Category: expressions / phrases
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Common Mistake:「今、行っています」…Huh? Where are you heading to?
The て-form of a verb + いる is commonly used to express ongoing actions. For example: So, when you’re on your way to meet a friend and want to let them know, you might think it’s natural to say: 「行っています。」(いっています) However, this is a very common…
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From Dismissive to Playful: Understanding the Range of まぁ, まぁね and まぁ、まぁ
Nuance and Usage of「まぁ」 「まぁ」 is an interjection with various nuances depending on context and tone. It can express slight hesitation, soften a comment, or downplay a situation. Often, it implies that something is “good enough” without being perfect. It’s commonly used to make statements…
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チャレンジする? Understanding the True Meaning in Japanese
In Japanese, you may hear チャレンジ (ちゃれんじ) a lot. The meaning is basically the same as “challenge,” but there are some differences. チャレンジ (ちゃれんじ) It’s often used as “try” in Japanese. So, the Japanese チャレンジ has a wider range of use than the English “challenge.”…
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Nuances of もし(も)/ もしかして/ ひょっとして/ もしかすると/ひょっとすると
In Japanese, adverbs like もし and もしも are often used to express hypothetical or conditional situations, while other adverbs like もしかして, ひょっとして, もしかすると, and ひょっとすると are used to express uncertainty or speculation. Although these words may seem similar at first, they each have subtle differences in meaning and usage. Let’s break them down: 1. もし…
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More Than Just ‘Good Job’: Understanding おつかれさまです
In Japanese, the expression “お疲れ様です” (おつかれさまです) is widely used in both professional and personal contexts to acknowledge someone’s hard work, effort, or simply to greet them. The phrase can be adapted into the past tense as “お疲れ様でした” (おつかれさまでした), which is used to show appreciation for…
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I hope that ~ : Using 〜と いいです(ね)
When learning Japanese, one common phrase you’ll encounter is “I hope that ~,” which can be expressed using 〜と良いです(ね). This phrase is a versatile and polite way to convey your wishes or hopes for something to happen. Understanding 〜と良いですね The phrase 〜と良いです(〜といいです) is used to…
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私は病気(びょうき)です Makes Natives Very Concerned
It’s a very common mistake among Japanese learners to say 「私は病気(びょうき)です」 when they want to express that they are feeling unwell. However, this phrase can make native speakers very worried because it sounds like you’re making a serious confession about your health. When you say…
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When ありがとうございます becomes ありがとうございました?
The difference between “ありがとうございます” and “ありがとうございました” can be a bit confusing. By understanding the subtle difference, you can use these phrases more accurately in daily conversations. ありがとうございます (Arigatou gozaimasu) Present tense ありがとうございました (Arigatou gozaimashita) Past tense A clear point to understand is that native speakers…
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How to say “Also” at the beginning of the sentence?
In Japanese, “Also” at the beginning of a sentence can be expressed using several conjunctions, each with its own nuance and appropriate context. The four common conjunctions are それに, あと, そして, and また. Here’s an overview of how to use each one, along with example…