Language | BILINGUAL Jul 11, 2016
For a salaryman in summertime, the living ain't easy
by Kaori Shoji
As any male over a certain age will tell anyone who'll listen, it's tough being a middle-aged salaryman.
Language | WELL SAID Jul 11, 2016
Getting things just right in Japanese with 'kagen'
by Akemi Tanahashi and Hitomi Tashiro
Language | COMMUNICATION CUES Jul 11, 2016
Police have said they will not file neglect charges against the parents of a 7-year-old boy who was found safe after going missing for six days in a mountain forest in Hokkaido.
Language | BILINGUAL Jul 4, 2016
Free Japanese lessons await those who keep their eyes and ears open
by Mark Schreiber
To glean new vocabulary and useful insights, you have to make sure your mental switch remains in the "on" position.
Language | WELL SAID Jul 4, 2016
Adding that little bit more with conjunctions 'sore ni' and 'sore de'
by Akemi Tanahashi and Hitomi Tashiro
Introducing the meaning and uses of the conjunction particles それに (and, on top of that) and それで (therefore, and then).
Issues | THE FOREIGN ELEMENT Jun 29, 2016
How to address the foreign elephant in the room — in Japanese?
by Louise George Kittaka
For some long-term residents, how they are referred to in Japanese is a bone of contention.
Language | BILINGUAL Jun 27, 2016
In Japanese, you can find the inner child in everything
by Peter Backhaus
It's not news that Japan is running out of children. Though the country's total fertility rate has recently shown some slight signs of recovery, this is unlikely to halt the overall trend of 少子化 (shōshika), which is the common term used to describe the ...
Language | WELL SAID Jun 27, 2016
The generally positive influence of 'koso'
by Akemi Tanahashi and Hitomi Tashiro
Today, we will introduce XからこそY and XてこそY, two patterns that are used with the particle こそ. ...
Language | BILINGUAL Jun 20, 2016
Repetition and role-play are crucial for speaking success in Japanese
by Daniel Morales
Applying repetition to speaking practice will help you sound more natural and bring phrases to your tongue more easily.
Language | WELL SAID Jun 20, 2016
Divining the difference between 'tama ni' and 'tamatama'
by Akemi Tanahashi and Hitomi Tashiro
Introducing two adverbs, たまに and たまたま, that sound similar but have rather different meanings. ...
Language | COMMUNICATION CUES Jun 20, 2016
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says that Japan will accept 150 Syrians over five years, treating them not as refugees but university students.
Language | BILINGUAL Jun 13, 2016
For 'overtime refugees,' home is where the heart isn't
by Kaori Shoji
At night in Japan's big cities, overtime refugees roam the streets in search of alcohol, solace or a quiet place to sit with their laptops.