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Unlock Your Fluency: The AI-Powered Way to Master Japanese Grammar & Conversation(with Copy-Paste Prompts)

“I hear you can study Japanese with AI, but how do I even start?” “What kind of questions should I ask an AI to learn effectively?” AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini can be incredibly powerful partners in your Japanese learning journey. However, to unlock their full potential, you need to know a few “tricks of the trade.” This article is your complete guide to turning AI into your own ultimate Japanese tutor, packed with practical, copy-and-paste prompts you can use today. Let’s master AI and take your Japanese learning to the next level! Three Key Mindsets to Make AI Your Ultimate Tutor Before you start using the prompts, try […]

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Why Saying ANATA(あなた) to Someone in Japanese Can Be Rude

When learning Japanese, one of the first words you’ll likely encounter for “you” is “anata.” While it’s technically correct, using “anata” can sometimes come across as impolite or even offensive. This article will delve into the nuances of this word and provide you with better alternatives to use in various situations. The Problem with “Anata” “Anata” is written with the characters for “that direction” or “over there.” While it literally means “you,” it carries a certain distance or formality that can be problematic in modern Japanese. Here’s why: Better Ways to Say “You” in Japanese So, what should you say instead of “anata”? Here are some common and polite alternatives:

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How can I say “only” in Japanese? だけ or しかない?

Do you know how to use だけ and しかない? Many of my students ask me how to distinguish between them. When you open the fridge and find only one egg, what do you say? 冷蔵庫をあけると、たまごが1つしかなかった。 (When I opened the fridge, there was only one egg.) Most Japanese speakers would use the expression 1つしかなかった. It conveys a feeling that there is ONLY one egg in the fridge, often implying sadness or disappointment. Let’s think about it differently. 冷蔵庫に何かある? (Is there anything in the fridge?) たまごが一つだけあるよ。 (There’s only one egg.) This sentence using 一つだけあるよ doesn’t carry any sad feeling. Both だけある and しかない mean “only,” but the nuances in their usage are

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How to say “many” in Japanese? おおい、たくさん、いっぱい?

Hi, I’m Junko. I’ve been teaching Japanese for 18 years in Hong Kong.Today, I’d like to talk about some Japanese words, that express the meaning of “many”.  Some of my students make similar mistakes repeatedly. Therefore I want to address this topic today. Let’s get started. I think you already learned 「多い おおい」「たくさん」「いっぱい」.Do you use these words correctly? Here are some minor grammatical adjustments for clarity and flow: Usage1: 名詞が多いです。 公園は人が多いです。There are many people in the park. 日本でどこが一番人が多いですか?What city in Japan has the most population? 毎日屋は新しい魚が多いです。There are lots of fresh seafood sold in Mainichiya. I picked up example sentences from みんなの日本語 *The word of 多いです/おおいです just describe “there are many sth/sbody.” Then

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How do you translate “play” to Japanese?

Hi, I’m Junko. I’ve been teaching Japanese for 18 years in Hong Kong.Today, I’d like to tell you that “Play” is not “あそぶ”. I will explain how to translate “play” to Japanese correctly. play: Many Japanese learners translate this word to あそぶ、あそびます。遊ぶ Junko: きのう何をしましたか。 What did you do yesterday? Student: わたしは テニスであそびました。 I played tennis. This answer is not correct. 1. play sport サッカーをします。I play football.テニスをします。   I play tennis.ラグビーをします。I play rugby.ゴルフをします。   I play golf. *We use します for play in this case. 2. play music  ピアノをひきます。弾きます。 I play the piano.ギターをひきます。弾きます。 I play the guitar.* We use ひきます・弾きます for the strings such as piano, guitar, bass and violin.  フルートをふきます。吹きます   I play the flute.トランペットをふきます。吹きます   I

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適当(てきとう)の本当の意味

Hi, I’m Junpei(Junko). I’ve been teaching Japanese for 17 years in Hong Kong. Today, I’d like to write about the word 「適当 てきとう」, which is an idea that one of my students gave me. Do you know the definition of “適当”? One of my students told me that many Japanese learners believe that the meaning of 「適当」is suitable or appropriate. According to the dictionary, it means: Examples: But in fact, most Japanese people use this word differently. Example 1: A: ちょっとにんじんを切ってくれる? (Would you cut the carrots?)B: どのくらいの大きさ? (How big should I cut them?)A: 適当でいいよ。 (Any size is fine.) Example 2: A: この前お願いした書類できた? (Have you finished the documents I asked you for

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Why do you easily use the word ”やすい” to describe ”easy”? やすい or かんたん?

