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How to Say “To Give” in Japanese with あげる
Giving is one of the most common human interactions—and in Japanese, it comes with nuance! One way to say “to give” is with the verb あげる. This verb shows that something is given away from the speaker or someone close to them, toward someone else. In this post, we’ll look at how to use あげる to […]
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How to Say “Nothing But” or “Just Always” in Japanese with ばかり
Sometimes, “only” doesn’t mean too little—it means so much of one thing that it’s overwhelming or surprising. That’s where ばかり comes in. This word is used when something happens all the time, when something is everywhere, or when it’s “nothing but” one thing. Let’s learn how to use ばかり in Japanese. ばかり Nothing But / All […]
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How to Say “Because of…” in Japanese with せいで
Sometimes things go wrong—and it’s clearly someone or something’s fault. In Japanese, the expression せいで is used to assign blame when something bad (or at least inconvenient) happens. Whether you’re talking about missing the bus or breaking a window, せいで is the grammar point to reach for. Let’s take a look at how to say “Because […]
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How to Say “Thanks to…” in Japanese with おかげで
Sometimes things go right—and you want to give credit where it’s due. Maybe your Japanese has improved because of a good study app (hint hint), or maybe the weather was great, so you had a wonderful day. In Japanese, the go-to phrase for expressing this kind of appreciation is おかげで. In this article, we’ll show you […]
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How to Say “X Is Famous for Y” in Japanese with で有名です
Want to talk about what your city, country, or even your favorite anime character is known for? In Japanese, there’s a simple and useful way to express what someone or something is famous for. You’ll hear it in travel shows, everyday conversations, and even interviews. The grammar is based on the word 有名（ゆうめい）, which means […]
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How to Use the Short Form of Verbs in Japanese
Japanese verbs come in many forms—some express possibility, others give commands or show conditions. But not all verb forms change the meaning of the action itself. Some change how the verb feels depending on the situation. That’s where the short form (also called the plain form) comes in. In this article, we’ll explore what the short […]
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How to Use な-Adjectives in Japanese
In Japanese, there are two main types of adjectives: い-adjectives and な-adjectives. You’ve probably already come across い-adjectives, but in this article, we’re going to focus on their lesser-known counterpart: な-adjectives.Though they behave similarly in sentences, な-adjectives have a few unique rules you’ll want to get comfortable with. な-Adjectives Describing Nouns JLPT Level: N5 Understanding […]
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How to Talk About Time Duration in Japanese with かかる
Time is an essential part of communication. Whether you’re talking about how long you studied, how long a trip lasted, or how much time something takes, Japanese has specific expressions to convey duration. In this article, we’ll explore key grammar point: かかる for how long something takes. かかる Expressing Time Required JLPT Level: N4 Understanding […]
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How to Talk About Time Duration in Japanese with かん
Time is an essential part of communication. Whether you’re talking about how long you studied, how long a trip lasted, or how much time something takes, Japanese has specific expressions to convey duration. In this article, we’ll explore key grammar point: 間 (かん) for time spent. かん (間) Expressing Time Spent JLPT Level: N4 Understanding […]
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How to Turn Verbs into Nouns in Japanese with こと
In English, saying “Learning is important” turns an action into a noun. In Japanese, the word こと plays a similar role. It’s a powerful tool for expressing habits, rules, experiences, and general ideas. こと Turning Verbs into Nouns JLPT Level: N4 Understanding it once is only the first step With spaced review, personalized example sentences, […]