Itadakimasu (いただきます) and Gochisousama Deshita (ごちそうさまでした): Meaning and Explanation

If you’ve ever dined at a Japanese restaurant, you’ve likely seen people press their palms together and say “Itadakimasu” before eating and “Gochisousama deshita” afterward. In English, these are usually translated as “Let’s eat” and “Thank you for the meal.” But while they function like “saying grace,” the meaning goes much deeper than simple manners. […]

meaning of itadakimasu and gouchisousama

Halloween-Themed Japanese Vocabulary to Spook You Out

Halloween in Japan is just around the corner, and when is better time to learn some Japanese Halloween vocabulary, if not now? How else can you describe some of the ghosts, monsters, and creepy crawlers that will spring up across the nation? Japan is no stranger to celebrating various occasions, and Halloween is quickly gaining […]

halloween vocabulary japanese

How to Use Who, What, When, Where, Why and How in Japanese!

How to Ask Fundamental Questions in Japanese: Who, What, Where, and More? More commonly known as the 5W’s and 1H, these are more or less the essentials to almost every language when it comes to asking questions. In this blog, we’ll cover how to express who, what, when, where, why, and how in Japanese! Who […]

Why-Where-When-Who-What-How

What is こんにちは (Konnichiwa) in English? Use, Examples and Grammar

About this week’s Author: Mr. Matsumoto, was a junior high school Japanese teacher for 23 years before joining Coto Language Academy. Therefore, he is a Japanese language pro. He currently teaches Coto’s Intensive Courses (intermediate and advanced), Business Courses and the Part Time N1 grammar and reading classes. He is also involved in developing teaching materials at Coto.

person greeting konnichiwa in japanese