NIHONGO CANDY – Japanese Learning Podcast (JLPT N5–N3)

Want to say "as expected" or "on schedule" in Japanese? Mastering the "~tōri" and "~dōri" pattern is essential for natural business and daily conversations.

A common hurdle for learners is knowing when to use the voiced "dōri" (like yotei-dōri) versus the unvoiced "tōri" (like itta tōri). In this quick reflex training, we will practice 10 highly practical phrases to help you instinctively choose the correct sound without overthinking!

💡 Note: This reflex training series will be compiled into a "Master Phrase List (PDF)" after 10 episodes. Stay tuned for the release!

🚀 NEXT STEPS FOR YOUR JAPANESESystematic Learning (Self-Study)Elevate your Japanese with my structured N3 video curriculum.

🎁 Podcast Listener Reward:Claim your exclusive discount through the link below:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.udemy.com/course/intermediate-japanese-jlpt-n3-course1/?couponCode=APR26_NIHONGOCANDY

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Executive Private Coaching (Live)Elevate your Japanese beyond the basics. Don't just memorize phrases—learn to connect and lead in a Japanese professional environment.👇 Apply for coaching:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.welcjp.com/forindividuals

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⁠⁠Stay Connected📱📸 Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/welcjapanese/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠☕ Ko-fi: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/nihongocandy

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#NihongoCandy #LearnJapanese #JapaneseGrammar #JLPTN3 #BusinessJapanese #SpeakJapanese #JapanesePronunciation #ExpatJapan

Do you say "Mada kaimasen deshita" to mean "I haven't bought it yet"? This is one of the most common mistakes Japanese learners make!

In English, "not yet" is often associated with the past, leading many to use the Japanese simple past tense ("masen deshita"). However, in Japanese, if an action hasn't happened yet but is expected to happen, it is considered an ongoing state. Therefore, you must use the present continuous form: "Mada... te imasen" (まだ…ていません). Using the past tense sounds like the opportunity has completely passed.

In this episode, we will fix this common mistake once and for all. I will train your reflexes with 10 highly practical sentences for business and daily life, helping you rewire your brain to automatically use the correct "~te imasen" form. Let’s train together so you can sound much more natural and accurate in Japanese!

💡 Note: This reflex training series will be compiled into a "Master Phrase List (PDF)" after 10 episodes. Stay tuned for the release!

🚀 NEXT STEPS FOR YOUR JAPANESE

Systematic Learning (Self-Study)Elevate your Japanese with my structured N3 video curriculum.🎁 Podcast Listener Reward:Claim your exclusive discount through the link below:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.udemy.com/course/intermediate-japanese-jlpt-n3-course1/?couponCode=APR26_NIHONGOCANDY⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Executive Private Coaching (Live)Elevate your Japanese beyond the basics. Don't just memorize phrases—learn to connect and lead in a Japanese professional environment.👇 Apply for coaching:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.welcjp.com/forindividuals

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Stay Connected📱

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/welcjapanese/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

☕ Ko-fi: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/nihongocandy

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#NihongoCandy #LearnJapanese #JapaneseGrammar #JLPTN4 #BusinessJapanese #SpeakJapanese #TeForm #JapaneseMistakes #ExpatJapan

In Japanese conversations, being too direct can sometimes sound harsh. That’s where "~mitai desu" (みたいです) comes in. Meaning "It seems..." or "It looks like...", this grammar point is an incredibly useful tool to convey situations or observations naturally without sounding overly assertive.

In this episode, we will focus on using "~mitai desu" with both present and past plain forms. I’ll train your reflexes with 10 highly practical sentences so you can handle these conversations smoothly, soften your statements, and sound much more sophisticated and conversational in Japanese.

💡 Note: This reflex training series will be compiled into a "Master Phrase List (PDF)" after 10 episodes. Stay tuned for the release!

