lingopotatous

[lingopotatous]

恵 (megumi) "blessed"

⭐️ "Megumi" is used to describe a situation that is full of something positive.

🌺 For example, "a field full of flowers" could be said like this:

「花に恵まれたこの野」

Literally, "a field blessed with flowers".

👧 It's also a fairly common girls' name.

The original artwork in the photo is available from my Etsy store here.

[lingopotatous]

Apps/sites for learning Japanese

Can't believe how high quality these free resources are!

Last updated: 2025-01-05

コース

Minato

Free high-quality interactive self-guided courses. It also has live courses (I haven't tried it yet).

Preview

TUFS Language Modules

From Tokyo University of Foreign Studies.

The English version currently only has the pronunciation and dialog modules, so I'm studying the Traditional Chinese version.

Features

Vocabulary list by topics (Chinese)

Dialog

Pronunciation guide

辞書

Kakimashou

Features

Stroke order

Tone

Preview

Jisho

Super clean interface

Features

Tone

Has JLPT tags

Lots of sentence examples

アプリ

Miraa

The Miraa app makes it easy to listen and repeat (the shadowing/echoing technique).

It has a paid version, but I find the free version to be good enough

Features

Can directly paste links from YouTube

Can ask AI for an explanation of words/sentences you don't understand

Has search built in to search for podcasts in Japanese

renshuu

Also available as a web app

その他(た)のツール

Google - Text-to-Speech AI

Useful for reading out my transcripts. It already sounds much more natural than I do, so I can import it to Miraa and shadow my writings.

10ten Japanese Reader (Rikaichamp)

This is a Chrome extension that I use. I used to use Yomichan and then Yomitan after Yomichan sunsetted. But I personally like 10ten's UI.

Preview

[lingopotatous]

I very much agree with these suggestions. Forcing myself to write was the way I could finally start to become an active rather than a passive user of the target language.

[lingopotatous]

愛でる

めでる

① to love; to cherish

② to admire; to appreciate

心静かに花鳥風月を愛でる気持ちの余裕も最近になってでて来たよ。 こころ しずか に かちょうふうげつ を めでる きもち の よゆう も さいきん に なって でて きた よ。 Lately I've had the time to quietly admire the beauty and wonders of nature.

[lingopotatous]

A very picturesque little shop today! The large text says 双木 Namiki, which is a name belonging to about 900 people.

双 is new to this blog! It means pair, set, or comparison. It can be read ふた, たぐい, ならぶ, ふたつ, or ソウ.

As a counter, it's read ソウ, and it's used for certain paired objects. Generally, though, it's much more common to use 対 【タイ】. Chopsticks are counted with 膳 【ゼン】.

木 should be very familiar. It means tree or wood. It’s read き, こ, ボク, or モク.

Finally, the small text. The noun 古美術商 【こびじゅつしょう】 means antiques dealer. Taking it piece by piece, 古 means old, 美術 means art, and 古美術 means antiques or old works of art. Throw 商 merchant on the end, and there you go! Antiques dealer!

[lingopotatous]

A lil quick reading practice for y'all because I was pleasantly surprised that I could read pretty much all of this (asides from having to look up one word). Useful vocab below the cut!

Useful vocab:

たんぱく質（たんぱくしつ）protein

不足（ふそく）insufficiency, deficiency

摂取量（せっしゅりょう）intake (of nutrients, calories etc)

平均（へいきん）average (mean)

約（やく）approximately

減る（へる）to decrease

戦後（せんご）postwar period (Second World War)

量（りょう）quantity, portion, amount

無理な（むりな）impossible, unreasonable

予防（よぼう）prevention

原因（げんいん）cause

不調（ふちょう）bad condition, disorder

訴える（うったえる）to raise, to complain (of), to bring to (someone's attention)

増える（ふえる）to increase

満ちる（みちる）to fill

把握（はあく）understanding, grasp (of a situation)

見直す（みなおす）to look at again, to re-examine

[lingopotatous]

today's vocab

nouns:

正当防衛（せいとうぼうえい） = legitimate self-defense

チャラ = forgiving (a debt), being even; pretending something never happened (colloquial)

