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In this podcast, we’re focusing on useful verbs and phrases related to using money, Japanese coins and banknotes. We also discuss the proper etiquette for handling money in Japan
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In recent years, Japan has experienced a surge in tourism, with millions flocking to its stunning temples, bustling cities, and serene landscapes. However, this boom has also brought about a significant issue: overtourism. As more travelers visit, overcrowding and a minority of obnoxious tourists has become increasingly problematic, causing frustration and discomfort among the locals who call these beautiful places home.
Overtourism in Japan is fueled by various factors, including the cheap yen, the boom in post pandemic travel and lack of local planning and infrastructure adequate for the volume of tourists. While the causes are complex and multifaceted, each visitor has the power to make a difference. By being mindful and respectful, you can contribute positively to your experience and the well-being of the local communities.
In this episode, we dive into the do’s and don’ts of tourism etiquette in Japan. From cultural sensitivities to practical tips, we’ll guide you on how to enjoy your trip without becoming an unwelcome guest. Tune in to learn how to be a considerate traveler and ensure your visit leaves a positive impact.

In this podcast, we focus on phrases related to dating in Japan. We’ll cover phrases to express your feelings about someone as well as describe your current and past relationship status. Finally, we talk about how dating culture in Japan differs from dating in the West.
Check out our Patreon page to get access to extra dialogues, audio drills and show notes.
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In this podcast, we’re focusing on a crucial skill for mastering Japanese fluency and expanding your vocabulary which is confirming information.
When visiting Japan, it is likely you might mishear what is being said or you simply don’t understand the vocabulary being used. So, whether you’re confirming a restaurant reservation or seeking clarity in a conversation, this skill is indispensable for effective communication and deepening your grasp of Japanese.
And the good news is, you only need to learn a couple of phrases to be able to confirm information in Japanese. So, check out the dialogues and vocabulary in this podcast to get a better understanding of this topic.
Check out our Patreon page to get access to extra dialogues, audio drills and show notes.
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The topic for this lesson is the word 気 Ki.
気 has a lot of meanings depending on context. It up in has various meanings such as spirit, heart or mind. It can also mean mood or air. You probably already know the word 元気 Genki which means well. Another example would be 気分 Kibun which means feeling or mood. And there is also 気圧 Kiatsu which means atmospheric pressure.
However, in this lesson, we’re going to focus more on how 気 is used in conversational phrases related to thinking, your mind and your attitude.
So, if you can remember at least a few of these phrases, your spoken Japanese will definitely sound more natural and fluent.
Check out the podcasts, show notes and extra audio drill to learn more.
Patreon: Podcast 54: Phrase that use 気 in Japanese

As the sun sets on 2023, I recently hung out with my good friend Andy on the Fun Friday edition of the podcast to review the highs and lows of the past year in Japan.
Enjoy!
 
 
 

It’s been a while but in this Fun Friday edition of the podcast I met up with my good friend and Japan enthusiast, Peter of Beards Brewery.
He’s just completed an epic two-month journey across Japan and in this episode I caught up with him to get a debriefing on his trip. We chatted about his adventures, using Japanese on the road, and recommendations on places to visit.
If you are planing a visit to Japan, definietly check out this podcast as Peter gives some great advice on planning and enjoying your trip to the fullest.
When Peter isn’t jet setting around the globe, you can usaully find him studying Japanese and brewing some seriously delicious ninja level beer in beautiful northern Michigan at Beards Brewery.
 

In this lesson, you’ll learn how to refuse things in Japanese. This is an important skill to have, as you’ll often find yourself in situations where you need to say no to someone.
You’ll also learn how to refuse offers in Japanese appropriately in different situations using different levels of politeness. A word of warning. Not all the phrases in this lesson can be used in polite conversation so be careful!
For our premium members you can download an extra premium podcast that goes into more detail on this topic, Japanese audio drills and PDF show notes.
Visit our Patreon page for more information here. 

In this podcast I interview Matthew Dons, a dear friend and long term resident of Japan. We talk about his experiences of doing a home stay when he first came to Japan. Matthew also gives his advice on the dos and don’ts of Japanese etiquette and culture to make your stay in Japan go more smoothly.
You can find out more about Matthew through the following link below:
MathewDons.com
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If you are interested in visiting Kyoto then this podcast is for you. In this Fun Friday edition of the podcast I interview my long suffering brother Ben about his work as a tourguide in Kyoto. We talk about what to visit, when to come, etiquette for tourists, food, history and more!
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In this lesson we will teach you useful phrases for disagreeing with people and how to use them in different situations. Different phrases and inflections in your voice can be interpreted in many ways, from being vague to being very direct or even rude.
Compared to some cultures, Japanese people tend to be less confrontational and don’t always express their opinions clearly or directly. So if you disagree with someone in Japanese, try to err on the side of being polite and less direct.
With this in mind, check out the podcast to get an idea of how to use these phrases naturally in conversation.
Want access to the show notes and extra audio drills? Join our Premium Patreon membership.

In this lesson Ami Sensei and I will teach you how to express different levels of certainty in Japanese. You’ll learn how to express the probability you think something will happen through various example sentences and dialogues.
In English we do this all the time with words such as “definitely”, “probably” and “might”. And of course, you can do that in Japanese too. However, spoken Japanese tends to be less direct and uses more tentative language. And that means there are a lot of ways to say you think something may or might happen.
Check out the podcast to hear example sentences and natural dialogues to help you learn how to express yourself more fluently in Japanese.
Join our Patreon Page to get access to PDF show notes, extra audio drills and more!
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In this podcast, Ami Sensei and I talk about how to make small talk in Japanese. We talk about appropriate topics and ones to avoid. And we also teach you some useful vocabulary, phrases and grammar to make you sound more natural and fluent.
Please note we have opened a new Premium membership that provides even more Japanese fluency lessons and materials for serious students of Japanese.
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The Japanese-only audio drills for podcast 58 have moved to our new Patreon page. Please click the link below for access:
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In this Fun Friday edition of the podcast, Alex, A-Chan and Andy talk about the major events that shaped Japan in 2022.
For more Japan themed podcasts visit Learn Japanese Pod

In this podcast you will learn what Darui means and how to use it naturally in conversation in Japanese.
This lesson includes the main podcast lesson, PDF show notes and an extra audio drill. You can find all of these resources by going to Learn Japanese Pod

In this lesson, you will learn what Darui means. Check out the example sentences and dialogues to learn how these phrases are naturally used by native Japanese speakers in conversation.
Example 1:
怠い – Darui
I’m tired
Example 2:
天気が悪くて体がだるい – Tenki ga warukute karada ga darui
I’m so tired because of the weather.
Example 3:
今日めっちゃだるいよ – Kyō meccha darui
I’m super tired today.
Example 4:
これから打ち合わせなんだよね。超だるい – Kore kara uchiawase nan da yo ne. Chō darui. 
I’ve got a meeting now. I really don’t want to go. (Lit. it makes me tired) 
Example 5:
二日酔いでマジだるい – Futsukayoi de maji darui.  
I’m dead tired because I’m hungover.
 
Example 6:
人混みがだるい – Hitogomi ga darui. 
The crowds tire me out. 

In this lesson you will learn how to agree with people in Japanese. Check out the example sentences and dialogues to learn how these phrases are naturally used by native Japanese speakers in conversation.
How to study
This lesson includes the main podcast lesson, PDF show notes and an extra audio drill. You can find all of these resources by going to Learn Japanese Pod

In this lesson you will learn how to agree with people in Japanese. Check out the example sentences and dialogues to learn how these phrases are naturally used by native Japanese speakers in conversation.
Main Dialogue (Japanese)
A: 今日めっちゃ暑いよね。
B: だよね。
A: なんか、夏は好きだけど湿気が嫌い。
B: わかる、わかる。
A: 今年の夏は猛暑が続いたよね。
B: 本当だよね。
Main Dialogue (Pronunciation)
A: Kyō meccha atsui yo ne.
B: Da you ne.
A: Nanka, natsu wa suki dakedo, shikke ga kirai.
B: Wakaru, wakaru.
A: Kotoshi no natsu wa mōsho ga tsuzuita da yo ne.
B: Hontō da yo ne.
Main Dialogue (English)
A: It’s really hot today isn’t it?
B: Right.
A: So, I like the summer but I don’t like the humidity.
B: I know, I know.
A: This year’s summer heat has been extreme hasn’t it?
B: That’s true.
Extra phrases
Please note that you can listen to the example sentences in the dialogue-only audio file which is on our podcast feed. The podcast feed can be subscribed to by visiting the Learn Japanese Pod website.
1. そうだね– Sō da ne – That’s right.
The first phrase you should know is そうだねsō da ne or そうだよsō da yo which means that’s right or I agree. You can even shorten that to だよねDa yo ne, which is a casual way to agree with someone and means something like, “right?”. If you want to be more polite you would say そうですね Sō desu ne.
2. 僕もそう思う– Boku mo sō omou – I think so too,
This means something like, ”yeah I think so too”.
For example:
a. この試験は難しすぎ – Kono shiken wa muzukashi sugi
This test is too hard.
b. うん、僕もそう思う – Un, boku mo sō omou
Yup, I think so too.
3. 確かに- Tashika ni – Certainly / Absolutely
Here’s an example using 確かに:
a. あの映画超怖かったよね – Ano eiga chō kowakatta yo ne
That movie was so scary
b. 確かに – Tashika ni
It certainly was.
4. 賛成できる– Sansei dekiru – I can agree / I agree
This means that you can agree with an idea or you agree to doing something. For example:
そのアイディアは賛成できる – Sono aidia wa sansei dekiru
I can agree with that idea / I second that
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その提案は賛成できる – Sono teian wa sansei dekiru
I can agree to that plan.
5. 間違いない / 間違いなく– Machigai nai / Machigau naku – No doubt
This means something like without doubt, or no question about it.
For example:
a. 今日めっちゃ寒い – Kyō meccha samui
Today’s really cold.
b. うん、 間違いない – Un, machigai nai
Yup, no question about it.
6. もちろん – Mochiron – Of course
もちろん is used as an affirmative response to a statement someone makes.
For example;
a. 今日の晩御飯は簡単なものでいい？- Kyō no bangohan wa kantan na mono de ii?
Do you mind if we just do something simple for dinner tonight?
b. もちろん – Mochiron
Of course.
7. 当たり前じゃん – Atarimae jan – Obviously / That goes without saying
This phrase means something like obviously, that goes without saying or that’s a given.
Here’s an example:
a. 彼女の誕生日プレゼント忘れちゃだめだよ – Kanojo no tanjōbi puresento wasureccha dame.
You cannot forget your girlfriend’s birthday present.
b. 当たり前じゃん – Atarimae jan
Well, obviously

In this podcast, Ami Alex tell you the meaning of 半端ない Hanpa nai  and how to use it naturally in a conversation in Japanese.
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This post includes only Japanese dialogues and sentence examples from podcast #44 “Hanpa nai”.
This lesson focuses on the phrase 半端ないhampa nai which means something like amazing, epic or unbelievable.
Here are example sentences from the podcast:
Example 1:
半端ないよね – Hampa nai yo ne
That’s really awesome
Example 2:
あの人半端ないよね – Ano hito hampa nai yo ne
That person is really awesome
Example 3:
あの人の料理マジ半端ない – Ano hito no ryōri maji hampa nai
That person’s cooking is incredible
Example 4:
あの人の筋肉マジ半端ない – Ano hito no kinniku maji hampa nai
That guy is seriously muscly
Example 5:
彼女のダンス超半端ない – Kanojo no dansu chō hampa nai
Her dancing is incredible
Example 6:
ロブは５ヶ国語話せる。彼は半端ないね – Robu wa go ka kokugo hanaseru. Kare wa hanpa nai ne.
Rob can speak 5 languages. He’s amazing.
 
