Generative AI is reaching a fever pitch these days, and I think it's not a good sign for those who are just starting to learn Japanese. Unlike an electronic dictionary or an SRS app, generative AI offers to do the language for students, eliminating the friction of language learning. That friction is necessary for you to learn, so I'd recommend seeking out that pain instead. For new students, I'd challenge you: See if you can study Japanese for three years without generative AI. And at that point reassess and see if it's something you really need.

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It's good practice to double check Japanese phrases you use every now and then, and this month I looked into 改めて (aratamete), which is a nice, polite way to say "again." I go through some examples and introduce one of my new favorite writers. I've also got grocery store recommendations AND the latest information about the new Murakami novel coming out in July. Check out the newsletter and blog for more.

Feel free to reach out with any questions or 悩み事 to howtojapanese@gmail.com.

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事項 is one of the most useful Japanese words, but it's useless on its own. It must link together with another word to take on meaning. This month I look at all the different combinations I could find. Also, I give my recommendations for Kobe. Don't forget to check out the blog and the newsletter.

Feel free to reach out with any questions or 悩み事 to howtojapanese@gmail.com.

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Japanese passive forms can be difficult to get used to at first. Finding a few phrases you understand, such as 初めて言われました, can make it easier to access others. Check out the newsletter and the blog for more info.

Feel free to reach out with any questions or 悩み事 to howtojapanese@gmail.com.

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This month, I wrote about 御社 (onsha) and 弊社 (heisha), two business words used to mean "your (honorable) company" and "my (humble) company." These were difficult for me to differentiate at first, but I have a helpful mnemonic, and a helpful way to understand how they get used: essentially they function as pronouns. Check out the newsletter and the blog.

Feel free to reach out with any questions or 悩み事 to howtojapanese@gmail.com.

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I'm taking December off to prep for parental leave, so I went back through some of my favorite writing from the past 18 years. Give it a listen, and don't forget the newsletter and the blog.

Feel free to reach out with any questions or 悩み事 to howtojapanese@gmail.com.

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当日 is an extremely efficient little word that can refer to any specific day in the past or the future. Tune in to learn how to incorporate it into your active Japanese instead of trying to use grammar from your native language translated into Japanese. For more, check out the newsletter and the blog.

Feel free to reach out with any questions or 悩み事 to howtojapanese@gmail.com.

You can also follow How to Japanese on the newsletter, Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

謎です。 This is all you need to get a laugh in Japanese, given the right situation. Listen to learn more about how to use this funny phrase, and to dig into the career of comedian Katagiri Jin who acted in a comedy short that went viral on the internet outside of Japan in the late 2000s. See more on the newsletter and blog.

Feel free to reach out with any questions or 悩み事 to howtojapanese@gmail.com.

You can also follow How to Japanese on the newsletter, Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.