The Japanese Tutor

The Japanese Tutor

Grammar Sentence Structure

The Japanese language is structured quite differently from English. However, while it may take a little getting used to, basic Japanese sentence structure is simple to learn and eventually master—perhaps far more simple than English sentence structure! Subject + Object…

Kanji

Kanji 漢字 is the third Japanese writing system you’ll need to study. Kanji became widely used in Japan during the 6th century CE, although it was originally imported from Chinasometime in the 1st century CE. Although most kanji remain virtually…

Katakana

k-n

Katakana is the second of the two scripts exclusive to the Japanese language. Like hiragana, katakana consists of a total of 46 basic characters that each represent a basic Japanese syllable. Some of these characters can be modified and/or combined…

Hiragana

Hiragana Japanese Writing

Hiragana is one of two scripts exclusive to the Japanese language and is the more frequently used of the two. Japanese kanji, the common pictographic Japanese script in which many characters have more than one meaning and pronunciation, was imported…

Japanese Television: Dorama

In the U.S., the goal of virtually every television show is to get renewed for another season. The successful shows are renewed for a total of three, five, ten or even twenty years (The Simpsons, if you’re wondering) even if,…

Karaoke: More than Just a Sing-Along

Karaoke In Japan

Karaoke may not be an exclusive activity to Japan—nor was it necessarily originated in Japan—but the name itself demonstrates how widespread and influential the activity is in Japan. “Karaoke” is a Japanese loanword, a portmanteau of the words “kara” and…