? The Japanese love a good broth and who doesn’t — especially as winter is starting to set in. ⠀ After living here a while, I noticed that whether it’s light or thick, some type of miso should be included in most meals. You’ll find it as an accompanying side to most Japanese meals in restaurants too — even the fast food style どんぶり [don buri/rice bowl] places. ⠀ And it goes well with everything! ? It’s a flexible dish that suits most any toppings you might like to add. Definitely try: ⠀ とんじる = [tonjiru] Pork & Vegetables Soup ⠀ あらじる = [arajiru] Fish Meat/Bones Soup ⠀ What’s your favorite? Is miso a part of your daily diet or is the dashi a little too much to handle? ⭐Let us know in the comments where the best miso is in Tokyo! ⭐ ⠀ Follow @weareJapanSwitch for more miso-madness, the nuanced and fine art of making chocolate cake in a coffee mug in your microwave, and the study-hacks you need to smash the JLPT! ✌️ . . . . . #practicejapanese #orangjepang #日本語を勉強します #japanesevocabulary #lovejapanese #日本語の勉強 #japanesestudy #lovejapanesefood #tokyolunch #japanesefoods #oden #japfood #japaneselesson #japonês #japaneselanguage #日本語勉強 #japanoninsta #seafood #tokyorestaurant #japaneseculture #nippon #japantravel #日本語 #jepones #japanculture #lifeinjapan #nihongo #japangram #japonais

? Everybody loves somebody sometiiiiime... but that’s not what we’re talking about today. ⠀ We’re talking about picking up. We’re talking about flirting. We’re talking about a little of what’s before you say ‘do you want to watch a movie at my place?’ ? ⠀ So, here is some of the vocab you might hear being thrown around. In my personal experience, these words are far more nuanced than their English equivalents. If you described a guy/girl as sleazy back home, that gives you a rather one dimensional view of them as people. Guys and girls in Japan, however, use the term ちゃらい [charai] light-heartedly at times and less so at other times. It’s something you can learn about by chatting with people. ⠀ The most interesting thing is perhaps that many women have differing definitions for なんぱ. Some view it as boys trying to get them to ラブホテル [rabu hoteru/love hotel(s)] while others consider it simply the approach. It’s nuanced quite interestingly depending on who you ask. ⠀ We dare you to ask one of the boys/girls at work how they define it (unless you’re an eikaiwa teacher, then… maybe don’t). Call it the # nanpachallenge ? ⠀ ⭐ Let us know how you went in the comments! ⭐ ⠀ Follow @weareJapanSwitch for more cheeky vocab straight out of Tokyo, the only tonkatsu restaurant in Tokyo you need to know, and the top 5 reasons you haven’t broken out of eikawa yet! ✌️ ⠀ . . . . . #tokyolove #crazyjapan #japanesephrase #practicejapanese #日本語を勉強します #japanesevocabulary #japaneseclass #lovejapanese #japanesestudy #日本語の勉強 #japanesewords #japaneselesson #にほんご #japaneselanguage #japonês #japonaise #learnjapanese #foreignlanguage #日本語勉強 #tokyogram #japangram #japanculture #japanlover #日本語 #japanlife #japaneseculture #tokyo2020 #japanlovers #kanji

Today, you can skip the ‘ten ways to improve your JLPT score’ video. Let’s talk about one of the best YouTubers you’re probably missing out on — Bilingirl. ? ⠀ Chika-san is my second favorite sensei (after Yurika-sensei, of course) because she is constantly teaching phrases and vocab that just aren’t addressed on most educational channels or in textbooks. I can’t count how many times I’ve just shrugged off vocab or phrases I didn’t know until, one day, I came across them on her channel and had my “ohhhhh that’s what that means” moment (and there have been a lot of them) ? ⠀ We’re going to keep our caption a little shorter than usual today because — more than anything — we want you to head over to check out Bilingirl for yourself. This is one of my favorite channels and is a great way to make your YouTube time less about random interviews and cringe compilations and more about the phrases you need in Japan! ⠀ ⭐ Follow @weareJapanSwitch for more study-hacks, StarCraft cheat codes, and the 7 things Japanese boys and girls do to discreetly let you know they’re into you. . . . . . #japaneseclass #japaneselanguageschool #japanesestudy #japanesevocabulary #learnjapaneseonline #lovejapanese #practicejapanese #日本語の勉強 #にほんごべんきょう #日本語能力試験 #hiragana #japaneselanguage #japanisch #katakana #learnjapanese #learningjapanese #studyjapanese #にほんご #ひらがな #日本語勉強 #foreignlanguage #languagelover #japaneselesson #japaneseculture #japonais #nihongo #日本語 #japones #japonais #jepones