Hi, I’m Junko. I’ve been teaching Japanese for 17 years. Many of my students tend to mix up “やすい” and “かんたん 簡単”. この料理はやすいから、よく作ります。 英語はやすいね。 この問題はやすい。I often wonder why students make this mistake. Japanese learners are taught “やさしい 易しい” to say “easy” early in their studies.日本語は難しいです。(にほんごはむずかしいです。) でも 英語は易しいです。(でもえいごはやさしいです。) Japanese is difficult, but English is easy. In みんなの日本語, you learn “やさしい” in Unit 8 when studying adjectives. “やさしい” is one of many い-adjectives, but “かんたん” is not included in the な-adjectives list.I believe this is where learners start to make mistakes.When we native Japanese speakers convey that something is easy to do, we usually use “かんたん” rather than “やさしい”. *英語は簡単です。(えいごはかんたんです。) *この料理は簡単です。(このりょうりはかんたんです。) *この料理は簡単に作れます。(このりょうりはかんたんにつくれます。=easily) *試験は簡単だった。(しけんはかんたんだった。)I hope you

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「できなさそう」と「できそうにない」の違い / Difference Between “Dekinasasoo” And “Dekisooninai”

「できなさそう」と「できそうにない」、どう違う? この記事では、その違いをわかりやすく解説し、使い方のヒントも紹介します。 基本的な違い まず、それぞれの表現を構成要素に分けてみましょう。 「できない」+「そう」で、否定的な推量を表す形。 「できそう」+「ない」で、肯定的な推量を否定する形。 この違いが、表現のニュアンスにどのような影響を与えるのか、具体的な例を交えながら見ていきます。 できなさそう 否定的な推量を伝える表現です。 「できなさそう」は、「何かができない様子だ」という状況を、客観的かつ冷静に伝える印象があります。例えば、次のような使い方です。 例文 この表現は、目の前の状況や事実に基づいて判断するニュアンスが強いです。 吹雪のスキー場の例で言うと、「猛吹雪でゲレンデすら見えないから、スキーは無理そうだな」と冷静に状況を述べる感じです。 できそうにない 期待を否定する表現です。 一方、「できそうにない」は、「できそう」というポジティブな期待を前提にしながら、それが実現しないことを伝える言い回しです。そのため、話し手の感情や心証が込められることが多く、残念さや落胆を強調するニュアンスがあります。 例文 スキー場の例で言うと、「せっかく楽しみにしていたスキーだけど、この天気じゃ無理そうだな」という期待外れ感がにじみ出ています。 まとめ 「できなさそう」は、客観的な状況判断に使われやすく、「今見えている状況から判断すると無理そう」という分析的なトーンです。 一方、「できそうにない」は感情が混じる表現であり、「期待していたけどダメそう」という心の動きを反映したものと言えそうです。 「できないと思う」というよりシンプルな表現に加えて、「できなさそう」「できそうにない」という表現を使い分けることで、会話や文章でより的確なニュアンスを伝えられるようになりますよ。 “Dekinasasoo” vs. “Dekiooninai”: What’s the Difference? Imagine this: you’re on a ski trip, but outside, a fierce snowstorm is raging. All you can see through the window is heavy, sideways-falling snow. “Dekinasasoo”(できなさそう, looks like it can’t be done):With weather like this, it seems we won’t be able to ski today. “Dekisooninai”(できそうにない, doesn’t look like it can be done):With weather like this, I don’t think skiing will be possible today. Both phrases express the idea of “I don’t think it’s possible,” yet each carries a subtle difference in nuance.

「できなさそう」と「できそうにない」の違い / Difference Between “Dekinasasoo” And “Dekisooninai” Read More »

Difference Between “Suru(する)” And “Yaru(やる)”/「する」と「やる」の違い /

What is the difference between する and やる? If you read this article, I’m sure you can understand the difference completely. Here is the picture. “鬼ごっこやろうよ!” (Onigokko yarou yo!; “Let’s play tag!”) “うん、やろう!” (Un, yarou!; “Yeah, let’s do it!”)The cheerful voices of children echo through a park. In Japan, where a declining birthrate and aging population are ongoing concerns, such scenes might feel more like a rare treasure than an everyday occurrence. Now, picture a different setting: a lively conversation in an office breakroom. “週末は何をするの?” (Shūmatsu wa nani o suru no?; “What are you doing this weekend?”)“そうだね、天気がよければゴルフかな。” (Sō da ne, tenki ga yokereba gorufu kana.; “Well, if the weather’s good,

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