Japanese with Hikari's Blog

Have you ever felt an emotion or sensation so strong that you just couldn’t ignore it?
Maybe you’re waiting for a message from someone you like… and the excitement keeps growing inside you until you just can’t help it anymore…

Or maybe you’re sitting...

Have you ever had a moment where something almost happened… like right on the edge… but luckily didn’t?

Maybe you were having dinner with friends, laughing and talking so much that time completely slipped away… and you almost missed the last train h...

Have you ever experienced a moment when something felt exactly right, like, “Ahh yes… this is just as expected”?

For example, when you try a famous patisserie’s macaron and think:
“Yep. As expected from a shop that’s always packed with people.”

Or w...

Have you ever experienced a moment when two things happened at exactly the same time, and you weren’t sure how to describe it in Japanese?

Maybe you opened your front door at the very same moment your phone started ringing.
Or your friend told a hila...

Have you ever found yourself walking toward something, not just physically, but emotionally too?
Maybe you’re heading toward a new city for a fresh start, walking toward someone you’ve missed, or working hard toward a long-held dream.

In Japanese, wh...

Have you ever noticed how some changes happen so gradually that you only realize them after they’ve been happening for a while?
Maybe the days are getting a little longer, the air is getting warmer, or your Japanese is improving without you even noti...

Have you ever met someone who knows everything about a certain topic?
Maybe there’s that one colleague at your office who’s mastered every accounting trick and system, the living dictionary of bookkeeping. Or maybe you have a friend who’s always readi...

Have you ever been in a situation where you wanted to say “I can’t,” but saying it directly felt too harsh?

In Japanese business or formal situations, you can’t always just say できません, it can sound too strong or blunt.

That’s when かねる (kaneru) comes...

Imagine this: you’re at work, and suddenly the ground starts shaking, it’s an earthquake!

An announcement comes through the speakers:
“Get under your desks!” No time to think, just act immediately.

In Japan, where earthquakes and other natural disas...

Have you ever had one of those moments where you think,
“Ah, it’s finally warm and sunny!” … and then suddenly it starts raining?

Or maybe you were relaxing at home, thinking you could finally take a break… and your boss sends you a message: “Can we ...

Imagine meeting an old friend for the first time in ten years.
You’re both excited, maybe a little nervous, and then, the moment you see them, you realize… they haven’t changed at all!

In English, you might say, “You haven’t changed a bit!”
In Japanes...

Have you ever had a wish that felt just a little desperate?

Like when you’re on a diet and have been resisting your favorite chocolate for weeks… but then someone brings you a slice of cake as a gift. You think, “I know I shouldn’t eat this… all my ...

Have you ever wanted to say “once again” or “for the second time” in Japanese?

Imagine this: you’re on a trip to Japan. The journey has been amazing, so many places visited, so many delicious foods tried.
Yet, there are still more spots you want to ...

Everything in life has two sides, right?
Even chocolate, no matter how much we love it, if you eat too much, your skin might break out and you might gain some extra weight.

Or imagine moving into your dream big apartment. On one hand, you’ll finally...

Have you ever had something happen all of a sudden, with no warning at all?
Like when your friend calls you at midnight, or your boss suddenly changes the deadline, or your cat jumps on your keyboard while you’re typing!

In Japanese, the word for thi...

Have you ever wanted to add one more punch to your sentence, like “not only that, but also!” or “and what’s more!”?

For example, you might say, “This ramen is super tasty, and on top of that, it’s cheap!” Or, “This smartphone’s battery lasts a long ...

Have you ever had one of those moments where you thought, “Phew, that was close… luckily everything turned out okay”?
Or maybe something unfortunate happened, but looking at the situation you felt, “It could have been worse...”

In Japanese, we say 幸い...

Have you ever thought back and said, “Ever since that moment, everything changed”?
Like, “Ever since I started learning Japanese, my Netflix list is full of Japanese anime and yakuza movies!,” or “Ever since I met my best friend, my life’s been bright...

There are times when you need to tell someone to act in accordance with instructions or rules.

Something like…
“Along with this plan…” or “In accordance with the rules…”
For example, “Please follow this order when placing requests,” or “In this area, ...

Have you ever wanted to express a kind of resignation, like when you already know how things will turn out, no matter what you do?

“It won’t work out anyway, even if I start now.”
“After all, she’ll just make excuses and say no, so I shouldn’t expect...

In your country’s news, do you often hear phrases like “There is a possibility that…”?

In Japanese, there’s a very similar expression: 恐れがある (osore ga aru).

The key point is that 恐れがある is used only for negative possibilities, things that might be d...

Have you ever listened to someone’s story and thought,
“Yeah, no wonder you feel that way” or “That’s only natural”?

Like…
Your friend failed an exam because they didn’t study. → “Well, it’s no wonder.”
Someone is angry because they were treated unfair...

Imagine your friend asks after work, “When are you free to grab dinner?”
You want to say, “I’m free every day except Monday.”

Of course, you could list all the days: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, but there’s a much handier way to say it i...

Your friend says, “The trains have stopped running, and they won’t be restored today.”
You pause for a moment and reply, “That means we’ll have to take a bus or taxi.”

In Japanese, a natural connector for this situation is ということは.
This phrase is often...