For more Japanese learning podcasts visit Learn Japanese Pod

This lesson focuses on how to receive compliments in Japanese. We’ll teach you some useful phrases you can use to respond to people who say nice things to you. We’ll also discuss Japanese attitudes towards compliments, why they make them and what they really mean. Spoiler alert, the cultural mindset in Japan might be quite different from your own, so be mindful of the differences!
For more Japanese study podcasts visit: Learn Japanese Pod

These are just the Japanese dialogues and example sentences taken from podcast #43 “Receiving compliments in Japanese”.
This lesson focuses on how to receive compliments in Japanese. We’ll teach you some useful phrases you can use to respond to people who say nice things to you. We’ll also discuss Japanese attitudes towards compliments, why they make them and what they really mean. Spoiler alert, the cultural mindset in Japan might be quite different from your own, so be mindful of the differences!
But the best way to learn about compliments is in context so check out the dialogue and example sentences below.
Main dialogue (Japanese)
A: 日本語上手だね！
B: いやいや。まだまだだよ。
A: いやあ、日本人みたいに喋ってる！
B: そんなことないよ。勉強中だよ！
A: でもすごいよ！
B: 是非もっと教えてください。
Main dialogue (Pronunciation)
A: Nihongo jōzu da ne
B: Iyaiya. Mada mada da yo.
A: Iyaa, nihonjin mitai ni shabetteru.
B: Sonna koto nai yo. Benkyō chuu da yo.
A: Demo sugoi yo.
B: Zehi motto oshiete kudasai.
Main dialogue (English)
A: Your Japanese is great!
B: No, no. Not yet.
A: No, but you speak just like a Japanese person!
B: Not at all. I’m still studying.
A: But it’s amazing.
B: Please teach me by all means.
Example sentences
Example 1:
A: 料理が上手いね
B: いやいや
A: Ryōri ga umai ne
B: Iya iya
A: Your cooking is great
B: No, no.
Example 2:
A: お洒落だね
B: そうかな
A: Oshare da ne
B: Sō kana
A: You’re stylish
B: Is that really true?
Example 3
A: 料理が上手いね
B: 全然
A: Ryōri ga umai ne
B: Zenzen
A: Your cooking is great
B: Not at all
Example 4
A: あみ先生お洒落だね
B: とんでもないです
A: Ami Sensei, oshare da ne
B: Tondemonai desu
A: Ami Sensei, you are so stylish
B: No, not at all. (Don’t be silly now)
Example 5
A: 料理が上手い
B: そんなことないけど嬉しい
A: Ryōri ga umai ne
B: Sonna koto nai kedo ureshii
A: Your cooking is great
B: That’s not true but I’m happy to hear that.
Example 6
A: お洒落だね
B: おかげさまで
A: Oshare da ne
B: Okagesama de
A: You’re so stylish
B: Thanks to you!

In this podcast, Ami Sensei and Alex teach you the meaning of とりあえず Toriaezu and how to use it naturally in Japanese conversation.
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This lesson focuses on the word Toriaezu, what it means and how to use it naturally in conversation in Japanese.
What does Toriaezu mean?
とりあえず Toriaezu roughly translates as “for the time being” or “for now we’ll do so and so”. This is a useful phrase to use when you want to make a temporary decision before committing to a more substantial or permanent solution. This phrase is often used when you are ordering food at an Izakaya, which is Japanese style pub. You can use とりあえず Toriaezu to order drinks or small snacks while you are deciding what to order for your
main dishes.
Let’s look at the example sentences below:
Example Sentences
Here are some examples of how to use とりあえず Toriaezu naturally in Japanese conversation. You can listen to the following example sentences with the extra listening practice audio file that
is included in the podcast feed.
1. とりあえずビールで
Toriaezu biiru de
We’ll have beer for now
2. とりあえずワインで
Toriaezu wain de
We’ll have wine for now
3. とりあえずお冷で
Toriaezu ohiya de
We’ll have water for now
4. とりあえずなんか食べよう
Toriaezu nanka tabeyō
Let’s eat something for now
5. とりあえず買う
Toriaezu kau
I’ll buy it for now
6. とりあえず行く
Toriaezu iku
I’ll go for now
7. とりあえずやってみる
Toriaezu yatte miru
I’ll try it for now
8. とりあえず映画見よう
Toriaezu eiga o miyō
I’ll watch the movie for now
9. とりあえず生で
Toriaezu nama de
We’ll have a beer for now
For more Japanese study podcasts go to Learn Japanese Pod

In this Fun Friday edition of the podcast I interviewed my good friend and fellow student of Japanese Peter Manthei. We talked about various topics including the challenges of studying Japanese outside of Japan, Japanese versus American craft beer, useful methods to improve your Japanese as well as some great travel tips.
Peter runs a brewery in Michigan called Beards Brewery and you can find out more about him and his adventures on Instagram and Facebook.
For more podcasts on Japan and studying Japanese visit Learn Japanese Pod.

In this podcast, Ami and Alex teach you some useful phrases to cheer someone up in Japanese.
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These are the dialogues for podcast 41 “Cheering someone up in Japanese”.
In this podcast you will learn some useful phrases to cheer someone up in Japanese. Check out the dialogues below:
Main Dialog 1 – Cheering someone up (Japanese)
A: もういやだ。
B: どうしたの？
A: 仕事がうまくいってなくて。
B: 大丈夫だよ。元気出して。
A: ちょっと自信ないんだよね。
B: 君ならできるよ。頑張って！
Main Dialog 1 – Cheering someone up (Pronunciation)
A: Mō, iya da.
B: Dō shita no?
A: Shigoto ga umaku ittenakute.
B: Daijōbu yo. Genki dashite.
A: Chotto jisshin nain da yo ne.
B: Kimi nara dekiru yo. Gambatte!
Main Dialog 1 – Cheering someone up (English)
A: Ugh, this sucks.
B: What’s the matter?
A: Work isn’t going well.
B: It’s OK. Cheer up!
A: I’m kinda losing my confidence.
B: You can do it! Do your best!
Extra Useful phrases for cheering someone up in Japanese
Here are some extra phrases you can use to cheer people up in Japanese
1. 心配しないで – Shinpai shinai de
Don’t worry about it
2. 応援してるよ – Ōen shiteru yo
I support you / I’ve got your back
3. なんとかなるよ – Nantoka naru yo
It’ll work out / Let it be / It’ll be fine
4. 仕方ないよ – Shikata nai yo
It can’t be helped / That’s life
5. しょうがない – Shō ga nai
It can’t be helped / That’s life
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In this Fun Friday edition of the podcast, I sat down with Ben and A-Chan to talk about random things including green tea, ramen, life in Kyoto and more.
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In this lesson you will learn all about Japanese onomatopoeia which are words that resemble sounds. Some examples in English are splash, bang, zap and beep and you will learn how similar words are used in daily Japanese conversation. Check out the dialogue and grammar notes below.
Main Dialog 1 – Daily Japanese Onomatopoeia (Japanese)
A: ね、外見て、雨がザーザー降っているよ。
B: 雷もゴロゴロ鳴ってる。ハラハラする。
A: え?どうしたの?大丈夫?
B: 天気が悪くなると頭がクラクラするんだ。
A: ちょっと休んだら?
B: うん、そうする。
Main Dialog 1 – Daily Japanese Onomatopoeia (Pronunciation)
A: Ne, soto mite, ame ga zaa zaa futteru yo.
B: Kaminari mo gorogoro natteru. Hara hara suru.
A: E? Dōshita no. Daijōbu?
B: Tenki ga waruku naru to atama ga kurakura surun da. A: Chotto yasundara?
B: Un, sō suru.
Main Dialog 1 – Daily Japanese Onomatopoeia (English)
A: Hey, look outside, it’s raining really hard.
B: The thunder is rumbling too. I feel kinda nervous. A: Eh? What’s the matter? Are you OK?
B: When the weather turns bad my head gets dizzy. A: Why don’t you have a rest?
B: Yup, I’ll do that.




About Japanese Onomatopoeia
In this lesson we are studying Japanese onomatopoeia. Onomatopoeia are words that resemble sounds such as splash, bang and beep. Japanese also has onomatopoeia and they are called 擬音語 Giongo.
There is a huge number of Japanese giongo and they are frequently used in casual daily conversation. Therefore they are worth learning as they will improve your comprehension and make you sound more natural when speaking.
However, because there are so many giongo, it would be impossible to teach them all in a single lesson. Also, students of Japanese sometimes feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of them. However, if you get regular listening and speaking practice in Japanese, you can eventually start to pick them up naturally.
You’ll notice a common pattern with most giongo which is a pair of repeating sounds las below (although there are exceptions):
コロコロ Korokoro The sound of something rolling
ドキドキ Dokidoki Excitement (from the sound of a beating heart)
Another thing you might notice is that some giongo are written in Katakana and others Hiragana. There aren’t any strict rules on this but generally speaking, Hiragana is used for softer sounds and Katakana for harder sounds.
Also, although it’s not strictly necessary to learn the following grammar rules, giongo are divided up into five different types.








Here are the five types and examples:



* 擬音語 Giongo

These are words that resemble sounds made by inanimate objects and nature as mentioned before.
ゴロゴロ – Gorogoro – Rumbling (thunder)
コロコロ – Korokoro – Sound of rolling
ガタガタ – Gatagata – Rattling
ガチャ – Gacha – Sound of a door closing or similar sound

* 擬態語 Gitaigo

These describe conditions and states of things.
クラクラ – Kurakura    – Feeling dizzy
すべすべ – Subesube – Smooth to the touch
フワフワ – Fuwafuwa – Fluffy
もちもち – Mochimochi – Chewy, sticky, squidgy

* 擬声語 Giseigo

These are animal and human sounds.
ワンワン – Wanwan – Woof
ニャン – Nyan – Meow
コケコッコー – Kokekokkoo – Cock-a-doodle-doo
ゲロゲロ – Gerogero – Croak (frog)
ガオー – Gaoo – Roar (lion, tiger etc.)

* 擬容語 Giyōgo

These describe movements and motions.
ノロノロ – Noronoro – Move very slowly
ぐっすり – Gussuri – Sleep soundly
ブルブル – Buruburu – To shiver

* 擬情語 Gijōgo

These describe feelings and emotions.

