Preparing for the JLPT N3 in 2025? This intermediate level is a significant milestone on your Japanese language journey, bridging the gap between beginner and advanced proficiency.

Before you dive into studying for the JLPT N3, you’ll need the right textbooks to guide you. With so many options out there, choosing the best ones can feel a bit overwhelming. But don’t worry! Picking the right materials is key to keeping your study plan balanced and effective. To make things easier, we’ve put together a list of 20 highly recommended textbooks for JLPT N3 prep in 2025, covering everything from grammar, vocabulary, and kanji to listening, reading, and practice tests.

About JLPT N3

The JLPT N3 covers four parts: vocabulary (including kanji), grammar, reading, and listening. To take the exam, you should be very familiar with basic Japanese (N4 and N5), understand reading materials discussing topics about everyday life, grasp summary information such as newspaper headlines, and understand daily conversational Japanese.

Simply memorizing words and kanji is not enough, as you will need to show aptitude in your grammar knowledge, reading comprehension, and listening skills.

When you start browsing for JLPT textbooks, you might notice that they generally fall into two categories: all-in-one series, which cover all sections of the test, and specialized books, which focus on specific areas such as grammar, kanji, or vocabulary. Some of these books lean more toward a workbook format, offering numerous exercises and mock tests rather than in-depth explanations.

Alternatively, if you are looking for a more comprehensive way to study for the examination, you can check out our study tips to pass the N3 JLPT. If you are looking to take lower levels of the JLPT, we also have recommendations for JLPT N4 textbooks and JLPT N5 textbooks.

Study the JLPT Smarter with Coto Academy!

Getting ready for the JLPT? Boost your chances of passing with Coto Academy’s JLPT Prep Course. We offer two flexible options: a year-round course and an intensive 3-month sprint course timed perfectly before test day. What makes these classes stand out is the teachers, who specialize in teaching JLPT. They will give you tips and techniques you simply won’t get from self-study. The class also covers mock tests, reading practices, and explanations of essentials such as Japanese grammar, vocabulary, kanji, and more! 

20 Best JLPT N3 Textbooks

Here is our ultimate list of N3 textbooks that we love and feel can help you most prepare for the exam. As mentioned, some textbooks focus on certain areas, use mock tests, or use different tools to help you study. So, we divided our recommendations into the following categories: All-in-one Comprehensive, Focused Skills, Mock Exam Workbooks, and Bridge to Advanced Japanese. 

All-in-one Comprehensive JLPT N3 Textbooks/Series

These N3 textbooks are the most comprehensive and well-rounded, covering all skills and areas that will be on the N3 exam.

1. New Kanzen Master N3

Pros: Provides thorough, in-depth coverage of every section of the JLPT N3 test.

Cons: Each book must be purchased separately, which can be more expensive.

New Kanzen Master is one of the most used resources to ace the JLPT N3. The textbook has been split into 5 major components: kanji, vocabulary, grammar, listening, and reading. The downside is that this means you will need to buy all separate books, but it might be a good thing for some Japanese learners. Because each book only focuses on one element, this makes learning much more comprehensive. It’s also a good option for individuals who only want to focus on certain areas that may be their weak points. For example, if you’re good at kanji, you can opt away from buying the New Kanzen Master JLPT N3: Kanji.

The JLPT N3 textbooks include example sentences and in-depth explanations of their focus areas. The textbooks can be purchased individually or as a set of five.

The N3 level currently has 5 series:

• New Kanzen Master JLPT N3: Listening (with CD)
• New Kanzen Master JLPT N3: Grammar
• New Kanzen Master JLPT N3: Kanji
• New Kanzen Master JLPT N3: Reading Comprehension
• New Kanzen Master JLPT N3: Vocabulary

Price (set of 5 books): $91.01 (¥10,428 JPY)

Purchase the book now!

2. Nihongo So-Matome JLPT N3

Pros: Each book is designed for a 6-week study plan, which help guides learners.

Cons: To fully benefit from the series, you may need to purchase multiple books for different skills

The Nihongo So-Matome JLPT N3 series book is a perfect study guide for intermediate-level learners. The JLPT N3 textbook can be considered to be one of the easiest Japanese textbooks to master, as the content has been broken down to ‘daily digests.’

Each book in the series has been designed to finish within 6 weeks, with a practice test available at the end of every week. This means that you would have to go through at least 1 exercise a day if you want to be able to complete it within the 6 weeks. Similar to the New Kanzen Master, each test section is separated into different books.

The book currently has 5 series:

• Nihongo So-matome JLPT N3: Grammar
• Nihongo So-matome JLPT N3: Kanji
• Nihongo So-matome JLPT N3: Reading Comprehension
• Nihongo So-matome JLPT N3: Vocabulary
• Nihongo So-matome JLPT N3: Listening Comprehension (w/CD) 

Price (Set of 5 Books): $93.00 (¥10,656 JPY)

Purchase the book now!

3. An Integrated Approach to Intermediate Japanese

Pros: Offers practical Japanese lessons that are applicable beyond the JLPT to improve real-world language skills.

Cons: May not align perfectly with the JLPT curriculum, potentially leading to gaps in test-specific content.

This is one of the most extensive and comprehensive textbooks for intermediate learners. It is an all-in-one textbook that has all the major components of the JLPT: reading, vocabulary, grammar, and listening, with subsections for all the components. Every chapter contains day-to-day conversations and reading passages that are based on Japanese culture, which helps you to better understand the situations presented. Practice exercises are included at the end of every chapter.

Price: $39.00 (¥4,459 JPY)

Click on this link to purchase the book.

4. Quartet: Intermediate Japanese Across the Four Language Skills Vol. 1

Pros: Comprehensive approach to intermediate Japanese by integrating reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills within each lesson.

Cons: The textbook is primarily in Japanese, with English explanations for grammar and vocabulary

This textbook offers a comprehensive study approach for the 4 Japanese language skills: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. It has 6 lessons, with a total of 55 grammatical patterns and expressions, 327 new kanji, and at least 700 new words. You also get a chance to write compositions based on the model texts and practice conversations using model dialogues that you can find in the book. There is also an additional 64-page supplementary book that contains vocabulary and kanji lists.

Price: $37.00 (¥4,218 JPY)

Purchase the book now!

Focused Skills N3 Textbooks: Reading, Grammar, Vocabulary, Kanji and More

These JLPT N3 textbooks provide a much deeper dive into specific skills tested on the exam, such as grammar, vocabulary, kanji, and others. These books are highly recommended for those who feel they need more practice in specific areas. 

5. JLPT N3 Points & Practice

The JLPT Points & Practice Japanese N3 textbook is perfect for individuals who are seeking to expand only N3-level vocabulary knowledge. New Japanese words and kanji are broken down into 30 chapters, all sorted based on topics and relevant context. There are also mock-test questions that mimic the real JLPT text.

Price: $16.99 (¥1,946 JPY)

Purchase the book now!

6. Mastering Kanji: Guide to JLPT N3 Kanji

Kanji is commonly the biggest concern among test takers, as memorizing them takes longer time than memorizing the hiragana and katakana. The kanji test will often provide multiple choices of characters that look similar, too, so learners consider it a tricky section. The Kanji Master has 18 different units, with each chapter focusing on a topic. At the end of every chapter, you can find an achievement test to check your progress.

There are also illustrations and fun mini-quizzes that make learning interactive and interesting.

Price: $26.99 (¥3,969 JPY)

Purchase the book now!

7. The Best Vocabulary Builder for the JLPT N3

The Best Vocabulary Builder is created by The Japan Times, the same accredited newspaper company that also published the Genki book series. Divided into 18 different topics, there are over 2,100 Japanese words to learn. There is also an accompanying app that you can download to listen to the audio of the vocabulary and examples.

Price: $17.99 (¥2,061 JPY)

Click on this link to purchase the book.

8. 55 Reading Comprehension Tests for JLPT N3

Many test-takers often get stressed once they reach the reading section of the exam. This is because the lengthy text passages can be time-consuming and are filled with new kanji and vocabulary. This textbook helps students maneuver the section easily, helping them develop a better ability to comprehend and find answers. Through 55 different reading passages and mock-up questions, you are conditioned to properly analyze content and find information in the passage efficiently.

Price: $24.99 (¥2,863 JPY)

Click on this link to purchase the book.

Read More: Best Mobile App to Learn Japanese.

9. Nihongo Dokkai: Speaking and Writing Through Reading Comprehension (Intermediate)

Nihongo Dokkai (meaning Japanese reading) is another option for learners who want to strengthen their Japanese reading skills. There are 12 stories in total. We’ve tried it before, and while the topics are interesting, the overall study experience can be very challenging. You’ll encounter a lot of new and niche vocabulary on science, life, and media.

