The Top 5 Mistakes All Japanese Learners Make
Learning Japanese is a thrilling journey, but it's riddled with common pitfalls. From mixing up crucial particles like は and が to using the wrong politeness level in conversations, these…
Tag: keigo
How to Use ‘Desu’ and ‘Masu’ (And When to Drop Them)
The polite endings '-desu' and '-masu' are keystones of beginner Japanese, but true fluency comes from knowing when to drop them. This guide explains the difference between polite speech (teineigo)…
Is Japanese Hard? The 3 ‘Scary’ Parts Debunked
Is Japanese truly the impossible mountain it's made out to be? We tackle the three biggest fears for aspiring learners—Kanji, grammar, and politeness levels—and show you why each 'scary' part…
The Grammar of Respect: Navigating Honorifics
While English speakers use 'sir' or 'ma'am', many languages embed respect directly into their grammar. This post explores the fascinating honorific systems of Japanese, Korean, and Javanese, where changing a…
Saving Face: The Intricate Linguistic Dance of Politeness in East Asian Cultures
The concept of "face" (面子, 체면, メンツ) is a cornerstone of social interaction in East Asia, deeply encoded in language. This post explores the intricate linguistic dance of indirectness, honorifics,…
Speaking in Tones: The Art and Science of Politeness in Japanese (Keigo)
Beyond "konnichiwa" lies Keigo, a complex system of Japanese politeness that goes far beyond simple pleasantries. This linguistic art form embeds social status and relationships directly into the grammar, transforming…