Easy Japanese from NHK WORLD-JAPAN
"Easy Japanese" is a learning program offered in 18 languages by NHK WORLD-JAPAN, the international broadcasting service of NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation).[...]
LANGUAGE
No.79 [LANGUAGE] Let’s nihonGo!
Hello there! This column will include useful Japanese phrases that cover a variety of topics. Mina-san, konnichiwa! (Hello, everyone!) This issue, let’s have a look at the emblems of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games! The checkered pattern using three different types of indigo squ[...]
No.78 [LANGUAGE] Let’s nihonGo!
Hello there! This column will include useful Japanese phrases that cover a variety of topics. Mina-san, konnichiwa! (Hello, everyone!) So, 2020 has officially begun! And for Japan, there’s one thing that will surely be on everyone’s minds this year: the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Tennis, rowi[...]
No.77 [LANGUAGE] Let’s nihonGo!
Hello there! This column will include useful Japanese phrases that cover a variety of topics. Mina-san, konnichiwa! (Hello, every- one!) What sort of places would you like to visit if you went to Japan? Of course, it’s fun to wander around the usual tourist spots of Tokyo with your guidebook clutc[...]
No.76 [LANGUAGE] Let’s nihonGO!
Hello there! This column will include useful Japanese phrases that cover a variety of topics. Mina-san, konnichiwa! (Hello, everyone!) It’s the season when alcohol tastes really good. The UK has pubs, Japan has “居酒屋 izakaya (traditional Japanese bar/pub)” – and I love both. This time, [...]
No75 [LANGUAGE] Let’s nihonGO!
Hello there! This column will include useful Japanese phrases that cover a variety of topics. Mina-san, konnichiwa! (Hello, every- one!) Have you all mastered 1, 2, 3… 10! (ITCHY, KNEE, SUN… JUdo!)? If you read that sentence and your reaction was “huh?” then please check out last mon[...]
No.74 [LANGUAGE] Let’s nihonGO!
Hello there! This column will include useful Japanese phrases that cover a variety of topics. Mina-san, konnichiwa! (Hello, everyone!) On the 20th of this month, the Rugby World Cup 2019 will at last begin! I’m sure that there will be lots of days where we are unable to tear our eyes from the live[...]
No73 [LANGUAGE] Let’s nihonGO!
Hello there! This column will include useful Japanese phrases that cover a variety of topics. Konnichiwa, Mina-san! (Hello, everyone!) This month’s column will be the second part of the theme I introduced in April’s column, 若者言葉 wakamono kotoba (youth slang). This time I’ll be t[...]
No72 [LANGUAGE] Let’s nihonGO!
Hello there! This column will include useful Japanese phrases that cover a variety of topics. Konnichiwa, Mina-san! (Hello, everyone!) There are many times when I listen to someone not from Japan speaking Japanese, and regardless of their fluency I think: “this person really sounds like a J[...]
No71 [LANGUAGE] Let’s nihonGO!
Hello there! This column will include useful Japanese phrases that cover a variety of topics. Konnichiwa, Mina-san! (Hello, everyone!) When I first opened a work e-mail and saw the phrase “I hope this email finds you well”, I racked my brain trying to work out what it meant, while translating it[...]
No70 [LANGUAGE] Let’s nihonGO!
Hello there! This column will include useful Japanese phrases that cover a variety of topics. Konnichiwa, Mina-san! (Hello, everyone!) when are you struck by a sense of the times in which you live? when you compare how fashion and music have changed from the past? when you see how technology has cha[...]
No69 [LANGUAGE] Let’s nihonGO!
Hello there! This column will include useful Japanese phrases that cover a variety of topics. Konnichiwa, Mina-san! (Hello, everyone!) Now we’re in March, spring is just around the corner! Spring is the perfect season to travel to Japan. As you know, from the end of March to the beginning o[...]
No68 [LANGUAGE] Let’s nihonGO!
Hello there! This column will include useful Japanese phrases that cover a variety of topics. Konnichiwa, Mina-san! (Hello, everyone!) Freezing cold February is upon us. In Japan, while snow doesn’t tend to fall in Tokyo or Osaka, in places on the coast of the Sea of Japan, in Hokkaido and [...]
