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88 articles
Give reasons politely with 〜ので, show surprise or disappointment with 〜のに, soften what you say with 〜けど and 〜が, list several reasons with 〜し — and call work when your train stops, with the kanji 用, 悪, 止, 通 and 道.
November 8, 2026 5 min read
Say “if”, “when” and “even if” with 〜たら and 〜ても, use them for typhoon and earthquake safety rules, read a simple safety poster, and learn the kanji 風, 地, 注 and 死.
November 8, 2026 5 min read
Make the ば form, give directions and explain machines with 〜と, give advice with 〜なら, choose between たら, ば, と and なら, and use an ATM — with the kanji 銀, 使, 町, 京 and 図.
November 8, 2026 5 min read
Learn the common transitive and intransitive verb pairs (開ける / 開く, しめる / しまる), describe states with 〜ている and 〜てある, say what you do in advance with 〜ておく and what went wrong with 〜てしまう, and read the kanji 開, 室, 屋 and 紙.
November 8, 2026 5 min read
Read three longer N4-level texts — a ward office notice about garbage days, a company newsletter and a learner’s short essay — answer questions in the style of the JLPT reading section, and learn the kanji 早, 広, 方, 問, 題 and 答.
November 8, 2026 5 min read
Review N4 lessons 11–19: compare たら, ば, と and なら and ている, てある, ておく and てしまう, sort all 48 kanji by meaning, tell look-alike kanji apart, and read a train notice, a recipe card and a typhoon notice. No new kanji.
November 8, 2026 5 min read
Describe things with a whole sentence before a noun (きのう買ったかさ), put questions inside sentences with 〜か and 〜かどうか, turn verbs into nouns with の and こと, report a lost umbrella at the station — and learn 品, 別, 売, 借, 貸 and 服.
November 8, 2026 5 min read
Make the passive form of every verb, say what was done to you (ほめられた, 注意された), complain with the suffering passive (雨にふられた), read passive sentences in news and notices, deal with a removed bicycle — and learn 自, 転, 運, 集, 知 and 動.
November 8, 2026 6 min read
Make the causative form, say who makes or lets someone do something, ask for permission politely with 〜させてください and 〜させていただけませんか, recognise the causative-passive (〜させられる), talk about training and skills tests — and learn 研, 究, 試, 験 and 質.
November 8, 2026 5 min read
Recognise and use honorific Japanese (sonkeigo) in set phrases: special verbs such as いらっしゃる, おっしゃる and めしあがる, お〜になる, お〜ください and polite requests — for customers in a shop, hotel or care home. Kanji: 者, 主, 代, 以 and 正.
November 8, 2026 5 min read
Use humble Japanese (kenjougo) for what you and your company do — まいる, おる, いたす, もうす, うかがう, はいけんする, いただく and お〜する — talk about your own manager to people outside the company, answer the office phone and take a message. Kanji: 不, 度, 計, 立 and 力.
November 8, 2026 6 min read
Read the short, strict Japanese of signs and notices: command forms (止まれ), prohibitions with 〜な (走るな), instructions ending in 〜こと, 〜中 (さぎょうちゅう, えいぎょうちゅう) and ごえんりょください — with factory and station signs, apartment rules and a company notice. Kanji: 待, 走, 重, 犬 and 作.
November 8, 2026 6 min read
