#self-teach japanese

Hello there lovely people!
After a long absence, we have returned! We’re so sorry that we haven’t posted in a while. :(

We’re going to jump straight back in to our language tips and tricks guide, so let’s get back into the swing of things with going to the bathroom in Japan (because let’s face it, you’ll have to at some point). :P

Firstly, when you’re asking where the bathroom is, you can ask either of the following:

トイレはどこですか？ (Toire wa doko desu ka?) - Where is the toilet?

おてあらいはどこですか？(Otearai wa doko desu ka?) - Where is the bathroom? (more polite than トイレ)

おてあらいはどちらですか？- (Otearai wa dochira desu ka?)Which one is the bathroom?

If there is a long line of people and you’re not sure if someone is in the line, you can ask:

ならんでいますか？- (Narande imasu ka?) - Are you waiting?

If there is someone who looks like they’re absolutely busting and you wish to let them go first, you can say:

おさきにどうぞ - (Osaki ni douzo) - You can go first.

If you’d like to excuse yourself to go to the bathroom, you can say:

おてあらい／トイレにいってもよろしいですか？- (Otearai/toire ni itte mo yoroshii desu ka?) - Is it okay if I go to the bathroom?

Another thing to know is that some places will not have an American style toilet. There will only be a Japanese style toilet (as seen below).

Image from http://www.shorttraveltips.com/japan-japanese-style-toilet/

If you are only able to find a Japanese style toilet and you don’t wish to use it, you can ask someone this:

ようしきトイレはありますか？- (Youshiki toire wa arimasuka?) - Do you have an American style toilet?

If there are no American style toilets and you don’t want to use the Japanese style ones, you’ll have to do what Clare did and hold it for three hours. Just make sure you’re not rude about it. :)

We know it’s a rather strange topic, but trust us. You’ll need it!

That’s all for this week, everyone! We’re at the bottom of this post. Get it? :D

Until next time,

Clare and Yu

Hey everyone!

Oh gosh, it’s been two months since we last posted! We’ve both been so busy lately, but we’re back now and getting ready to post at least once a week for you guys! Sorry for the lack of posts lately! <3

Here is part two of our ‘Fun Ways to Learn Japanese’ blog post!

Watch your favourite childhood movies in Japanese!

Do you have a movie that you love so much that you know every line off by heart? Try watching it in Japanese! You’ll be surprised at how much you can pick up language wise. Whenever I (Clare) watch English movies I know well in Japanese, I pick up so many words and phrases. It’s a great way to practice listening skills as well!

There are many places to buy these movies (since most aren’t online) such as Buyee, Amazon and YesAsia! Some of them may be a little pricey, but you’ll find yourself watching these movies over and over again. Definitely worth the buy!

Moekana - Japanese Basic Learning Cards

I’m sure most of you know of Danny Choo and his mascot Mirai. But did you know that he has also produced a fun card game to improve your Japanese skills? 

There are two ways to play this game. One way is the knowledge round, where you take turns to form words. The other round is the speed round where you have to form as many words as possible with 26 cards. It’s a lot trickier than it sounds!

(image from Goodsmile.info)

HelloTalk

HelloTalk is an interesting app that I stumbled upon whilst looking for language apps. You can talk to multiple exchange partners from Japan who are interested in learning Japanese. You can choose to talk to certain age groups or genders, and it’s a great way to make new friends!

As with all language exchange apps, you will find a few creepers, but they can simply be blocked. No questions asked!

Clare:

I picked up a lot of Japanese, and learnt things about Japanese culture that I never knew! You can even correct sentences for people learning English and they can fix up your sentences for you as well. There’s also a translate button, and a button that allows you to hear what the sentence sounds like. There’s a phone function as well if you would like to talk to your new friends!

(image from hellotalk.com)

That’s it for this post! As we discover more fun ways to learn and practice Japanese, we’ll post more and more about it!

Stay tuned for next week! More language and learning tips coming your way! :)

We’re always here to answer any questions you may have. Happy studying!

Clare and Yu.

Hello everyone!

We all know that using text books and listening to speaking can help us study a new language, but the best way to learn is sometimes the fun way! Sure, a text book will help you gain knowledge, but sometimes it’s easier to retain information if you have fun with it!

Here’s part one of our ‘Fun Ways to Study in Japanese’ post!

Shiritori しりとり

Our favourite game to play in the car (yes, more than ‘I Spy’) is a game called ‘Shiritori’ しりとり which literally means ‘taking the end’. It;s a fun word game that will help you practice your knowledge and memory of words in Japanese. Get a friend (or friends) who is also studying Japanese, or someone who knows Japanese fluently, and play this game together!

How to play ‘Shiritori’:

1. The person who decides to go first says ‘shiritori’.

2. The second person will say a word beginning with ‘ri’ (eg. Ringo りんご- Apple).

3. The first (or next) player will say something beginning with go (eg. Gorira ゴリラ- Gorilla).

Each person will take turns saying a word beginning with the last character. If a word like ‘jitensha’ (bicycle) is used, always use the last character of the word, which in this case is ya　（や）．

The main rule of Shiritori is to make sure you don’t say words ending with ‘n’　（ん). 

Another fun way of studying Japanese is by watching children’s shows! Although watching anime can help a bit with learning phrases and words, you’ll be surprised by how much more you can pick up by watching a show designed for children! It helps you practice your listening skills, as well as hear simple phrases and words.

Here are a few shows that we both recommend:

Juppon Anime  じゅっぽん　あにめ

This show is a silly short show about 10 sticks (yes, sticks) who go on adventures. Although that may sound a little boring at first, this show has funny little skits that will make you giggle. It’s a fun show to watch when you have a little bit of spare time.

Hotch Potch Station　ハッチポッチステーション

This show is a very similar to Sesame Street. It’s a show with lots of songs and music. You’ll be surprised at how much you’ll learn, and how you’ll end up getting the catchy theme song stuck in your head!

Yatter Man　やったーまん

Although this show did get a revamp in 2008, the 1977 original anime is amazing and has simple Japanese to help with your studies. It’s a crime fighting anime so it’s always exciting!

Chi’s Sweet Home　チーズスイートホーム

I’m sure most of you know about this adorable anime! Chi’s Sweet Home is all about the adventures of a little kitten named Chi. Prepare for many ‘aww’ moments and cuteness! 

(All pictures from Google).

You can also find episodes of The Simpsons, Spongebob Squarepants and other shows dubbed in Japanese! You know the shows well, and if you know an episode off by heart, watch it in Japanese and see how well you remember it! You may even pick up a few phrases and handy words.

That’s it for this blog post! Stay tuned for part two next week!

As usual, we’re here to answer any questions you have. Happy studying!

Clare and Yu.