Learn Japanese
Basic everyday Japanese: simple conversations and short texts on familiar topics.
18 lessons
Give your opinion with plain form + と思います, say “I don’t think …” the Japanese way, pass on messages with と言っていました, name things with という and talk about a topic with について — plus the kanji 思, 考, 意 and 味.
Talk about what you have and haven’t done with 〜たことがあります, give examples of activities with 〜たり〜たりします, say you will try something with 〜てみます and list examples casually with 〜とか — plus the kanji 旅, 写, 真, 映 and 画.
Understand and ask about the rules at work: 〜てはいけません (must not), 〜なければなりません and 〜なくてはいけません (must), 〜なくてもいいです (don’t have to) and 〜てもかまいません (it’s fine to) — plus the kanji 仕, 事, 員, 工, 場 and 業.
Say what you can and can’t do with the potential form — 話せる, 食べられる, 来られる and できる — and with ことができます, tell 見える from 見られる, and describe your skills in a job interview — plus the kanji 英, 漢, 習, 勉 and 強.
Talk about change with 〜くなる and 〜になる, change things with 〜くする and 〜にする, describe new abilities and habits with 〜ようになる, 〜なくなる and 〜ようにする — plus the colour kanji 赤, 青, 黒 and 色.
Talk about plans for holidays and trips home with the volitional form (行こう, 食べよう), 〜ようと思っています, 〜つもりです and 〜よていです, guess with 〜でしょう and 〜かもしれません, and read a departure board with the kanji 特, 急, 発 and 着.
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.
Say who gives what to whom with あげる, くれる and もらう, talk about favours with 〜てあげる, 〜てくれる and 〜てもらう, ask politely with 〜てくれませんか and 〜てもらえませんか — plus the kanji 親, 切, 送, 持 and 物.
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.
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.
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.
Say what something looks like with 〜そうです, pass on news with 〜そうです and 〜によると, guess from what you see with 〜ようです and 〜みたい, use 〜らしい, understand the weather forecast — and learn the kanji 世, 界, 海, 洋 and 有.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Give status updates with 〜るところ, 〜ているところ and 〜たところ, say what should happen with 〜はずです, start, finish and continue actions with ます-stem + 始める / 終わる / つづける / 出す, talk about other people’s feelings with 〜がる and 〜たがる, and read names on the shift board — kanji 田, 野, 歌, 教, 音 and 楽.
