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Tips, guides, and insights for English learners.
Japanese Konbini Phrases: What Staff Actually Say
The real convenience store script in Japanese — the bag, heating, chopsticks and point card questions staff ask, with the short polite answers and readings.
Japanese Words From English: Katakana and Wasei Eigo
Katakana loanwords are Japanese vocabulary you already know — if you say them the Japanese way. Plus wasei-eigo false friends and words from Portuguese and Dutch.
Japanese Must Should and Have To: Obligation Grammar
Say must, should, have to, must not and do not have to in Japanese out loud — nakereba narimasen down to nakya, plus hazu, beki and hou ga ii compared.
Japanese Particles Explained: wa, ga, wo, ni, de (2026)
The clearest beginner guide to Japanese particles: wa vs ga, wo, ni vs de, plus he, to, mo and kara — with correct examples, romaji and a cheat sheet.
Japanese Passive and Causative Made Speakable
How to build and actually use the Japanese passive (ukemi), the suffering passive, the causative make-versus-let distinction, and the causative-passive 〜させられる.
Japanese Phrases for Travel: 40 You Actually Need (2026)
Forty Japanese travel phrases with romaji and usage notes, organised by situation, plus the replies staff will actually say back to you at the konbini.
26 Japanese Proverbs (Kotowaza) Natives Actually Quote
Twenty-six real Japanese proverbs and yojijukugo with kanji, romaji, literal meaning and when it is appropriate to say them — plus the famous ones natives never use.
Japanese Restaurant Phrases: Ordering to Paying
A Japanese restaurant visit from door to bill — being seated, calling staff, ordering, allergies, splitting the cheque and leaving, with readings and glosses.
Japanese Self Introduction: Jikoshoukai Template (2026)
The Japanese self-introduction template in fixed order: hajimemashite, your name, where you are from, your job, hobbies and yoroshiku, with romaji and register notes.
Japanese Shopping Phrases: How Much Is This and Tax Free
Japanese shopping phrases with romaji: asking prices, sizes and colours, just looking, gift wrapping, counters, tax free rules and reading zeikomi price tags.