Japanese with Hikari's Blog

As you move into advanced Japanese, you’ll start seeing words that feel a little… distant.

Not distant in a bad way, but distant in time.

Have you ever read a sentence and felt like it was talking about
“a past that’s clearly different from now”?
Not...

Have you ever noticed that when you’re talking about your favorites, you say you like many things…but deep down, there’s always that one thing you secretly love the most?

Like,
“I like Japanese food in general…
but honestly? Ramen. Especially ramen.”

Have you ever wanted to say something like,
“He did it without stopping once,” or “She left without apologizing”. But felt that a simple “without doing” sounded a little too casual for the situation?

In everyday Japanese, you can use expressions like...

As you start reaching N2 level, you may notice something new in Japanese.

Have you ever read a sentence and thought,
“Huh… this sounds a little different from how I usually talk with friends,”
or “This feels kind of official… maybe more formal than ev...

Have you ever been so nervous, so excited, or so worried that something totally unexpected happened?
Maybe your hands were shaking before a big meeting, or you were so happy you almost danced in the street (I’ve definitely been there), or you were so ...

Have you ever started doing something… and then just stopped halfway?
Maybe you were reading a book but fell asleep, started cleaning your room and got distracted, or began writing a message and thought “Hmm… maybe I won’t send this after all.”

Yep. ...

Have you ever wanted to talk about something that happened just a moment ago in Japanese?
Maybe you just finished lunch, just got home, or just saw something surprising, and you want to say, “It happened just now!”

That’s when さっき (sakki) becomes you...

Have you ever wanted to say “I’ll try it!” in Japanese?
Maybe you spot a seasonal sweet at your favorite cafe, find a cute outfit, discover an unfamiliar Japanese snack while traveling, or come across a beautiful hiking trail, and you’re thinking, “I’...

Have you ever wanted to say something like, “If you do this, then that will happen” in Japanese?

Maybe you’re giving advice, talking about habits, or imagining a possible future,
“If you study every day, you’ll improve.”
“If it rains, the event will b...

Have you ever felt relieved when someone tells you,
“You don’t have to do that,” or “It’s okay if you don’t”?

In English, it feels like a gentle permission like…

“You don’t have to go,”
“You don’t need to finish it today,”
“It’s okay if you don’t eat ...

Have you ever had a moment when you had to make a choice like picking a drink, deciding dinner, or choosing today’s plan…and thought,
“Ahh! How do I say this in Japanese?”

That’s when にする (ni suru) becomes your best friend!

にする means “to choose,” “t...

Have you ever had a moment when someone asked you something like,
“Are you ready?” “Did you finish?” or “Has it started yet?”

And you thought…
“Hmm… not yet.” or “It’s still going on.”

That’s when まだ (mada) becomes your best friend!

まだ is a super ba...

Have you ever heard someone give a warning that sounds very serious, the kind that tells you exactly what will happen if you don’t listen?

Like…

“Submit your assignment by tomorrow, or you’ll fail the class.”
“Leave now, or else I’m calling the poli...

Have you ever had a moment where your body reacts before your brain even has time to think?

Like…
You’re walking down the stairs, your foot slips for a second, and you instantly grab the handrail before disaster happens.(Heart rate: 200 bpm!!)

Or a ...

Have you ever had a moment where the reason behind something is actually the key that makes it meaningful?

Like…
You’re nervous because something is important to you.
You worked hard, so the success feels even sweeter.
You trust someone, so because it’...

Have you ever used something as a reference to create or plan something new?

Maybe you watched a movie “based on a true story” and thought,
“Wow, how much of this actually happened?”

Or maybe you tried cooking chocolate chip cookies based on a recip...

Have you ever noticed how some things happen every single time. Almost like a little personal rule in your life?

Maybe you open Instagram “just for a moment,” and before you know it… twenty minutes have vanished.
Or you watch that one movie again, an...

Have you ever noticed how people love making these big, bold statements as if they’re universal truths?

“Hard work guarantees success.”
“Expensive things are always high quality.”
“Everyone from Japan must know how to make sushi.”
(…I mean, I eat sushi...

Have you ever noticed that some people always react strongly to certain things?

Like someone who immediately shivers the moment the AC turns on…
or a friend who refuses to watch horror movies because even the trailer is too scary…
or that person who f...

Have you ever been chatting with a friend who’s dealing with a small problem… and you want to give a gentle suggestion?

Maybe they say something like:
“I’ve been so tired from work lately…”
And in English, you might respond:
“Why don’t you take a break...

You’ve probably heard that Japanese has many polite ways of speaking. And it’s true! Even small changes can make your words sound softer and more respectful.

One of the simplest examples is the little prefixes お (o) and ご (go).

Have you ever notice...

Imagine you’re with a friend and you want to say something like:

“Let’s go!”
“Let’s eat!”
“Let’s take a break!”

Or maybe you’re in class and the teacher says:
“Let’s begin.”

These everyday “let’s” moments appear all the time in Japanese. And the expr...

Have you ever needed to give a number that wasn’t exact, just an estimate?
Maybe someone asks:

“How long will it take?”
“How many people are coming?”
“How much will it cost?”

In English, you might say “about,” “around,” or “approximately.”
In Japanese,...

Have you ever heard someone make a plan and thought, “Umm… I don’t think that’s going to work”?

Maybe your coworker says, “Let’s finish this huge project today!”
Maybe your friend suggests planning a day where you tour all of Tokyo and climb Mt. Fuji...