Learn Japanese your way with a TakeLessons expert

Food is an essential part of life and a central part of any culture. Japan is well known for its sushi, curries, soups, noodles, and more. Japan's penchant for courtesy and respect also plays a part in the country's mealtime expressions. Learning terms for food in Japanese is essential! Here are some Japanese

You can enrich your Japanese-learning experience by also learning about Japanese history and culture. Japan is a country that's rich in history and traditions. It was first established as a united state around 300 AD, although people had resided on the cluster of islands since 10,000 BC. Over time, Japan has adopted numerous holidays and festivals. Some of these traditions were borrowed from other cultures, but Japanese people made these holidays distinctly Japanese. Here are a few of

If you’re looking to learn Japanese, you must commit to putting in plenty of time and practice. After all, many students wonder how long it will take to master the language, and it really comes down to how much effort you are willing to invest. The good news is that there are tons of resources you can take advantage of to help boost your understanding of the language, such as interactive Japanese learning games.  These fun Japanese learning games provide you with the tools you need to

When you're learning Japanese, reading Japanese manga comics may help you build your vocabulary and comprehension skills. Aside from that, though, you should read Japanese manga comics because they're fun and entertaining! Modern Japanese manga originated in Japan in the mid 1900s. The word manga literally refers to comics and cartoons. You can find manga in many genres like romance, sports, comedy, and science fiction. Manga can be sequential with many volumes in a series, or it

Wondering how to read, write, and say Japanese numbers? When taking Japanese lessons, it's important to learn this basic Japanese vocabulary. Learning how to count from 1-10 in Japanese is vital. How much does something cost? What time is it? How many apples do you want from the supermarket? All of these situations require numbers. How you pronounce the Japanese number can vary depending on the situation, but the guidelines below will help you learn the basics. All About Japanese Numbers,

If you're learning Japanese, here's some good news: Conjugating Japanese verbs is much easier than you think! Here, Ann Arbor, MI teacher Elaina R. shares some simple tips to help you conjugate Japanese verbs... I love conjugating Japanese verbs. Why? In most romance languages, conjugations are based on tons of factors, including subject, number, and even gender. For example, in Italian, "I am tired" is Io sono stanca; but if you are male, it's Io sono stanco. If there are sever

Giving gifts and honoring parents aren't just Korean wedding traditions - they're also important components of Japanese weddings. In this article, you'll learn about the unique traditions and rituals associated with Japanese weddings... When you think of weddings, what comes to mind? A priest, a bride in white, and a groom in a tuxedo? While this may be the case in some cultures, there are many traditions that vary around the world.  Today we're taking a look at five Japanese weddin

Alexander Spatari/Moment/Getty Images   No matter what language we speak, we all have filler words that we use. We hear a lot of filler words being used in conversations or in movies. These kinds of words might not seem useful, but they actually have a lot of benefits and are a pretty important part in a lot of languages. So let’s go ahead and learn how to use them correctly to improve your Japanese. Let’s go!  1. What are filler words?  Japanese filler words are small words o

Ready to go back to school? As you and your family prepare for the upcoming school year, continue your Japanese lessons and learn back-to-school vocabulary with language teacher Carol Beth L...  As the school year starts, it's time brush up on your vocabulary to talk about school supplies! Here are some Japanese vocabulary words that may prove useful as you head back to class. 1) Empitsu - Pencil Hiragana: えんぴつ Kanji: 鉛筆 Because you'll definitely need a pencil when yo

When learning Japanese you're introduced to several writing systems, including hiragana, katakana, kanji, and finally - romaji. What is Japanese writing called? Romaji simply means "Roman characters." You will typically use romaji when you type out Japanese sentences using a keyboard. "Romaji is the representation of Japanese sounds using the western, 26-letter alphabet," says Donald Ash, creator of TheJapanGuy.com. "Romaji puts Japanese into a format that most Westerners can read and