In this Fun Friday edition of the podcast, Andy and Alex sit down to talk about the Japanese buzzwords influenced by the major trends in Japan during 2021.
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In this Fun Friday edition of the podcast, Ami and I talk about some of our favorite Anime, the latest and most popular releases and some old classics that are famous in Japan but not so well known abroad.
We are certainly not Anime experts and we couldn’t properly cover all the major Anime even if we wanted to! We simply talk about the Anime we happen to know and love. Enjoy!
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In this podcast Ami Sensei and Alex teach you useful phrases for calling an ambulance and talking to emergency services during a medical emergency.
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In this podcast, Ami and Alex teach you how to make suggestions to your friends in natural, fluent Japanese.
Check out the dialogues and show notes to practice and improve your Japanese.
For more podcasts visit Learn Japanese Pod

In this lesson you will learn how to make a suggestion to your friends in natural sounding Japanese. It’s better to be indirect with your language as being too pushy can make you come off as being arrogant or rude. But don’t worry, we have you covered. Just check out the main dialogue and extra example sentences and you should get a good idea of how to give your ideas and advice to other people.
Main Dialog 1 – Making a suggestion (Japanese)
A: いや〜もうだめだ。
B: どうしたの？
A: 彼女と喧嘩したんだ。まだ怒ってるみたい。
B: じゃあ、花でもプレセントしたらどう？
A: そうだね。そうしよう。
B: 彼女きっと喜ぶよ。
A: わかった、じゃあ、そうしてみるよ。
Main Dialog 1 – Making a suggestion (Pronunciation)
A: Iyaa, mō dame da!
B: Dō shita no?
A: Kanojo to kenka shitan da. Mada okotteru mitai.
B: Jaa, hana demo purezento shitara dō?
A: Sō da ne. Sō shiyō.
B: Kanojo kitto yorokobu yo.
A: Wakatta, jaa, sō shite miru yo.
Main Dialog 1 – Making a suggestion (English)
A: Argh, this sucks.
B: What happened?
A: I had a fight with my girlfriend. It seems she’s still angry.
B: How about giving her flowers as a present?
A: Right. I’ll do that.
B: I’m sure she’ll be happy.
A: Got it. I’ll give that a try.
Extra sentence examples:
Example 1
A: 頭痛いな。
Atama itai na – I have a headache
B: 薬飲んだらどう？
Kusuri nondara dō? – How about taking some meds?
A: そうだね。そうするよ。
Sō da ne. Sō suru yo. – Right. I’ll do that.
Example 2
A: いいアイデアが思い浮かばないな
Ii aidea ga omoi ukabanai na – I can’t think of any good ideas.
B: 少しやすんだらどう？
Sukoshi yasundara dō? – How about taking a break?
A: そうだね。そうするよ。
Sō da ne. Sō suru yo. Right. I’ll do that.
Example 3
A: 肩凝ってるな。
Kata kotteru – I’ve got stiff shoulders
B: マッサージ受けたらどう？
Massaaji shitara dō? – How about getting a massage?
A: そうだね。そうするよ。
Sō da ne. Sō suru yo. – Right. I’ll do that.
Example 4
A: お腹が空いたな
Onaka ga suita na – I’m hungry
B: おやつ食べたらどう？
Oyatsu tabetara dō? – How about having a snack?
A: そうだね。そうするよ。
Sō da ne. Sō suru yo. – Right. I’ll do that.
Example 5
A: 退屈だな。
Taikutsu da na – I’m bored
B: 映画みたらどう？
Eiga mitara dō? – How about watching a movie?
A: そうだね。そうするよ。
Sō da ne. Sō suru yo. – Right. I’ll do that.

In this Fun Friday edition of the podcast, Andy and Alex answer listener questions about living in Japan, its culture and tips on learning Japanese.
For more Japanese language learning podcasts visit Learn Japanese Pod
 

In this podcast, Ami and Alex teach you how to use the verb Kureru naturally in Japanese conversation.
Kureru is a verb you can use to ask people to do things for you. It’s used casually between friends and family and very common in everyday conversation. Check out the podcast and show notes to learn how to use it naturally in conversation.
For more Japanese learning podcasts check out Learn Japanese Pod

In this lesson you’ll learn how to use the verb kureru. Kureru is a verb you use when asking someone to do something for you. It translates roughly as do something for me. Check out the
main dialogue on the next page to see how it is used naturally in conversation in Japanese.
Main Dialog 1 – Kureru
A: あのね、ちょっとお願いしていい
B: 何
A: 今日晩御 作ってくれる
B: え また
A: 料は僕が って来るから
B: まあいいけど、次は作ってね
A: はああい
Main Dialog 1 – Kureru (Pronunciation)
A: Ano ne, chotto onegai shite ii?
B: Nani?
A: Kyō bangohan tsukutte kureru?
B: Eh? Mata?
A: Shokuryō wa boku ga katte kuru kara!
B: Maa, ii kedo, tsugi wa tsukutte ne!
A: Haai!
Main Dialog 1 – Kureru (English)
A: Hey, can I ask a favor?
B: What?
A: Can you make dinner tonight?
B: Eh? Again?
A: I’ll buy the ingredients.
B: Well, OK but next time you make it.
A: Yes!
Kureru – Grammar break down
When asking to do something for you, using the verb くれるkureru is really helpful. Here are a few examples of how you can use it.
1) Noun + kureru = Please give me something
Simple say the thing you want followed by kureru like this:
a) 水くれる – Mizu kureru – Could you give me some water?
b) 本くれる – Hon kureru – Could you give me the book?
2) Noun + shite kureru
You can create a lot of verbs using a noun + shite. For example, sōji means cleaning but sōji shite means, do the cleaning. Add kureru to the end and you can ask people to carry out actions for you like this:
a) 掃除してくれる – Sōji shite kureru – Could you do the cleaning for me?
b) 予約してくれる – Yoyaku shite kureru – Could you make a reservation for me?
c) 注文してくれる – Chuumon shite kureru – Could you order for me?
d) い物してくれる – Kaimono shite kureru – Could you do some shopping for me?
3) ~TE form verbs + Kureru
You can use the TE form of a verb + kureru to ask people to do things for you like this:
a) 作ってくれる – Tsukutte kureru – Can you make it for me?
b) ってくれる – Katte kureru – Can you buy it for me?
c) やってくれる – Yatte kureru – Can you make it for me?
Note:
Don’t forget:
1) Using kureru is casual
2) It should be used between friends and family
3) If you are using kureru to ask someone to do a favor for you, remember to make the intonation of your voice go up at the end to show it’s a question.

In this podcast, I talk to Andy, a good friend and veteran of Japan. We discuss how the Coronavirus, travel restrictions and curfews have effected Japan and how we think things will develop from here.
This is the Fun Friday edition of the podcast where we put down our textbooks and talk to interesting people doing interesting things in Japan.
For more podcasts check out Learn Japanese Pod

In this podcast, Ami and Alex teach you some useful phrases to describe people’s appearance in Japanese. Listen to the example dialogue to hear how this is done in natural and fluent Japanese.
For more Japanese podcasts visit Learn Japanese Pod

These are just the Japanese dialogues from podcast #36 “Describing people’s appearance in Japanese”.




Main Dialog 1 – Describing people’s appearance
A: ね、私の家族の写真見る?
B: 見る見る!
A: これはおじいちゃん。背が高いんだよね。
B: ほんと、スマートでかっこういいね! A: そうだけど、反対におばあちゃんは私に似て背が低いんだよね。
B: へえー。彼女は誰?お姉さん?
A: そう!最近髪をショートにして金髪に染めたの!
B: 顔がそっくりだね!それに家族みんなお洒落だよね。
A: ありがとう!
Main Dialog 1 – Describing people’s appearance (Pronunciation)
A: Ne, watashi no kazoku no shashin miru?
B: Miru miru!
A: Kore wa ojii chan. Se ga takain da yo ne.
B: Honto, sumaato de kakkō ii ne.
A: Sō dakedo, hantai ni obaa chan wa watashi ni nite, se ga hikuin da yo ne.
B: Heh. Kanojo wa dare? Onee san?
A: Sō! Saikin kami wo shooto ni shite kinpatsu ni someta no!
B: Kao ga sokkuri da ne. Sore ni kazoku minna oshare da yo ne.
A: Arigatō.








Main Dialog 1 – Describing people’s appearance (English)
A: Hey, do you want to see photos of my family?
B: Yes!
A: This is my grandpa. He’s tall isn’t he?
B: That’s true. He’s tall and good looking.
A: That’s right but on the other hand my grandma looks like me and she’s short.
B: Ah. Who is she? Is she your older sister?
A: Yes. Recently she cut her hair short and dyed it blond.
B: Her face looks just like yours. Your family is very stylish.
A: Thank you.

In this episode, I interview Niko from NativShark, a comprehensive Japanese language learning app.
In this episode we talked about Niko’s journey to becoming fluent in Japanese, why a lot of Japanese study materials suck and the art of making flash cards and other topics.
If you are interested in trying out the NativShark app for yourself check out this link for a free 2 week trial.
NativShark Free Trial
For more podcasts on Japan and learning Japanese go to: Learn Japanese Pod
 

In this podcast, Ami Sensei and Alex teach you useful motivational phrases in Japanese.
For more Japanese language learning podcasts visit Learn Japanese Pod

In this lesson you’ll learn common useful Japanese phrases used to cheer up and motivate your
friends. Everyone struggles from time to time and a word of encouragement can always mean a
lot to someone. And in Japan, where teamwork is seen as a virtue, motivating other members in
your group to do their best is an important part of building relationships.
You’ll find motivational phrases in manga, anime, J-pop and also in casual conversation with
your friends. So check out the dialogue and extra phrases in this lesson.
Main Dialogue (Japanese)
A: どうしたの？元気なさそうだね。
B: 最近日本語が全然上達しないんだ。
A: 日本語上手じゃん！
B: いや、思うように話せないんだよね。もうだめだ。
A: 大丈夫、大丈夫。塵も積もれば山となる、だよ。
B: それどういう意味？
A: 少しずつ頑張って行けば願いは叶うという意味だよ。
B: わかった！頑張るよ！
Main Dialogue (Pronunciation)
A: Dōshita no? Genki nasasō da ne.
B: Saikin, Nihongo ga zenzen jōtatsu shinain da.
A: Nihongo jōzu jan!
B: Iya, omou yō ni hanasenain da yo ne. Mō dame da.
A: Daijōbu, daijōbu. Chiri mo tsumoreba yama to naru da yo.
B: Sore dōiu imi?
A: Sukoshi zutsu gambatte ikeba negai wa kanau toiu imi da yo.
B: Wakatta! Gambaru yo!
Main Dialogue (English)
A: What’s the matter. You don’t seem very well/happy.
B: Recently my Japanese hasn’t improved at all.
A: Your Japanese is great!
B: No, I can’t express myself the way I want to. It’s no good.
A: It’s OK, it’s OK. Even dust when piled up becomes a mountain.
B: What does that mean?
A: It means if you try little by little you can realize your dreams.
B: Got it. I’ll give it a shot!
Extra Motivational Phrases
Here are some extra motivational phrases. These phrases are featured in both the main podcast lesson and the extra drill audio file. Check out Learn Japanese Pod to download the podcast and extra drill audio.
1. 頑張って！ Gambatte!
Do your best.
2. ファイト！ Faito!
Come on, you can do it!
3. 元気出して。 Genki dashite.
Cheer up!
4. 大丈夫、大丈夫。君ならできるよ。Daijōbu, daijōbu. Kimi nara dekiru yo.
It’s OK. You can do it.
5. 前向きにね。Mae muki ni ne.
Be positive.
6. 焦らないでね。少しずつね。Aseranaide. Sukoshi zutsu.
Don’t rush. Do it little by little.
7. 願えば叶うよ。 Negaeba, kanau yo.
If you wish it, it will come true.
Random Phrase of the Week
なんとかなる – Nan toka naru
Things will work out somehow
今の会社を辞めてもなんとかなるよ – Ima Kaisha o yamete mo nan toka naru yo
Even if you quit your job things will work out
そんな心配しないで、なんとかなるさ – Shinpai shinai de, nan toka naru sa
Don’t worry, things will work out you know.
Learn

In this podcast, Ami and Alex teach you about Aizuchi or phrases you can use to interject in conversation to show interest in the speaker.
For more Japanese language learning podcasts visit Learn Japanese Pod

