Start Learning Japanese– category –
New to Japanese? Start here. Hiragana, katakana, first grammar patterns, and beginner vocabulary to go from zero to conversational basics. Recommended first read: Japanese for Complete Beginners.
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同じ (onaji): How to Say “Same” in Japanese
同じ is one of the most useful words in Japanese — and it has some interesting quirks that learners often miss. Let’s break it down! JapaneseReadingMeaning同じonajisame / identical同じくonajikulikewise / similarly (adverb)同じよう... -
取り消し: How to Say “Cancel” or “Undo” in Japanese
ExpressionReadingMeaning取り消しtorikeshiCancellation / retraction / withdrawal取り消すtorikeshiTo cancel / to retract / to undoキャンセルkyanseruCancel (loanword, common for reservations)撤回するtekkai suruTo withdraw / to retract (form... -
が: The Japanese Particle Explained — Subject Marker and “But”
UseExampleEnglishSubject marker猫が好きI like cats (subject: cats)But / however (conjunction)行きたいが、時間がないI want to go, but I have no timeSoftening a sentenceよろしいですが...It’s fine, but... (polite lead-in)Desire/abilit... -
またね: The Warmest Way to Say Goodbye in Japanese
ExpressionReadingMeaningまたねmata neSee you later / Bye (casual)またいつかmata itsukaSee you somedayまた来てねmata kite nePlease come againまた連絡するねmata renraku suru neI’ll be in touch / I’ll contact you again My Japane... -
いつか: How to Say “Someday” in Japanese
WordReadingMeaningいつかitsukaSomeday / at some point (indefinite future or past)いつもitsumoAlways / usuallyいつでもitsudemoAnytime / wheneverいつまでもitsumademoForever / always (indefinitely) I know いつか means “someday” ... -
15 Ways to Use 出る: Improve Your Japanese Skill
出る (deru) is one of the most versatile verbs in Japanese — it appears in dozens of everyday expressions. Master it and your Japanese will jump to the next level! Absolutely! 出る literally means “to come out / exit,” ... -
Who in Japanese: How to Use 誰 (dare) Like a Native Speaker
I know 誰 means 'who,' but I've also seen どなた used the same way. When do I use which? Great distinction to learn! 誰 (dare) is neutral/casual — you use it with friends and in everyday speech. どなた (donata) is the polite form — use i... -
Public Safety in Japanese: How to Use 治安 (chian) Naturally
I've been reading about Japan and keep seeing 治安 mentioned. What does it mean and how do I use it? 治安 (chian) means public safety or law and order — it's used to describe how safe or dangerous an area is. Japan is famous for its high... -
daradara (だらだら): Meaning, Uses, and Natural Examples
I heard my Japanese friend say だらだらしてる about themselves on a lazy Sunday. Is that a bad thing to say? Ha! だらだら is one of those wonderfully honest Japanese words. It describes doing things lazily, sluggishly, or dragging someth... -
ダメ (dame): All the Ways to Use This Essential Japanese Word
I hear ダメ all the time in Japanese — but it seems to mean different things in different situations. Is it always 'no'? ダメ is one of the most expressive words in Japanese! It can mean 'no,' 'don't,' 'broken,' 'hopeless,' or even 'I ca...