If you are living in Japan, you have most likely heard this phrase thrown around more than こんにちは [konnichiwa] ? ⠀ Just like how we say great work or good job in English, おつかれさま is more or less the same but with an extended usage warranty. You’ll hear it when you arrive at work, when somebody makes a call to the boss, and when everybody is going home. You’ll hear it when you meet friends or partners after a day at work or after completing any kind of task. ⠀ ⭐⭐ BONUS: おさきにしつれいします [osaki ni shitsurei shimasu] ⠀ Meaning: (Excuse me.) I’m leaving ahead of you. ⠀ This phrase is only really used when you’re heading home for the day. Combine this with today’s phrase and you’re going to sound like you’ve lived in Japan your whole life! ? ⠀ Follow @wearejapanswitch for more notes on Japanese culture, the phrases you need to know for daily life in Japan, and the 3 absolute no-no smh rules for working in a Japanese office! ✌️ . . . . . #japanesephrase #japanesegrammar #日本語勉強中 #にほんごべんきょう #japanesecharacter #japaneselanguageschool #japanexperience #lovejapanese #japanesevocabulary #japanesestudy #japaneselanguage #hiragana #日本語勉強 #japonês #learningjapanese #japanesewords #japaneselesson #tokyogram #japanawaits #amazingjapan #日本語 #nihongo #japaneseculture #japanlife #nippon #japanculture #jepang #jepones #japantravel #japanlover

Today, we’re looking at an important part of Japanese culture — the right way to say ‘no’ without actually saying it. ? ⠀ In Japanese culture, confronting someone and/or saying ‘no’ directly is considered impolite and often avoided. You’ll often hear すみません (sumimasen) in place of an outright no. I’ve heard that this is because, in Japan, they pride themselves on being useful/helpful. When they can’t, it feels like they’ve failed to live up to the cultural expectation to do so. ⠀ One thing you’ll notice is that the words ‘thank you’ are quite notably absent from today’s vocab. The simple answer is — it’s implied. In a culture like Japan’s, reading between the lines is more important than all of that kanji combined. ⠀ Take けっこうです. This changes depending on the tone, situation and how you phrase it. One meaning can be “I’ve had enough, thank you.” Another might be “I’m annoyed. Go away.” For an easy-start with this, you can use it in stores to say “naah, I’m good for bags, thanks. I brought my own eco-bags.” ? ⠀ The best way to understand the culture and correct usage of these phrases is through listening to how people use them and what they’re trying to convey. Hear what they’re feeling and what they’re saying will naturally start to make more sense. And these phrases can be heard just about everywhere. If you don’t hear them, you’re maybe living in some kind of ‘yes only’ cult. ⠀ Follow @weareJapanSwitch for more mini-lessons, study-hacks, and the (probably) actual science behind why some of us nibble at Pocky while others ‘zilla chomp ‘em ? . . . . . #japanesephrase #japanesegrammar #にほんごべんきょう #practicejapanese #japaneselanguageschool #japanesevocabulary #learnjapaneseonline #日本語勉強中 #日本語能力試験 #japanesestudy #tokyogram #japaneselanguage #hiragana #katakana #japonês #にほんご #learningjapanese #japanisch #japaneselesson #日本語勉強 #nihongo #日本語 #japanlife # #jepones #jepang #lifeinjapan #japonais #japaneseculture #traveljapan

