The Tofugu Podcast: Japan and Japanese Language

In this episode, the Tofugu crew, Kanae and Nick, discuss how "but" in Japanese, けど (kedo), is often used at the end of sentences in real-life conversations.

For more details, check out Kanae's article: https://www.tofugu.com/japanese/kedo/

Language exchange is a fun and free way to improve your Japanese. But to do it successfully, you should consider a few things.

In this episode, the Tofugu crew, Kanae and Ian discuss tips and practical expressions you can use for language exchange sessions.

For more details, check out: https://www.tofugu.com/japanese/language-exchange/

In this episode, the Tofugu crew, Kanae and David discuss why e-books can be great materials for Japanese learners, all their tips for buying Japanese e-books, and their favorite Japanese e-book stores.

After listening to the episode, check out: https://www.tofugu.com/japanese/how-to-buy-japanese-ebooks/

よつばと！ (Yotsuba&!) is a Japanese slice-of-life comedy manga series that's become very popular in the Japanese learning community.

In this episode, the Tofugu crew, Kanae and Ian talk about how much they love Yotsuba&! and why it's such a great manga series to pick up for Japanese learners, especially beginners.

After listening to this episode, check out Ian's review article about "Yotsuba&!": https://www.tofugu.com/reviews/yotsubato/

In this episode, Emily and Kanae discuss “yuri,” the Japanese genre of women-loving women (wlw) romantic relationships.

Check out this episode to learn a brief history of yuri, famous examples of yuri, and Emily’s yuri/LGBTQ+ recommendations, such as:

少女革命ウテナ (Revolutionary Girl Utena)

やがて君になる (Bloom Into You)

しまなみ誰そ彼 (Our Dreams at Dusk)

… and more!

In this episode, Ian Battaglia, a Japanese resource review writer at Tofugu and an enthusiastic Japanese learner who’s still actively working his way to the advanced level, discusses all kinds of things he wishes he knew when he was a beginner Japanese learner.

Ian covers topics like:

- Learning Japanese is not a race! Go at your own “sustainable” pace

- A recommended learning order for self-learners to have the foundation for immersion

- Reading practice is surprisingly beneficial in general

- Focus more on practice, not process

- Be okay with not understanding everything in Japanese

and more.

Make sure to give it a listen for Ian’s Japanese learning wisdom!

In this episode, Emily Suvannasankha, a Japan category writer at Tofugu and an enthusiastic Japanese learner of over a decade, discusses all kinds of things she wishes she knew when she was a beginner Japanese learner. Even more, she also shares tips and advice that she got from interviewing her friends who study Japanese.

Emily covers topics like:

- A little a day adds up to a LOT — make Japanese learning a daily habit

- Don’t let shame keep you from getting back into a groove after a hiatus

- Hiragana, katakana, and some simple kanji are surprisingly easy

- Learn a good chunk of vocabulary before starting to study grammar

- Kanji writing ability is not as important as you think

and more.

Make sure to give it a listen for some Japanese learning wisdom from Emily and her friends!

In this episode, David Honeycutt, a Japanese resource review writer at Tofugu and an enthusiastic Japanese learner of over a decade, discusses all kinds of things he wishes he knew when he was a beginner Japanese learner.

David covers topics like:

- How to follow some sort of curriculum even if you’re a self-learner

- The power of SRS (Spaced Repetition System)

- Using a built-in dictionary on computers or phones

- Setting tangible goals with deadlines

and more.

Make sure to give it a listen for David’s Japanese learning wisdom!

The MEXT Research Scholarship is Japan's government-funded program that will let you do a free master's *and* cover living expenses to boot.

...Sounds too good to be true? Well, Emily is living proof that it's not.

In this episode, Kanae and Rachel welcome Tofugu’s new writer Emily as a co-host and talk about her experience with the scholarship program she just finished in Nagoya a few months ago. Anyone who’s curious about MEXT will find some insight into the application process in this chat, as well as a few words of support if you decide to go for it.

For more detailed information about the MEXT Research Scholarship, check out Emily's article on the Tofugu blog: https://www.tofugu.com/japan/mext-monbukagakusho-scholarship/

Put your hands up if you agree that は and が are up there with the most confusing aspects of Japanese grammar. Part of the confusion is that they're often conflated as being more or less the same thing. And while that's intuitive in lots of situations, it can be confusing if you come up against an example where they add a different nuance, or where using one of them sounds just plain weird.

If you've ever been confused about は and が, join us for this three-part mini-series on the two trickiest particles in Japanese. In this first episode, Kanae and Jenny discuss particles in general, then shift their focus onto は and が, answering a listener's question and trying not to get too confused themselves as they pick apart different examples.

For more details about は and が, check out Jenny's article: https://www.tofugu.com/japanese/wa-and-ga/