First, please look at the image. Several men and women are standing in a line. Now, here are two questions. Q1. How many men are there? Q2. From the left, which number is the woman wearing a kimono? How would you answer these questions? A1. 男の人は、3人います。(Otoko no hito wa, san-nin imasu) There are three men. A2. 着物を着ている女の人は、左から5人目です。(Kimono o kite iru onna no hito wa, hidari kara go-nin me desu) The woman wearing a kimono is the fifth from the left. Now, let’s stop and think for

When I talk with Japanese learners, I often notice that their grammar is correct and their sentences are clear, yet the conversation feels a little flat. Very often, the missing piece is aizuchi  — Japanese backchannel responses.🗣️ By reacting as we listen, we show engagement. Without aizuchi, even grammatically correct conversations can feel uncomfortable. Speakers may wonder if they are being understood or if the listener is interested, making the listener seem distant or

Have you ever wondered how to say “I don’t know” in Japanese? You may have heard both “しりません” and “わかりません”. Even though they seem similar in English, they actually carry different meanings and nuances in Japanese. In this post, we’ll break down when to use each one, what they really mean, and how to sound more natural in everyday conversation.🗣 【①The basic meanings of  “しりません” and “わかりません”】 👩‍🏫“しりません” means “I don’t have any information about that.” / “I’m not familiar wit