Japanese with Hikari's Blog

Have you ever looked at your friend and thought, "I really need you to do something for me"? Maybe you’re waiting for a reply to a text, or you're wishing your roommate would finally wash those dishes!

Imagine you're at a karaoke box with a Japanese...

Have you ever bought a new pair of shoes and thought, "Wow, these are so easy to walk in!" or tried on a new outfit and felt like, "This is so easy to move in!"? It’s the best feeling when clothes aren’t just stylish but also super functional and "mo...

Have you ever looked at the sky, seen dark clouds, and thought, "Hmm, it's probably going to rain"? Or maybe you’ve cooked a masterpiece and wanted to nudge your friend with a "It’s delicious, right?"

That’s exactly where だろう (darou) comes in!

It’s...

Have you ever walked into a cute Japanese bakery, smelled the fresh melon pan, and suddenly realized... you don't know how to actually ask for it?

Don't worry! We’ve all been there, pointing frantically and hoping for the best. But what if I told yo...

Have you ever done something and thought, "Whew, that was hard work!" only to have a friend say, "That? That's not even work!"

That little sting of being told your effort doesn't even reach the "starting line" of a category is exactly what we are le...

Have you ever seen someone act so fast it made your head spin?

Imagine your younger brother coming home from school. The second and I mean the millisecond his foot crosses the threshold, he throws his bag on the floor and sprints outside to play wit...

Have you ever noticed how one change in your life always seems to drag another change along with it?

Maybe as your Japanese level improves, your bank account balance decreases because you keep buying more manga? (I feel your pain!)
Or perhaps, as th...

Have you ever had a day where one good thing happened, and then BAM! Another amazing thing happened right after?
Or maybe you missed your train, and then realized you forgot your umbrella just as it started pouring?

In Japanese, when you want to say ...

Have you ever looked at the sky and thought, "I really hope it stays sunny for my picnic tomorrow"?
Or maybe you’ve seen a friend working way too hard and wanted to say, "You should probably take a break!"

If so, today’s grammar is going to be your ...

Have you ever been amazed by a classmate who speaks Japanese so naturally that they sound like a native speaker?
Imagine this person always uses perfect slang, never struggles with complex kanji, and understands every single joke the teacher makes. Y...

Have you ever been in a situation where you had to "make" someone do something?
Or maybe you were the kind soul who "let" someone follow their heart?

In Japanese, we use one powerful grammar structure for both: させる (saseru).
In grammar books, this is ...

Have you ever looked at a crowded train map and felt like you were searching for one tiny station in a giant maze?
Or maybe, in the middle of a very busy week, you finally found five minutes to just sit and breathe?

When we talk about something happ...

Have you ever been in a situation where you needed to explain why you were late, or why you need to leave early, but you wanted to sound extra polite and professional?

Maybe the train was delayed, or you have a bit of a headache. You don't want to s...

Have you ever felt that everything is just a little bit better when you’re not alone?

Maybe you want to invite a friend to grab some delicious ramen, or perhaps you want to study for the JLPT with a classmate so you don't fall asleep over your kanji...

Have you ever encountered a situation so ridiculous, so rude, or so over-the-top that you just stood there thinking, “Are you actually kidding me right now?!”

Maybe a friend showed up two hours late without calling, or someone made a "joke" that was...

Have you ever been in a situation where everyone is thinking one thing, but you decide to do the exact opposite?
Or maybe you know something is risky or difficult, but you choose to do it anyway because you have a specific purpose?

That’s where 敢えて ...

Have you ever had one of those "phew, that was close!" moments?

Maybe you were daydreaming and almost walked past your train stop, or you nearly forgot your wallet at home before a big date! We’ve all been there standing on the edge of a tiny disast...

Have you ever tried to do something helpful, but it ended up having the complete opposite effect? Or maybe you’ve found that a "bad" situation actually turned out to be a good thing when you looked at it differently?

That’s where 逆に (ぎゃくに / gyaku ni...

Have you ever experienced a situation that was just… way too much?

Maybe you were so busy that you forgot to eat lunch. Or a movie was so sad that you could not stop crying even after leaving the theater.
Or maybe you finally made a date plan with s...

Have you ever walked past a bakery and been hit by that incredible, warm smell of bread that just came out of the oven?

You want to tell your friend, "Look! This bread is freshly baked!" But how do you say "freshly" or "just finished" in a way that ...

Have you ever been in a situation where you’re just not sure? Maybe you’re wondering if your crush likes you, if that new ramen place is actually good, or if it’s going to rain during your long-awaited picnic.

In English, we use "whether or not" to ...

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you wanted to sound extra respectful to your boss, a teacher, or even a customer, but you weren't sure how to upgrade the simple verb “する” (to do)?

Maybe you want to ask, “What will you do?” or “Did ...

Have you ever been so excited about something, only for a “but” to pop up and ruin the vibe?

Maybe you found the perfect pair of shoes, but they were too expensive.
Or you studied really hard for a test, but the result wasn’t what you hoped for.
We’ve...

Have you ever rushed out of the house only to realize halfway to the station that you forgot your phone?

Or maybe you’re at a coffee shop where everyone is busy adding whipped cream, chocolate powder, and tons of syrup to their drinks, but you decid...