JapanesePod101.com Blog

理解することはまあまあできるけど、話すのは難しい！ Understanding is alright, but speaking is hard! Hi, my name is Noemi and this is what I have been saying for over a year whenever someone asks me about my level in Japanese. I have tons of learning books, and I think they are all good but just too heavy to carry. My Japanese friends are helping me, but it is impossible to remember everything they are teaching me, especially in a more casual context. I also took Japanese classes for 2 years, and those are generally a great option, but not so much for my wallet. In other words: I was stuck at my let’s say lower intermediate level and this needs to change. I am in Japan now, so it’s time to learn. Basically, what I need is something light and... Show more

仕事 (shigoto): job, work When you want to know what the other person's job is, you can simply use this phrase. 仕事 job は topic marking particle 何ですか。 what is.. Here are some ways to answer the question. 教師です。(I'm a teacher.) 会社員です。(I'm a company employee.) 弁護士です。(I'm a lawyer.) So what do you do? 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

Hello Listener, You’ll want to know about these 3 new Japanese learning tools and features. They’re great for reviewing, motivation and progress and learning consistently with easy 1-minute lessons. One is an unofficial sneak peek. So what are they? The brand new Achievement Badges, the Daily Dose of Japanese and the Word Bank! And... if you want to master Japanese, unlock our proven learning system at 26% OFF and get a Bonus 6.5-hour Audiobook! In this month’s newsletter: 72 Hours Left! Click here to get 26% OFF + FREE 6.5-Hour Audiobook New Feature! Achievement Badges Now Available for Premium PLUS Sneak Peek: Save & Review Vocab with this Study Tool New! Easy 1-Minute Lessons with the Daily Dose of Japanese ... Show more

There are plenty of destinations where you can get by with English, but sometimes you want to do better than just ‘get by’. Here are 6 reasons you should learn the basics of the language of your next trip destination. 1. You will be able to discover your destination better than other tourists. Getting by is one thing, but actually experiencing a trip abroad is quite another. No amount of guidebooks and online research can compensate for a basic lack of language ability. Speaking the language of your destination permits you to explore that destination beyond the regular tourist traps. Your language skills will not only allow you to dig into all the hidden gems of your destination, but they will also allow you to mingle with the... Show more

Hello Listener, Did you start this year out with a resolution to learn Japanese? Haven’t found time to make it happen yet? Well, with students everywhere going back to school this month... Now’s a perfect time to renew your dream of truly learning Japanese. Even if you’re a complete beginner. Even if you’re out of school... You can and will learn Japanese with 370+ hours of lessons from real teachers. The Too Cool for School Sale at JapanesePod101 starts today: Click here to get 26% OFF & a free Audiobook! Start speaking Japanese from your very first lesson and get our entire Japanese learning system at 26% OFF! That’s just $2.96/month with Basic or $7.40/month with Premium and up to $62.40 in savings. So if you... Show more

皆さん、おはこんばんちは！(mina san, o ha kon ban chi wa!) This is one of my favorite words and it’s from Dr. Slump (a manga series), and it’s actually おはよう (ohayou, “good morning”), こんばんは(konbanwa, “good evening”), and こんにちは (kon ni chi wa, “good afternoon/hello”) all mixed together to make one word. Japanese people love shortening words. I’m pretty sure there are a few that you already know like アニメ(anime), which is a truncated version of アニメーション (a nimēshon, “animation”) and ポケモン (pokemon), which is a contracted version of ポケット・モンスター (poketto monsutā) but there’s more of them than you can even imagine!... Show more

Hello Listener, (This is all about new achievement badges at JapanesePod101. Keep reading!) Let’s say you JUST finished a Japanese lesson. For example, an assignment like... You write a self-introduction in Japanese You record your self-introduction via audio or video You send an image to your teacher that’s related to Japanese ...or you complete a weekly writing task Then, you send it over. Your JapanesePod101 teacher checks it. Approves it. Ding! You get a new achievement badge for your hard work. It's your mark of progress. It definitely sends a burst of Japanese learning motivation into your brain! What does this mean? It’s proof that your Japanese is improving, as confirmed by a real Japanese teacher. Real... Show more

Can you learn a language through music? Probably not. You aren’t going to learn the proper rules of grammar. You aren’t going to learn essential phrases, like how to order something at a restaurant or how to ask for directions. You probably aren’t even going to learn how to introduce yourself. However, while it would be illogical to rely solely on music to learn a language, it can definitely aid your studies. This is true for learning Japanese. Here are a few reasons why music CAN help you learn Japanese: 1. Music can help you remember! Ever had a song stuck in your head? Music stimulates memorization naturally. So while you’re singing your favorite Japanese pop song every night before bed, you’ll be working on your... Show more

Hi there Listener, When you’re learning Japanese and want real progress...look for the consistent method. One that’s non-stop and keeps you going. What’s a good one? JapanesePod101 Lessons – free audio and video lessons, every week. In fact, a new season of lessons has started this month that you can grab. Anything else? Vocab lists, where you learn new words and phrases all the time. And don’t forget that our 29% OFF Summer of Japanese Sale ends Friday! In this month’s newsletter... Sale Ends Friday! Click Here to Get 29% OFF Basic or Premium! A New Season Has Started: New, Free, Weekly Japanese Lessons Free Feature Alert: Speak More Japanese With Word & Phrase Lists 1. Summer of Japanese Sale ends Friday! Get a... Show more

I was always interested in traveling to Japan. The culture, people, and natural beauty of the country were what drew me in. I knew that it was definitely a place that I wanted to visit in the future and something that would be on my bucket list. But for one reason or another, I had never really had the opportunity to travel across the Pacific. I was either too broke or too busy. That changed last summer when I decided to put an end to my procrastination and fulfill my dream. I purchased my ticket to Japan online and celebrated with a triumphant cheer. However, I soon came to a realization. I did not speak one word of Japanese. I had one month until I embarked on my adventure and I wanted to learn as much Japanese as I could, so I... Show more