However, it’s a great way to get accustomed to reading in Japanese. It’s also a great tool for individuals looking to practice conversations; after the reading, you’ll find thought-provoking questions.

Price: $25.36 (¥2,905 JPY)

Click on this link to purchase the book.

10. Try! Japanese Language Proficiency Test N3

The Try! series has been specifically designed to help students focus on Japanese grammar. Written as a fun and engaging book, there are 11 chapters that cover different real-life situations. The textbook has many great reviews from past readers who have mentioned that the book has a refreshing take on learning grammar.

The book includes an audio CD for listening exercises alongside an answer key pamphlet to review questions and practice tests. You can head over to the website for a free-to-download vocabulary list.

Price: $20.50 (¥2,348 JPY)

Click on this link to purchase the book.

11. Nihongo Power Drill Grammar

The Nihongo Power Drill Textbook is ideal for JLPT learners looking for additional grammar practice. The textbook has over 30 chapters with 580 questions in total, each designed to be finished within 10 minutes. The book includes a study schedule chart where learners can track their progress as they go through the book. They also have a textbook for N3 vocabulary, too.

Price: $15.00 (¥1,715 JPY)

Click on this link to purchase the book.

12. 2000 Essential Vocabulary for the JLPT N3

As we mentioned, to pass the JLPT N3, you would need to know about 3,750 words (including 800 words for the N5 level and 700 words from the N4 level). This book has pretty much every new word you’ll need to be around N3, making it the perfect resource for someone looking to sharpen their vocabulary skills. The book is structured with 12 different topics about daily life, romance, sports, and place-specific settings. There are also links to their online tests and audio files that are free to download. Similar to the N4 and N5 versions of the book, there’s a red sheet to block the Japanese word (for a quick mini-quiz) and a checkbox for you to tick.

You’ll see a lot of JLPT participants bringing this book everywhere. That’s because the book’s size is one of its strong points, too. It’s small, compact, and relatively lightweight, making it perfect for someone to carry around.

Price: $16.99 (¥1,942 JPY)

Click on this link to purchase the book.

13. Kanji Look and Learn 

Kanji Look And Learn is a kanji learning textbook that has tons of illustrations and mnemonic hints that makes learning fun and interactive. It acts as a companion book for textbooks from the Genki series. The book has over 512 kanji and 3,500 essential vocabulary to learn. It explains everything about kanji from the history behind it to the number of strokes of each introduced character. This helps you to memorize the kanji easily and more efficiently.

Price: $25.00 (¥2,858 JPY)

Click on this link to purchase the book.

14. New JLPT N3 Taisaku-mondai & Yoten-seiri

You will be presented with various types of texts that you’d come across on a daily basis in Japan, such as event flyers and situational emails. The book gives you explanations to properly understand them and you will learn new vocabulary and grammar. There is also an additional section in the book that teaches you Japanese onomatopoeia, idiomatic expressions and sentence connectors.

Price: $15.00 (¥1,710 JPY )

Click on this link to purchase the book.

15. Nihongo Tadoku Books Vol. 5

The Nihongo Tadoku Book features 4 different stories that progressively get more difficult and longer. With the aim of stimulating more advanced reading techniques, this book is targeted at learners who want to improve their Japanese reading skills. You can find links to the audio files of the story passages in the book that are read by native speakers.

Price: $32.90 (¥3,751 JPY)

Click on this link to purchase the book.

N3 Mock Exam Workbooks

While many of the textbooks mentioned on this list consist of mock tests, the textbooks listed here are for those who just want practice questions. Just pure practice without any fluff.

16. JLPT N3 Mock Test

Pros: Provides full-length practice tests that closely mimic the actual JLPT N3 exam format.

Cons: Lacks detailed answer explanations.

Once you are confident that you’ve learned everything needed for the exam, you can start doing mock tests through the JLPT N3 Mock Test. A mock test is a great practice tool because it mimics real-life JLPT questions, and it removes the shock factor. The book covers every aspect of the exam, but we recommend timing your sessions as you take the tests, too. This way, you can assess whether or not you’re answering at the right pace — and on time.

Price: $22.50 (¥2,572 JPY)

Click on this link to purchase the book.

17. Pattern-Betsu Tettei Drill JLPT N3

Pros: Targeted practice by categorizing exercises into specific question patterns,

Cons: The book is entirely in Japanese, which may pose a challenge for learners who are not yet comfortable with reading Japanese texts.

The Pattern-Bestu Tettei Drill is a textbook full of a series of quizzes and practice tests that have been modeled to represent the actual JLPT exam. The book is composed of four units for practice: kanji and vocabulary; listening, grammar, and reading comprehension. If you have studied the necessary information for the examination, this book will give you a realistic experience and prepare you to ace the JLPT.

Price: $31.00 (¥3,534 JPY)

Click on this link to purchase the book.

Bridge to Advanced Japanese Textbooks

These textbooks are best suited for learners who are ready to start testing their skills for the next level. If you are already comfortable with N3 level material and would like to challenge yourself with material that will expose you to N2 or even N1 level content, these books are perfect for you.  

19. Academic Japanese for International Students: Listening Comprehension (Intermediate)

Pros: The 15 units cover broad topics to provide more cultural context about Japan.

Cons: The book’s focus is on listening comprehension in academic contexts, which may not align with the specific requirements of the JLPT N3 exam.

This book is specifically designed for international students who are planning to enter a university in Japan, undergraduate and graduate students included. It focuses on enhancing your listening comprehension ability for university-level classes. You’ll find the topics more complex and multilayered.

In total, there are 15 topics, each with more mature themes that you would not usually find in normal textbooks. This includes topics on Christianity in Japan and traditional Japanese musical instruments. Each topic comes with the main listening passage and practice questions, from multiple-choice questions to 150-to-200-character paragraph writing. There are also links included for you to access their additional online material.

Price: $25.99 (¥2,963 JPY)

Click on this link to purchase the book.

20. Tobira: Gateway to Advanced Japanese

Pros: Offers comprehensive coverage of grammar, kanji, vocabulary, and cultural topics. Covers all four language skills.

Cons: May be challenging for those who have not yet mastered the N3 level, as it is designed for learners transitioning to advanced proficiency.

Are you looking to challenge yourself with something more advanced (but still for intermediate-level learners)? The Tobira textbook might be the right choice. As the gap between JLPT N3 to N2 is big, you can think of this book as a ‘bridge’ to advanced Japanese.

The textbook explores a wide range of topics from Japanese geography and history to modern-day culture. It allows development of skills in reading, listening, writing, and speaking. Since there are no translations for most of the content in the book, it pushes you to understand Japanese at a proficient level right from the first page. You can visit the Tobira website for their free-to-download supplemental learning materials.

Price: $44.85 (¥5,138 JPY)

Click on this link to purchase the book.

Final Thoughts: Pass JLPT N3 with Coto Academy!

Preparing for the JLPT N3 is a big step: it marks the transition from beginner to intermediate Japanese and proves you can handle everyday conversations, understand news headlines, and comprehend everyday writing materials. Choosing the right textbook can make the difference between studying aimlessly and progressing with focus.

At the end of the day, the “best” textbook depends on your learning style, your timeline, and your weaknesses. The good news is that every resource on this list has helped thousands of learners pass the JLPT N3, so you can’t go wrong.

In addition to textbooks, we highly recommend taking Japanese classes focused on JLPT to ensure you smash the next exam. Consider taking JLPT courses at Coto Academy, where our professional teachers can focus on specific skills and tailor them to your needs. Sign up now by filling out the form below!

FAQ

How many words and kanji do you need for JLPT N3?

You will need to know around 650 kanji and 3,700 vocabulary words.

What is passing score for the JLPT N3?

You would need a minimum of 95 points to pass the JLPT N3.

How long will it take you to pass the JLPT N3?

It should take roughly 900 study hours

What are the benefits of taking the JLPT N3?

Passing the N3 will allow you to live fairly comfortably in Japan. You will also get much more job opportunities in Japan. This certification proves to an employer that you are able to read and understand Japanese with specific contents that concern everyday topics.

How can you study effectively for the JLPT N3?

There are plenty of useful resources out there to study for the JLPT. One effective studying method is using Anki. Anki is basically a free, open-source, spaced-repetition flashcard app and has become increasingly popular in the Japanese learning community.

Studying for the JLPT N3? Check out our guide on:

• Complete JLPT N3 vocabulary list
• Ultimate Guide to Passing JLPT N3
• How to Check JLPT Results
• How to Register for JLPT
• How to Study for JLPT

Besides its high-tech cities, rich traditions, and delicious food, Japan’s four seasons are equally unmatched and deserve as much attention as matcha and sakura blossoms. There’s the crisp, colorful air of autumn during momiji (autumn leaves) season, the hot and humid summer days perfect for the beach, and everything in between.  What better way to show your appreciation for them than by talking about the weather in Japanese?

