Gregory: Aroused By Tasty Smells

How long have you been in Japan and why did you decide to move here? I’m back in the U.S. now; I was in Tokyo for two months. I’ve always been attracted towards Japan and the Japanese language, going all the way back to when I was a kid collecting Japanese pressings of Beatles records. […]

Common Japanese Mistakes: Using あなた (Anata) to refer to “You”

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

Common Japanese Mistakes: Using 気を付けて (Ki o Tsukete)

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

A young woman waves goodbye at an airport terminal, smiling with a suitcase and backpack — symbolizing a farewell scene where someone might say “気をつけて (Ki o Tsukete)” or “Take care” in Japanese.

A Japanese word for August : ‘net tai ya’

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

“I appreciate that!” in Japanese: 助かります (Tasukarimasu)!

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