No67 [LANGUAGE] Let’s nihonGO!
This column will include useful Japanese phrases that cover a variety of topics. Konnichiwa, mina-san! (Hello, everyone!) There’s only one month of 2018 to go! How do you all spend New Year? This time of year is an important time in Japan for preparing for the New Year. First of all, collea[...]
No66 [LANGUAGE] Let’s nihonGO!
Hello there! This column will include useful Japanese phrases that cover a variety of topics. Konnichiwa, mina-san! (Hello, everyone!) Last time I wrote about how to talk about your favourite athlete/sports teams. In this column, I’m going to teach you some phrases that you can use when watching s[...]
No65 [LANGUAGE] Let’s nihonGO! / Dono senshu ga suki desu ka?
Hello there! This column will include useful Japanese phrases that cover a variety of topics. In this month’s column, I’d like to teach you some sports-related Japanese. In Japan, there is a certain phrase: “sports season autumn”. There are also the phrases: “appetite season autumn” and [...]
No64 [LANGUAGE] Let’s nihonGO! / Nihonshu ga suki desu.
Hello there! This column will include useful Japanese phrases that cover a variety of topics. Konnichiwa, Mina-san! (Hello, everyone!) My name is Makoto. In the previous issue, Kana.U explained how to talk about places you’ve been to and what you thought of them. The theme of this column is “Jap[...]
No63 [LANGUAGE] Let’s nihonGO! / Nihongo joozu desu ne!
Hello there! This column will include useful Japanese phrases that cover a variety of topics. Konnichiwa, Mina-san! (Hello, everyone!) In my last two columns, I taught you how to answer when people asked you “where are you from?” and “what nationality are you?” and then “do you speak Japan[...]
No62 [LANGUAGE] Let’s nihonGO! / Nihongo dekimasu ka?
hello there! This column will include useful Japanese phrases that cover a variety of topics. Konnichiwa, Mina-san! (Hello, everyone!) Last time I taught you how to talk about yourself in Japanese so that you can answer the questions “Where are you from?” and “What Japanese food do you like?[...]
No61 [LANGUAGE] Let’s nihonGO! / Nihon no tabemono wa sukidesuka?
Hello there! This column will include useful Japanese phrases that cover a variety of topics. Konnichiwa, Mina-san! (Hello, everyone!) Last time I taught you how to talk about your opinions regarding what you have bought. do you remember how to say “that’s so cute!” or “brilliant!” in Japa[...]
No60[LANGUAGE] Let’s nihonGO! / Chotto takai naa.
Hello there! This column will include useful Japanese phrases that cover a variety of topics. Konnichiwa, Mina-san! (Hello, everyone!) Last time I taught you how to ask in Japanese how much something costs when shopping in Japanese. In this column, “Shopping Part Two”, I’m going to teach you h[...]
No59 [LANGUAGE] Let’s nihonGo! / Kore ikura desuka?
Hello there! This column will include useful Japanese phrases that cover a variety of topics. Konnichiwa, Mina-san! (Hello, everyone!). Last time I talked about Japanese New Year’s greetings and New Year’s culture in Japan. In this column, I’m going to teach you how to ask how much som[...]
No58 [LANGUAGE] Let’s nihonGo! / Happy New Year!
Hello there! This column will include useful Japanese phrases that cover a variety of topics. Mina-san, akemashite omedetoo! (Everyone, Happy New Year!). Have you ever heard the phrase “akemashite omedetoo”? Actually, many Asian countries which have historically been strongly influenced by Chine[...]
No57 [LANGUAGE] Let’s nihonGo! / Walk this way, talk this way!
Hello there! This column will teach you useful Japanese phrases that cover a variety of topics. Walk this way, talk this way! In our last column, I taught you how to express opinions about food you had ordered. This time, I’m going to introduce to you something essential for all people travelling [...]
No56 [LANGUAGE] Let’s nihonGo! / How to talk about the food?
