Language | COMMUNICATION CUES Jul 20, 2015
Softbank Corp. announced on June 20 that 1,000 units of its humanoid robot Pepper sold out in just one minute after they went on sale on its website.
Language | WELL SAID Jun 29, 2015
Sitting on the fence in Japanese depends on these sentence patterns
by Akemi Tanahashi and Hitomi Tashiro
Sore-wa ashita-no tenki-ni yorimasu-ne (It depends on tomorrow's weather.) ...
Language | BILINGUAL Jun 22, 2015
When too much is not enough, just dial up the 'sugiru'
by Peter Backhaus
When something is in excess, English commonly uses the adverb "too." Japanese expresses similar things with the verb "sugiru."
Language | WELL SAID Jun 22, 2015
Let your green-eyed monster loose with 'urayamashii'
by Akemi Tanahashi and Hitomi Tashiro
Today we introduce the proper use of the adjective うらやましい, meaning "jealous" or "envious. ...
Language | COMMUNICATION CUES Jun 22, 2015
A Nebuta Festival float from Aomori is heading to Italy to participate in a "Japan Day" parade at the 2015 Milan Expo.
Voices | FOREIGN AGENDA Jun 17, 2015
Indians in Japan — a love story beset with challenges
by Megha Wadhwa
While the recent increase in the number of Indian residents in Japan might appear substantial, it is small compared to the influx seen in some other countries. So why the big difference?
Language | BILINGUAL Jun 15, 2015
Keep pounding away and eventually Japanese will reveal its secrets
by Daniel Morales
If some patterns in Japanese don't make sense yet, just keep pounding the rock. With enough time and repetition, they'll click.
Language | WELL SAID Jun 15, 2015
Use -tara to herald the expected and the unexpected
by Akemi Tanahashi and Hitomi Tashiro
Today we introduce the proper use of "X (verb in ta form) ら、Y (= phrase).
Language | COMMUNICATION CUES Jun 15, 2015
Ireland recently became the first country in the world to legalize gay marriage by referendum.
National Jun 10, 2015
Higher Japanese proficiency urged for foreign nursing care interns
The Society for Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language asked the government Monday to toughen a Japanese-language proficiency requirement for foreign nursing care interns. The request came after an advisory panel for the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry lowered the requirement for foreigners before undergoing ...
Language | BILINGUAL Jun 8, 2015
Too much 'ganbaru' could push anyone over the edge
by Colin P.A. Jones
For those trying their hardest or already at the end of their rope, "ganbaru" can seem like a slap in the face rather than a gesture of encouragement.
Language | WELL SAID Jun 8, 2015
Though you may think you don't need to know mono-no, you do
by Akemi Tanahashi and Hitomi Tashiro
Today we will introduce the proper use of "XもののY," which is used to connect contrasting phrases.