You ought to know how 'beki' can help your Japanese
The negative "bekarazu" structure may be old, but you can still find it in written Japanese with a strong prohibitive nuance attached to it.
You'd be surprised how far 'naka-naka' can take you in Japanese
The adverb "naka-naka" can be used to comment on a surprising result, just don't use it when discussing the results your boss gets.
Talking about your (un)productive COVID-era hobbies
A lot of us took up new hobbies during the pandemic, but not all of have stuck with our activities.
Whether or not you'll succeed in Japanese is up to 'ka dōka'
The "ka dōka" structure helps to explain that there's a choice between one option or the other and is quite convenient in conversational Japanese.
When it comes to Japanese, 'mamire' and 'darake' have you covered
While "darake" and "mamire" both have different nuances, the one thing they have in common is that they always refer to something bad.
Talking about the weather is increasingly extreme
As the weather gets more extreme we will no doubt be talking about it a lot more. Get a start on your climate vocabulary so you can join the conversation.
Take the time to study 'narubeku' and 'dekiru dake' if possible
"Narubeku" conveys the idea of "as … as possible," while "deikru dake" conveys the same idea with stronger intent.
Have you heard? 'Rashii' can help you with your office gossip
The term "rashii" is used when you've heard about something and want to talk about it without using assertions.
It looks like your Japanese is improving with 'sō da'
The "sō da" structure can help convey hearsay and conjecture in Japanese.
Talking politics in Japanese as the U.S. election heats up
A lot of people are talking about the upcoming U.S. election, so it's time to brush up on your campaign vocabulary.
Since you're studying, why not study 'gatera' while you're at it?
The "gatera" structure is often used in formal situations and points out that you will do one action because you're already doing another.
And before you know it, you'll be using 'itsu no ma ni ka'
A good way to express surprise is to use the common Japanese term, "itsu no ma ni ka."