Just like anywhere else, weather talk is a classic icebreaker. It’s simple, useful, and part of everyday conversation. But how do you describe a sweltering summer, a dry winter, or the brief, magical bloom of the sakura?

In this guide, we’ll go through all the different ways to talk about the weather in Japanese, from daily temperatures to seasonal fluctuations.

General vocabulary related to weather in Japanese

Let’s start with the basics: common Japanese words for talking about the weather. Just like in English, in Japan we describe the weather using elements like temperature, the sky, clouds, sun, rain, and more. Here are some essential words to get you started.

Basic weather elements

English	Furigana	Kanji	Romaji
Weather	てんき	天気	tenki
Sun	たいよう	太陽	taiyou
Cloud	くも	雲	kumo
Rain	あめ	雨	ame
Snow	ゆき	雪	yuki
Fog	きり	霧	kiri
Thunderstorm	かみなり	雷	kaminari
Snowstorm	ふぶき	吹雪	fubuki
Wind	かぜ	風	kaze

Once you go beyond the basics, Japanese has a rich vocabulary of seasonal and poetic weather words. Many of these are hard (or impossible) to translate directly into English, because they carry nuance and seasonal imagery.

Here’s a list of more advanced and “untranslatable” Japanese weather-related words:

English	Kanji	Hiragana	Romaji
Sunshine	日照	にっしょう	nisshou
Drought	日照り	ひでり	hideri
Clear skies	晴天	せいてん	seiten
Sunbeam / sunlight	光跡	こうせき	kouseki
Moon	月	つき	tsuki
Moonlight	月明かり	つきあかり	tsukiakari
Autumn shower rain	時雨	しぐれ	shigure
Early summer rain	五月雨	さみだれ	samidare
Fresh greenery (spring)	新緑	しんりょく	shinryoku
Spring breeze	春風	はるかぜ	harukaze
Autumn breeze	秋風	あきかぜ	akikaze

Basic weather conditions

So far, we’ve listed basic nouns, but how do you describe the intensity or manner of the weather, like heavy rain, strong wind, or pouring snow? The adjectives below are used to describe these conditions.

English	Furigana	Kanji	Romaji
Sunny	はれ	晴れ	hare
Cloudy	くもり	曇り	kumori
Hot	あつい	暑い	atsui
Cold	さむい	寒い	samui
Humid	じめじめ	—	jimejime
Hot and humid	むしあつい	蒸し暑い	mushiatsui
Dry	からから	—	karakara
Windy	かぜがつよい	風が強い	kaze ga tsuyoi
Chilly	すずしい	涼しい	suzushii
Freezing	こおりつく	凍り付く	kooritsuku
Stormy	あらしの	嵐の	arashi no
Foggy	きりのかかる	霧のかかる	kiri no kakaru
Snowy	ゆきふる	雪降る	yuki furu
Overcast	どんよりしている	—	don yori shite iru
Mild	ほどよい	—	hodoyoi
Freezing cold (very)	さむさきびしい	寒さ厳しい	samusa kibishii

In Japanese, to describe the intensity or nature of the weather, you usually combine an adjective with a weather noun. The adjective describes how the weather feels, while the noun tells you what kind of weather it is.

Examples:

強い風
Tsuyoi kaze
Strong wind

大雨
Ooame
Heavy rain

Some adjectives are standalone (like 大雨 or 吹雪) and act as nouns themselves, while others use い-adjectives or な-adjectives directly before the noun:

暑い日
Atsui hi
Hot day

湿った空気
Shimetta kuuki
Humid air

General vocabulary related to temperature and season

Now that we’ve covered some common weather vocabulary and how to pair adjectives with nouns, let’s move on to temperature and seasons! If you want a deeper dive, we have a dedicated blog about describing Japan’s seasons. Be sure to check that out for more details.

English	Furigana	Kanji	Romaji
Temperature	きおん	気温	Kion
Temperature	おんど	温度	Ondo
Humidity	しつど	湿度	Shitsudo
Four seasons	しき	四季	Shiki
Rainy season	つゆ	梅雨	Tsuyu
Dry season	かんき	乾季	Kanki
Spring	はる	春	haru
Summer	なつ	夏	natsu
Autumn	あき	秋	aki
Winter	ふゆ	冬	fuyu
Early Spring	はるはじめ	春始め	haru hajime
Late Summer	なつおわり	夏終わり	natsu owari
Late Autumn	あきおわり	秋終わり	aki owari
Early Winter	ふゆはじめ	冬始め	fuyu hajime

Although Japan is officially a four-season country (shiki), you might notice that we’ve included two additional “seasons”: tsuyu (the rainy season) and kanki (the dry season).

Tsuyu usually occurs from early June to mid-July, bringing frequent rain and high humidity to most of the country (except Hokkaido). On the other hand, kanki, or the dry season, refers to periods with clear, crisp air, often in winter or early spring, when the skies are bright and the humidity is low. While these aren’t official seasons like spring or autumn, the weather patterns create the feeling of “extra” seasons.

Note: If you notice that there were two words for temperature in Japanese, 気温 (kion) and 温度 (ondo), it is not a coincidence. Kion is used to describe only the temperature of the air, while anything, including water temperature or the temperature of something you touch, can be ondo.

Key phrases used to describe the weather in general

Now that you’ve got the basics and all the essential weather vocabulary down, it’s time to put them to use! Let’s go through common phrases and questions you’ll hear, or want to ask, when talking about the weather in Japan.

Weather-related questions

Let’s start with the questions first! They are often a great way to get to know someone or open up to a conversation. 

今日の天気はどうですか。

Kyou no tenki wa dou desu ka.

How’s the weather today?

気温は何度ですか。

Kion wa nan-do desu ka.

What is the temperature?

明日は雨が降りますか？
Ashita wa ame ga furimasu ka?
Will it rain tomorrow?

暑い天気は好きですか？
Atsui tenki wa suki desu ka?
Do you like hot weather?

外は風が強いですか？
Soto wa kaze ga tsuyoi desu ka?
Is it windy outside?

ここはよく雪が降りますか？
Koko wa yoku yuki ga furimasu ka?
Does it snow often?

Weather-related small talk and answers

Now, let’s also make matching answers using the same structure, so you can answer naturally in conversations. 

はい、ここはよくあめがふります。
Hai, koko wa yoku ame ga furimasu.
Yes, it rains here often.

いいえ、東京では雪はあまり降りません。
Iie, Toukyoudewa yuki wa amari furimasen.
No, it doesn’t snow much in Tokyo.

はい、この地域では風がよく強く吹きます。
Hai, kono chiiki dewa kaze ga yoku tsuyoku fukimasu.
Yes, it often gets very windy in this area.

はい、北海道では冬に雪がたくさん降ります。
Hai, Hokkaidou dewa fuyu ni yuki ga takusan furimasu.
Yes, it snows a lot in Hokkaido in winter.

いいえ、この町では夏に雨はあまり降りません。
Iie, kono machi dewa natsu ni ame wa amari furimasen.
No, it doesn’t rain much here in summer.

Talking about hot weather in Japanese

We’ve already covered the general phrases and common patterns for talking about the weather in Japan, but now let’s look at some examples for when the season is dry or hot. One thing to note: in Japan, there’s a unique word called mushiatsui. This word combines “hot” and “humid” and is used to describe that heavy, sticky feeling typical of Japanese summers. It’s a word you’ll hear often during the hotter months, especially when the air feels thick and muggy.

Let’s out some vocabuulary first before moving on to phrases!

English Meaning	Kanji	Hiragana	Romaji
Summer day (over 25°C)	夏日	なつび	natsubi
Midsummer day (over 30°C)	真夏日	まなつび	manatsubi
Extremely hot day (over 35°C)	猛暑日	もうしょび	mōshobi
Heat / hot weather	暑さ	あつさ	atsusa
Extreme heat	猛暑	もうしょ	mousho
Heat wave	熱波	ねっぱ	neppa
Humidity	湿気	しっけ	shikke
Hot and humid / muggy	蒸し暑い	むしあつい	mushiatsui
Rainy season (June–July)	梅雨	つゆ	tsuyu
Seasonal rain (early summer)	五月雨	さみだれ	samidare
Heavy rain (common in summer)	豪雨	ごうう	gou
Passing shower	通り雨	とおりあめ	tooriame
Sun shower (rain while sunny)	天気雨	てんきあめ	tenkiame
Summer storm	夏の嵐	なつのあらし	natsu no arashi
Evening cool breeze (relief from heat)	夕涼み	ゆうすずみ	yūsuzumi
First summer wind	春一番	はるいちばん	haru ichiban
Clear summer sky	夏空	なつぞら	natsuzora
Scorching sunlight	炎天下	えんてんか	entenka
Summer haze	夏霞	なつがすみ	natsugasumi
Summer heat lingering into autumn	残暑	ざんしょ	zansho

Phrases to talk about summer and hot weather in Japan

今日はとても暑いですね。
Kyou wa totemo atsui desu ne.
It’s really hot today, isn’t it?

