Articles Index
Children's Day in Japan and Koinobori Song
May 5 is Japan's national holiday known as, Kodomo no hi (Children's day). It is a day to celebrate the health and happiness of children.
The Extended Use of the Verb "Suru"
The verb "suru (to do)" has many extended uses, which occur quite often. Click here to learn how to conjugation the verb "suru".
Particle "O" and "No"
A particle is a word that shows the relationship of a word, a phrase, or a clause to the rest of the sentence. We will look at the functions of the particle "o" and "no".
Learn to Speak Japanese
You want to learn Japanese, but don't know where to start? This page directs you to where you should begin in order to speak Japanese.
Expressions of Ability
Ability and potential can be expressed by two different ways in Japanese.
Kanji for "Fish" and Fish Proverbs
Learn the kanji character for "fish" and Japanese Fish Proverbs.
Shunbun no hi
March 20st is "Shunbun no hi (Vernal Equinox Day)." It is designated as a national holiday in Japan.
Free Japanese Language Videos
Here is a list of free instructional Japanese language videos to improve your comprehension. There is also a variety of free Japanese audio files available on my "Japanese Listening Practice" page.
Japanese Fish Proverbs
Fish are closely related to Japanese culture. There are quite a few expressions and proverbs including fish in Japanese. Find out more.
Japanese Tongue Twisters
Many languages have their own tongue twisters.
KFC for Christmas
What do the Japanese eat for Christmas dinner? The answer is chicken, especially Kentucky Fried Chicken.
Japanese Writing for Beginners
Writing might be one of the most difficult, but also fun, parts of learning Japanese. There are three types of scripts in Japanese: kanji, hiragana and katakana.
The Year of Dragon - Tatsudoshi
2012 is the year of the dragon.
Expressions of Desire
There are two ways to express desire or wish.
"Ue o Muite Arukou" by Kyuu Sakamoto – "Sukiyaki" Song
The title, "Ue o Muite Arukou" translates into, "I look up when I walk". However, it is known as "Sukiyaki" in the United Sates.
Japanese Zodiac - The Twelve Zodiac Signs
Learn about the Japanese zodiac and find out what animal you are.
Japanese Number Seven
It seems that every culture has lucky numbers and unlucky numbers. In Japan, four and nine are considered unlucky numbers because of their pronunciation
Animals
Learn basic Japanese language vocabulary for animals with audio files.
Japanese Events in January
The Japanese word for January is "ichi-gatsu" which literally means "the first month."
The Year of the Ox - Ushidoshi
2009 is the year of the ox (ushidoshi).
The Year of the Rabbit - Usagidoshi
2011 is the year of the rabbit (usagidoshi).
The Year of the Tiger - Toradoshi
2010 is the year of the tiger (toradoshi).
Awatenbou no Santakuroosu – Japanese Christmas Song
Here is a Japanese Christmas song for children called, "Awatenbou no Santakuroosu (Hasty Santa Clause)".
Verbs of Change - Naru
There are many verbs that express change in Japanese. The most basic one is, "naru (to become)". The verb "naru" is used in [Noun + ni naru] and [basic Verb + you ni naru].
Learning Hiragana
Have you started learning Japanese writing? If you are new to Japanese, I recommend you learn hiragana first. Japanese children usually start with hiragana as well.