減らず口（へらずぐち） = impudent talk, talking back, getting in the last word

形見（かたみ） = memento (esp. of a deceased person)

遺言状（ゆいごんじょう） = will (legal)

かんしゃく = temper, irritability

賽銭泥棒（さいせんどろぼう） = thief who steals money from the offerings box at a shrine/temple

音痴（おんち） = tone deafness

〜音痴（おんち） = having no sense of (e.g., direction), being illiterate in (e.g., computers)

よりどころ = grounds, authority; support, something to rely on

風化（ふうか） = fading (of memories)

杞憂（きゆう） = needless fear, unfounded worry

三次元（さんじげん） = three dimensional

verbs:

狂う（くるう） = to go mad, lose one’s mind

付け回す（つけまわす） = to follow, shadow, hover around

入り浸る（いりびたる） = to hang around, frequent

振り下ろす（ふりおろす） = to swing downward, bring down

ねじくれる = to be contrary, uncooperative

ませる = to be precocious, be mature for one’s age

喰らう（くらう） = to be on the receiving end of, undergo (trouble)

きょどる = to act suspiciously

へこむ = to be disheartened, feel down

〜だより = news, tidings, updates from

adjectives:

冷淡（れいたん）な = cool, indifferent; cold, heartless

支離滅裂（しりめつれつ）な = incoherent, inconsistent, nonsensical

三次元（さんじげん）の = real-world, IRL

adverbs/onomatopoeiae:

片っ端（かたっぱし）から = every little bit, thoroughly, systematically, one after the other

矢先（やさき）に = just when (one is about to), just as, on the point of

expressions:

耳（みみ）に付く（つく） = to catch one’s attention/ear

途方（とほう）に暮れる（くれる） = to be at a loss, puzzled

〜ずじまい = ending before one had time to do something

ひんしゅくを買う（かう） = to be frowned upon

まった = wait, hold it

片や（かたや） = on the one hand

〜なりに = in one’s own way or style

[lingopotatous]

ways to say "only", "just" in Japanese

When I started learning Japanese, I quickly discovered that “only” translates to だけ (dake). Soon after, I learned about しか (shika) and then ばかり (bakari). This led me to wonder how many ways there are to express the idea of "only" or "just" in the Japanese language. I began exploring the fascinating world of adverbs that convey limitation or exclusivity, each with its own specific nuance.

Here are some of the terms I’ve discovered (which I may continue to expand upon):

だけ (dake): Strongly emphasizes exclusivity, meaning that nothing else is included or considered. Example: 水だけください。 (Please give me only water.)

しか (shika) (used with a negative verb): Often conveys a sense of disappointment or limitation, implying that there’s nothing but the mentioned item, often with a sense of restriction. Example: 私は日本語しか話せません。 (I can only speak Japanese.)

ばかり (bakari): Suggests the dominance or prevalence of something, often with a sense of excess or monotony and a negative nuance. It does not imply strict exclusivity. Example: お菓子ばかり食べている。 (I’m only eating snacks.)

ばかし (bakashi): A casual variant of ばかり, used mostly in spoken language. It conveys a similar meaning but carries a more informal tone. Example: 遊んでばっかしいる。 (He’s only playing.)

のみ (nomi): Used in formal or written contexts, conveying exclusivity. It can sound elegant and refined. Example: 本日のみ有効です。 (Valid only today.)

ばかりか (bakari ka): This expression expands the meaning by introducing additional information, indicating more than just "only." Example: 彼は優しいばかりか、面白いです。 (He is not only kind but also funny.)

だけしか (dake shika) (used with a negative verb): This term combines だけ and しか, emphasizing strong exclusivity when used with negative constructions. Example: これだけしかない。 (There is only this.)

こそ (koso): Indicates that the highlighted item is particularly special or the best choice, often implying that nothing else can compare. Example: 今日こそ勉強する。 (Today, of all days, I will study.)

たった (tatta): Implies that an amount is minimal and often inadequate, highlighting a sense of limitation. Example: たった一人で旅行した。 (I traveled with just one person.)