夏は蒸し暑いです。
Natsu wa mushiatsui desu.
Summer is hot and humid.

外に出ると暑くてたまりません。
Soto ni deru to atsukute tamarimasen.
It’s unbearably hot outside.

冷たい飲み物が欲しいです。
Tsumetai nomimono ga hoshii desu.
I want a cold drink.

今日は真夏日です。
Kyou wa manatsubi desu.
Today is a midsummer (very hot) day.

Talking about cold weather in Japanese

Just as Japan has unique ways to describe its hot, humid summers, there are plenty of expressions for cold weather, too. How do you describe crisp winter mornings to chilly evenings in the mountains? Knowing these terms not only helps you describe the weather accurately but also makes it easier to connect with locals during the colder months. Let’s check out some cold and winter-related vocabulary first before moving on to example phrases.

English Meaning	Kanji	Hiragana	Romaji
Winter day (below 0°C at night)	冬日	ふゆび	fuyubi
Midwinter	真冬	まふゆ	mafuyu
Cold	寒い	さむい	samuikan
Cold wave	寒波	かんぱ	kanpa
Frost	霜	しも	shimo
White frost (heavy frost)	白霜	しらしも	shirashimo
Ice	氷	こおり	kōri
Frozen / freezing	凍る	こおる	kooru
Icicle	氷柱	つらら	tsurara
Heavy snow	大雪	おおゆき	ooyuki
Snowstorm / blizzard	吹雪	ふぶき	fubuki
Fierce blizzard	猛吹雪	もうふぶき	moofubuki
Powder snow	粉雪	こなゆき	konayuki
Wet snow / sleet	霙	みぞれ	mizore
Snow melting in early spring	雪解け	ゆきどけ	yukidoke
Frozen ground	凍土	とうど	toudo
Black ice (icy road)	路面凍結	ろめんとうけつ	romen tōketsu
Hail	雹	ひょう	hyou
Small hail / ice pellets	霰	あられ	arare
Cold winter wind	寒風	かんぷう	kanpuu
Strong north wind (winter wind)	木枯らし	こがらし	kogarashi
Clear, crisp winter sky	冬晴れ	ふゆばれ	fuyubare

Phrases to talk about winter and cold weather in Japanese

今日はとても寒いですね。
Kyou wa totemo samui desu ne.
It’s really cold today, isn’t it?

冬は雪がよく降ります。
Fuyu wa yuki ga yoku furimasu.
It snows a lot in winter.

外は凍えるように寒いです。
Soto wa kogoeru you ni samui desu.
It’s freezing outside.

今日は真冬日です。
Kyou wa shintoubi desu.
Today is a bitterly cold winter day.

最近は寒くなってきる。
Saikin wa samukunatte kuru.
It’s been getting colder these days. 

How to understand the weather forecast report in Japan

In real-life situations, whether you’re visiting Japan for a few days (or weeks, who knows?) or planning to settle here indefinitely, one of the most important things beyond just talking about the weather is actually understanding the weather.

In the previous section, we covered basic weather elements, like ondo (温度, temperature), shitsudo (湿度, humidity), and more. But reading a weather forecast app or listening to the news is another challenge entirely. You’ll notice that forecasts are often packed with kanji and sometimes include more advanced vocabulary. It may take a little time to get the hang of it, but it’s definitely worth learning. Check out some of the key terms below to help you navigate Japanese weather forecasts.

Weather forecast vocabulary

English	Kanji	Hiragana	Romaji
Typhoon	台風	たいふう	taifuu
Temperature	温度	おんど	ondo
Minimum temperature	最低気温	さいていきおん	saitei kion
Maximum temperature	最高気温	さいこうきおん	saikō kion
Atmospheric pressure	気圧	きあつ	kiatsu
Low pressure	低気圧	ていきあつ	teiatsu
High pressure	高気圧	こうきあつ	koukiiatsu
Weather front	前線	ぜんせん	zensen
Seasonal rain front	梅雨前線	ばいうぜんせん	baiu zensen
Start of rainy season	梅雨入り	つゆいり	tsuyu iri
Ocean waves	波浪	はろう	harou
Flood	洪水	こうずい	kouzui
Emergency warning	非常警報	ひじょうけいほう	hijou keihou
Evacuation advisory	避難勧告	ひなんかんこく	hinan kankoku
Blizzard / Snowstorm	吹雪	ふぶき	fubuki
Snowfall amount	降雪量	こうせつりょう	kousetsu ryou
Ice / Frozen conditions	氷	こおり	koori
Advisory	注意報	ちゅういほう	chuiihou
Warning	警報	けいほう	keihou

Read More: Japanese Vocabulary for Emergency Situations

Common phrases you will hear on a weather forecast 

Announcements on Japanese television, the weather forecasts can sound quite different from everyday Japanese. For one, weather anchors often use more complex vocabulary, sometimes including keigo (polite or honorific language) or specialized terms that go beyond common words like taifuu (typhoon) or ondo (temperature). Understanding these terms can take a little practice, but it’s a great way to follow the news like a local and get more precise information about the weather.

今日の東京は晴れ時々曇りです。
Kyou no Toukyou wa hare tokidoki kumori desu.
Today in Tokyo, it will be sunny with occasional clouds.

明日は雨が降る予想です。傘をお忘れなく。
Ashita wa ame ga furu yosou desu. Kasa o owasurenaku.
Rain is expected tomorrow. Don’t forget your umbrella.

北海道では雪が降る見込みです。
Hokkaidou de wa yuki ga furu mikomi desu.
Snow is expected in Hokkaido.

最高気温は25度、最低気温は18度です。
Saikou kion wa nijuu go-do, saitei kion wa juu-hachi-do desu.
The maximum temperature will be 25°C, and the minimum will be 18°C.

梅雨前線の影響で、九州では雨が続くでしょう。
Baiu zensen no eikyou de, Kyuushuu de wa ame ga tsuzuku deshou.
Due to the seasonal rain front, rain will continue in Kyushu.

台風7号が接近中です。海岸付近では注意が必要です。
Taifuunana-gou ga sekkin-chū desu. Kaigan fukin de wa chūi ga hitsuyou desu。
Typhoon No. 7 is approaching. Caution is needed near the coast.

明日の湿度は高く、蒸し暑くなるでしょう。
Ashita no shitsudo wa takaku, mushiatsuku naru deshou.
Humidity will be high tomorrow, making it feel hot and muggy.

今日の午後は雷雨の可能性があります。
Kyou　no gogo wa raiu no kanōsei ga arimasu.
There is a chance of a thunderstorm this afternoon.

山沿いでは気温が低く、霜に注意してください。
Yamazoi de wa kion ga hikuku, shimo ni chuui shite kudasai.
Temperatures will be low in the mountains, so watch out for frost.

Notice how many weather forecast statements use the word でしょう (deshou). Normally, in everyday conversation, でしょう can mean something like “isn’t that right?” or “don’t you think?” But in a weather forecast, it takes on a slightly different role.

In Japanese forecasts, でしょう is used to soften statements and make them sound predictive rather than absolute. It’s a way for the announcer to say something is expected or likely, without stating it as a 100% certainty. In English, it’s similar to phrases like “probably,” “likely,” or “expected to.”

Tips to improve weather talk in Japanese

In Japan, where some people may be more private than in other countries, talking about the weather is a safe and polite way to break the ice. It’s neutral, yet engaging enough to start a conversation. But what if you find yourself working at a Japanese company or suddenly in the middle of a group discussion about the next summer heat wave? How can you improve your weather conversation skills? Here are some tips:

1. Practice speaking with native speakers

There’s no better way to improve your weather talk than practicing with native speakers. You could chat with Japanese friends, join language exchange groups, or strike up conversations with locals during your travels.

If you don’t have the chance to meet people in Japan, consider practicing with native Japanese teachers at Coto Academy. Our supportive instructors create a comfortable environment, and with classes in Yokohama and Tokyo, the small class sizes give you plenty of opportunities to practice conversation. We focus on practical Japanese for everyday life, so you can build confidence and start speaking right away!