🚀 NEXT STEPS FOR YOUR JAPANESESystematic Learning (Self-Study)Elevate your Japanese with my structured N3 video curriculum.🎁 Podcast Listener Reward:Claim your exclusive discount through the link below:⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.udemy.com/course/intermediate-japanese-jlpt-n3-course1/?couponCode=APR26_NIHONGOCANDY⁠⁠⁠⁠

Executive Private Coaching (Live)Elevate your Japanese beyond the basics. Don't just memorize phrases—learn to connect and lead in a Japanese professional environment.👇 Apply for coaching:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.welcjp.com/forindividuals⁠

Stay Connected📱 Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/welcjapanese/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠☕ Ko-fi: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/nihongocandy⁠

#NihongoCandy #LearnJapanese #JapaneseGrammar #JLPTN4 #BusinessJapanese #SpeakJapanese #LifeInJapan #ExpatJapan #JapanesePhrases

Do you know how to naturally talk about your hometown and family in Japanese? Mastering small talk is the perfect way to break the ice!

When talking about family in Japanese, the key is to understand the tricky difference between talking about your own family (ウチ - uchi) and asking about someone else's (ソト - soto). For example, "my father" is ちち (chichi), but "someone's father" is おとうさん (otosan). Likewise, "my family" is かぞく (kazoku), while "someone's family" is ごかぞく (gokazoku).

I’ll train your reflexes with 10 highly practical sentences so you can handle these conversations smoothly, show your cultural understanding, and build stronger connections in Japan.

💡 Note: This reflex training series will be compiled into a "Master Phrase List (PDF)" after 10 episodes. Stay tuned for the release!

🚀 NEXT STEPS FOR YOUR JAPANESE

Systematic Learning (Self-Study)Elevate your Japanese with my structured N3 video curriculum.🎁 Podcast Listener Reward:Claim your exclusive discount through the link below:⁠⁠⁠https://www.udemy.com/course/intermediate-japanese-jlpt-n3-course1/?couponCode=APR26_NIHONGOCANDY⁠⁠⁠

Executive Private Coaching (Live)Elevate your Japanese beyond the basics. Don't just memorize phrases—learn to connect and lead in a Japanese professional environment.👇 Apply for coaching:⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.welcjp.com/forindividuals

⁠⁠⁠⁠

Stay Connected📱 Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/welcjapanese/⁠⁠⁠⁠☕ Ko-fi: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/nihongocandy

⁠⁠⁠⁠

#NihongoCandy #LearnJapanese #BusinessJapanese #JapaneseSmallTalk #JapanesePhrases #LifeInJapan #ExpatJapan #SpeakJapanese

Do you know exactly what to say when you are running late in Japan?Punctuality is strictly observed in Japanese business culture, but unexpected delays happen to everyone! When you realize you won't make it on time, the key is to immediately communicate your current status, your ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival), and apologize appropriately.

In this episode, we will practice:

• Reporting status: いま、まだ　しんじゅくえきです (I'm still at Shinjuku station.)

• Giving ETA: ５ふんほど　おくれます (I'll be about 5 minutes late.)

• Apologizing: おまたせして　もうしわけありません (I apologize for keeping you waiting.)

I’ll train your reflexes with 10 highly practical sentences so you can handle these stressful situations smoothly and maintain your professional trust.

💡 Note: This reflex training series will be compiled into a "Master Phrase List (PDF)" after 10 episodes. Stay tuned for the release!

🚀 NEXT STEPS FOR YOUR JAPANESESystematic Learning (Self-Study)Elevate your Japanese with my structured N3 video curriculum.🎁 Podcast Listener Reward:Claim your exclusive discount through the link below:⁠⁠https://www.udemy.com/course/intermediate-japanese-jlpt-n3-course1/?couponCode=APR26_NIHONGOCANDY⁠⁠

Executive Private Coaching (Live)Elevate your Japanese beyond the basics. Don't just memorize phrases—learn to connect and lead in a Japanese professional environment.👇 Apply for coaching:⁠⁠⁠https://www.welcjp.com/forindividuals⁠⁠⁠

Stay Connected📱 Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/welcjapanese/⁠⁠⁠☕ Ko-fi: ⁠⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/nihongocandy⁠⁠⁠

#NihongoCandy #LearnJapanese #BusinessJapanese #JapanesePhrases #LifeInJapan #ExpatJapan #SpeakJapanese

Do you overuse "〜どうか" (douka) when saying "I don't know" in embedded Japanese sentences?

