Japanese with Hikari's Blog

Have you ever said something like this?

“I heard it will snow tomorrow.”
“I heard that a Japanese restaurant will open next to the school.”
“I heard there is a test next week.”

In daily life, we often talk about things we did not see ourselves.
We sha...

Have you ever wanted to say something like this in Japanese?

“I think it will rain today.”
“This cake is good, right?”
“I told you already, didn’t I?”

In English, these all sound a bit different. But in Japanese, one very polite and flexible word can...

Have you ever wanted to say “very” in Japanese…
but weren’t sure if it sounds polite enough? Too strong? Too casual?

Good news! Japanese has a safe, friendly, and super reliable word for that:
とても (totemo) .

Whether you’re talking about the weather, ...

Have you ever felt this kind of determination?
“No matter what happens I won’t change my decision.”
“No matter who says what , this is something I must do.”

Maybe it’s about values. Maybe it’s about rules. Or maybe it’s about a promise you made to you...

Have you ever looked at a situation and thought,
“Hmmm… judging from this, I think I know what’s going on.”

For example, you step outside, see dark clouds, feel that slightly suspicious wind,
and think, “Yeah… judging from the sky, I should probably b...

Have you ever noticed that Japanese sometimes lists a few examples… and then smoothly wraps them into one category?

For example, instead of just saying “I like sushi and tempura,”
Japanese often goes one step further and says something like:
“sushi an...

Have you ever had one of those moments where you know you heard something before… but your memory just won’t cooperate?

You’re talking with a friend, nodding along, and suddenly you think,
“Wait… what time was the meeting again?”
Or you’re standing at...

Have you ever told yourself something like this?

“I know I should be healthier… so I’ll try to take the stairs instead of the escalator.”
Or, “I’ll try not to eat snacks before dinner… even though they’re right there.”

You’re not saying you’ll do it...

Have you ever wanted to say something negative in Japanese… but in a more mild and gentle way?

For example, you’re at a friend’s house.
They smile at you and say, “Are you hungry?”

Behind them… there’s a big pot of curry on the stove and smells amaz...

Have you ever wanted to do something meaningful, even when everyone around you gently tells you not to?

Imagine this.
You’re planning a solo trip to Japan.
No tour. No travel partner. Just you, exploring Japan on your own.

When you tell people, the ...

Have you ever wanted to ask “How do I do this?” in Japanese?

You’re in Japan.
You want to buy a Shinkansen ticket, and you’re standing in front of a ticket machine.
So many buttons… so many options… and you’re thinking,
“Okay… how do I buy this?”

Or m...

Have you ever had a conversation like this?

You’re talking with friends and someone asks “Which Japanese food do you like the most?”

Sushi? Ramen? Tempura? Karaage? Tamago-sando?
You like all of them… but you have to choose one.

Or maybe the quest...

Imagine you’re at a cute Japanese bakery.
There are so many pastries that you just can’t choose… so you tell the staff you want one of each.

Or maybe you’re studying Japanese and you decide
“I’ll learn five new words every day little by little.”

Tha...

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...

What does amari (あまり) mean in Japanese?

あまり (amari) has three main uses:

1. あまり + negative = "not very / not much" (JLPT N4)
   あまり食べません。(I don't eat much.)
2. あまりに(も) = "too / way too" (JLPT N3)
   あまりにも高い。(It's way too expensive.)
3. Noun の / Verb + あまり = "...

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...