Q&A

How to say “I have an allergy.” in Japanese?

Updated:27th August 2018
Published:2nd May 2018

Answer by Japanese teacher Explanation My American friend also has gluten allergy, and we were often worried about her when she visited Japan. Those of you who has gluten allergy, make sure to be careful of soy sauce, a type […]

How to ask “Do you understand?” during a presentation in Japanese

Updated:27th August 2018
Published:29th April 2018

Answer by Japanese teacher Explanation If you are learning Japanese, you may have heard your teacher used “wakarimasuka” or “wakarimashitaka” (do you understand) from time to time. If you are thinking of using the same expression to ask your audience […]

Is it rude to you use “Obasan(Auntie)” towards a woman who is not so young in Japan?

Updated:8th June 2019
Published:24th April 2018

Answer by Japanese teacher Explanation This is a hard scenario. There are some people who don’t mind being called “Obasan(おばさん)” but some people may be offended with the same word. The former group of people will take your word “Obasan(おばさん)” […]

What is the difference between “Arigatoo gozaimasu” and “Arigatoo gozaimashita”(Thank you)?

Updated:6th February 2020
Published:16th April 2018

Answer by Japanese teacher Explanation “-masu(〜ます)” and “-mashita (〜ました)” are Japanese suffixes that represent “tense”. Understanding the role of these suffixes can help you understand the differences between words like “Arigatoo gozaimasu” and “Arigatoo gozaimashita”. -masu(〜ます): Current tense and future […]

How to say “Take care” in Japanese?

Updated:8th June 2019
Published:16th April 2018

Answer by Japanese teacher Explanation There are multiple ways of saying ‘Take care’, but this ‘Take care’ has the same meaning as ‘See you’. It is an expression used when saying good-bye to a friend. This form of saying ‘Take […]