2. Listen to weather forecasts

Listening to Japanese weather forecasts is a great way to get familiar with vocabulary and expressions. Tune in to radio broadcasts, watch TV weather reports, or follow online updates. Pay attention to how meteorologists describe conditions, temperature changes, and uncertainties in the forecast, then try to use similar phrases in your own conversations.

This practice also improves your comprehension skills, helping you quickly understand weather-related information.

3. Download a Japanese Weather App

If you don’t have time to listen to forecasts regularly, try a Japanese weather app. We recommend Yahoo!Tenki or Tenki.jp. These apps provide detailed weather information – not just temperature, but also humidity, wind speed, chance of rain, and more. 

Using an app lets you practice reading and understanding Japanese weather terms daily, even on the go! Over time, you will get used to reading each section and even learn new kanji along the way. 

Conclusion: Learn to Talk About the Weather (and Beyond!) with Lessons at Coto Academy

Now that you’ve learned the basics of talking about the weather in Japanese, why stop there? There are plenty of other essential skills to master, like introducing yourself or discussing a specific topic in conversation.

If you want to build confidence and start speaking Japanese, consider joining conversation-focused Japanese lessons at Coto Academy. As a top-rated school with campuses in Tokyo and Yokohama, we offer fun and flexible lessons designed around practical, everyday conversation. You’ll learn Japanese that you can use immediately outside the classroom.

We offer intensive Japanese courses as well as part-time options, so whether you want to immerse yourself fully or fit lessons into a busy schedule, there’s something for you. Start your journey to speaking Japanese confidently today!

Why join Coto Academy?

• Over  60+ different Japanese classes over 18 levels
• Small classroom of only up to 8 students for personalized support
• Professional, native Japanese teachers

Ready to get started? Fill out the form below to contact us!

FAQ

How would you describe the weather in Japan?

Use basic words like hare (sunny), ame (rain), yuki (snow), and kumori (cloudy) to describe Japan’s weather.

How do I describe the weather?

Start with the current condition, temperature, or season, e.g., “Kyō wa atsui desu” (It’s hot today).

How is the weather in Japan in Japanese?

You can say, Nihon no tenki wa dou desu ka? (日本の天気はどうですか？) to ask about Japan’s weather.

How do you express temperature in Japanese?

Use ondo (温度) followed by the number and “do” (度), e.g., Saikou kion wa 25-do desu (The high is 25°C).

What’s the Japanese word for humid?

Mushiatsui (蒸し暑い) describes hot and humid weather.

How do you talk about rainy season in Japanese?

Use tsuyu (梅雨) for the rainy season and tsuyu iri (梅雨入り) for its start.

When you start learning Japanese — or at least reading Japanese words — you’ll come across romaji first before hiragana or katakana. The term comes from “Rome,” the capital of Italy, and “ji” (字), which means “letter” or “character” in Japanese. Literally, it translates to “Roman letters.” In short, romaji refers to Japanese words written using the Latin (Roman) alphabet.

Romaji can be challenging or even confusing. This is especially true when spelling Japanese words correctly. It can also affect proper Japanese pronunciation. In this guide, we will answer these questions. We will also explain how romaji works.

Romaji: What is it and what is it used for?

Romaji is just Japanese characters written with the Roman or Latin alphabet. Its foremost intent is just to write Japanese words in a Roman alphabet, so that non-Japanese speakers can understand what is being read. For instance, most English speakers probably know the words Tokyo, tsunami, samurai, and so much more, because they have been transcribed into Roman letters. 

But romaji also has practical uses for native Japanese speakers. It is often used for inputting Japanese on a keyboard that uses the Roman/Latin letters. Most Japanese school children will learn romaji from a young age since the use of the Roman alphabet is standard for most keyboards. 

Keep in mind that certain special characters will be written differently from how they’re usually written or pronounced.

For example, small characters such as ‘ぁ’ need to be input as ‘la’ rather than ‘a’ which would just type the normal ‘あ’ character. For most small characters, you usually need to input an ‘l’ before the actual romaji of the character. 

Romaji is also often used for Japanese learners to read and understand how Japanese characters are read and pronounced.

While there are many pros to learning romaji in the beginning, it does come with inherent disadvantages as well. So, let’s get into the merits and demerits of romaji as a way of writing Japanese in the Western alphabet. 

Download romaji chart below!

How does romaji work?

So, with all that out of the way, let’s get into how Romaji actually works and how each character is written with different Roman characters. 

The first table shows monographs, which are the core syllables of Japanese. They include the five vowels (a, i, u, e, o) and consonant plus vowel combinations like ka, sa, ta. Every other sound in Japanese builds on these basics.

	a (あ)	i (い)	u (う)	e (え)	o (お)
K	ka (か)	ki (き)	ku (く)	ke (け)	ko (こ)
S	sa (さ)	shi (し)	su (す)	se (せ)	so (そ)
T	ta (た)	chi (ち)	tsu (つ)	te (て)	to (と)
N	na (な)	ni (に)	nu (ぬ)	ne (ね)	no (の)
H	ha (は)	hi (ひ)	fu (ふ)	he (へ)	ho (ほ)
M	ma (ま)	mi (み)	mu (む)	me (め)	mo (も)
Y	ya (や)	—	yu (ゆ)	—	yo (よ)
R	ra (ら)	ri (り)	ru (る)	re (れ)	ro (ろ)
W	wa (わ)	—	—	—	wo/o (を)
N	n (ん)

This table shows how adding small marks called dakuten (゛) or handakuten (゜) changes the pronunciation of certain syllables. Dakuten makes consonants voiced as follows:

• k → g
• s → z
• t → d
• h → b

Handakuten will make the following:

• h → p

For example, when adding dakuten to ka (か), it becomes ga (が). This table shows all the characters that have the dakuten or handakuten marks:

	a (あ)	i (い)	u (う)	e (え)	o (お)
G (が)	ga (が)	gi (ぎ)	gu (ぐ)	ge (げ)	go (ご)
Z (ざ)	za (ざ)	ji (じ)	zu (ず)	ze (ぜ)	zo (ぞ)
D (だ)	da (だ)	ji/di (ぢ)	zu (づ)	de (で)	do (ど)
B (ば)	ba (ば)	bi (び)	bu (ぶ)	be (べ)	bo (ぼ)
P (ぱ)	pa (ぱ)	pi (ぴ)	pu (ぷ)	pe (ぺ)	po (ぽ)

Digraphs (拗音, or youon) are formed by combining a consonant with a small ya (ゃ), yu (ゅ), or yo (ょ). For example, ki plus ya becomes kya (きゃ). These sounds are very common in Japanese words and names.

	ya (ゃ)	yu (ゅ)	yo (ょ)
K	kya (きゃ)	kyu (きゅ)	kyo (きょ)
S	sha (しゃ)	shu (しゅ)	sho (しょ)
T/Ch	cha (ちゃ)	chu (ちゅ)	cho (ちょ)
N	nya (にゃ)	nyu (にゅ)	nyo (にょ)
H	hya (ひゃ)	hyu (ひゅ)	hyo (ひょ)
M	mya (みゃ)	myu (みゅ)	myo (みょ)
R	rya (りゃ)	ryu (りゅ)	ryo (りょ)
G	gya (ぎゃ)	gyu (ぎゅ)	gyo (ぎょ)
J	ja (じゃ)	ju (じゅ)	jo (じょ)
B	bya (びゃ)	byu (びゅ)	byo (びょ)
P	pya (ぴゃ)	pyu (ぴゅ)	pyo (ぴょ)

While we are mostly showing how romaji writes out hiragana, the same rules largely apply for katakana as well!

Long Vowels and Double Consonants

What are long vowels and double consonants? These are sounds captured in the Japanese writing system, but when writing in romaji, it might be easy to assume a double vowel, such as “oo”, makes the /u:/ sound like in “food”. But in Japanese romaji, this just implies a longer enunciation of the vowel. For example, the word for big, ookii (おおきい), the long vowel oo is pronounced like saying the letter o but more elongated as in “ocean” or “go”. Refer to the table below for a quick guide on long vowels:

Romaji	Hiragana	Pronunciation	Japanese Example
aa	ああ	“aah” like in “father”	okaasan (mother)
ii	いい	“ee” like in “see”	shiiki (city area)
uu	うう	“oo” like in “food”	kuuki (air)
ee	ええ	“e” like in “bet”	ee (yes or um)
ei	えい	“ay” like in “late”	sensei (teacher)
oo	おお	“oh” like “old”	ookii (big)
ou	おう	“oh” like in “old”	Toukyou (Tokyo)

Keep in mind, when it comes to ou there are nuances to be aware of. Some words will have a subtle u sound at the end, especially in words such as koushi (baby cow), which is a combination of the word ko (子) meaning small or young, and ushi (牛) meaning cow.