Hello there! This column will teach you useful Japanese phrases that cover a variety of topics. Roll up, roll up for an amazing lesson about sushi! Konnichiwa, Mina-san! (Hello, everyone!) Last time I taught you how to stylishly order food in a restaurant. This time, I’m going to let you know how [...]
No55 [LANGUAGE] Let’s nihonGo!
Launched in 2015, and edited by MATSUOKA Ryota, this bi-monthly magazine has become very popular. Hello there! This column will include useful Japanese phrases that cover a variety of topics. Are you ready to sink your teeth into Japanese cuisine? Konnichiwa, Mina-san! (Hello, everyone!) Do y[...]
Let’s nihonGo!
From this month onwards, this column will introduce useful Japanese phrases that cover a variety of topics, such as ordering and describing food, asking for directions, shopping and many more. By familiarising yourself with these phrases, it’ll make your time in Japan more immersive, more fun and [...]
No51 [LANGUAGE] Omoshiroi yo NIHONGO!
Welcome once again to the fascinating world of the Japanese language. In this issue, let’s take a look at some notable phrases using the words “Gogatsu” or “Satsuki” that both refer to the month of May and are written with the same Chinese characters “五月”. “Gogatsu” is the mode[...]
No50 [LANGUAGE] Omoshiroi yo NIHONGO!
Welcome once again, to the fascinating world of Japanese language. In this issue, let’s take a look at some key words you might see when out shopping in places such as supermarkets, clothes shops, grocery stores and the like. As you may imagine, these phrases can be put to use straight away! Super[...]
No49 [LANGUAGE] Omoshiroi yo NIHONGO!
Welcome once again, to the fascinating world of the Japanese language. In this issue, let’s take a look at some phrases you can use when staying at hotels or ryokan in Japan (Ryokan are traditional Japanese style accommodation, usually with a hot spring bath). As you may imagine, these can be [...]
No48 [Language] Omoshiroi yo NIHONGO!
Welcome once again, to the fascinating world of the Japanese language. From the last issue, we have been introducing a series of useful phrases, categorised into different situations that you might often come across during everyday life in Japan, or even just when you are over there sightseeing. In [...]
No47 [Language] Omoshiroi yo NIHONGO!
Welcome once again, to the fascinating world of the Japanese language. From this issue forward we would like to present a series of useful phrases categorised into different situations that you might often come across during everyday life in Japan, or even just when you are over there sightseeing. F[...]
No46 [Language] Omoshiroi yo NIHONGO!
Welcome once again, to the fascinating world of the Japanese language. All languages have regional dialects from the different parts of the countries they are spoken in, and of course Japanese is no exception. The world of Japanese dialects is very rich and can be fascinating to get into. As well as[...]
No44 [Language] Omoshiroi yo NIHONGO!
Welcome once again, to the fascinating world of the Japanese language. All languages have regional dialects from the different parts of the countries they are spoken in, and of course Japanese is no exception. The world of Japanese dialects is very rich and can be fascinating to get into. As well as[...]
No43 [Language] Omoshiroi yo NIHONGO!
Welcome once again, to the fascination world of the Japanese language. All languages have regional dialects from the different parts of the countries they are spoken in, and of course Japanese is no exception. The world of Japanese dialects is very rich and can be fascinating to get into. As well as[...]
No40 [Language] Omoshiroi yo NIHONGO!
Welcome once again, to the fascination world of the Japanese language. All languages have regional dialects from the different parts of the countries they are spoken in, and of course Japanese is no exception. The world of Japanese dialects is very rich and can be fascinating to get into. As well as[...]
No38 [Language] Omoshiroi yo NIHONGO!
Welcome once again, to the fascinating world of the Japanese language. Are you ready for today’s lesson? Emotions; people have so many of them. You can express how you feel sad, excited or irritated in any language, but the Japanese language even has onomatopoetic words that express emotions a[...]
No37 [Language] Omoshiroi yo NIHONGO!
Welcome once again, to the fascinating world of the Japanese language. Are you ready for today’s lesson? It’s already December and soon is Christmas so let me introduce you to some words related to this holiday. What all of today’s words have in common is, and which can be surprising but a[...]