わずか (wazuka): Emphasizes a minimal quantity or degree, often with a sense of surprise. Example: わずか10分で終わった。 (It only took 10 minutes.)

ほんの (honno): Indicates a small or trivial amount, often used to downplay something. Example: ほんの少しだけ食べた。 (I ate just a little bit.)

に限る (ni kagiru): This expression is used to convey that something is the best or only suitable choice for a situation. Example: 夏はアイスクリームに限る。 (Ice cream is the best for summer.)

だけでなく (dake de naku): Similar to ばかりか , this phrase is used to express that there’s more than just one thing happening. Example: 彼女は賢いだけでなく、優しいです。 (She is not only smart but also kind.)

単に (tan ni): Indicates simplicity; often used to clarify or explain something in a straightforward manner. Example: 単に冗談だよ。 (It’s just a joke.)

あくまで (akumade): Suggests that something is true only to a certain extent or in a specific context. Example: あくまで私の意見です。 (This is just my opinion.)

たかが (takaga): Often carries a dismissive connotation, suggesting that something is not very important. Example: たかが試験一回でどうなるものか。 (It’s just one exam; it won’t change much.)

I love discovering all these subtle differences and nuances, even if it can be frustrating at times. If you know of any more, please share!

[lingopotatous]

What I use to learn 日本語! I'll be updating this as I go! So make sure to check in sometime! ദ്ദി(ᵔᗜᵔ) (Incomplete!!)

Apps!

Renshuu - Adjustable plan, has flashcards, games, guides, and an interactive community! Overall really simple to use and so fun!

Busuu - Full of ads but has helpful information and an interactive community, no flashcards though.

Websites!

Wanna use Japanese! - It'll show you a few sources/links for the thing you want to practice, whether it be reading, speaking, writing or listening!

Dokusho club - Gives you reading sources!

Tadoku - Also another reading website, with furigana!

Nihongo e na - You choose what category you want to study in, and it'll give you resources! You can also add resources of your own!

Anime & Manga - Can't forget about all my anime/manga lovers!

Minato - For self-study students, they also have a few tutor courses!

Hikidasu - Hikidasu is a Japanese-drama series about Xuan our main character who found herself in Japan for work despite knowing little to none Japanese, embark on a journey of learning with her!

Youglish - Dictionary, plays a video and the timestamp where said word is being spoken so you can pronounce it like how a native speaker would!

Jisho - Another dictionary with examples!

Japanga - 3 in one! Dictionary, Kana and Kanji studies along with radicles!

Youtube!

Japarrot - Learning Japanese and listening practice in forms of skits!

Let's ask shogo! - Culture!

Kaname Naito - Japanese learning, particles, words, ect.

Comprehensible Japanese - It's in the name, The channel contains gaming content, cooking, unboxing, reading books, all in Japanese with gestures! I suggest watching the unpacking series!

Nihongo Dekita With Sayaka - Much like Kaname Naito, teaches you real Japanese!

Daily Japanese with Naoko - Food, listening practice, and conversation practice!

Nihongo learning - Bite sized comprehensible Japanese videos!

Japanese Ammo with Misa - Like Sayaka, although she uploads frequently(?)

Learn Japanese with Tanaka San - Short skits and listening practice!

Yuko-Sensei - One of THE best teachers there is tbh, explains grammar points, particles, Kanji radicles, and so on!

Leisurely Life Diary - Life vlogs from the country side of Japan! All in Japanese + Japanese Subtitle

Akane Japanese Class - Vlogs and essential vocab for certain places, All in Japanese!

Anime!

Atashin'chi Official Channel - Slice of life anime in Japanese without subtitles! There are Eng subs though.