Double consonants are similar in that the sound of the consonant is more enunciated compared to just one consonant. For example, in the words kata (肩), or shoulder, and katta (勝った), or won, the difference is that the double tt sound is more pronounced or harder in katta, where the t sound in kata is much softer. 

Romaji	Hiragana	Pronunciation	Japanese Example
ssa	っさ	“ss” as in “grass”	messa (very)
tta	った	“tt” like in “battle”	itta (went)
cchi	っち	“ch” as in “itch”	occha (tea)
kka	っか	“kk” like in “kick”	mikka (3 days)
nna	んな	“nn” like in “penny”	onna (woman)

If you want to go more in-depth on the pronunciation with different characters and sounds, read our guide on long vowels and double consonants in Japanese!

Should you use romaji when learning Japanese?

When studying Japanese, you cannot avoid romaji, and for good reason. It is both useful for studying and is (to some extent) ingrained into the modern Japanese language. So, here are some pros and cons to knowing romaji.

Pros of using romaji

1. Romaji can simplify Japanese for beginners 

By providing a useful pronunciation breakdown in Roman lettering, beginners can start to understand how Japanese is read and pronounced using letters that are familiar to them. Romaji can be especially useful when you haven’t fully learnt hiragana, katakana, or kanji. 

2. Romaji can help with typing on a Japanese keyboard

As mentioned, since most keyboards generally use Roman alphabet lettering for the keys, knowing romaji will allow you to type in Japanese on your computer. 

3. Romaji is widely used in daily life in Japan

Romaji is also widely used in daily life for accessibility. You can find it on street signs, train stations, menus, and passports. So knowing Japanese words in romaji could make travel and navigation in Japan much easier for non-Japanese speakers.

Cons of Using Romaji

As with any language coming from a very different language family, Japanese characters operate on different rules that roman letters might not always capture. This results in different romaji writing standards attempting to capture Japanese pronunciation, such as incorporating letters with the long vowel markers, such as with ‘ō’. 

But if you are not taught how to pronounce Japanese, romaji could lead to bad habits. Some could include:

1. Incorrect word recognition 

Since romaji doesn’t show kanji differences, reading a Japanese sentence completely in romaji may be confusing. Some Japanese words have double meanings, after all. 

For example, kami can mean 神 (god), 髪 (hair), or 紙 (paper). Without kanji, the meaning can be unclear unless you have context. When speaking, context usually makes it clear. For instance, if someone asks “髪を切った？ (Kami o kitta)”, You would understand they mean hair.

2. Pronunciation issues from English interference

English speakers may end up applying English sound rules to Romaji, which could lead to bad pronunciation habits. These habits tend to be more difficult to fix in the future, so learning Japanese pronunciation early on is always ideal.

Example: fu (ふ) might be pronounced like “foo” instead of the softer Japanese sound between fu and hu.

Example: r sounds (ら, り, る, れ, ろ) are not like English “r” but somewhere between “r” and “l.”

3. Misleading spelling conventions

Long vowels and double consonants can be confusing when relying on romaji. 

Example: Tokyo is written in romaji without a long vowel, but in Japanese it’s とうきょう (Toukyou). Learners who only see romaji may pronounce it incorrectly.

4. Inconsistent romaji writing systems

Because Roman letters must represent sounds from a completely different phonetic system, different romaji systems — such as Hepburn and Kunrei-shiki — evolved to spell Japanese words in different ways.

Example: shi vs. si, tsu vs. tu, ō vs. ou. This can confuse learners who don’t realize they represent the same Japanese sounds.

For this guide (and for most of our blogs), we use a modified Hepburn where long vowels are written as ‘ou’ instead of ‘ō’, for instance. So, keep that pronunciation in mind when we write romaji characters! 

Best way to use romaji

Take the pronunciation that romaji implies with a grain of salt. Using listening material as well as a professional teacher will help to fully understand how to pronounce Japanese, so it’s best not to use romaji alone to learn. You should try to memorize hiragana or even kanji alongside learning new vocabulary in romaji so you can understand Japanese as it is originally intended to be written, and of course, spoken and pronounced. For practice, refer to our hiragana chart and quiz!

Romaji is a great starting point for understanding how Japanese words might sound using the closest English sounds possible, but don’t get too reliant on it. Japanese has a lot of nuance in its pronunciation that isn’t always captured by romaji. 

But it is still very much worth learning since you will most likely be typing out Japanese words on a computer using English letters. 

Also, sometimes words from other languages, especially acronyms, are written in romaji or just in English. Loan words are mostly written in katakana. 

Wrapping Up: Make Japanese progress beyond romaji

Romaji is a powerful tool that opens the door to Japanese for beginners. But while romaji can guide your first steps, it’s not meant to be the final destination. Relying too heavily on it can create blind spots, whether in reading, pronunciation, or truly understanding the Japanese language

If you want to go beyond romaji and truly start learning Japanese, nothing beats guidance from a professional teacher who can help you sound like a native! Why not join Japanese classes at Coto Academy?

Coto Academy is a leading Japanese language school based in Tokyo and Yokohama. We also have an online class so you can learn Japanese anywhere, anytime. Our small classes focus on practical Japanese, giving you a strong foundation in both hiragana and katakana. With our approach, you can start speaking confidently in just 4 weeks!

Consider our in-person or online classes at Coto Academy and sign up today by filling out the form below. 

FAQ

What is romaji?

Romaji (ローマ字) is the system of writing Japanese using the Latin alphabet. For example, “ありがとう” is written as arigatou in Romaji.

Why is romaji used?

Romaji is used to make Japanese accessible to non-Japanese speakers. You’ll see it on signs, train stations, passports, and in beginner textbooks. It’s also the main way to type Japanese on a computer or phone.

Should I learn romaji before hiragana and katakana?

Romaji can help at the very beginning, but you should learn hiragana and katakana as soon as possible. Relying too much on romaji can cause bad habits in pronunciation and reading.

Do Japanese people use romaji?

Not in daily writing. Japanese people primarily use hiragana, katakana, and kanji. Romaji is mainly for foreigners, brand names, and typing.

Which romaji system is best?

The most common is Hepburn Romaji (e.g., shi, tsu, shou). Other systems like Kunrei-shiki and Nihon-shiki exist, but Hepburn is the most widely used internationally and easiest for learners.

Is it okay to use romaji to learn Japanese?

Romaji can sometimes be misleading since you may end up applying english pronunciation rules to Japanese words that are pronounced very differently. It is best to learn romaji in conjunction with hiragana or katakana and a teacher who can help guide your pronunciation.

Starting to learn Japanese? You might like to read:

• How to Convert Your Name into Japanese
• Origins of Hiragana and Katakana
• 100 Basic Japanese Verbs All Learners Should Know
• Guide to Japanese Colors and Phrases

If you’ve ever cheered on a friend in Japan, you’ve probably shouted “Ganbare!” or “Ganbatte!” at least once. But what do they actually mean? Ganbare (頑張れ) or ganbatte (頑張って) is a Japanese phrase that means “Come on!” “Let’s go!” or “Go for it!” in English. It literally translates to “Do your best” and can be used to motivate your friends or peers during a sporting event, a big exam, or any moment that needs an extra boost of encouragement.

But did you know that this uniquely Japanese word carries more nuance than just a simple “good luck” or “do your best”? In this guide, we’ll explore the verb ganbaru, its various conjugations, its cultural significance, and how to use each form appropriately. Make sure to watch the YouTube video below, and read our full guide!

Meaning of Ganbaru and Ganbarimasu

The Japanese words ganbare, ganbatte, and ganbarimasu are based on the same Japanese verb: ganbaru. On its own, this verb means to persevere, do one’s best, or work hard.

The meaning becomes clearer when you look at the individual kanji:

• 張 means “stretch” or “extend,” suggesting effort and pushing oneself.
• 頑 means “stubborn” or “firm,” conveying determination and resolve.

So in a literal sense, 頑張る conveys the idea of stretching yourself to your limit or pushing through something with effort and determination.

There are two main theories about the origin of 頑張る (ganbaru). One suggests it comes from 我を張る (ga o haru), meaning “to insist on one’s own ideas.” The other traces it to 眼張る (ganharu), meaning “to keep watch” or “stretch one’s eyes.” Both origins highlight the kanji 張 (haru), which means “to stretch” or “strain,” reflecting the idea of sticking to something and never giving up.