No36 [Language] Omoshiroi yo NIHONGO!
Welcome once again, to the fascinating world of the Japanese language. Are you ready for today’s lesson? This time we introduce you to a segment of the colourful world of Japanese onomatopoeia. The group of words, which is called “gitaigo” 擬態語, describes conditions, states a[...]
No35 [Language] Omoshiroi yo NIHONGO!
Welcome once again, to the fascinating world of the Japanese language. Are you ready for today’s lesson? This time we introduce you to a segment of the colourful world of Japanese onomatopoeia. Japanese have several words for sound of rainfall which belong to the category “giongo” [...]
No34 [Language] Omoshiroi yo NIHONGO!
Welcome once again, to the fascinating world of the Japanese language. In everyday life Japanese love to abbreviate words and phrases. However, this can be confusing at times. This month’s Japanese phrases. TBS（ティービーエス） These letters stand for the sentence テ[...]
No33 [Language] Omoshiroi yo NIHONGO!
Welcome once again, to the fascinating world of the Japanese language. In everyday life Japanese love to abbreviate words and phrases. However this can be confusing at times. This month’s Japanese phrases. DS “DS” is a shortened form of 男子小学生 “danshi shōgakusei̶[...]
No32 [Language] Omoshiroi yo NIHONGO!
Welcome once again, to the fascinating world of the Japanese language. The two words we will introduce this month have one thing in common: they are both verbs that end with “ru” る, the most common verb ending. Let’s take a closer look at them. This month’s Japanese phrases[...]
No31 [Language] Omoshiroi yo NIHONGO!
Welcome once again, to the fascinating world of the Japanese language. In everyday life, Japanese love to abbreviate words and phrases. However some of these words fade away as time goes by. This month’s Japanese phrases. 花金 “hanakin” During the 1980’s the word 花金 [...]
No30 [Language] Omoshiroi yo NIHONGO!
Welcome once again, to the fascinating world of the Japanese language. The Japanese like to shorten words and sentences so much that in many cases all that is left at the end are a few fragments of words. This month’s Japanese phrases. ドタキャン “dotakyan” I am ce[...]
No29 [Language] Omoshiroi yo NIHONGO!
Welcome once again, to the fascinating world of the Japanese language. The three words we will introduce today have one thing in common. They are all verbs that end with る “ru”, the most common verb ending. The meanings of these verbs are anything but common however. It is amazing what[...]
No28 [Language] Omoshiroi yo NIHONGO!
Welcome once again, to the fascinating world of the Japanese language. This time we are going to introduce you to three funny expressions the Japanese use in everyday life. Soshokukei danshi (草食系男子) It literally means herbivorous boy. No, it doesn’t mean that they’re vegetar[...]
No27 [Language] Omoshiroi yo NIHONGO!
Welcome once again, to the fascinating world of the Japanese language. The Japanese like to shorten words and sentences so much that in many cases all that is left at the end are a few letters or fragments of words. Japanese word / phrase of the month Akeome kotoyoro (あけおめ ことよろ) The [...]
No26 [Language] Omoshiroi yo NIHONGO!
Welcome once again, to the fascinating world of the Japanese language. The Japanese like to shorten words and sentences so much that in many cases all that is left at the end are a few letters or fragments of words. Japanese word / phrase of the month Konkatsu (婚活) and Shuukatsu (就活) First, [...]
No25 [Language] Omoshiroi yo NIHONGO!
Welcome once again, to the fascinating world of the Japanese language. Japanese like to shorten words and sentences so much that in many cases all that is left at the end are a few letters. Japanese word / phrase of the month KY (ケーワイ) KY is the shortened version of the phrase “[...]
No24 [Language] Omoshiroi yo NIHONGO!
The Japanese language loves to shorten and combine words and has long been abundant with clever abbreviations and amalgamations. Let’s learn to use some of them in conversation! Japanese word or phrase to learn this month Konbini In Japan, there are a lot of small 24/7 stores, in which you can fin[...]