There are a group of super useful and polite words that everyone should learn before visiting Japan. One of those first words, or phrases that you should learn is you’re welcome in Japanese. This allows you to acknowledge other people any time that they express their heartfelt gratitude towards you for any reason. Think about the same situation in English. When you tell someone “thank you” what sort of responses do you enjoy hearing back from the other person? You’re welcome It was my pleasure I’m happy to help These responses are much nicer to receive than a mere grunt or silence. So let’s hop in and learn some new…

There is a popular saying that “there are 730 Japanese words for yes but none for no.” This isn’t really true however, and there are actually quite a few words that you can use, and today you’ll learn how to say no in Japanese. In addition to the most common Japanese words for no, I’ll also go over a couple of useful phrases that you might find yourself using in different circumstances. For example, if you want to decline an offer for more food or drink, there are certain polite phrases that are better to use instead of a flat out refusal. Or when someone invites you to a movie,…

Learning how to say yes in Japanese should be one of the first “to-dos” on your list when you are a beginner and are opening up your Japanese phrase book or textbook for the first time. But as it turns out, there are many different words you can use for yes, and the differences between them are sometimes the formality level, sometimes the gender of the speaker, and sometimes just a matter of personal preference. So let’s go over the most common words first, and then move on to some other options that are available to you in case you find yourself in a situation where they are more appropriate…

Today’s lesson is all about cars! And if you’re reading this, then you are probably asking what is the Japanese word for car? Well today I’m going to give you the answer. Many of them in fact! I think we can all appreciate a nice classic car, a modern sports car, or even our own cars that have served us well through the years. And if you want to be able to talk in Japanese about your car, or about someone else’s, then you’re going to need to know some vocabulary. In addition to the common Japanese word for car, there are also some other ones that would be good…

The other day I went over many ways to say thank you, so it only makes sense to cover please as well. Today’s lesson is going into depth on how to say please in Japanese. If you’re planning on visiting Japan this year, or next, then this should in the top ten words you MUST know! You’d be surprised how much you can accomplish by using body language (pointing, gestures, etc.) along with please and thank you in Japanese. Let’s see the many different ways to say it, and the situations that are appropriate for each one. 1. 下さい (kudasai) The first way to say please in Japanese that I…

I’ve heard it said many times before, but it’s worth repeating here: the two most important words in any language are please and thank you. That’s why today’s lesson is all about how to say thank you in Japanese. It will probably come as no surprise that there are many ways to say this useful phrase. The differences are based on things such as the formality level of the situation, or just the area of Japan that a person is from. Check out this list and learn the many different expressions so that you always know the right way to express you gratitude in Japanese! 1. The Common Way To…

When the day’s winding down and you’re ready to catch some winks, you typically say good night to your friends or family before brushing your teeth and then going to bed. So today’s lessons will teach you how to say good night in Japanese. It’s a common phrase with both a polite form and a casual way to say it, but above all keep in mind that it’s not something you typically say to people who are above you in social standing, such as your boss for example. The Japanese Word for Good Night Here is the more formal form of the phrase now, written in both Japanese and roman…

When you’re first starting out with the language, you want to learn a lot of the common words and phrases first. Things such as how to say goodbye in Japanese will serve you well for the rest of your days. After all, it’s a word that you can practice in the real world many times each day, depending on how many people you normally interact with. But did you know that there are actually a lot of different ways that Japanese people say goodbye? Choosing the right one depends on the context of the situation, and your relationship with the other person. Let’s dive right in and learn the different…

Learning how to say hello in Japanese will serve you well as it will allow you to begin any and all new conversations in a friendly way when you speak in Japanese. The cool thing about the Japanese language is that there are many different ways that you can say hello, and they all depend on various things such as the time of day, the level of politeness needed, and so on. So today I’m going to share with you this ultimate guide on greetings, known as 挨拶 (aisatsu), so that you always know how to begin a conversation with anyone you meet. 1. Hello / Good Afternoon The most…

When you’re listening to a variety of Japanese podcasts or anime, you tend to run into a lot of the same words and phrases over and over again. One of those short phrases is sore yori, which is spelled in Japanese as それより. Today we will ask and answer the question, what does sore yori mean in Japanese? After that I’ll provide some additional example sentences so that you can begin to really get a feel for how it works and is used in the language. The Meaning Behind the Phrase If you simply pop the phase それより into Google Translate it will provide you with the English translation “Than…