?? It’s no surprise that Japan is one of top 3 consumers of fish in the world. Trust they’ll never fail you with their innovative approaches to seafood from sashimi to ふぐ (blowfish). ⠀ Today, we’re on Oden though. Oden is a kind of hot pot dish usually full of assorted fish balls, fish cakes, あつあげ (deep-fried tofu), daikon, and soooo much more! ⠀ My favorite thing about Oden is that you can customize it to your liking and never worry about the price. You can get started from 100 yen from the convenience stores so it’s perfect for anybody who just wants to try a little bit! ? ⠀ For a UNIQUE COMBO: A friend of mine told me she often eats Oden with a side Onigiri. She occasionally dips the onigiri into the oden for a little rice porridge action if she’s in the mood. ⠀ Japan is full of curious combinations and while oden and onigiri isn’t the most adventurous, we’ve definitely seen them around — octopus ice cream, curry popcorn, eel soda, the list goes on. ? ⠀ What’s the most interesting combo you’ve seen? ⭐ Comment below and let us know and I’ll make one of my staff try it ?⭐ ⠀ For more of the best-eats around Tokyo, the Japanese way to say ‘it’s not you, it’s me,’ and the need-to-know Christmas in Japan facts, follow @weareJapanSwitch! . . . . . #practicejapanese #orangjepang #日本語を勉強します #japanesevocabulary #lovejapanese #日本語の勉強 #japanesestudy #lovejapanesefood #tokyolunch #japanesefoods #oden #japfood #japaneselesson #japonês #japaneselanguage #日本語勉強 #japanoninsta #seafood #tokyorestaurant #japaneseculture #nippon #japantravel #日本語 #jepones #japanculture #lifeinjapan #nihongo #japangram #japonais

We know, we know. This is the ~other~ tale as old as time. But, real talk — breakups and rejections happen. That’s showbiz, baby. You deal the way you do and you come out the other side stronger for it. ? ⠀ Today’s post is on just a smidgen of the language surrounding rejections and breakups that you might hear or use in Japan. With Christmas coming up — a romantic time for Japanese couples — we’re not going to dwell on this point too long. ⠀ So, do I need to have my heart shattered into a million pieces to learn new Japanese phrases? ⠀ No. Maybe. Probably not. I don’t… know? ?‍♂️?‍♀️ ⠀ I put myself out there and into situations where the phrases presented themselves or I was in a position to require them. I went to friends for counsel and these were phrases that they taught me or that I kind of figured out based on my own experiences. We hope you don’t need them but we like to embrace a ‘live and learn’ approach to learning Japanese with emphasis on the ‘LIVE’. ⠀ Follow @weareJapanSwitch for more of the Japanese you need to know to get by on day-to-day, the conversation you need to stop having on your first dates, and one-stop-delish-hot-pot-spots around Tokyo! ✌️ . . . . . #tokyolove #crazyjapan #japanesephrase #practicejapanese #日本語を勉強します #japanesevocabulary #japaneseclass #lovejapanese #japanesestudy #日本語の勉強 #japanesewords #japaneselesson #にほんご #japaneselanguage #japonês #japonaise #learnjapanese #foreignlanguage #日本語勉強 #tokyogram #japangram #japanculture #japanlover #日本語 #japanlife #japaneseculture #tokyo2020 #japanlovers #kanji

We call it social media, Japanese people say SNS (which is short for Social Networking Service). ⠀ One thing you really should be doing (if you aren’t already) is following and engaging with Japanese natives in any way you can. ⠀ If you’re just starting out, there are a whole heap of dedicated social networks like HelloTalk, iTalki, Tandem, Conversation Exchange, etc. that are great for meeting people and making friends. ?? ⠀ If you’re looking for something you can read quickly and save for later, there are countless Twitter and Instagram hashtags you can be diving into at any point. Our Instagram is designed for N5/N4 learners so make sure you check out our mini lessons and culture notes! ⠀ Using textbooks or traditional methods can be very useful but building on that foundation and mixing it up with learning casual bits from people on SNS will give you a more naturally learning vibe. You’ll pick up on the little phrases native speakers rely on the most, how they start and end conversations, how they express themselves, how they accept or decline invites, etc. There’s so much nuance buried in every language so relying only on textbooks will only get you so far. ⠀ We plug our favorite Instagram channels weekly in our stories so follow us to see some of the best free resources on Instagram! Are there any honorable mentions that we missed? ⭐ Tag them in the comments! ⭐ ⠀ As always, a big thanks to Yurika-Sensei for letting us post these and we hope they helped! For more study hacks, follow @weareJapanSwitch! ✌️ . . . . . #japaneseclass #japaneselanguageschool #japanesestudy #japanesevocabulary #learnjapaneseonline #lovejapanese #practicejapanese #日本語の勉強 #にほんごべんきょう #日本語能力試験 #hiragana #japaneselanguage #japanisch #katakana #learnjapanese #learningjapanese #studyjapanese #にほんご #ひらがな #日本語勉強 #foreignlanguage #languagelover #japaneselesson #japaneseculture #japonais #nihongo #日本語 #japones #japonais #jepones