Variations of Ganbaru, Ganbatte, and Ganbare

Form	Japanese	Meaning / Nuance	Usage / Context
Dictionary / Base	頑張る (ganbaru)	to do one’s best, to persevere	Basic form; casual or dictionary use.
Polite Present / Future	頑張ります (ganbarimasu)	I will do my best	Polite form for conversation, work, or school.
Polite Volitional	頑張りましょう (ganbarimashou)	Let’s do our best	Polite, inclusive way to motivate a group.
Imperative / Casual Encouragement	頑張れ！ (ganbare)	Do your best! / Hang in there!	Cheer someone on; casual/familiar tone.
Te-form / Friendly Encouragement	頑張って！ (ganbatte)	Keep it up! / Do your best!	Soft, casual encouragement in speech or messages.
Past / Completed Effort	頑張った (ganbatta)	I did my best / You did your best	Reflects effort already made; praise or self-reflection.
Volitional / Let’s Do Our Best	頑張ろう (ganbarou)	Let’s do our best	Casual, motivational way to invite others to join in effort.

If you’re just starting out with Japanese, you probably know 頑張る (ganbaru) in its basic form. But you’ll also encounter many variations: 頑張ります (ganbarimasu), 頑張って (ganbatte), 頑張れ (ganbare), 頑張ろう (ganbarou). Why so many?

It all comes down to verb conjugation.

Each form keeps the core meaning of “to do your best”, but adds a different nuance: polite, casual, encouraging, or collective. Let’s break them down so you can use each one.

Note: Ganbaru is considered a う-verb (u-verb), a Japanese verbs that end in an “-u” sound in its dictionary form, such as う, つ, む, ぬ, る, く, ぐ, す, ぶ, ぷ. They are also called 五段活用動詞 (godan katsuyou doushi). These verbs change their ending depending on tense, mood, or politeness, which is why conjugation rules differ from other verbs. This affects how it’s conjugated into forms like ganbarimasu, ganbatte, ganbarou, and ganbatta. Knowing its verb type helps you apply the right endings naturally.

1. Ganbaru (頑張る)

The verb 頑張る (ganbaru) in its plain form is the base form you’ll find in a Japanese dictionary. On its own, ganbaru can mean “to persevere,” “I persevere.”

Since Japanese does not technically have a distinct future tense like English, ganbaru can also mean “I will persevere.” This form also combines easily with grammar structures, such as ことにしました, which expresses a decision:

だから頑張ることにしました。
Dakara ganbaru koto ni shimashita.
That’s why I decided to do my best.

In the plain present tense, ganbaru can describe ongoing effort, though actual present-moment usage is rare because the present is fleeting. For example, when asking why someone is trying hard:

なぜ、そんなに頑張るんですか。
Naze, sonna ni ganbarun desu ka.
Why do you try so hard?

You can also use it when talking about your own plans in a neutral way:

明日テストを頑張る。
Ashita tesuto o ganbaru.
I’ll do my best on the test tomorrow

2. Ganbarimasu (頑張ります)

Japanese distinguishes between formal and informal speech, and that’s where the -ます form comes in. The only difference between 頑張る (ganbaru) and 頑張ります (ganbarimasu) is the polite ~ます ending, which replaces the plain る ending.

Use ganbarimasu when you are speaking to strangers, colleagues, or superiors—anyone where politeness is expected. Interestingly, your superiors might still respond to you in plain form; in Japanese, this is not rude. Instead, it reflects the social hierarchy: the language you use signals your relative position in the conversation.

Example:

明日も頑張ります。
Ashita mo ganbarimasu.
I’ll do my best tomorrow too.

By switching to -masu, you keep the same meaning as ganbaru, but with the polite tone appropriate for formal or professional settings.

3. Ganbatte (頑張って)

Now we move to a slightly more complex conjugation: the te-form. In general, the -て form is used to connect verbs or indicate ongoing actions, acting as a bridge that lets you create more complex or compound expressions.

In the case of 頑張って (ganbatte), it’s often short for 頑張ってください (ganbatte kudasai). The te kudasai (～てください) grammar point is used to make polite requests, so here it translates roughly as “Please do your best.” Think of it as a soft command—similar to saying “Go for it!” in English. It’s direct, but friendly and encouraging.

試験、頑張って！
Shiken, ganbatte!
Good luck on your exam!

明日も頑張ってください。
Ashita mo ganbatte kudasai.
Please do your best tomorrow, too.

While ganbatte is technically a command, it’s used in a positive, supportive way. Adding ください makes it polite, which is perfect for teachers, colleagues, or anyone you want to encourage respectfully.

Read More: How to Conjugate Te Form

4. Ganbare (頑張れ)

Ganbare is another form of encouragement, but it’s a stronger, more intense command than ganbatte. While ganbatte is like saying “Go for it!” in a friendly way, ganbare is closer to “Fight!!!” or “Give it everything you’ve got!” It carries a sense of urgency and intensity, which is why you often hear it shouted during sports matches or competitive situations.

Because of its forceful tone, ganbare should be used carefully, especially in polite or formal situations. Using it too casually can come across as rude, since you’re giving a strong command rather than a gentle encouragement.

頑張れ、チーム！
Ganbare, chiimu!
Go for it, team!

For learners, it’s best to stick with ganbatte in everyday situations. Over time, as you get a feel for social context in Japanese, you’ll know when it’s appropriate to use the heavier-hitting ganbare. 

5. Ganbarou (頑張ろう) 

Ganbarou is the volitional form of 頑張る (ganbaru), which in Japanese expresses “let’s …”. Unlike ganbatte or ganbare, where you position yourself as a commander or instructor to someone else, ganbarou is more collective. 

It has a friendly, rallying energy, like a verbal high-five that says, “We’ve got this!” It is similar to “let’s…” in English:

さぁ、今日も一日頑張ろう。

Saa, kyou mo ichinichi ganbarou.
Alright, let’s give it our all today, too!

The volitional form isn’t just for inviting others to take action with you. You can also use it to show personal determination or commitment:

期待に応えられるように、頑張ろう。

Kitai ni kotaerareru you ni, ganbarou.
I’ll work hard to meet everyone’s expectations.

Here, you could use 頑張る (ganbaru) instead, but the volitional form conveys a stronger intent, almost like making a promise to yourself or others. To make this polite, simply swap 頑張ろう for 頑張りましょう (ganbarimashou). This keeps the friendly, motivational tone but adds a layer of politeness for workplace or formal settings.

6. Ganbarimashou (頑張りましょう)

頑張りましょう (ganbarimashou) is the polite way of saying “Let’s do our best” or “Let’s work hard.” It’s used when you want to encourage a group—including yourself—to give it your all. The word comes from 頑張り (ganbari), the stem of 頑張る, plus ましょう (mashou), which adds the “let’s do” meaning.

Compared to the casual 頑張ろう (ganbarou), which feels more friendly and upbeat, 頑張りましょう is polite but still motivating, perfect for encouraging others in a respectful way.

The Spirit of Ganbare or Ganbatte in Japanese Culture

Although a seemingly simple term, ganbare, ganbatte, or their other modifications have roots in Japanese culture and a view on perseverance and determination, you’ll hear it chanted in sports competitions and anime series, mostly to encourage the other party to do their best and never give up, no matter how hard the challenge.

Saying those words isn’t just reserved for special occasions, though. From a young age, Japanese people are exposed to ganbatte through various mundane activities: doing homework, studying for a test, or fighting with friends.

The word ganbare is ingrained in almost every stage of life in the Japanese community. As you grow old, you’ll face even more significant problems, like finding a job, overcoming a hard breakup, or confronting a problem at work. In the end, the spirit of ganbatte reminds individuals in Japan that even in times of great hardship, you need to trust your ability.

Japanese Kanji and Writing for Ganbare or Ganbatte

The Japanese word for ganbatte originated from the verb 頑張る (read as ganbaru), which means “to do your best” or “to work hard.” However, people tend to follow the first definition more in many social contexts. The Japanese kanji 頑 (gan) means “tough” or “stubborn”, while the last character 張る (haru) means “to be prominent”.

Ganbare vs Ganbatte

How did it turn into ganbare or ganbatte? The term ganbatte (頑張って) is the conjunctive form of 頑張る. Ganbatte is the shortened form of てください, which is to turn a plain Japanese verb into a polite command or request: “I would ask you to (verb).”

The longer version of ganbatte is ganbatte kudasai (頑張ってください), but this might sound a bit too formal if you’re speaking to your friends or close family members. This is why sometimes people just opt to say “ganbatte”. It can be written in kanji as 頑張って, in hiragana as がんばって, or in katakana as ガンバッテ.

You might wonder: ganbatte is not a loanword that the Japanese language takes, so why can we use katakana? This is because katakana emphasizes things, especially on signs, advertisements, or texts. Examples are gomi (ゴミ) and megane (メガネ), each meaning trash and glasses, respectively. When you type ガンバッテ, it shows you want the reader to pay attention to your words of encouragement.