The rule for expressing uncertainty is actually simple:

• Yes/No questions: Use "〜かどうか" (e.g., かれが　それを　すきかどうか　わかりません)

• Wh-questions (who, what, when, etc.): Just attach "か" (e.g., いつ　くにに　かえるか　わかりません). Using "どうか" here is a common mistake!

In this episode, I’ll train your reflexes with 10 practical sentences so you can instantly distinguish these two patterns and instantly upgrade your speaking accuracy.

💡 Note: This reflex training series will be compiled into a "Master Phrase List (PDF)" after 10 episodes. Stay tuned for the release!

🚀 NEXT STEPS FOR YOUR JAPANESE

Systematic Learning (Self-Study)Elevate your Japanese with my structured N3 video curriculum.

🎁 Podcast Listener Reward:Claim your exclusive discount through the link below:⁠https://www.udemy.com/course/intermediate-japanese-jlpt-n3-course1/?couponCode=MAR26_NIHONGOCANDY⁠

Executive Private Coaching (Live)Elevate your Japanese beyond the basics. Don't just memorize phrases—learn to connect and lead in a Japanese professional environment.👇 Apply for coaching:⁠⁠https://www.welcjp.com/forindividuals⁠⁠

Stay Connected📱 Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/welcjapanese/⁠⁠☕ Ko-fi: ⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/nihongocandy⁠⁠

#NihongoCandy #LearnJapanese #JapaneseGrammar #LifeInJapan #ExpatJapan #SpeakJapanese

Want to sound more natural and less like a textbook? Native speakers constantly shorten words in fast, casual speech. In this episode, we unlock the secret to two of the most common contractions you’ll hear in Japan: "〜とく (toku)" and "〜といて (toite)".

These handy phrases come from "〜ておく (te oku)", which means to do something in advance for future convenience or to leave something as it is. In daily workplace chats or conversations with friends, a formal phrase like "予約しておきます (I will make a reservation)" casually transforms into "予約しとくね".

Mastering these contractions will not only instantly upgrade your speaking fluency but also massively improve your listening comprehension. I’ll train your reflexes with 10 highly practical sentences for daily and business situations—from saying "I think I'll pass for today" to asking someone to "leave the window open."

💡 Note: This reflex training series will be compiled into a "Master Phrase List (PDF)" after 10 episodes. Stay tuned for the release!

🚀 NEXT STEPS FOR YOUR JAPANESE

1. Systematic Learning (Self-Study)Elevate your Japanese with my structured N3 video curriculum.🎁 Podcast Listener Reward:Claim your exclusive discount through the link below:https://www.udemy.com/course/intermediate-japanese-jlpt-n3-course1/?couponCode=MAR26_NIHONGOCANDY

   
   

2. Executive Private Coaching (Live)Elevate your Japanese beyond the basics. Don't just memorize phrases—learn to connect and lead in a Japanese professional environment.👇 Apply for coaching:⁠https://www.welcjp.com/forindividuals

   ⁠

3. Stay Connected📱 Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/welcjapanese/⁠☕ Ko-fi: ⁠https://ko-fi.com/nihongocandy

   ⁠

#NihongoCandy #LearnJapanese #JapaneseGrammar #LifeInJapan #ExpatJapan #SpeakJapanese

Don't struggle alone! Navigating life in Japan gets so much easier when you know exactly how to ask for support. In this episode, we master two essential communication tools: the polite and soft request "〜てもらえますか (temoraemasuka)" , and the magic of "〜んですが (ndesu ga)".