In this podcast lesson you’ll learn about 相槌 Aizuchi, which are words used to show interest during a conversation. In English you might say things like “Uh-huh” and “really?” during a conversation to show you are listening to the speaker. Japanese is no exception and has a lot of these Aizuchi which are used frequently in conversation. So if you can learn and use these when speaking to your friends, your conversations will go more smoothly and you’ll sound a lot more natural in Japanese. 
Main Dialog (Japanese)
A: ね、お茶の入れ方教えてくれる？
B: まず、急須に茶葉をいれる。
A: うん
B: で、沸騰したお湯を湯呑みにいれる。
A: 本当？湯呑みにいれるのか。
B: そう、温度を下げるのがポイントだよ。
A: そうなんだ。
B: 渋みがとれるから。
A: ヘェ〜。
B: 次に湯呑みのお湯を急須にいれる。
A: ふぅん。
B: 30秒後お茶を注ぐ。
A: なるほどね。お茶って奥が深いよね。
B: まあね。
Main Dialog (Pronunciation)
A: Ne, ocha no irekata oshiete kureru?
B: Mazu, Kyuusu ni chaba o ireru. 
A: Un.
B: De futtō shita oyu o yunomi ni ireru. 
A: Hontō? Yunomi ni ireru no ka.
B: Sō, ondo o sageru no ga point da yo. 
A: Sō nan da. 
B: Shibumi ga toreru kara.
A: Heeh.
B: Tsugi ni yunomi no oyu o kyuusu ni ireru.
A: Fuun.
B: Sanjuu byō go ocha o sosogu. 
A: Naruhodo ne. Ocha te oku ga fukai yo ne. 
B: Maa ne. 
Main Dialog (English)
A: Hey, will you teach me how to make tea?
B: First put tea leaves in the teapot. 
A: Uh huh. 
B: Then put boiling water in the tea cups.
A: Really? You put it in the tea cups?
B: That’s right. The trick is to lower the temperature. 
A: Oh really. 
B: You can take away the bitterness. 
A: Ahh. 
B: Next, put the water from the cups into the teapot. 
A: Uh huh. 
B: Pour the tea after 30 seconds. 
A: I see. Tea’s really deep. 
B: Yeah, I guess so.  
List of Aizuchi
Here’s a list of the Aizuchi featured in this lesson. Use these phrases to show you are really listening to the speaker. 
うん – Un – Uh huh
本当？ – Hontō – Really?
そうなんだ – Sō nan da – Is that so?
ヘェ〜 – Heeh – Ahh
ふぅん – Fuun – Uh huh
なるほどね – Naruhodo ne – I see

In this podcast I interview Katheryn Gronauer who is a coach specializing in cross cultural communication for foreigners living in Japan. She is the author of Confessions of a Yo Yo Dieter and runs ThriveTokyo a consultancy helping foreigners settle into their lives and work in Japan.
For more podcasts, visit Learn Japanese Pod

In this podcast, Ami and Alex teach you how to have a conversation with your friends about a past trip to Japan.
For more Japanese language learning podcasts visit Learn Japanese Pod

These are the dialogues for podcast #33 “Talking about a trip to Japan.
In this lesson you will learn how to talk about a past trip to Japan with your friends.
Main Dialog (Japanese)
A: 日本の旅行はどうだった？
B: 超楽しかったよ。
A: 何をしたの？
B: 東京と京都で観光してきた。
A: 食べ物はどうだった？
B: 寿司が美味しかったけど…
A: 高かった？
B: いや、そうじゃなくて、メニューが読めなかったんだよね。
A: 食べたい物に指差して、「これください」そう言えばいいじゃん。
B: そうだね。覚えとく。
 
Main Dialog (Pronunciation)
A: Nihon no ryokō wa dō datta?
B: Chō tanoshikatta yo. 
A: Nano o shita no?
B: Tōkyō to kyōto de kankō shitekita.
A: Tabemono wa dō datta?
B: Sushi wa oishikatta kedo…
A: Takakatta?
B: Iya, sō janakute, menyuu ga yomenakattan da yo ne. 
A: Tabetai mono ni yubi sashite, kore kudasai sō ieba ii jan.
B: Sō da ne. Oboetoku. 
 
Main Dialog (English)
A: How was your trip to Japan?
B: It was so fun.
A: What did you do?
B: I did some sightseeing in Tokyo and Kyoto. 
A: How was the food?
B: The sushi was delicious but…
A: It was too expensive?
B: No, not that. I couldn’t read the menu you know. 
A: Just point at the food you want and say “this please”.
B: Right. I’ll remember that!

In this podcast Ami and Alex teach you how to make dinner plans with a friend.
For more Japanese language learning podcasts visit Learn Japanese Pod
 

These are the dialogues for podcast #32 “Making dinner plans with a friend”
In this lesson you will learn the following:

* How to make dinner plans with a friend
* How to talk about a restaurant you regularly frequent

Introduction
In this podcast you will learn how to make dinner plans at a restaurant you regularly frequent. You’ll learn some natural phrases for making plans that native speakers commonly use. Check out the dialogue and grammar notes below for a detailed explanation.
Main Dialog (Japanese)
A: もしもし
B: もしもしアレックス、明日夜ご飯食べに行かない？
A: ごめん、明日はちょっと無理なんだ。土曜日なら行けるよ。
B: じゃあ土曜日の７時にいつものお寿司屋さんで！
A: あみは本当にお寿司飽きないねー！
Main Dialog (Pronunciation)
A: Moshi moshi
B: Moshi moshi, Arekkusu, ashita yoru gohan tabe ni ikanai?
A: Gomen, ashita wa chotto muri nan da. Doyōbu nara ikeru yo.
B: Jaa, doyōbi no shichi ji itsumo no osushi ya san de.
A: Ami wa hontō osushi ni akinai ne.
Main Dialog (English)
A: Hello?
B: Hi, Alex, do you wanna go out to eat dinner tomorrow?
A: Sorry, tomorrow’s not possible. If it’s Saturday I can go.
B: OK then, Saturday at 7 o’clock at the usual sushi place.
A: Ami, you never get sick of sushi do you!?
Grammar point and drills
Here is a breakdown of the main grammar pattern featured in the dialogue:
土曜日の７時にいつものお寿司屋さんで
Doyōbi no shichiji ni itsumo no osushiyasan de
(Let’s meet on) Saturday at 7 o’clock the usual sushi place.
Here are some more example drills:
1) 金曜日の６時半にいつものラーメン屋さんで。
Kinyōbi no roku ji ni itsumo no raamenyasan de.
(Let’s meet on) Friday at 6 at the usual ramen place.
2) 日曜日の６時にいつものイタリアンで。
Nichiyōbi no rokuji ni itsumo no itarian de.
(Let’s meet on) Sunday at 6 at the usual Italian place.
3) 木曜日の８時にいつもの居酒屋で。
Mokuyōbi no hachiji ni itsumo no izakaya de.
(Let’s meet on) Thursday at 8 at the usual Izakaya.
4) 土曜日の７時にいつものカラオケで。
Doyōbi no shichiji ni itsumo no karaoke de.
(Let’s meet on) Saturday at 7 at the usual Karaoke place.
 
Random Phrase of the Week
The random phrase of the week is where we teach you a random Japanese phrase to make your friends laugh and ask “where did you learn that from?!”
行き当たりばったり – Ikiatari battari
Meaning: unplanned and making decisions on the fly / Playing it by ear. It’s generally used in a negative way but there are some exceptions
Example sentences:
1) 行き当たりばったりでなんでも決めちゃう。
Ikiatari battari de nandemo kimechau.
To make decisions in a random or unplanned way
2) 行き当たりばったりな旅だった。
Ikiatari battari na tabi datta
It was an unplanned trip.
3) 行き当たりばったりにレストランを選んだ。
Ikiatari battari resutoran o eranda.
I randomly chose a restaurant.
For more podcasts on how to learn to speak natural fluent Japanese visit Learn Japanese pod

This is the Fun Friday edition of Learn Japanese Pod. This is where we speak to cool people doing cool things in Japan. In this episode I talk to Japan veteran Andy about life in Japan during the Coronavirus.
For more podcasts visit http://learnjapanesepod.com
 

In this podcast Ami and Alex teach you some useful Japanese phrases for going shopping at a convenience store in Japan.

These are the Japanese dialogues for podcast #31: Convenience Store Japanese.
Introduction 
In this podcast you will learn useful Japanese phrases for shopping at a convenience store. Understanding the polite language used by convenience store staff can be a little confusing at first. However, if you learn common set phrases it’s not that hard to understand. 
Main Dialog (Japanese)
A: いらっしゃいませ、お次の方どうぞ.
B: ファミチキを一つとハッシュポテトを一つお願いします。
A: こちら温めますか。
B: はい、お願いします
A: お箸をお付けしますか。
B: はい、お願いします。
A: 袋お分けしますか。
B: 大丈夫です。
A: ポイントカードはお持ちですか。
B: はい。
A: 1500円になります。1万円からでよろしいですか。
B: はい
A: ありがとうございました
Main Dialog ( Japanese pronunciation)
A: Irasshaimase, otsugi no kata dōzo.
B: Famichiki o hitotsu to Hasshu potato o hitotsu onegaishimasu.
A: Kochira atatamemasu ka.
B: Hai, onegai shimasu.
A: Ohashi o otsuke shimasu ka.
B: Hai, onegai shimasu.
A: Fukuro owake shimasu ka.
B: Daijōbu desu.
A: Pointo kaado wa omochi desu ka.
B: Hai.
A: Sen gohyaku ni narimasu. Ichi man en kara yoroshii desu ka.
B: Hai
A: Arigatō gozaimasu.
Main Dialog (English)
A: Welcome, next customer please.
B: One Famichiki (fried Family Mart chicken) and one hashed potato please.
A: Would you like it heated?
B: Yes, please.
A: Would you like chopsticks with that?
B: Yes, please/
A: Would you like to use seperate bags?
B: No, that’s fine.
A: Do you have a point card?
B: Yes.
A: That’ll be 1500 yen. Shall I give you change from this 10,000 yen bill?
B: Yes.
A: Thanks.
Extra Phrases
Saying Yes and No 
To recap, when talking to Konbini staff you’ll mostly say:
はい、お願いします – Hai, Onegai shimasu – Yes please
大丈夫です – Daijōbu desu – No, it’s OK
Ordering stuff
One useful phrase is これ一つお願いします Kore o hitotsu onegai shimasu – which means I’ll have one of that. When you aren’t sure of the name for something, you can point and say that. So usually at the register or レジ reji – there’ll be a glass case with hot food such as fried chicken, potato and other foods. Sometimes the kanji can be hard to read so just point and say これ一つお願いします Kore o hitotsu onegai shimasu
Bags
One thing you’ll definitely be talking about is plastic bags. Here are some useful phrases:
袋にお入れしますか
Fukuro oire shimasu ka.
Do you need a bag?
袋お分けしますか
Fukuro owake shimasu ka.
Shall I put these in separate bags?
このままでよろしいでしょうか
Kono mama de yoroshii deshō ka
Do you want it just like this. You don’t need a bag right?
袋は結構です
Fukuro wa kekkō desu
No, I don’t need a bag.
Asking if you want chopsticks and other cutlery
Another thing you will almost definitely be asked is if you want chopsticks, a spoon, a straw etc.
お箸はご利用ですか
Ohashi wa goriyō desu ka
Will you be using chopsticks
お箸をお付けしますか
Ohashi o otsuke shimasu ka
Do you want chopsticks? (Shall I add chopsticks?)
スプーンをお付けしますか
Supuun o otsuke shimasu ka
Do you want a spoon?
ストローをお付けしますか
Sutoroo o otsuke shimasu ka
Do you want a straw?
Point card
Another thing that might throw you off is point cards. Many konbini have customer loyalty point cards which allow you to build up points every time you make a purchase. So they’ll usually say:
ポイントカードはお持ちですか
Pointo kaado wa omochi desu ka
Do you have a point card?
Random Phrase of the Week
居留守 Irusu – To pretend to not be at home
or
居留守を使う Irusu o tsukau – To pretend to not be at home
You use this when someone rings on your doorbell and you pretend to not be in. You can also use it for the telephone when someone rings and you don’t answer. 
 