美味しんぼ 公式チャンネル【デジタルリマスター版】 -

@moss-sama-sideblog i thought id tag you in this since you looked interested

[lingopotatous]

For your question about what people wish was different about Japanese learning materials, something that I've always disliked about most resources is how they teach 'conjugation' because it's unnecessarily complicated. It doesn't help that Japanese 'conjugation' doesn't resemble at all what you do in English, Spanish, French, German, etc. because it's not really conjugation like that. It doesn't indicate number, person, mood, or tense beyond the simple past and non-past. This video is honestly the best resource I've found for this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhyrskGBKHE&list=PLg9uYxuZf8x_A-vcqqyOFZu06WlhnypWj&index=8 , and I wish verbs were taught like this in other places too.

For me, learning verbs in the ない form first really helped, but I know that other people find different ways easier. I have an explanation why I do this on my blog. Conjugation seems to always be one of those topics where no one is satisfied and everyone wants a better way. :( Waiting for the Matrix downloading right to the brain on this one! Thank you for the video, I actually haven't watched any of Cure Dolly's stuff, but I've heard that her videos are pretty alright, if a bit dated on a literal technical level, not subject level. I'll have to poke through some of them and see if any of the information sticks. Again, thank you very much for answering my question!

[lingopotatous]

Found a new language practice app!

Polygloss has you describe an image in your target language so another player can guess it. It encourages creative answers. The game works for people of all levels — you can describe simple pictures or try your hand at wordplay.

It has plenty of options and will let you add any language you’d like — tho it’ll probably be more difficult to find people to play with.

[lingopotatous]

Sat, Aug 24, 2024

This month has been a bit slow, I barely made any progress on my Japanese. I only had time to spend a few minutes a day on LingoDeer, which added up to about an hour a week. But it's alright because I had a fun and longer Japanese study session today! 🌸

~🌿🌿🌿~

I switched my YouTube interface to Japanese, and it's been quite tricky to get around. So, I decided to learn the interface today. By learning the interface, I mean translating the side navigation menu and adding them into my vocab bank (because it's not realistic to translate every single page on that site, lol).

I use Remnote to collect vocabulary because it has flashcards and spaced repetition features while functions like regular note-taking apps. so it's really easy to use. Plus, it allows you to share notes publicly! If anyone is interested, you can check the Youtube interface vocab notes I did today.

~🌿🌿🌿~

After today's study session, I updated my Japanese study plan. I listed the grammar points I need to master for the JLPT N5 and evaluated my study flow. Here's my plan:

📘 Learning Vocab

● Vocab Shopping: Collect words while studying (using various media) or choose themes I’m interested in. ● Vocab Collecting:  1. Type raw vocab into Remnote. 2. Check the meaning and furigana for kanji on Jisho. 3. Embed pronunciation audio from Reverso. 4. Verify translations with DeepL if Jisho & Reverso don't feel accurate. 5. Type the meaning. 6. Practice using flashcards (Remnote).

🏮 Learning Kanji

● Collect kanji while studying. ● Make time to learn kanji in order using LingoDeer resources. ● Practice by writing and using flashcards.

📏Studying the Grammar Book

● Read the book and collect vocab. ● Practice making sentences and type them into Remnote for easier translation and text-to-speech use. ● Look up and listen to pronunciations. ● Try forming more comprehensive paragraphs or stories after learning enough grammar points. ● Write them down in a notebook to practice handwriting. ● Review vocab and kanji regularly.

~🌿🌿🌿~

Challenges to solve later:

The vocab-collecting process takes a lot of time, which makes me impatient and feels less productive. I wish I could automate it somehow.

Learning kanji is still tough! I still have no idea how to distinguish different strokes, they all look the same to me lol

I tried listening to beginner Japanese podcasts, but I barely recognized any words except for some borrowed English terms. Since I'm still a total beginner, should I continue listening even though I don't understand much, or should I set aside time to study the podcasts' scripts?

I haven’t learned as much as I hoped, but I’ll keep studying. I’ll try to post something in Japanese next time!

[lingopotatous]

About how to say "to try" in Japanese

In English, the verb "to try" can have different connotations depending on the context. Among its various meanings are the following:

Experimenting or testing something: this implies attempting to do something to see what happens, often with an open mind and no guarantee of success. For example, "I'll try this new recipe" suggests that you're testing out the recipe, perhaps for the first time, to see how it turns out.