In Japanese culture, simply explaining your situation (e.g., "I've lost something" or "This isn't working") often implies a request for help, allowing you to get support smoothly without making direct demands. I’ll train your reflexes with 10 highly practical sentences for daily and business situations—from asking for the Wi-Fi password to checking if something is considered rude.

💡 Note: This reflex training series will be compiled into a "Master Phrase List (PDF)" after 10 episodes. Stay tuned for the release!

🚀 NEXT STEPS FOR YOUR JAPANESE

1. Systematic Learning (Self-Study)

Elevate your Japanese with my structured N3 video curriculum.

🎁 Podcast Listener Reward:

Claim your exclusive discount through the link below:

https://www.udemy.com/course/intermediate-japanese-jlpt-n3-course1/?couponCode=MAR26_NIHONGOCANDY

2. Executive Private Coaching (Live)

Elevate your Japanese beyond the basics. Don't just memorize phrases—learn to connect and lead in a Japanese professional environment.

👇 Apply for coaching:

https://www.welcjp.com/forindividuals

3. Stay Connected

📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/welcjapanese/

☕ Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/nihongocandy

#NihongoCandy #LearnJapanese #AskForHelpJapanese #JapanesePhrases #JapaneseGrammar #LifeInJapan #ExpatJapan #SpeakJapanese #BusinessJapanese

Stop just "thinking" and start speaking! In this episode, we master the most versatile Japanese phrase: "〜と思います (to omoimasu)." Whether you’re expressing a firm belief (I believe), a professional evaluation (I find), or a simple prediction (I guess), this one phrase does it all. We’ll train your "reflexes" with 10 essential sentences designed for business and daily life, helping you sound more natural and nuanced in any conversation.

💡 Note: This reflex training series will be compiled into a "Master Phrase List (PDF)" after 10 episodes. Stay tuned for the release!

🚀 NEXT STEPS FOR YOUR JAPANESE1. Systematic Learning (Self-Study)Elevate your Japanese with my structured N3 video curriculum.🎁 Podcast Listener Reward:Claim your exclusive discount through the link below:

https://www.udemy.com/course/intermediate-japanese-jlpt-n3-course1/?couponCode=MAR26_NIHONGOCANDY

2. Executive Private Coaching (Live)Elevate your Japanese beyond the basics. Don't just memorize phrases—learn to connect and lead in a Japanese professional environment.👇 Apply for coaching: https://www.welcjp.com/forindividuals

3. Stay Connected📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/welcjapanese/☕ Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/nihongocandy

#NihongoCandy #LearnJapanese #ToOmoimasu #JapaneseSpeaking #JapaneseFluency #SpeakingPractice #JapaneseGrammar #LifeInJapan #ExpatJapan #ThinkInJapanese

Master the essential Japanese "reflexes" you need to navigate a first date from a dating app with total confidence. This high-intensity training helps you output key phrases from greetings to toasts.

💡 Note: This reflex training series will be compiled into a "Master Phrase List (PDF)" after 10 episodes. Stay tuned for the release!

—🚀 NEXT STEPS FOR YOUR JAPANESE

1. Systematic Learning (Self-Study)Build a strong N3 foundation with my structured video course.🎁 1-Month Special Coupon: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.udemy.com/course/intermediate-japanese-jlpt-n3-course1/?couponCode=FEB26_NIHONGOCANDY

⁠⁠⁠

2. Executive Private Coaching (Live)Elevate your Japanese beyond the basics. Don't just memorize phrases—learn to connect.👇 Apply for coaching: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.welcjp.com/forindividuals

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

3. Stay Connected

📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/welcjapanese/

☕ Ko-fi: ⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/nihongocandy

⁠

#DatingJapan #LearnJapanese #NihongoCandy #JapanesePhrases #LanguageLearning #lifeinjapan #JapaneseSpeaking #JapaneseFluency #LifeInJapan #ExpatJapan