In this podcast Ami and Alex teach you some useful phrases and dialogues to talk about you plans for the year in natural, fluent Japanese.
For more podcasts go to http://learnjapanesepod.com

In this Fun Friday episode of Learn Japanese Pod, I interview Miku Sensei of Miku Real Japanese. Miku Sensei is a prolific creator of fun, educational Japanese language learning videos on Youtube and Instagram.
She is an international traveler and linguist who speaks fluent English and Spanish. Through her travels she has discovered her own effective techniques for teaching and learning languages.
In the podcast we talk about her journey to become a Japanese teacher and her advice on how to become more fluent in Japanese.

In this podcast, Ami and Alex teach you useful phrases and dialogues to help you talk about your job in natural Japanese.
For more fun Japanese language podcasts visit http://learnjapanesepod.com

In this podcast, Ami and Alex teach you some useful phrases and dialogues for talking about the weather in natural, fluent Japanese.
For more fun Japanese language podcasts visit http://learnjapanesepod.com

If there is one thing Japanese love to talk about, it’s the weather. Apart from discussing the forecast, it’s quite common to mention the weather in small talk or when striking up a conversation with someone you don’t know so well. Also, as you’ll probably be checking the weather on a daily basis, it makes sense to study related vocabulary and grammar as it’s so useful. Simply listen to the podcast and read along with the dialogues below.
Main Dialogue (Japanese)
A: 今日暑いよね。
B: そうだね。超ジメジメしてるね。
A: 今週の天気予報は？
B: 今週はずっと３５度だよ。
A: うそ！マジで？！もう我慢できない。
B: だけど週末は雨が降りそう。
A: あ、良かった、こんな猛暑だと北極に引っ越ししたくなるな。
Main Dialogue (Pronunciation)
A: Kyō atsui yo ne.
B: Sō da ne. Chō jime jime shiteru ne.
A: Konshuu no tenki yohō wa?
B: Konshuu was zutto sanjuu go do da yo.
A: Uso! Majide? Mō gaman dekinai.
B: Dakedo, shuumatsu wa ame ga furi sō.
A: A, yokatta, konna mōsho da to hokkyoku ni hikkoshi shitakunaru na.
Main Dialogue (English)
A: It’s hot today isn’t it?
B: It sure is. It’s so hot and sticky.
A: What the weather forecast for this week?
B: It’s going to be 35 degrees all week.
A: No way! Seriously?! I can’t take this anymore.
B: But it looks like it might rain on the weekend.
A: Ah good. This kind of heat makes me want to move to the Arctic!

In this podcast, Ami and Alex teach you how to talk about your preferences in Japanese.
For more fun Japanese language podcasts visit http://learnjapanesepod.com

In this podcast, Ami and Alex teach you how to talk about your preferences in Japanese.
Main Podcast Dialogue (Japanese)
A: ね、お寿司とたこ焼きどっちが好き？
B: そうだね。やっぱり、お寿司の方が好きかな。
A: なるほどね。でもなんで？
B: 味が好きだから。あみは？
A: もちろんたこ焼きの方が好き。
B: あみは典型的な大阪人だよね。
A: せやで！

Main Podcast Dialogue (Pronunciation)
A: Ne, osushi to takoyaki, dochi ga suki?
B: Sou da ne, yappari osushi no hou ga suki kana.
A: Naruhodo. Demo nande?
B: Aji ga suki dakara. Ami wa?
A: Mochiron, takoyaki ga suki.
B: Ami wa tenkeitekina osaka jin da yo ne.
A: Se ya de！

Main Podcast Dialogue (English)
A: Hey, which do you prefer, sushi or takoyaki?
B: Well, I guess I prefer sushi.
A: I see…but why?
B: Because I like the taste. How about your Ami?
A: Of course I prefer takoyaki.
B: Ami, you are a typical Osakan!
A: That’s right！

In this podcast you’re going to learn useful verbs to talk about your daily routine. These verbs are very commonly used in casual conversation throughout the day so they are well worth learning. You will also study a little grammar related to plain form verbs and -TE form verbs which are the most common type of verb used in casual speech. You will also learn how they are used together when describing actions in a sequence.
Also, the dialogue in this lesson will teach you particles which are sounds that usually go at the end of sentences to change the nuance of what you are saying. Learning these will help you sound a lot more natural when speaking Japanese.

In this podcast you’re going to learn useful verbs to talk about your daily routine. These verbs are very commonly used in casual conversation throughout the day so they are well worth learning. You will also study a little grammar related to plain form verbs and -TE form verbs which are the most common type of verb used in casual speech. You will also learn how they are used together when describing actions in a sequence.
Also, the dialogue in this lesson will teach you particles which are sounds that usually go at the end of sentences to change the nuance of what you are saying. Learning these will help you sound a lot more natural when speaking Japanese.
A: Amiの平日の過ごし方を教えて！
B: ７時に起きて、顔を洗って、朝ごはんを食べるよ。
その後着替えて、メイクして、仕事に行くよ。
A: 休憩時間は？
B: 休憩時間はお弁当を食べて、携帯で時間を潰すよ。
A: 仕事が終わったら？
B: うちに帰って、晩御飯を食べて、お風呂に入るよ。
A: その後は何をするの？
B: 寝る！
A: Amiは忙しいね！
B: まあね！
Podcast Dialogue (Pronunciation)
A: Ami no heijitsu no sugoshikata oshiete!
B: Shichi ji ni okite, kao o aratte, asagohan o taberu. Sono ato kigaete, meiku shite, shigoto ni iku yo.
A: Kyuukei jikan wa?
B: Kyukeijikan wa obentō o tabete keitaii de jikan o tsubusu yo.
A: Shigoto ga owattara?
B: Uchi ni kaette, bangohan o taberu, ofuro ni hairu yo.
A: Sono ato nani suru no?
B: Neru!
A: Ami wa isogashii ne.
B: Maa ne.
Podcast Dialogue (English)
A: Ami, how do you spend your weekdays?
B: I wake up at 7, I wash my face and eat breakfast. After that I get dressed, put on my makeup and go to work.
A: What about your break time?
B: During my break time I eat a bento and kill time with my mobile phone.
A: And when work finishes?
B: I go home, I eat dinner and have a bath.
A: What do you do after that?
B: Sleep!
A: Ami, you’re busy!
B: I guess so.

In this podcast you’re going to learn about how to use adverbs of frequency in daily speech. In other words, you’ll learn how to ask and answer questions about how often you do things in Japanese. You’ll learn how to ask questions such as “How often do you…”. You’ll also be able to reply that you do something never, occasionally, sometimes, often and always.

In this podcast you’re going to learn about how to use adverbs of frequency in daily speech. In other words, you’ll learn how to ask and answer questions about how often you do things in Japanese. You’ll learn how to ask questions such as “How often do you…”. You’ll also be able to reply that you do something never, occasionally, sometimes, often and always.
This kind of grammar and vocabulary comes up often in daily conversation as well as the Japanese Language Proficiency Exam so it’s well worth learning.
First of all, have a look at the vocabulary lists to get an idea of the main phrases used in this podcast. After that you can practice how to use that vocabulary naturally with the dialog examples. Following that are extra grammar and sentence examples.
Also, while reading this PDF lesson, you can listen along to either the main audio podcast which contains all the dialogs and explanations in English. Alternatively you can listen to the Japanese only audio file.
Main Lesson Vocabulary

Here are the main adverbs of frequency commonly used in daily Japanese conversation.

Main Dialog 1 – Adverbs of frequency – (Japanese)
A: アレックスはどれくらい*運動するの？
B: 全然しないよ。 時間がないからさ。
A: そうなんだ。
A: 昔はよくしてただけどね。あみは？
B: 時々ジョギングするよ。たまに水泳もするよ。
A: じゃ、もうすぐオリンピックだから毎日 運動しよう。
Main Dialog 1 – Adverbs of frequency – (English)
A: Arekkusu wa dore kurai undō suru no.
Alex, how often do you exercise?
B: Zenzen shinai yo. Jikan ga nai kara sa.
Never. It’s cos I don’t have any time, you know.
A: Sō nan da.
Really?
B: Mukashi wa yoku shiteta kedo ne. Ami wa?
I used to however. How about you Ami?
A: Tokidoki jogingu suru yo. Tama ni suiei mo suru yo.
I sometimes go jogging. I occasionally also go swimming.
B: Ja, mō sugu orinpikku dakara mainichi undō shiyō.
Well, it’s almost time for the Olympics so exercise everyday!
Particles used in this dialog:
Wa – Sentence subject marker (As for so and so…)
Ga – Similar to Wa and is often used in sentences about having or not having something
No – Turns sentence into a question (Casual)
Yo – Emphasizes the statement
Ne – Means isn’t it or right?
Sa – Means something like “You know?” or “You see what I mean”
Extra example sentences
Japanese only dialog audio (From 00:47)
Zenzen – Not at all (00:47)
1: どれくらいお寿司食べるの？ ぜんぜん食べないよ。
Dore kurai osushi taberu no? Zenzen tabenai yo.
How often do you eat sushi? I never eat it.
2: どれくらい映画を見るの？ ぜんぜん見ないよ。
Dore kurai eiga o miru no? Zenzen minai yo.
How often do you watch movies? I never watch them.
Metta ni – Hardly ever (01:11)
1: どれくらいお寿司食べるの？ 滅多に食べないよ。
Dore kurai osushi taberu no? Metta ni tabenai yo.
How often do you eat sushi? I hardly ever eat it.
2: どれくらい映画を見るの？ 滅多に見ないよ。
Dore kurai eiga o miru no? Metta ni minai yo.
How often do you watch movies? I hardly ever watch them.
Tama ni – Occasionally (01:38)
1: どれくらいお寿司食べるの？ たまに食べるよ。
Dore kurai osushi taberu no? Tama ni taberu yo.
How often do you eat sushi? I occasionally eat it.
2: どれくらい映画を見るの？ たまにに見るよ。
Dore kurai eiga o miru no? Tama ni miru yo.
How often do you watch movies? I occasionally watch them.
Tokidoki – Sometimes (02:03)
1: どれくらい運動するの？ ときどきするよ。
Dore kurai undō suru no? Tokidoki suru yo.
How often do you exercise? I sometimes exercise.
2: どれくらいカラオケに行くの？ ときどき行くよ。
Dore kurai karaoke iku no? Tokidoki iku yo.
How often do you go to Karaoke? I sometimes go.
Yoku – Often (02:29)
1: どれくらい運動するの？ よく運動するよ。
Dore kurai undō suru no? Yoku undō suru yo.
How often do you exercise? I often exercise.
2: どれくらいカラオケに行くの？ よく行くよ。

In this podcast you will learn how to book a table at a restaurant by phone in natural Japanese. These days it is easy to make bookings online and with mobiles apps. However, there are still many restaurants in Japan which don’t have online booking facilities. Also, in crowded cities like Osaka and Tokyo, it can be hard to get a seat, especially during Fridays and weekends. Therefore being able to book seats in Japanese by phone is a useful skill.
Another thing you will learn is the polite language commonly used by restaurant and service staff. This is called Keigo and is a very polite way of speaking in Japanese. It’s also quite tricky to master as it uses different phrases and vocabulary compared with casual speech. However, I would recommend learning just enough to be able to understand it so you can interact with hotel, restaurant or department store staff. You don’t need to learn to speak it perfectly, just understanding a little is enough. Most Japanese people have difficulty speaking proper Keigo!