Attempting with effort: this implies making an effort to accomplish something, even if the outcome is uncertain. For example, "I'll try to finish this project by tomorrow" suggests that you're putting in effort with the hope of succeeding, but there's a possibility you might not.

In Japanese, these nuances of "to try" are expressed using different grammatical forms:

1. ～てみる (te miru) This form is used when you want to "try" something in the sense of experimenting, testing, or doing something for the first time to see the result. You use ～てみる when you're not sure about the outcome and want to see what happens, often in a casual or exploratory sense. For example, you use it when trying a new food or testing a new activity: 初めて寿司を食べてみる (hajimete sushi o tabete miru) - I'll try eating sushi for the first time; テニスをしてみる (tenisu o shite miru) - I'll try playing tennis.

2. ～ようとする (yō to suru) This form is used when you're making an effort to do something, with the understanding that the result is uncertain or difficult to achieve. You use ～ようとする when you're expressing your intention to make an effort, especially in situations where success is not guaranteed. For example, you use it when you're attempting something challenging or you're making an effort with uncertain results: 明日早く起きようとする (ashita hayaku okiyou to suru) - I'll try to wake up early tomorrow; 宿題を時間通りに終わらせようとする (shukudai o jikan dōri ni owaraseyou to suru) - I'll try to finish my homework on time.

In the ～てみる (te miru) form, the use of 見る (miru), meaning "to see," suggests that the speaker is metaphorically "seeing what happens" by performing the action. It implies a lower level of commitment to a specific outcome; the action is undertaken with curiosity or a desire to experience something new. The result is not the primary focus; rather, the process of doing or experiencing something is emphasized. In contrast, the ～ようとする (yō to suru) form uses the volitional form よう (yō) to signal a strong intention or will to carry out the action, and する (suru), meaning "to do," emphasizes the attempt. This form conveys a higher level of personal involvement and responsibility, focusing on the effort required to reach a desired goal. While the outcome is uncertain, the focus is on the attempt itself, with an underlying hope or expectation that the effort might lead to success.

In conclusion, we can say that in English "to try" is a verb that must rely on context or additional modifiers to convey whether the action is exploratory or effortful. On the other hand, Japanese uses separate constructions to encode these nuances directly within the verb forms, reflecting a more fine-grained linguistic approach to expressing different types of attempts.

[lingopotatous]

tip for improving japanese reading speed!

how about you try some カラオケ???

i've been doing this for a couple years now and i think this has single-handedly made my reading speed in japanese improve to the point of almost being as fast as it is in english (although i still struggle with kanji and katakana sometimes x_x)

to find one, i usually just search on youtube (song name) followed by either カラオケ or ニコカラ. if nobody has made a karaoke for your song of choice, then i'd otherwise search up (song name) followed by 歌詞 (kashi/lyrics) and you'll usually find them that way. i like to use the site utaten.com because they all feature furigana! be a little careful though because while its only happened to me a couple of times, there's been times where the furigana is wrong for one or two words.

i think this is a really fun way to practice especially if you love singing, like i do!! i've never seen anyone else recommend this so i hope this helps

[lingopotatous]

Hi hi~

Can you give me some Kanji learning tips, please? Do you prefer to memorize them by writing them or do you have any specific way to learn them?

Thank you!! <3

My first ever ask! Thank you I am honoured.

I've tried all sorts of apps and techniques and for me what worked best was plain old immersion. While the Kanji Tree and Renshuu have helped a bit, I've learned more kanji from playing games and reading manga than I have from anything else. Seeing them actually out in the wild being used like they're supposed to worked far more helping me memorise them than writing them over and over again in a notebook.

I have an app called Takoboto that's a dictionary app that allows you to look up kanji using radicals and I always have that open when playing a game or reading manga. There's also the Jisho website that has the same feature as well as allowing you to draw the kanji you saw.

Hope this helped!

