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May 04, 2024
 

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GRAMMAR

Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Mar 24, 2020
Pointing out the family with 'ni ataru'
Mari-chan wa Nana no obasan ni ataru. (Mari is Nana’s aunt.)
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Mar 17, 2020
Celebrating special occasions with 'ni atatte' and 'ni saishite'
A more formal construction, 'ni atatte' is used when you are marking the occasion. 'Ni saishite' has a similar nuance, think of both as a fancy way to say 'when.'
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Mar 11, 2020
'Masaka,' it's good to know this expression in a pinch
The adverb 'masaka' can be used to express the level of an emergency or a certain level of disbelief.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Mar 3, 2020
Talking about other people in Japanese using the 'garu' structure
You can tack 'tai' on the end of a verb to express what you want to do, but if you're going to speak for someone else then it's best to get a handle on the 'garu' ending.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Feb 25, 2020
Endowed with the talent for understanding the Japanese structures using 'nagara ni'
The structures 'nagara ni' and 'nagara no' are used in very specific ways in Japanese, which makes their comprehension slightly easier.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Feb 18, 2020
People won't throw you under the bus if you're able to use 'kuse ni' correctly
Using the grammatical structure 'X kuse ni Y' has the same effect as 'despite X, Y' and can be used to convey a feeling of ill will.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Feb 11, 2020
As long as you learn 'sae ... areba,' communication in Japanese will get easier
The 'sae ... areba' pattern is used to express ideas like 'if only' and can be used in several simple situations as well as more complex ones.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Feb 4, 2020
You should know how to use 'hazu'
The particle 'hazu' basically translates as 'should' in English, but can sometimes be rendered as 'no wonder.'
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Jan 28, 2020
Filled to the brim with tips on how to use 'zukume' and 'zukushi'
The suffixes 'zukume' and 'zukushi' express the idea of 'entirety' and 'variety,' and are sure to give you an edge in more formal situations.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Jan 21, 2020
At least 'semete' can help you describe the bare minimum in Japanese
The adverb 'semete' can mean 'at least' in English, but there's a nuance that goes with it that further specifies how it can be used.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Jan 14, 2020
If you study just one thing this week, make it 'bakari'
The word 'bakari' can be used in many situations in Japanese and can be seen in some of these cases as a replacement for the two different meanings of the English word 'just.'
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jan 7, 2020
Divining fortunes and reading blood types in the Year of the Rat
It's the Year of the Rat and writer Haruka Murayama dips into the language of the zodiac.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Jan 7, 2020
Despite the fact 'noni' is difficult for some, it's still a particle you should learn early
Whether it's used to connect sentences or simply to add emphasis, 'noni' is important to convey the idea of 'even though.'
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Dec 24, 2019
You've got nothing to lose if you start studying the meanings of 'motomoto'
The word 'motomoto' conveys a sense of 'originally,' but it can also be used to express that you have nothing to lose in a given situation.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Dec 17, 2019
The structure 'to itta' is a great example of the ways Japanese give examples
Not to be confused with 'to iu,' the structure that uses 'to itta' can help when you're providing examples for things in a designated category.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Dec 10, 2019
The grammar point known as 'to iu'
When you're trying to describe what something is in Japanese, the structure 'to iu' can come in very handy.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Nov 26, 2019
Work toward mastery of 'ni mukete' and 'o mezashite'
The structures 'ni mukete' and 'o mezashite' help express your working toward a goal, with the latter being the more concrete option.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Nov 19, 2019
Reuniting with old Japanese friends of all different kinds
Whether they're your 'shin'yu016b,' your 'tomodachi' or your 'nakama,' reuniting with Japanese friends is always a blast.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Nov 12, 2019
Here's some advice. If you want to help a friend out, stick to -tara ii desu
With your friends, giving and asking for advice in Japanese can be done in several ways. Just make sure you don't accidentally use these structures with your boss!
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Nov 4, 2019
How to express the ups and downs of a tax hike
Describing the rise in a tax hike and a rise in prices means using two different words in Japanese. In either case, things aren't looking up.
Biden calls ally Japan ‘xenophobic’ along with rivals China and Russia
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks in Syracuse, New York, on April 25.
Yen swings stir talk that Japan is in the FX market once again
An electronic screen in Tokyo displays the yen exchange rate against the U.S. dollar and the graph showing its recent swings, on Thursday.
Harajuku strives to reclaim its former glory — and surpass it
Laforet Harajuku, which celebrated its 45th anniversary last year, has been a witness to the district's evolution over the years.
Weak yen fattens tourist wallets in Japan
People visit the Ameya Yokocho market in Tokyo's Ueno district during the Golden Week holiday on Tuesday.
Japan's May 1 intervention may have cost ¥3.66 trillion, BOJ data suggests
An electronic screen displays a graph showing Japanese yen exchange rates surging against the dollar amid signs of intervention by authorities, in Tokyo on Thursday.
Kishida sets sights on energy and climate in South America trip
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will use a policy speech in Sao Paulo to set out his vision for ties between Japan and South America, almost 10 years after former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe advocated for stronger ties between the two in the same city.
Yellow sand allergy: A health issue made worse by climate change
A screenshot of the Meteorological Agency's satellite image of clouds and yellow sand (in pink) on Sunday.
Climate change, chalky grains and the risks for Japan’s rice farmers
A farmer plants seedlings in Satsumasendai, Kagoshima Prefecture. Japan’s self sufficiency rate for rice is nearly 100%, compared with 38% for food overall, on a calorie basis.
Japan wants you to spend more with ‘luxury tourism’
Performers play a traditional drum unique to Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, in the prefectural capital of Kanazawa on March 16 to mark the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen line to Tsuruga Station in Fukui Prefecture.
Theaster Gates’ ambitious ‘Afro-Mingei’ brings Black Chicago to Tokyo
Theaster Gates' “A Heavenly Chord” lines up church pews before seven speakers and a Hammond B3 organ, a type of electric organ prevalent in Black American churches.

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