In this podcast you will learn how to book a table at a restaurant by phone in natural Japanese. These days it is easy to make bookings online and with mobiles apps. However, there are still many restaurants in Japan which don’t have online booking facilities. Also, in crowded cities like Osaka and Tokyo, it can be hard to get a seat, especially during Fridays and weekends. Therefore being able to book seats in Japanese by phone is a useful skill.
Another thing you will learn is the polite language commonly used by restaurant and service staff. This is called Keigo and is a very polite way of speaking in Japanese. It’s also quite tricky to master as it uses different phrases and vocabulary compared with casual speech. However, I would recommend learning just enough to be able to understand it so you can interact with hotel, restaurant or department store staff. You don’t need to learn to speak it perfectly, just understanding a little is enough. Most Japanese people have difficulty speaking proper Keigo! Check out the podcast lessons and accompanying files which will help you learn to speak the dialogs fluently.
Main Dialogue (Japanese)
A: 居酒屋忍者でございます。
B: 今晩の予約をしたいんですが。
A: はい、かしこまりました。何名様でいらっしゃいますか？
B: 4名でお願いしたいんですが。
A: 何時からご希望ですか？
B: 7時でお願いします。
A: 少々お待ちください。お待たせいたしました。
お席ご用意できます。お名前お伺いしてもよろしでしょうか？
B: アレックスです。
A: アレックス様ですね。 では本日7時から4名様でご予約させていただきます。 お待ちしております。
A: Izakaya Ninja de gozaimasu. – This is Izakaya Ninja
B: Konban no yoyaku o shitain desu ga. – I’d like to make a booking for tonight.
A: Hai, kashikomarimashita. Nanmei sama de irasshimasu ka？ – Yes, certainly. How many people are there in your party?
B: Yonmei de onegai shitain desu ga. – I’d like (to book for) 4 people.
A: Nanji kara gokibō desu ka. – What time would you like (to book)?
B: Shichiji de onegai shimasu. – Seven o’clock please.
A: Shōshō omachi kudasi. Omatasei itashimashita. Oseki go yōi dekimasu. Onamae oukagai shitemo yoroshi deshou ka. – One moment please. Thank you for waiting I have prepared your seats. May I have your name please?
B: Arekkusu desu. – It’s Alex
A: Arekkusu sama desu ne. Dewa honjitsu shichiji kara yonmei sama de goyoyaku sasete itadakimasu. Omachi shite orimasu. – OK, so that is Alex. So, I have prepared your booking for 7pm for 4 people today. We shall be waiting for you.

In this episode, Ami and Alex teach you how to speak Osaka dialect which is called Osaka Ben in Japanese. And for this lesson Ami sensei is our secret weapon as she is a native of Osaka city.
Sometimes this is referred to as Kansai Ben however, Kansai is the larger region located in central Japanese that includes Osaka city, Kyoto, Nara, Wakayama, Shiga, Mie and Hyogo. And in turn, each of those areas have their own dialects. However, Ami sensei is from Osaka, and Osaka Ben is the dominant dialect that influences all the surrounding areas. Therefore we decided to go with Osaka Ben.
Of course this lesson is not a comprehensive guide to Osaka Ben as that would fill a few books. However, this lesson will teach you the most common phrases, speech patterns and intonation that you will hear on the streets of Osaka.
The main dialog is recorded by natives from Osaka including Ami so you’ll learn the authentic accent. We also included a dialog in standard Japanese so you can compare. Enjoy!

In this episode, Ami and Alex teach you how to speak Osaka dialect which is called Osaka Ben in Japanese. And for this lesson Ami sensei is our secret weapon as she is a native of Osaka city.
Sometimes this is referred to as Kansai Ben however, Kansai is the larger region located in central Japanese that includes Osaka city, Kyoto, Nara, Wakayama, Shiga, Mie and Hyogo. And in turn, each of those areas have their own dialects. However, Ami sensei is from Osaka, and Osaka Ben is the dominant dialect that influences all the surrounding areas. Therefore we decided to go with Osaka Ben.
Of course this lesson is not a comprehensive guide to Osaka Ben as that would fill a few books. However, this lesson will teach you the most common phrases, speech patterns and intonation that you will hear on the streets of Osaka.
The main dialog is recorded by natives from Osaka including Ami so you’ll learn the authentic accent. We also included a dialog in standard Japanese so you can compare. Enjoy!
Main Dialog – Osaka Ben (Japanese)
A: めっちゃ久しぶりやん。最近どないしてんの?
B: 相変わらずやで。そっちは?
A: ぼちぼちやな。ま、頑張ってるで。
B: そうなんや。うちなんか全然あかんわ。
A: なんでなん?
B: 彼氏と別れてん。
A: え、そうなん?知らんかった。俺やって全然彼女できへんで。
B: 付き合おか。 A: なんでやねん!
Main Dialog – Osaka Dialect (English and pronunciation)
A:  Meccha hisashiburi yan. Saikin donain shiten no? –It’s been ages. How have you been recently?
B:  Aikawarazu ya de. Socchi wa? –Same as usual. About about you?
A:  Bochi bochi ya na. Ma, gannbatteru de. – So so I guess. Well, doing my best.
B:  Sō nan ya. Uchi nanka zenzen akan wa. – Really? I’m not good at all.
A:  Nande nan? – Why?
B:  Kareshi to wakareten. –I split up with my boyfriend.
A:  E? Sō nan? Shirankatta. Boku yatte, zenzen kanojo dekihen de. – Eh? Really? I didn’t know. I can never get a girlfriend.
B:  Tsuki aoka? –Wanna date?
A: Nande yanen! – What the heck!
Main Dialog – Standard Dialect Version
Here is the same dialog written in standard Japanese. Can you spot the differences?
A:  めちゃめちゃ久しぶりじゃん。最近どうしてるの?
Meccha hisashiburi jan. Saikin dō shiteru no.
It’s been ages. How have you been recently?
B:  相変わらずだよ。そっちは?
Aikawarazu da yo. Socchi wa?Same as usual.
About about you?
A:  普通かな。

In this podcast, Ami and Alex answer all your Japanese study related questions. If you would like to get your question answered on the podcast go to http://learnjapanesepod.com/questions and fill in the form. It’s super quick and easy! Once you submit your question, we will try to answer it in the following “Ask us anything” podcast.

Have you been scratching your head trying to work out what “Yappari” means? Well, scratch your head no more! In this podcast Ami sensei and I (Alex) attempt to explain what Yappari means. We teach you the three main meanings of Yappari and how to use it naturally and fluently in conversation with your Japanese friends. For more information keep reading, listen to the podcast and download the show notes.

Have you been scratching your head trying to work out what “Yappari” means? Well, scratch your head no more! In this podcast Ami sensei and I (Alex) attempt to explain what Yappari means. We teach you the three main meanings of Yappari and how to use it naturally and fluently in conversation with your Japanese friends. For more information keep reading, listen to the podcast and download the show notes.
What does Yappari mean?
1. Yappari – I knew it!
One common use of yappari expresses the fact that your assumptions or predictions were proved to be correct. It also means you were not surprised by a particular outcome. It might be translated into English as “I knew it”, “As I suspected…” or “…but of course…” Another way to think of it is as a phrase that emphasises IS or WAS, as in “It WAS you” or “He IS the culprit!”
Here’s an example of how it can be used in conversation.
Dialog 1



A:
ねえ、最後のクッキー食べた？
Ne, saigo no kukkii tabeta?
Hey, did you eat the last cookie?


B:
え…
E…
Um…


A:
ほら！何これ？クッキーでしょう？！
Hora! Nani kore? Kukki deshō?!
Look! What’s this? It’s a cookie isn’t it?!


B:
だって、お腹減ってたから。
Datte, onaka heteta kara.
But, I was hungry.


A:
やっぱり。
Yappari.
I knew it!


B:
ごめんね。
Gomen ne.
Sorry.



 
Here are some other examples that express the yappari in the same way.

* 彼が犯人だとずっと思ってて、やっぱりそうだった。

Kare wa hannin da to zutto omottete, yappari sō datta.
I thought he was the criminal, and I knew it, he was.
 

* もう一度やってみたけどやっぱり無理だった

Mō ichido yatte mita kedo, yappari muri datta.
I tried one more time, but as I suspected, it was impossible.
 

* やっぱり彼女来なかった。

Yappari kanojo konakatta.
I knew it, she didn’t come.
2. Yappari – Indeed it is!
Another use of yappari emphasises the strength of your opinion. For example, I really do think that something is true. やっぱり温泉が好き Yappari onsen ga suki means I really do indeed love hot springs. English translations might include “indeed” or “of course”.
Dialog 2



A:
日本で何が一番好き？
Nihon de nani ga ichiban suki?
What do you most like about Japan?


B:
やっぱり温泉が好き。あみは？
Yappari onsen ga suki. Ami wa?
I really do love hot springs. How about you Ami?


A:
たこ焼きかな。
Takoyaki kana?
Takoyaki I guess.


B:
やっぱりね。
Yappari ne.
I knew it.



 
Note: In this conversation we have two different examples of how yappari is used. Yappari onsen ga suki is the 2nd use of yappari which emphasises the point that the speaker does indeed like hot springs. After Ami says she likes Takoyaki, the reply is yappari which in this case is means “I knew it” as we learned with dialog 1.
Here are some more examples of how yappari is used to mean “indeed” or “of course”:
2.

In this podcast Ami and Alex teach you some really useful phrases and vocabulary to start conversations in Japanese.
For more fun Japanese language podcasts visit http://learnjapanesepod.com

This podcast episode is about various phrases you can use to start up a conversation in Japanese. It is important to remember that each conversation is unique and how you start one depends on who you are talking to and the situation. However, in this episode you will hear some of the most common phrases you are likely to hear used by Japanese people. One final thing to remember is that this episode focuses on casual conversations between friends.
Here is a full vocabulary list taken from the podcast



Japanese
Pronunciation
English


久しぶり
Hisashiburi
Long time no see


元気？
Genki?
How you doing?


相変わらず
Aikawarazu
…as usual


バタバタしてる
Batabata shiteru
Really busy / hectic


夏バテ
Natsubate
Exhaustion from the summer


つらい
Tsurai
Tough


最近どう？
Saikin dō?
How’ve you been?


すごく暑い
Sugoku Atsui
Very hot


すごく寒い
Sugoku Samui
Very cold


熱中症
Necchūshō
Heat stroke


風邪をひいちゃった
Kaze o hiichatta
I caught a cold


インフルエンザ
Infuruenza
Influenza


気をつけてね
Ki o tsukete ne
Take care



 
Podcast Dialog 1



A:
久しぶり元気？
Hisashiburi genki
Long time no see, you good?


B:
元気だよ。あみは？
Genki da yo. Ami wa?
I’m good. And you Ami?


A:
相変わらずバタバタしているよ。最近どう？
Aikawarazu batabata shiteru yo. Saikin dō?
Busy as usual. How’ve you been?


B:
そうだね。ちょっと夏バテがつらい。
Sō da ne. Chotto natsubate ga tsurai.
Well, I’ve been suffering due to the summer heat.


A:
最近はすごく暑いよね。熱中症にならないように気をつけてね。
Saikin wa sugoku atsui yo ne. Necchūshō ni naranai yō ni ki o tsukete ne.
It’s been really hot recently hasn’t it? Be careful not to get heat stroke.


B:
はーい！
Haai
Sure.



Dialog 2



A:
久しぶり元気？
Hisashiburi genki
Long time no see, you good?


B:
元気だよ。あみは？
Genki da yo. Ami wa?
I’m good. And you Ami?


A:
相変わらずバタバタしているよ。最近どう？
Aikawarazu batabata shiteru yo. Saikin dō?
Busy as usual. How’ve you been?


B:
そうだね。ちょっと風邪をひいちゃったよ。
Sō da ne. Chotto kaze o hiichatta yo.
Well, I caught a cold.


A:
最近はすごく寒いよね。インフルエンザにならないように気をつけてね。
Saikin wa sugoku samui yo ne. Infuruenza ni naranai yō ni ki o tsukete ne.
It’s been really cold recently hasn’t it? Be careful not to get influenza.


