JapanesePod101.com Blog

When you go out in Japan you can expect to be asked this phrase. This is the polite way of asking how many people are in your party. When responding, instead of using the term 名様 (mei-sama) you should say (number of people) plus 人 (nin). 三人です。(San-nin desu.): Three people. P.S. Get Your Daily Dose of Japanese with 1-Minute Mini-Lessons The Daily Dose of Japanese is a Calendar that gives you new, 1-minute lessons every day. Why? Because learning a little every day is easy, strengthens your habits and motivation and you improve your Japanese over time. Lessons range from culture and holidays to grammar, slang, phrases and more. Find it in the Japanese Resources menu or in the Quick Links menu on your Dashboard. Click here to... Show more

I knew essentially nothing about Japan when I made the decision to study in Tokyo for my Fall semester. Fortunately, in the 2 months I’ve been here, my lack of preparation hasn’t stopped me from enjoying all that Japan has to offer. Of course, Tokyo is a good place to be for the ill-prepared, English speaking 外人. I’ve been getting around fairly well, but lately I’ve felt that maybe I would get more out of my experience if I knew at least basic Japanese. Plus, I have to leave Tokyo every once in awhile, or else I’d miss out on things like this: My biggest problem with learning Japanese was always my perceived lack of progress. It just never felt like I was learning anything applicable to everyday life, and even when I... Show more

Hi there Listener, If you ask us what we’re thankful for, it’s people like you. People who choose to learn Japanese. People who know they will master Japanese because it’s just a matter of time. These are the ones who truly do learn the language. How do we know? 10 years of teaching experience and feedback from learners like you. You’ve shaped JapanesePod101 into a fast, effective and FUN system. Thank you. So during the Thank You Sale, Get a BIG 30% OFF All Basic and Premium Plans! Master more Japanese for LESS with real lessons by real teachers – that’s 390+ hours of audio and video lessons. Your dream of truly learning Japanese is a lot easier and much more affordable. But only ‘til November 25th, 2015.Click here to get 30% OFF &... Show more

誰 (dare): who Answers from our users: HYDE and GACKT ONE OK ROCK Utada Hikaru, AKB48, and UVERworld! Who's your favorite Japanese musician? Click here and share your story! P.S. Get Your Daily Dose of Japanese with 1-Minute Mini-Lessons The Daily Dose of Japanese is a Calendar that gives you new, 1-minute lessons every day. Why? Because learning a little every day is easy, strengthens your habits and motivation and you improve your Japanese over time. Lessons range from culture and holidays to grammar, slang, phrases and more. Find it in the Japanese Resources menu or in the Quick Links menu on your Dashboard. Click here to check out the Daily Dose of Japanese Calendar.

形容詞 (keiyōshi): adjective Answers from our users: Kakkoii かわいい 楽しい What’s the Japanese adjective that represents you the best? Click here and share your word! P.S. Get Your Daily Dose of Japanese with 1-Minute Mini-Lessons The Daily Dose of Japanese is a Calendar that gives you new, 1-minute lessons every day. Why? Because learning a little every day is easy, strengthens your habits and motivation and you improve your Japanese over time. Lessons range from culture and holidays to grammar, slang, phrases and more. Find it in the Japanese Resources menu or in the Quick Links menu on your Dashboard. Click here to check out the Daily Dose of Japanese Calendar.

どのくらい (dono kurai):how long, how many, how much Here is how to ask how long someone has been studying Japanese: どのくらい日本語を勉強していますか。How long have you been studying Japanese? Here are some ways to answer this question. 一か月間です。 For 1 month. 二年間です。For 2 years. 半年間です。For half a year. How long have you been studying Japanese? Click here and leave your answer! P.S. Get Your Daily Dose of Japanese with 1-Minute Mini-Lessons The Daily Dose of Japanese is a Calendar that gives you new, 1-minute lessons every day. Why? Because learning a little every day is easy, strengthens your habits and motivation and you improve your Japanese over time. Lessons range from culture and holidays to grammar, slang, phrases and more. Find it in... Show more

名前 (namae): name Answers from our users: ケイテリン、でも私は小春が好きです。小春と呼んでください。 My Japanese name is ケイト・キング (Kate King). My Japanese is Riho (里穂). What's your name in Japanese? Click here and share your story! P.S. Get Your Daily Dose of Japanese with 1-Minute Mini-Lessons The Daily Dose of Japanese is a Calendar that gives you new, 1-minute lessons every day. Why? Because learning a little every day is easy, strengthens your habits and motivation and you improve your Japanese over time. Lessons range from culture and holidays to grammar, slang, phrases and more. Find it in the Japanese Resources menu or in the Quick Links menu on your Dashboard. Click here to check out the Daily Dose of Japanese Calendar.

Please keep an eye on your belongings! But, if you do lose something, use today’s phrase! 忘れ物を探しているんですが。 (Wasuremono o sagashite iru n desu ga.) - I'm looking for something I lost. いけない！お財布を忘れた！ (Ikenai! O-saifu o wasureta!) - Oh no! I forgot my wallet! P.S. Get Your Daily Dose of Japanese with 1-Minute Mini-Lessons The Daily Dose of Japanese is a Calendar that gives you new, 1-minute lessons every day. Why? Because learning a little every day is easy, strengthens your habits and motivation and you improve your Japanese over time. Lessons range from culture and holidays to grammar, slang, phrases and more. Find it in the Japanese Resources menu or in the Quick Links menu on your Dashboard. Click here to check out the... Show more

Hello Listener, Today, we have 3 ways to help you FULLY understand Japanese conversations...simply by listening and reading along. In fact, it works so well, it’s almost like cheating. Imagine listening to a new Japanese conversation: Oh! A word you know! Tons of words you don’t know. And...you’re lost. But, what if you had the lines and translations – everything that’s being said – to read along with? Simply by listening and reading along... You understand 100% of the Japanese that you hear. You stay laser-focused. It’s easy to get distracted with reading or listening alone. Here, you’re much more engaged by 2 senses at the same time. Result: You learn Japanese faster. New words. New phrases. They’re all translated... Show more

誕生日 (tanjōbi): birthday Here is how to ask about someone's birthday: 誕生日は、いつですか。When is your birthday? Here are some ways to answer this question: 8月22日です。It's August 22nd. 5月30日です。It's May 30th. 9月3日です。It's September 3rd. When is your birthday? Click here and leave your answer! P.S. Get Your Daily Dose of Japanese with 1-Minute Mini-Lessons The Daily Dose of Japanese is a Calendar that gives you new, 1-minute lessons every day. Why? Because learning a little every day is easy, strengthens your habits and motivation and you improve your Japanese over time. Lessons range from culture and holidays to grammar, slang, phrases and more. Find it in the Japanese Resources menu or in the Quick Links menu on your... Show more