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他動詞 and 自動詞 are not absolutes. This month, I look at かわる, a versatile verb that can take both forms. And I discuss how you become more familiar with examples like this...sometimes it's just a matter of letting time put you in the position to learn. Check out the newsletter and blog for more. Feel free to reach out with any questions or 悩み事 to [email protected]. You can also follow How to Japanese on the newsletter, Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

Incomplete sentences can actually make you sound more native in Japanese. Here are some ways you can be less complete (and thus more fluent!) in Japanese. Plus, I look at "predicates" in Japanese and have a great recommendation for a way to by used books online in Japan. Check out the blog and the newsletter for more. Feel free to reach out with any questions or 悩み事 to [email protected]. You can also follow How to Japanese on the newsletter, Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

Goal setting is an important part of studying Japanese, but students should balance their time doing it: Make a plan, put it into action immediately, and review it periodically. It can be tempting to think too much about how you study Japanese at the expense of actually studying it. This month in the newsletter I wrote about one goal I set during my paternity leave, and on the blog I looked at a post I wrote in 2009 about reading. At the top of the podcast I talk about my experience taking JLPT N5 earlier this month. Feel free to reach out with any questions or 悩み事 to [email protected]. You can also follow How to Japanese on the newsletter, Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

幸い (saiwai) is very close to 幸せ (shiawase), but it gets incorporated into one of the most frequently used phrases to make a polite request in Japanese. I introduce that phrase in the newsletter this month, and on the blog, I looked at how to use 幸い to say "fortunately/luckily." Feel free to reach out with any questions or 悩み事 to [email protected]. You can also follow How to Japanese on the newsletter, Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

Generative AI is reaching a fever pitch these days, and I think it's not a good sign for those who are just starting to learn Japanese. Unlike an electronic dictionary or an SRS app, generative AI offers to do the language for students, eliminating the friction of language learning. That friction is necessary for you to learn, so I'd recommend seeking out that pain instead. For new students, I'd challenge you: See if you can study Japanese for three years without generative AI. And at that point reassess and see if it's something you really need. Feel free to reach out with any questions or 悩み事 to [email protected]. You can also follow How to Japanese on the newsletter, Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

It's good practice to double check Japanese phrases you use every now and then, and this month I looked into 改めて (aratamete), which is a nice, polite way to say "again." I go through some examples and introduce one of my new favorite writers. I've also got grocery store recommendations AND the latest information about the new Murakami novel coming out in July. Check out the newsletter and blog for more. Feel free to reach out with any questions or 悩み事 to [email protected]. You can also follow How to Japanese on the newsletter, Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

事項 is one of the most useful Japanese words, but it's useless on its own. It must link together with another word to take on meaning. This month I look at all the different combinations I could find. Also, I give my recommendations for Kobe. Don't forget to check out the blog and the newsletter. Feel free to reach out with any questions or 悩み事 to [email protected]. You can also follow How to Japanese on the newsletter, Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

Japanese passive forms can be difficult to get used to at first. Finding a few phrases you understand, such as 初めて言われました, can make it easier to access others. Check out the newsletter and the blog for more info. Feel free to reach out with any questions or 悩み事 to [email protected]. You can also follow How to Japanese on the newsletter, Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

This month, I wrote about 御社 (onsha) and 弊社 (heisha), two business words used to mean "your (honorable) company" and "my (humble) company." These were difficult for me to differentiate at first, but I have a helpful mnemonic, and a helpful way to understand how they get used: essentially they function as pronouns. Check out the newsletter and the blog. Feel free to reach out with any questions or 悩み事 to [email protected]. You can also follow How to Japanese on the newsletter, Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

I'm taking December off to prep for parental leave, so I went back through some of my favorite writing from the past 18 years. Give it a listen, and don't forget the newsletter and the blog. Feel free to reach out with any questions or 悩み事 to [email protected]. You can also follow How to Japanese on the newsletter, Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

当日 is an extremely efficient little word that can refer to any specific day in the past or the future. Tune in to learn how to incorporate it into your active Japanese instead of trying to use grammar from your native language translated into Japanese. For more, check out the newsletter and the blog. Feel free to reach out with any questions or 悩み事 to [email protected]. You can also follow How to Japanese on the newsletter, Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

謎です。 This is all you need to get a laugh in Japanese, given the right situation. Listen to learn more about how to use this funny phrase, and to dig into the career of comedian Katagiri Jin who acted in a comedy short that went viral on the internet outside of Japan in the late 2000s. See more on the newsletter and blog. Feel free to reach out with any questions or 悩み事 to [email protected]. You can also follow How to Japanese on the newsletter, Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

Re-orient yourself in receiver-oriented expressions of thanks! If that sounds complicated, it's not, I promise. Essentially, I show you how to replace your くださって with an いただき and take a look at some interesting language trends that I hope actual linguists are looking into. I've also got a beer recommendation and a way for you to get rid of stuff for free in Japan. See more on the newsletter and the blog. Feel free to reach out with any questions or 悩み事 to [email protected]. You can also follow How to Japanese on the newsletter, Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

This month I wrote about one of the very first topics I ever covered on the blog: How do you convey reported information in Japanese? And how does it differ from conveying information in English? ということです is a super convenient way to do so, as long as you do the work of setting up clear context. Take a look on the blog or on the newsletter, which is now at newsletter.howtojapanese.com. Feel free to reach out with any questions or 悩み事 to [email protected]. You can also follow How to Japanese on the newsletter, Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

This month I'm taking a look at another set of "impossible pairs." Except this time, they aren't homophones. I've also got soup recommendations, details on the Osaka Expo, and some rambling about 商店街 (shōtengai) shopping arcades. Head to the newsletter and blog for more. Feel free to reach out with any questions or 悩み事 to [email protected]. You can also follow How to Japanese on Substack, Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.