B:
はーい！
Haai
Sure.

A great way to practice your Japanese speaking skills and to get to know people in Japan is to talk about free time and hobbies. In a casual setting you may be asked what you do in your free time by Japanese people. So this lesson will teach you the basics of how to ask and answer questions about hobbies. But first of all, listen to the audio podcast which goes through all the points in this lesson.
For more fun Japanese language podcasts visit http://learnjapanesepod.com

A great way to practice your Japanese speaking skills and to get to know people in Japan is to talk about free time and hobbies. In a casual setting you may be asked what you do in your free time by Japanese people. So this lesson will teach you the basics of how to ask and answer questions about hobbies. But first of all, listen to the audio podcast which goes through all the points in this lesson. You can also listen to the audio drills which include just the Japanese dialogs without English to practice your listening and speaking skills.
Podcast Dialogs for talking about hobbies
Here are four example dialogs from the podcast that give you various examples on how to hold a conversation in natural Japanese about hobbies and free time.
Hobbies Dialog 1



A:
趣味は何？
Shumi wa nani?
What’s your hobby?


B:
そうだね、ギターかな。
Sō da ne. Gitaa kana.
Well…guitar I guess.


A:
そっか。最初のきっかけは？
Sokka. Saisho no kikkake wa?
Really? How did you get in to it?


B:
ロックを聴くことが好きだからやってみようかなと思って。
Rokku wo kiku koto ga suki dakara yatte miyō kana to omotte.
I like listening to rock so I thought I would give it a go.


A:
どのぐらいやってる？
Dono gurai yatteru?
How long have you been doing it?


B:
２０年。
Ni jū nen.
20 years.


A:
すごいね。しょっちゅうやってるの？
Sugoi ne. Shocchū yatteru no?
Wow, do you do it often?


B:
毎日。
Mai nichi.
Every day.


A:
へえ～。
Heh.
Really?




Hobbies Dialog 2



A:
趣味は何？
Shumi wa nani?
What’s your hobby?


B:
そうだね、ジョギングかな。
Sō da ne. Jogingu kana.
Well…jogging I guess.


A:
そっか。最初のきっかけは？
Sokka. Saisho no kikkake wa?
Really? How did you get in to it?


B:
運動することが好きだからやってみようかなと思って。
Undō suru koto ga suki da kara yatte miyō kana to omotte.
I like exercising so I thought I would give it a go.


A:
どのぐらいやってる？
Dono gurai yatteru?
How long have you been doing it?


B:
1年。
Ichi nen.
1 year.


A:
すごいね。しょっちゅうやってるの？
Sugoi ne. Shocchū yatteru no?
Wow, do you do it often?


B:
週に２回。
Shū ni ni kai.
Two times a week.


A:
へえ～。
Heh.
Really?



 
Hobbies Dialog 3



A:
趣味は何？
Shumi wa nani?
What’s your hobby?


B:
そうだね、読書かな。
Sō da ne. Dokusho kana.
Well…reading I guess.


A:
そっか。最初のきっかけは？
Sokka. Saisho no kikkake wa?
Really? How did you get in to it?


B:
本を読むことが好きだからやってみようかなと思って。
Hon o yomu koto ga suki da kara yatte miyō kana to omotte.
I like reading books so I thought I would give it a go.


A:
どのぐらいやってる？
Dono gurai yatteru?
How long have you been doing it?


B:
６ヶ月。
Rokka getsu.
6 months.


A:
すごいね。しょっちゅうやってるの？
Sugoi ne. Shocchū yatteru no?
Wow, do you do it often?


B:
時間がある時に。
Jikan ga aru toki ni.  
When I have time.


A:
へえ～。
Heh.
Really?



 
Hobbies Dialog 4



A:
趣味は何？
Shumi wa nani?
What’s your hobby?


B:
そうだね、カメラかな。
Sō da ne. Kamera kana.
Well…photography I guess.


A:
そっか。最初のきっかけは？
Sokka. Saisho no kikkake wa?
Really? How did you get in to it?

In this podcast Matthew and I talked about our favorite Japan travel tips, hacks and experiences. We discussed various topics including interesting places to visit, taking ferries in Japan, how to save money and the recent issues with AirBnb.
Also, if you enjoyed this podcast, please consider making a donation to Matthew’s go Fun Me campaign to help with the costs of the current cancer treatment he is undergoing now. Any donation no matter how small is much appreciated.
Please feel free to leave your comments, questions and ideas below.

In this podcast Ami and Alex teach you absolutely everything you need to know about the delicious Japanese street snack Takoyaki!

How to eat Takoyaki





Delicious Takoyaki with toppings

Food is one of our most popular subjects to talk about so in this podcast Ami sensei and I (Alex) introduce you to one of Kansai’s most loved street snacks, the honorable Takoyaki.
In this lesson, you’ll learn how to order and prepare takoyaki yourself with the correct ingredients and utensils. We also talk about the history of takoyaki, why it became so famous plus our recommendations for the best Takoyaki restaurants in Japan.
So get ready for a takoyaki extravaganza!




Takoyaki Vocabulary
Here is a full vocabulary list taken from the podcast











Japanese






Pronunciation






English








ご注文






Gochuumon






Your order








いかがでしょうか






Ikaga deshō






Is it OK? / Are you ready?








たこやき






Takoyaki






Takoyaki (Octopus fry)








お願いします

In this podcast, Ami and Alex teach you various ways to say ‘must’ in Japanese.
For more podcasts visit http://learnjapanesepod.com

In this lesson you are going to learn how to say “must” in Japanese. Here’s the problem. There are a confusing number of ways to say it. Just look at this list of phrases which all mean the same thing:
しなければなりません Shinakereba narimasen
しなければいけません Shinakereba ikemasen
しなくてはいけません Shinakute wa ikemasen
しなくちゃいけません Shinakucha ikemasen
しなきゃいけません Shinakya ikemasen
しないといけません Shinai to ikemasen
しなくちゃ Shinakucha
しなきゃ Shinakya
しないと Shinai to
Not only that but each way of saying “must” in Japanese has a different level of politeness associated with it for different social situations. It’s also quite common for Japanese schools and textbooks to only teach the formal way of saying of “must”. However, in daily life in Japan, you will notice that most of the time, people tend to use the casual form.
But fear not dear student of Japanese, Learn Japanese Pod will help you to navigate this linguistic confusion. We are all about teaching you the most useful and natural Japanese for daily life in Japan. Therefore, this lesson will exclusively focus on the casual form which in my experience is the most useful form to know.
But before we do, let’s briefly study the grammar and a little of the culture behind this.
Grammar: How to say “must” in Japanese
One of the most formal and common ways you will be taught “must” in Japanese is:
しなければなりません Shinakereba narimasen
This is made from two parts “Shinakereba” which means “If I do not” and “Narimasen” which means “It is not allowed”. So this literally means, “it is not allowed if I do not do it” or “It will be bad if I don’t do it”.
This two part form is used for most levels of politeness
If I don’t do it It will not be allowed
Shinakereba Narimasen
Shinakereba Ikemasen
Shinakya Ikemasen
There is no direct way of saying must in Japanese so this indirect double negative form is used. This roundabout way of saying “must” in Japanese perhaps reflects the way Japanese shy away from direct language and confrontational statements.
The most common way to say “must” in Japanese
As you will discover when you come to Japan, most people in daily conversation use the common form. Instead of using the tongue twisting “Shinakereba narimasen” you can drop the -nakereba narimasen and simply add -kya to give you shinakya – I must do something.
The formal way of saying I have to clean the house is:
掃除しなければなりません – Sōji shinakereba narimasen – I have to clean (the house)
However, the more common and easy way to say that is
掃除しなきゃ – Sōji shinakya –  I have to clean
How to construct the casual form of “must” in Japanese
To say you must do something using other verbs using the casual form, simply follow these steps:
Step 1) Take the negative casual form of a verb, for example:
しない Shinai Don’t do
行かない Ikanai Don’t go
食べない Tabenai Don’t eat
買わない Kawanai Don’t buy
Step 2) Replace the -i at the end of the verb with -kya
しなきゃ Shinakya I must do (something)
行かなきゃ Ikanakya I must go (somewhere)
食べなきゃ Tabenakya I must eat (something)
買わなきゃ Kawanakya I must buy (something)
Finally, there are three common casual forms:
1) しなきゃ Shinakya
2) しなくちゃ Shinakucha
3) しないと Shinai to
Sometimes people will add いけない to the end of these forms to make:
しなきゃいけない
しなくちゃいけない
しないといけない
You can use any of these forms in a casual setting to say you must do something. This lesson will focus on using just shinakya.
Main Dialog



A:
ごめん、もう行かなきゃ。
Gomen mō ikanakya.
Sorry, I have to go.


B:

In the latest Fun Friday podcast Tomo Akiyama is back by popular demand. We mostly talked about various aspects of Japanese culture including the question “Why do Japanese people wear masks?”. This discussion came up through the questions people most commonly ask about Japan on Google. Therefore we took a stab at answering this popular query.
We also talked about how Katakana is used in Japanese and the rules for writing foreign words in this script. We also answered listener questions including how to improver your Japanese listening skills.

The guest on this week’s show is Tomo Akiyama, a corporate communications specialist and linguist. He is a gourmet, advocate of Japan and expert in destroying cultural stereotypes and myths. He’s an absolutely fascinating individual full of mind-blowing facts about the Japanese language and the culture of Japan.
You can follow him on Twitter here @tomoakiyama

In this episode, Ami and I talk about our favorite Japanese TV shows. Watching Japanese TV shows regardless of you Japanese level is great way to improve your understanding of Japanese culture. It also gives you a common frame of reference to have more interesting conversations with Japanese people. Although Japanese TV is not so accessible outside of Japan, you can usually find extended clips on Youtube. You can also find some Japanese TV shows that have English subtitles.
Here is a list of some of the shows we talked about in the podcast:
Japanese TV Shows
1. 水戸黄門 Mito Kōmon
This is a samurai drama set in the Edo period featuring the hero Tokugawa Mitsukuni who roams Japan fighting injustice.
2. 空耳アワーSora Mimi Awa
Sora mimi awa is part of the Tamori Club TV show where listeners submit foreign songs that have sections that sound Japanese.
3. Smap x Smap
Smap X Smap is the long running variety show featuring the boy band Smap. One of the most popular sections of the show was Smap Bistro where the members would compete to cook the most delicious dishes for famous visiting celebrities.
4. ダウンタウンのガキの使いやあらへんで Dauntaun no gaki no tsukai ya arahende
“Dauntaun no gaki no tsukai ya arahende” A.K.A “Gaki Tsuka” is hosted by one of Japan’s most famous comedy duo “Downtown” who are  Hitoshi Matsumoto and Masatoshi Hamada.
5. 紅白歌合戦 Kōhaku Uta Gassen
This is the famous singing contest held by NHK as Japan celebrates the new year. This show is perhaps one of the most watched programs on Japanese TV and features famous singers from across Japan.
6. ナイトスクープ Naito Sukuupu (Knight Scoop)
Knight Scoop is a famous TV show from Kansai (Osaka) which features requests from viewers who need help with various random problems. The show is hosted by comedians and actors who visit viewers and try to help them out with their request. Invariably, hilarity ensues.
7. 関ジャニ-クロニクル Kanjani Kuronikuru
This variety show features the boy band Kanjani and their funny exploits. One section is the Dengon game know as Chinese whispers in English. Native English speakers whisper phrases to the band who usually mess us the message leading to some pretty funny results.
8. アメトーク Ame Tōku
Ame Talk is a weekly show that invites comedians to talk on various subjects.
 