It may also be said as “ganbatte ne”( 頑張ってね) or “ganbatte yo” (頑張ってよ) for more emphasis on overcoming the task at hand.

You can also add ね or よ for more emphasis.

頑張ってね!
Ganbatte ne!

頑張ってよ!
Ganbatte yo!

Ganbare (がんばれ), on the other hand, stems from the same verb, but it’s in a command form. The verb conjugation changes action in solid commands, and it’s less polite than saying ganbatte kudasai (がんばってください).

The Best Time to Use Ganbare or Ganbatte

Ganbare has a positive connotation; you need to use it with empathy and without being flippant or joking, which could be seen as insensitive.

• A coworker or friend is taking an exam or a test
• A friend is playing in a sporting match or running a marathon
• A friend will do something difficult, like asking someone to marry them.
• A friend has expressed a worry about a big event or challenge that they have coming up.

Inappropriate Situations to Use Gabare or Ganbatte

Despite the versatility of ganbare and ganbatte, there are some situations where it’s far from appropriate. Sometimes, the best thing to do is to face your vulnerability. When someone is facing genuine trouble, read the room and show empathy. Saying, “Let’s do our best!” to someone having a hard time can make us sound tone-deaf and insensitive instead.

Here are a couple of situations where saying ganbare or ganbatte is not advisable.

• A friend has had something tragic happen to them or their family
• A friend is expressing a deep level of sadness or worry

Video Transcript

頑張れ！頑張れ！
Ganbare! Ganbare!
Ganbare! Ganbare!

皆さん、「頑張れ」この言葉聞いたのことがあすか？
Minasan, “ganbare” koto kotoba kiita no koto ga arimasuka?
Hi everyone, have you heard the word “ganbare” before?

「頑張れ」は試合毛ていると応援する時に使う言葉です。
“ganbare” wa shiai geteiru to ouensuru toki ni tsukau kotoba desu
When people are at a sporting match and they are supporting their team, they will use this word!

例えば、野球の試合を呼びに行きます好きな選手が出ています。
Tatoeba, yakyuu no shiai o yobini ikimasu suki na senshu ga deteimasu
For example, next time you go to a baseball game and your favorite player appears,

「頑張れ！頑張れ！」
“ganbare! ganbare!”
You can scream “Ganbare! Ganbare!”

ラグビーやサッカーのワールドカップオリンピックでも「頑張れ頑張れ」と応援することができます。
Ragubi ya sakka no Warudokapu orinpikku demo “ganbare ganbare” to ouensuru koto ga dekimasu.
You can use the word to support your team at the Rugby and Soccer World Cup, and the Olympics.

「頑張れ」この言葉は「頑張って」や「頑張ってください」よりも
“ganbare” kono kotoba wa “ganbatte” ya “ganbatte kudasai” yori mo
The word “ganbare” is similar to “ganbatte” or “ganbatte kudasai.”

強いの言葉です。
tsuyoi no kotoba desu.
But it has a stronger meaning.

すこし、男っぽくて強い言葉なので試合を応援する時に使います。
Sukoshi, otokoppokute tsuyoi kotoba nano de shiai o ouensuru toki ni tsukaimasu.
It’s a very manly word that you can use to support your team during a sporting match.

試合はワクワクドキドキしますね、ですから女の人も試合の時は「頑張れ」と言ってもいです。
Shiai wa waku waku doki doki shimasune, desukara onna no hito mo shiai no toki wa “ganbare” to itte mo idesu.
When you get excited during a football match or a baseball game and you want to support your team, women can also use “ganbare”.

「頑張って」この言葉は色々なシチュエーションでいろことができます。
“Ganbatte” kono kotoba wa iro iro na tsuchinoeshion de iro koto ga dekimasu.
“Ganbatte” is a word that can be used in many different types of situations.

例えば、友達がこーいます「あ、明日試験があるんだ」
Tatoeba, tomodachi ga koiimasu : “a, ashita shiken ga arunda.”
For example, when your friend tells you: “Ugh, I have an exam tomorrow.”

「頑張って！」
“Ganbatte!”
“Do your best!”

「あ、明日彼女にプロポーズするんだ」
“a ashita kanojo ni puopozu surunda”
“I’m going to propose to my girlfriend tomorrow.”

「頑張って！」
“Ganbatte!”
“Do your best!”

「頑張って」はカジュアルの表現なので家族や恋人友達に使ってください。
“Ganbatte” wa casuaru no hyougen nanode kazoku ya koibito tomodachi ni tsukatte kudasai.
“Ganbatte” is a casual expression that you can use when talking to family and friends.

最後に、もう一つ「頑張ります」を紹介します。
Saigo ni, mou hitotsu “ganbarimasu” o shoukai shimasu.
Finally, we have one more word to introduce: “ganbarimasu.”

「頑張ります」はいつ使うのでしょうか？
“ganbarimasu” wa itsu tsukau no deshouka?
When should we use “ganbarimasu”?

そうれでは説明します。
Sourede wa setsumenshimasu.
Let’s break it down.

実は私来年の3月に東京マラソンに出ます。
Jitsu wa atashi rainen no sangatsu ni toukyou maranson ni temasu.
I will really be running the Tokyo marathon next year in March.

そのことを先輩や他の先生に言うと先輩や他の先生はこう言いました「え～すごいね。頑張ってね！」
Sono koto wo senpai ya hoka no sensei ni iyuto senpai ya hoka no sensei wa kouiimashita: “e~ sugoi ne. Ganbatte ne!”
So my coworkers, and other more senior teachers told me: “Oh wow, do your best (good luck)!”

その時私はこう言います「ありがとうございます、頑張ります！」
Sono toki watashi wa kouiimasu: “arigaritou gozaimasu, ganbarimasu!”
At that time, I replied by saying: “Thank you so much, I will try my best!”

「頑張ります」は自分より上の人
“Ganbarimasu” wa jibun yori ue no hito
“Ganbarimasu” is used when people who are above me,

例えば、上司や先輩の人が頑張ってねと
tatoeba joushi ya senpaino hito ga ganbattene to
like my boss or my senior coworkers, tell me to do my best.

応援してな時に
ouen shitenatoki ni
When they show their support

「はい、頑張ります」と答えます。
“hai, ganbarimasu” to kotae masu.
I can answer them by saying: Yes, I will try my best!

はい、皆さん、今日のビデオはここまです。
Hai, minasan, kyou no bideo wa koko made desu.
Okay, everyone! That is all for today’s video.

皆さんは日本語の勉強頑張っていますね！
Minasan wa nihongo no benkyou ganbatte imasune!
Everyone, you’re all doing your best to learn Japanese!

皆さん、頑張って！
Minasan, ganbatte!
Everyone, do your best!

もし質問があったたら、是非このコメントに残してください。私たちが答えられるかもしれません。
moshi shitsumon ga atta tara, zehi kono komento ni nokoshite kudasai. Watashitachi ga kotae rareru kamoshiremasen.
If you have any questions, please share them in the comment section. We might answer them!

それでは皆さん、頑張ってね！
Sorede wa minasan, ganbatte ne!
So then, everyone, go for it/do your best!

Start taking Japanese lessons and learn beyond ganbare!

Ganbarimasu in learning Japanese! While this is one of the most useful Japanese phrases you can use, there are hundreds (if not thousands) of other things you need to know to speak Japanese confidently.

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FAQ

What is the difference between ganbatte and ganbaru?

頑張れ (ganbare) is the command form of 頑張る, so it has a stronger, more direct imperative tone—like saying “Do your best!” or “Hang in there!” with urgency.

頑張って (ganbatte), on the other hand, is a shortened version of 頑張ってください (ganbatte kudasai), which is more of a polite request and therefore sounds less demanding.

What is the original word for ganbare and ganbatte?

Ganbare and ganbatte come from the word ganbaru (頑張る) or ganbarimasu (頑張ります), which means “do your best”

How do you respond to “Ganbare”?

When someone says 頑張れ (ganbare) or 頑張って (ganbatte) to you, common responses include:

• Un, ganbaru: “Yeah, I’ll do my best!” (casual)
• Hai!: “Yes!” or “Okay!”
• Ganbarimasu: “I’ll do my best!” (polite)

Is “Ganbatte kudasai” polite?

Yes. 頑張ってください (ganbatte kudasai) is the polite request form of “do your best.” Adding ください (kudasai) makes it respectful,

What does “Ganbare ganbare” mean?

Repeating it (頑張れ頑張れ) is a way to cheer someone on even more enthusiastically—like shouting “Go, go, you can do it!” in a sports game or during a performance.

Love reading this? You might be interested in:

• Basic Japanese Phrases You Need to Know Before Coming to Japan
• 100 Basic Japanese Verbs