Blog

Tips, guides, and insights for English learners.

12 min read

Sou Rashii Mitai You Da: Saying It Seems Like in Japanese

How to say it seems like in Japanese out loud: sou, rashii, mitai, no you, ppoi, deshou and kamoshirenai — what evidence each implies, and which ones people actually say.

13 min read

Japanese Te Form: Every Use and How to Say It

How to build the Japanese te form from every verb group, plus all 10 major uses with spoken examples, romaji, a conjugation table and casual contractions.

12 min read

Japanese Tests Other Than the JLPT (2026 Guide)

Missed the JLPT or need it sooner? JFT-Basic, BJT, J.TEST, NAT-TEST, TOPJ, JPT, J-cert and Kanji Kentei compared: 2026 dates, levels and what each is accepted for.

13 min read

Japanese Verb Conjugation: The Three Groups Explained

Japanese verb conjugation made speakable: godan, ichidan and irregular verbs, the ru-verb traps, and a master table of ます, て, ない, potential and volitional forms.

12 min read

Japanese vs Korean Grammar: How Similar Are They

Japanese and Korean grammar are close enough that learning one gives you a real head start on the other. Here is what overlaps, what diverges, and which is harder.

13 min read

Japanese Grammar: Word Order and Sentence Structure

How Japanese word order actually works: verb-final with a flexible middle, topic-comment framing, modifiers before nouns and dropped subjects, with clear examples.

13 min read

18 Japanese Words With No English Translation (Honest Guide)

Eighteen Japanese words English cannot translate, from ikigai to mottainai, with what each really means, how often it is said, and whether you should say it.

11 min read

JLPT December 2026 Registration Dates by Country

Verified JLPT December 2026 registration windows country by country: Japan 24 Aug–7 Sep, Brazil, Taiwan, Korea, the 16 September US deadline, and where to check the rest.

10 min read

JLPT Levels Explained: N5 to N1 (2026 Guide)

A plain-English breakdown of all five JLPT levels, what each one signals to employers and schools, which level to take, and why skipping levels backfires.

10 min read

JLPT N5 Guide 2026: What It Covers and How to Pass

What JLPT N5 tests, how the exam is structured, the sectional minimum rule that fails people, and a realistic study plan from zero kana to test day.