Learn Japanese Pod

The show notes of podcast 48 have moved to our new Patreon page. Please click the link below for access: Podcast 48 Show Notes

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. Learn Japanese Pod Premium Membership  

The Japanese-only audio drills for podcast 47 have moved to our new Patreon page. Please click the link below for access: Podcast 47 Japanese Audio Drill

The show notes of podcast 47 have moved to our new Patreon page. Please click the link below for access: Podcast 47 Show Notes

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.

These are the PDF show notes for podcast #46 ” Darui”. For more Japanese language learning podcasts, visit 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. 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 Learn Japanese Pod 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

These are the PDF show notes for podcast #45 ” How to agree with people in Japanese”. For more Japanese language learning podcasts, visit Learn Japanese Pod

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. For more Japanese language learning podcasts visit Learn Japanese Pod

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

These are the PDF show notes for podcast #44 ” Hampa nai”. For more Japanese language 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!

These are the show notes to podcast #43 “Receiving compliments in Japanese”. For more Japanese podcasts visit: Learn Japanese Pod

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. For more Japanese podcasts visit Learn Japanese Pod

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

Here are the show notes for podcast 42, “What does Toriaezu mean?”. For more podcasts visit 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. For more Japanese podcasts visit: Learn Japanese Pod

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 For more podcasts visit Learn Japanese Pod

These are the PDF show notes for the Learn Japanese Pod podcast episode 41 “Cheering someone up in Japanese”. For more podcasts check out Learn Japanese Pod

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. For more podcasts visit Learn Japanese Pod

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. Listen to the podcast for dialogue examples as well as vocabulary and grammar explanations. For more podcasts, visit Learn Japanese Pod

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. ウキウキ – Ukiuki – Excitement ワクワク – Wakuwaku – Excitement もやもや – Moyamoya – To feel uneasy or gloomy Random phrase of the week 出た！ Deta! Oh here we go again… Most students of Japanese will immediately recognize 出た deta as the verb which means to leave, exit or go out of something. However, there is deeper meaning. Deta can be used as a negative criticism or a tease in response to something someone says repeatedly. In this scenario it means something like “oh here we go again” or “Oh no, not that again” or “Again?”. So if someone starts talking about their favorite conspiracy theory again you can say: 出た！ Or your uncle starts talking about his health problems for the 100th time: 出た！ Or your mum starts bugging you to do the chores yet again: 出た！ Of course this isn’t very polite so only use this with your friends and family members.

These are the PDF show notes for the Learn Japanese Pod podcast episode 40 “Daily Japanese Onomatopoeia”. For more podcasts check out Learn Japanese Pod

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. For more podcasts visit Learn Japanese Pod

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! For more Japanese language learning podcasts visit Learn Japanese Pod

In this podcast Ami Sensei and Alex teach you useful phrases for calling an ambulance and talking to emergency services during a medical emergency. For more Japanese language learning podcasts, visit Learn Japanese Pod

In this lesson you will learn how to call for an ambulance during a medical emergency. You’ll also learn related phrases for describing people’s physical condition including injuries and illness. Main Dialog 1 – Calling an ambulance (Japanese) A: 119番の消防ですが 火事ですか、救急ですか? B: 救急です。 A: 救急ですね。住所を教えてください。 B: 東京都渋谷区渋谷1丁目12-13。郵便局の前です。 A: 怪我ですか病気ですか B: 病気です。人が倒れています。 A: わかりました。あと5分ほどで救急車が到着します。 Main Dialog 1 – Calling an ambulance (Pronunciation) A: Hyaku juu kyuu ban no shōbō desu ga, kaji desu ka, kyuukyuu desu ka? B: Kyuukyuu desu. A: Kyuukyuu desu ne. Juusho o oshiete kudasai. B: Tōkyō to, Shibuya Ku, icchōme no juuni no juusan. Yuubinkyoku no mae desu. A: Kega desu ka, byōki desu ka. B: Byōki desu. Hito ga taorete imasu. A: Wakarimashita. Ato gofun hodo de kyuukyuusha ga tōchaku shimasu. Main Dialog 1 – Calling an ambulance (English) A: This is 119, Fire Department. Is it fire or a medical emergency? B: Medical emergency. A: Medical emergency. Please tell me your address. B: Tokyo city, Shibuya ward, district 1-12-13 A: Is this an injury or illness? B: Illness. The person has collapsed. A: Understood. The ambulance should arrive in about 5 minutes. Extra phrases for medical emergencies Here are some extra phrases you might find useful during a medical emergency. If you want to ask someone to call an ambulance for you, you can use the following phrase: すみません、救急車を呼んでください Sumimasen, Kyuukyuusha o yonde kudasai. Excuse me, please call an ambulance. It’s common for the emergency services to ask you for your details including your name. For example: お名前を教えてください Onamae o oshiete kudasai What’s your name? And you can reply with your name followed by “…desu” like this: ジョン・スミスです Jon sumisu desu I’m Jon Smith You might then want to explain what’s happened by using the following phrases: 病人がいます Byōnin ga imasu There’s a sick person 怪我をした人がいます Kega o shita hito ga imasu There’s an injured person. If there’s been a traffic accident you can say: 交通事故です Kōtsuu jiko desu There’s been a traffic accident Here are some other phrases that describe someone’s medical condition. You can use these to talk about yourself or someone else: 呼吸が苦しいです Kokyuu ga kurushii desu (Someone is having) difficulty breathing 胸が苦しいです Mune ga kurushii (Someone has) a tight or painful chest 意識不明です Ishiki fumei desu (Someone is) unconscious 出血です Shukketsu desu (Someone is) bleeding.

These are the PDF show notes for the Learn Japanese Pod podcast episode 39 “Calling an ambulance in Japanese”. For more podcasts check out Learn Japanese Pod

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.

DOWNLOAD PDF SHOW NOTES These are the PDF show notes for the Learn Japanese Pod podcast episode 38 “Making a suggestion in Japanese”. For more podcasts check out Learn Japanese Pod  

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.

These are the PDF show notes for podcast #37 “How to use the verb Kureru in Japanese”. For more Japanese learning podcasts check out Learn Japanese Pod  

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.

These are the downloadable PDF show note for podcast #36 “Describing people’s appearance in Japanese.” For more Japanese language learning podcasts visit Learn Japanese Pod

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

These are the downloadable PDF show notes for podcast 35 “Japanese motivational phrases”. For more Japanese learning podcasts visit Learn Japanese Pod

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