Cat got your tongue? Today’s Japanese expression bears… zero relation to this phrase ? ⠀ There’s a looot of hot soup based dishes here and they are pretty much always served piping hot so it can’t be easy for ねこじた folk to have to always wait for their food to cool down. (I’m kind of in this camp but not completely. Sometimes, when I make cup ramen at home, I’ll add some cold water to the final fire water soup to help it cool down a little faster) ⠀ ? A LITTLE SOMETHING TO REMEMBER ⠀ ねこじた has nothing to do with the spice factor. If you can’t handle spicy food, that’s an entirely different matter. Generally, as a rule of thumb to help you remember: ⠀ ?️ あつい [atsui] = hot (temperature) ⠀ ?️ からい [karai] = hot/spicy (flavor) ⠀ Speaking of spice and being that nabe season is in full effect, I’m starting to craving my faaaavorite spicy nabe from Akakara! Have you guys been? Any recommendations for winter dishes in Tokyo? ⭐ Comment below and let us know! ⭐ ⠀ For more notes on Japanese culture, 6 things you should be absolutely doing as a Japanese student, and the real ways to remember vocab from N1 sons and daughters, follow @weareJapanSwitch! ✌️ . . . . . #japanesephrase #japanesegrammar #日本語勉強中 #にほんごべんきょう #japanesecharacter #japaneselanguageschool #japanexperience #lovejapanese #japanesevocabulary #japanesestudy #japaneselanguage #hiragana #日本語勉強 #japonês #learningjapanese #japanesewords #japaneselesson #tokyogram #japanawaits #amazingjapan #日本語 #nihongo #japaneseculture #japanlife #nippon #japanculture #jepang #jepones #japantravel #japanlover

[SWIPE LEFT ?] When you start learning Japanese, there are often times when you try to express yourself but struggle due to a lack of vocab. Today, we wanted to look at different ways to ask “how do you say…” to help you get through those tricky conversations. ⠀ As always, the higher you go on the politeness meter, the more comfortable you are in the relationship. If you’re talking to your manager, you’ll want something in the green. If you’re talking to your best friend, you can veer closer to the other end of the scale. ⠀ If you have a terrible memory like me, then you can use these phrases to help recall the words that are lost somewhere deep in your psyche — buried between kanji and kanji and words you studied but never actually hear. Are there any words you just keep forgetting over and over no matter how many times you study them? ⭐ Comment below and let us know! ⭐ ⠀ SIDE NOTE: ‘tte nan to iu?’ can also be used to ask “what is this called?” when you’re curious about the name of something. ⠀ A: kono omise tte nan to iu? B: … makudonarudo da yo. ⠀ For more mini-lessons on surviving Tokyo, ways to navigate awkward exchanges, and the ever-evolving list of things you absolutely need to know to fall in love in Tokyo, follow @weareJapanSwitch! . . . . . #japanesephrase #japanesegrammar #にほんごべんきょう #practicejapanese #japaneselanguageschool #japanesevocabulary #learnjapaneseonline #日本語勉強中 #日本語能力試験 #japanesestudy #tokyogram #japaneselanguage #hiragana #katakana #japonês #にほんご #learningjapanese #japanisch #japaneselesson #日本語勉強 #nihongo #日本語 #japanlife # #jepones #jepang #lifeinjapan #japonais #japaneseculture #traveljapan