In this lesson Ami and I teach you how to ask and give your opinions on various topics using the verb 思う Omou – To think. This is usually used to say “I think that…”.
思う is a very useful phrase you use all the time in conversation in Japanese. The main grammatical structure we will be using is this:
Something or someone…どう思う？Dō omou which means what do you think about so and so… For example:
彼女どう思う？ Kanojo wa dō omou What do you think of her?
彼どう思う？ Kare wa dō omou What do you think of him?
Then to answer you could say your opinion plus と思う which means I think so and so. So, for example you can say 可愛いと思うよ Kawaii to omou yo which means I think she’s cute or カッコイイと思うよ Kakko ii to omou which means I think he’s cool.

In this lesson Ami and I teach you how to ask and give your opinions on various topics using the verb 思う Omou – To think. This is usually used to say “I think that…”.
思う is a very useful phrase you use all the time in conversation in Japanese. The main grammatical structure we will be using is this:
Something or someone…どう思う？Dō omou which means what do you think about so and so… For example:
彼女どう思う？ Kanojo wa dō omou What do you think of her?
彼どう思う？ Kare wa dō omou What do you think of him?
Then to answer you could say your opinion plus と思う which means I think so and so. So, for example you can say 可愛いと思うよ Kawaii to omou yo which means I think she’s cute or カッコイイと思うよ Kakko ii to omou which means I think he’s cool.
Here are the example conversations in the podcast:
 
Dialog 01



A:
君のなはってどう思う？
Kimi no na wa dō omou?
What do you think of “Kimi no na wa”?


B:
面白いと思うよ。
Omoshiroi to omou yo.
I think it’s interesting.


A:
なんでそう思うの？
Nande sō omou no?
Why do you think so?


B:
ストーリーがロマンチックだからね。
Sutoorii ga romanchikku da kara ne.
Because the story is romantic.



Dialog 02



A:
ねぇ、iPhoneってどう思う？
Nee, iPhone te dō omou?
What do you think of the iPhone?


B:
まあまあだと思うよ。
Maamaa da to omou yo.
It’s so so.


A:
なんでそう思うの？
Nande sō omou no?
Why do you think so?


B:
便利だけど高いからね。
Benri dakedo taki kara ne.
Because it’s useful but expensive.



 
Dialog 03



A:
ねぇ、この髪型ってどう思う？
Nee, kono kamigata dō omou?
What do you think of my hairstyle?


B:
似合うと思うよ。
Niau to omou yo.
It suits you.


A:
なんでそう思うの？
Nande sō omou no?
Why do you think so?


B:
君は顔が小さいからね。
Kimi wa kao ga chiisai kara ne.
Because you have a small face.



 
Dialog 04



A:
ねぇ、彼女ってどう思う？
Nee, kanojo te dō omou?
What do you think of her?


B:
可愛いと思うよ。
Kawaii to omou yo.
She’s cute.


A:
なんでそう思うの？
Nande sō omou no?
Why do you think so?


B:
おっちょこちょいだからね。
Occhokochou dakara ne.
Because she’s so clumsy.



Dialog 05



A:
ねぇ、彼ってどう思う？
Nee, kare te dō omou?
What do you think of him?


B:
いい人じゃないと思うよ。
Ii hito ja nai to omou yo.
I don’t think he’s a good person.


A:
なんでそう思うの？
Nande sō omou no?
Why do you think so?


B:
浮気ばかりしてるからね。
Uwaki bakari dakara ne.
Because he’s always cheating (on girls).



 
Dialog 06



A:
ねぇ、このレストランってどう思う？
Nee, kono restoran te dō omou?
What do you think of this restaurant?


B:
イマイチだと思うよ。
IImaichi da to omou yo.
It’s a little disappointing.


A:
なんでそう思うの？
Nande sō omou no?
Why do you think so?


B:
食べ物は美味しいけどサービスが悪いからね。
Tabemono wa oishii kedo saabisu ga warui kara ne.
Because although the food is good the service is bad.



 
Extra Grammar Notes
Casual and polite ways to say “I think…”



Casual
Polite


どう思う？ Dō omou?What do you think?
どう思いますか Dō omoimasu ka?What do you think?


…と思う。…to omouI think…
…と思います。…to omoimasu.I think …

I hung out with Niko, the creator of Nihongo Shark for my latest Fun Friday podcast. We talked about how he started Nihongo Shark which is a website crammed full of resources for students of Japanese which is well worth a look if you have’t seen it.
We also talked about how to overcome feeling overwhelmed when learning Japanese, translation and the horrors of English education in Japan.

In this podcast Ami and I talk about what to do if you lose your wallet or other personal items when in Japan. The good news is that Japanese people are generally very law abiding and honest. Therefore, if someone finds your lost item, there is a good chance they will hand it in to the police and you will get it back.
If you do lose something, the best idea is to ring the place you think you left it and ask if it has been found. If you lose something on the train it’s best to go to the station master’s office and ask there. If you drop something in the street then you should go to a Koban or police box.
This lesson focuses on how to call the last place you were at to ask the staff if they found you things.

In this podcast Ami and I talk about what to do if you lose your wallet or other personal items when in Japan. The good news is that Japanese people are generally very law abiding and honest. Therefore, if someone finds your lost item, there is a good chance they will hand it in to the police and you will get it back.
If you do lose something, the best idea is to ring the place you think you left it and ask if it has been found. If you lose something on the train it’s best to go to the station master’s office and ask there. If you drop something in the street then you should go to a Koban or police box.
This lesson focuses on how to call the last place you were at to ask the staff if they found you things. Study the vocabulary list and dialogs below to learn how to do it.
Vocabulary featured in the podcast



もしもし
Moshi moshi
Hello (On the phone)


一番寿司でございます
Ichibanzushi de gozaimasu
This is Ichiban Sushi


すみません
Sumimasen
Excuse me


昨日
Kinō
Yesterday


そちら
Sochira
There (Polite)


財布
Saifu
Wallet


カバン
Kaban
Bag


携帯電話
Keitai denwa
Mobile phone


忘れた
Wasureta
Forgot


何色
Nani iro
What colour


少々お待ちください
Shōshō omachi kudasai
One moment please


届いてますよ
Todoitemasu yo
It is here (Someone found it)


ありがとうございます
Arigtō gozaimasu
Thank you



Dialog 01



A:
もしもし幕張メッセでございます。
Moshi moshi, Makuhari Messe de gozaimasu.
Hello, this is Makuhari Messe.


B:
すみません、昨日そちらで財布を忘れたのですが。
Sumimasen, Kinō sochira de saifu o wasureta no desu ga.
Excuse me, I left a wallet there yesterday.


A:
何色のお財布ですか。
Nani iro no osaifu desu ka
What colour is the wallet?


B:
黒い革の財布です。
Kuroi kawa no saifu desu
It is a black leather wallet.


A:
少々お待ちください。届いていますよ。
Shōshō omachi kudasai. Todoite imasu yo.
One moment please. We have it.


B:
ありがとうございます。
Arigatō gozaimasu.
Thank you very much.



Dialog 02



A:
もしもし一番寿司でございます。
Moshi moshi, Ichibanzushi de gozaimasu.
Hello, this is Ichiban Sushi.


B:
すみません、昨日そちらでカバンを忘れたのですが。
Sumimasen, Kinō sochira de kaban o wasureta no desu ga.
Excuse me, I left a bag there yesterday.


A:
何色のおカバンですか。
Nani iro no okaban desu ka
What colour is the bag?


B:
赤い革のカバンです。
Akai kawa no kaban desu
It is a red leather bag.


A:
少々お待ちください。届いていますよ。
Shōshō omachi kudasai. Todoite imasu yo.
One moment please. We have it.


B:
ありがとうございます。
Arigatō gozaimasu.
Thank you very much.



Dialog 03



A:
もしもし六本木ヒルズでございます。
Moshi moshi, Roppongi Hiruzu de gozaimasu.
Hello, this is Roppongi Hills.


B:
すみません、昨日そちらで携帯電話を忘れたのですが。
Sumimasen, Kinō sochira de keitaidenwa o wasureta no desu ga.
Excuse me, I left a mobile phone there yesterday.


A:
携帯電話の機種はなんですか。
Keitaidenwa no kishu wa nan desu ka.
What type of phone is it?


B:
iPhone8です。
iPhone hachi desu.
It’s an iPhone 8.


A:
少々お待ちください。届いていますよ。
Shōshō omachi kudasai. Todoite imasu yo.
One moment please. We have it.


B:
ありがとうございます。
Arigatō gozaimasu.

In this Fun Friday edition of the Learn Japanese Pod podcast, I interviewed Tomo Akiyama who is a fascinating expert linguist and well known Twitter user from Japan. We discussed a wide range of topics including the difficulties of learning Japanese and common mistakes non-native speakers make. We also talked about common English phrases Japanese people use, the words they say and they real meaning behind them.
As Tomo said, the biggest take away from this discussion is Japanese and English do not exactly translate into one another as they as such different languages.

In this podcast, Ami and I (Alex) teach you how to talk about your favorite movies in Japanese. Listen to the podcasts and read the dialogs below to get an idea of what these phrases and dialogs mean. You can also download the PDFs too! Enjoy!

In this podcast, Ami and I (Alex) teach you how to talk about your favorite movies in Japanese. Listen to the podcasts and read the dialogs below to get an idea of what these phrases and dialogs mean. You can also download the PDFs too! Enjoy!



Dialog 01



Japanese
Pronunciation
English


A:
「君の名は」見た？
“Kimi no na wa” mita?
Did you see “Kimi no na wa”?


B:
見たよ！
Mita yo!
I saw it!


A:
どうだった？面白かった？
Dō datta. Omoshirokatta?
How was it? Was it interesting?


B:
うん、すごく面白かったよ。
Un, omoshirokatta yo.
Uh huh, it was interesting.


A:
私も見ようかな？
Watashi mo miyō kana
I guess I should go and see it.


B:
うん、すごくおすすめだよ。
Un, sugoku osusume da yo.
Yeah, I highly recommend it



 



Dialog 02



Japanese
Pronunciation
English


A:
「ミニオンズ」見た？
“Minions” mita?
Did you see “Minions”?


B:
見たよ！
Mita yo!
I saw it!


A:
どうだった？面白かった？
Dō datta. Omoshirokatta?
How was it? Was it interesting?


B:
面白かったけど、声優がイマイチだった。
Omoshirokatta kedo seiyuu ga imaichi datta.
It was interesting but the voice actors weren’t so good.


A:
私も見ようかな？
Watashi mo miyō kana
I guess I should go and see it.


B:
そうだね、もし週末時間があったら見に行ってみればいいよ。
Sō da ne, moshi shuumatsu jikan ga attara mi ni itte mireba ii yo.
Well, if you have time at the weekend, you should go and see it.



 



Dialog 03



Japanese
Pronunciation
English


A:
「スターウォーズ」見た？
Sutaauozu mita?
Did you see Star Wars?


B:
見たよ！
Mita yo!
I saw it!


A:
どうだった？面白かった？
Dō datta. Omoshirokatta?
How was it? Was it interesting?


B:
全然面白くなかった。ストーリーがつまらなかった。
Zenzen omoshirokunakatta. Sutōrii ga tsumaranakatta.
It wasn’t interesting at all. The story was boring.


A:
私も見ようかな？
Watashi mo miyō kana
I guess I should go and see it.


B:
止めた方がいいよ。
Yameta hō ga ii yo.
You shouldn’t.

In this podcast, Ami and I, teach you some fun conversations you can have with your friends in Japanese.  The first thing you need to know when speaking on the phone in Japanese is the word Moshi moshi which is hello but used exclusively for the phone. You can use this for both casual and polite conversations.
For more podcasts visit http://learnjapanesepod.com