point is used when someone is pretending to be or acting as something that is not true.
がたい
Grammar Point 10: がたい Gatai
This grammar point is used to express something that is so difficult to do, it may even be impossible and cannot be done. It is used by combining with a verb-ます form. When adding this grammar point to the verb, be sure to remove ます at the back.
まま
Grammar Point 11: まま Mama
This grammar point expresses something as it is or that it has a lack of change.
んだって
Grammar Point 12: んだって Ndatte
This grammar point is a quoting particle used in conversations to express what you have heard other people say.
もらいたい
Grammar Point 13: もらいたい Moraitai
This grammar point is used to express a want or desire for something, usually when asking for favors. It can be used by combining it with a verb-て form.
なぜなら
Grammar Point 14: なぜなら Nazenara
This grammar point is usually used in formal situations, to express a reason or cause for something.
にかわって
Grammar Point 15: にかわって Ni kawatte
This grammar point is usually used when someone is replacing someone, or doing something on behalf of someone. Do note that this can only be used with people and not with objects!
らしい
Grammar Point 16: らしい Rashii
This grammar point is used to say ‘it seems like’, ‘I heard…’ or ”apparently…’.
This grammar point is used when giving advice or suggestions to someone. It can mean either ‘should’ or ‘should not’ depending on the context.
しかない
Grammar Point 19: しかない Shikanai
This grammar point expresses that there is no choice but to do something. It can be used by adding it to verbs.
たびに
Grammar Point 20: たびに Tabini
This grammar point means ‘every time’ or ‘whenever something happens’.
Want to learn more N3 Grammar points?
Coto Academy is one of Japan’s leading language schools, with campuses in Shibuya, Yokohama, Iidabashi, Minato, and a fully online school. We offer flexible Japanese lessons, whether you’re looking for intensive, part-time, or online courses, so you can reach your language goals faster.
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.
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 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 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!
Wondering how to read Shinkansen Tickets? We prepare for you the key vocabulary that you will find on the Shinkansen ticket to ensure a wonderful experience.
Japanese bullet train tickets hold a lot of information on them. Sadly, almost all of this information is in Japanese. This can be very inconvenient if you are not fluent in reading Japanese.
In this blog, we will provide you with the key vocabulary that you will find while reading your Shinkansen ticket. We will also give you a visual breakdown of the ticket and a list of the Kanji that you will need to understand.
On the ticket, you will find several key pieces of information related to your train reservation. Below we provide a list of the Kanji and Vocabulary needed for both of the reserved and non-reserved tickets.
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Alphabet is the foundation of English language, and the same thing can be said about hiragana in the Japanese language. Mastering hiragana is important for anyone who want to learn the basics of Japanese. As one of the two Japanese alphabets — right next to katakana — hiragana is used for both Japanese grammars and function words.
Because of this, having a strong foundation of hiragana means having a generally strong foundation of Japanese skills, too. Yet despite its importance, it shouldn’t take a long time for you to master hiragana. In fact, with the right teacher and support, it should only take no longer than a week for you to master hiragana, including reading and writing them. Hiragana’s shapes are relatively simple, especially if you compare them to kanji. Dwell no further. In this blog series, we’ll be breaking down all the Japanese phonetics (AIUEO or あいうえお) for beginners.
Want to take your kanji skills up a notch? Check our comprehensive kanji page for study tips, kanji life hacks and free worksheets!
Today’s Japanese Hiragana: Wa (わ）
Wa (わ) consists of the consonant “w” and the Japanese vowel “a”. Pronouncing the wa sound is pretty easy, too — you purse your lips and open your mouth when you make the sound. As the last kana or Japanese alphabet on every hiragana chart, wa (わ) is often associated with a word on a brighter note: warai (わらい), meaning laughter.
There’s a Japanese proverb that goes warau kado ni wa fuku kitaru (笑う門には福来る), and who can say no to that? The phrase means “good fortune and happiness will come to those who smile.”
And who shouldn’t live by the statement? In Japan, owarai (お笑い） is a broad term used to describe Japanese comedy. They can be seen on televisions and, just recently, YouTube, but owarai is a deep-seeded representation of Japanese culture. You’ll find that a lot of Japanese comedy can be traced from thousands of years ago, passed from one generation. There are three styles of owarai that perfectly captures the essence of Japan.
Manzai was once a traditional art of storytelling with roots that stemmed from the Heian period. Believed to have its beginnings from the song and dance performances, manzai perfomers would tour around courts, shrines and temples in celebration of the newyear. Manzai was reintroduced in Osaka by Yoshimoto Kogyo, and has since structured modern Japanese comedies.
Today, manzai is generally performed by two comedians, who play the roles of boke (ボケ) and tsukkomi (ツッコミ). Another characteristic is that the pair tend to match their outfits with each other. Boke, otherwise known as the funny man, delivers funny (and otherwise stupid) lines. They’re forgetful and airheaded, and it’s precisely their silly mistakes that stresses their partner, tsukkomi. Tsukkomi will usually hit the boke’s head or chest in retaliation.
Conte
Originating from the French word, “conte,” refers to funny skits. In Japanese, the word is written as konto (コント). It’s a type of manzai performance that focuses on storytelling, so it’s not uncommon to find a conte incorporating props and elaborate stage settings. In recent years, you can find a lot of rapid-fire short conte, which only goes less than 30 seconds.
Rakugo
Rakugo is a type of traditional Japanese storytelling that has been handed down since the early modern era. Performers sit on a zabuton cushino, centered on a stage, and let their bodies narrate the story. Interestingly enough, rops, costumes and music are abandoned in favors of fans and tenugui (thin cotton towels). A rakugo performer will adopt various gaze, postures and demeanors to play multiple roles. It is through the performer’s skill and sublime imagination that we can see a world unfurled and understand a deeper meaning in the art of Rakugo.
Pop Quiz
Here’s a question: In 2015, a certain manzai duo debuted and shocked the world. Who was the partner of a male named Kaneko from Tokyo?
The answer might be mind-boggling to some. Believe it or not, a robot named Pepper debuted as part of a duo called “Peppers”. They were able to successfully get past the first round of “M-1,” the most famous manzai contest in Japan. Kaneko went as far as to create a background for Pepper: a part-time worker born in Tokyo in December 1990.
Learning Japanese? Let’s Make It Easy
Studying Japanese doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Whether you’re starting out or looking to boost your career in Japan, with the right guidance and structured practice, becoming confident in Japanese is easier than you think.
Looking to boost your Japanese skill? Join intensive, part-time or onlineJapanese courses at Coto Academy. Start your journey today with lessons to help you reach your goals faster!