[lingopotatous]

July-Aug 10, 2024

🌸 My friend, my mentor <3

My Japanese lit graduate friend recommended some learning resources to learn Japanese. She's also willing to mentor me. How sweet :") We hung out every Saturday last month, exploring different cafes in our city, chitchatting, and then reviewing my Japanese learning progress. Unfortunately, I didn't have the chance to meet her for the last two weeks because my workload was packed. I haven't learned any Japanese either since. But I'll try to get back into my learning routine next week!

📚 Books?

She recommended I use the Minna no Nihongo book as my study guide. I also tried using some other books like the Genki series, and a JLTP-focused book in my native language. The books are pretty easy to understand. But it felt weird to learn the grammar solely from the book without knowing how it actually sounds in real life. I thought I needed to familiarize myself with the music of the language. So, I decided to explore some Japanese content on YouTube first.

🎶 The music of the language

I stumbled upon some videos about the Japanese pitch accent and how it's different from the English stress accent. Unfortunately, the only way to learn the pitch of each word is by consuming Japanese content and taking your own notes. I hope there's some kind of pitch indicators in the Japanese dictionaries, like how English dictionaries indicate which syllables need to be stressed in the pronunciation part.

⌨️ Using app & typing

I also tried using the Lingodeer app yesterday. It's been fun! I like how the lessons provided are so applicative, realistic, and interactive. To improve my learning efficiency, I also learned how to type in Japanese!

>> NEXT >>

My next missions are to enrich my vocabularies, memorize the kanji of those vocabs (if applicable), and continue learning grammar.

🎧

[lingopotatous]

IsshoNihongo! Table of Contents

Hey everyone! 👋🏾

I realized that it may be difficult to find certain posts here on my Tumblr. I wanted to introduce a simple way for you to read and access my posts, so I decided to make this table of contents. For now, I’ve organized it into a few main sections. Feel free to read and browse as you wish.

① About IsshoNihongo! 

② Kana and Kanji

Introduction to Kanji

The 46 Basic Hiragana - Quick Overview 

On’yomi List

③ Grammar Posts

1) About が

2) As For は…

3) The は and が Tag Team

4) Making Your Own Sentences

5) The Four Main Parts of Speech

　　

6) Predicate Power

7) です and です

　　

8.1) Verbs - The Stem

8.2) Verbs - Endings

8.3) Verbs - Two Main Types

8.4) Verbs - Other Important Endings

9.1) Adjectives - The Basic Endings

9.2) Adjectives - Three Ways to Use Them

　　

10.1) Nouns - Attaching the Copula

10.2) Nouns - Using な

10.3) Nouns - ではない

11.1) The の Particle [Part 1] [Part 2]

11.2) The を Particle [Part 1] [Part 2]

11.3) The から Particle [Part 1] [Part 2]

11.4) The より Particle [Part 1] [Part 2]

11.5) The に Particle [Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [Part 4]

11.6) The と Particle [Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3]

11.7) The で Particle [Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [Part 4]

11.8) The が Particle [Part 1] [Part 2]

　　

12.1) The Three Sections of a Japanese Sentence

12.2) The Topic Section

12.3) The Comment Section

12.4) The Ending Section

13) Compound Sentences [Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [Part 4]

　　

14) Conditional Forms [なら] [たら] [ば] [と] [Choosing]

Receiving in Japanese

している

Godan Verb or Ichidan Verb?

④ JLPT Grammar

N5 - ほしい

N5 - くなる and くする

N5 - している

N4 - ことになる and ことにする

N4 - になる and にする

N4 - ようになる and ようにする

N3 - うちに

⑤ JLPT Kanji

N5 Kanji (Keyword Matching)

N5 - 新

⑥ Practice

Kana Matching Practice [Hiragana] [Katakana]

Katakana Words Practice [Easy]

Kanji Reading Practice [人]

Vocabulary-Kanji Drag & Drop [N5 Part 1]

What Is The Common On’Yomi? [Part 1]

Kanji Question [Part 1]

Particle Practice [は and が] [に or で]

Verbs Practice - て Form [Part 1]

Verbs Practice - て and た Forms

Verbs Practice - Verbs Ending in -ります

Of course, I’ll update this as I make new posts. Thanks for reading and if you have any questions, feel free to ask! If you feel like leaving a tip, click the link below.