Learn Japanese Pod

In this podcast you’re going to learn useful verbs to talk about your daily routine. These verbs are very commonly used in casual conversation throughout the day so they are well worth learning. You will also study a little grammar related to plain form verbs and -TE form verbs which are the most common type of verb used in casual speech. You will also learn how they are used together when describing actions in a sequence. Also, the dialogue in this lesson will teach you particles which are sounds that usually go at the end of sentences to change the nuance of what you are saying. Learning these will help you sound a lot more natural when speaking Japanese.

In this podcast you’re going to learn useful verbs to talk about your daily routine. These verbs are very commonly used in casual conversation throughout the day so they are well worth learning. You will also study a little grammar related to plain form verbs and -TE form verbs which are the most common type of verb used in casual speech. You will also learn how they are used together when describing actions in a sequence. Also, the dialogue in this lesson will teach you particles which are sounds that usually go at the end of sentences to change the nuance of what you are saying. Learning these will help you sound a lot more natural when speaking Japanese. A: Amiの平日の過ごし方を教えて！ B: ７時に起きて、顔を洗って、朝ごはんを食べるよ。 その後着替えて、メイクして、仕事に行くよ。 A: 休憩時間は？ B: 休憩時間はお弁当を食べて、携帯で時間を潰すよ。 A: 仕事が終わったら？ B: うちに帰って、晩御飯を食べて、お風呂に入るよ。 A: その後は何をするの？ B: 寝る！ A: Amiは忙しいね！ B: まあね！ Podcast Dialogue (Pronunciation) A: Ami no heijitsu no sugoshikata oshiete! B: Shichi ji ni okite, kao o aratte, asagohan o taberu. Sono ato kigaete, meiku shite, shigoto ni iku yo. A: Kyuukei jikan wa? B: Kyukeijikan wa obentō o tabete keitaii de jikan o tsubusu yo. A: Shigoto ga owattara? B: Uchi ni kaette, bangohan o taberu, ofuro ni hairu yo. A: Sono ato nani suru no? B: Neru! A: Ami wa isogashii ne. B: Maa ne. Podcast Dialogue (English) A: Ami, how do you spend your weekdays? B: I wake up at 7, I wash my face and eat breakfast. After that I get dressed, put on my makeup and go to work. A: What about your break time? B: During my break time I eat a bento and kill time with my mobile phone. A: And when work finishes? B: I go home, I eat dinner and have a bath. A: What do you do after that? B: Sleep! A: Ami, you’re busy! B: I guess so.

In this podcast you’re going to learn about how to use adverbs of frequency in daily speech. In other words, you’ll learn how to ask and answer questions about how often you do things in Japanese. You’ll learn how to ask questions such as “How often do you…”. You’ll also be able to reply that you do something never, occasionally, sometimes, often and always.

In this podcast you’re going to learn about how to use adverbs of frequency in daily speech. In other words, you’ll learn how to ask and answer questions about how often you do things in Japanese. You’ll learn how to ask questions such as “How often do you…”. You’ll also be able to reply that you do something never, occasionally, sometimes, often and always. This kind of grammar and vocabulary comes up often in daily conversation as well as the Japanese Language Proficiency Exam so it’s well worth learning. First of all, have a look at the vocabulary lists to get an idea of the main phrases used in this podcast. After that you can practice how to use that vocabulary naturally with the dialog examples. Following that are extra grammar and sentence examples. Also, while reading this PDF lesson, you can listen along to either the main audio podcast which contains all the dialogs and explanations in English. Alternatively you can listen to the Japanese only audio file. Main Lesson Vocabulary Here are the main adverbs of frequency commonly used in daily Japanese conversation. Main Dialog 1 – Adverbs of frequency – (Japanese) A: アレックスはどれくらい*運動するの？ B: 全然しないよ。 時間がないからさ。 A: そうなんだ。 A: 昔はよくしてただけどね。あみは？ B: 時々ジョギングするよ。たまに水泳もするよ。 A: じゃ、もうすぐオリンピックだから毎日　運動しよう。 Main Dialog 1 – Adverbs of frequency – (English) A: Arekkusu wa dore kurai undō suru no. Alex, how often do you exercise? B: Zenzen shinai yo. Jikan ga nai kara sa. Never. It’s cos I don’t have any time, you know. A: Sō nan da. Really? B: Mukashi wa yoku shiteta kedo ne. Ami wa? I used to however. How about you Ami? A: Tokidoki jogingu suru yo. Tama ni suiei mo suru yo. I sometimes go jogging. I occasionally also go swimming. B: Ja, mō sugu orinpikku dakara mainichi undō shiyō. Well, it’s almost time for the Olympics so exercise everyday! Particles used in this dialog: Wa – Sentence subject marker (As for so and so…) Ga – Similar to Wa and is often used in sentences about having or not having something No – Turns sentence into a question (Casual) Yo – Emphasizes the statement Ne – Means isn’t it or right? Sa – Means something like “You know?” or “You see what I mean” Extra example sentences Japanese only dialog audio (From 00:47) Zenzen – Not at all (00:47) 1: どれくらいお寿司食べるの？ ぜんぜん食べないよ。 Dore kurai osushi taberu no? Zenzen tabenai yo. How often do you eat sushi? I never eat it. 2: どれくらい映画を見るの？ ぜんぜん見ないよ。 Dore kurai eiga o miru no? Zenzen minai yo. How often do you watch movies? I never watch them. Metta ni – Hardly ever (01:11) 1: どれくらいお寿司食べるの？ 滅多に食べないよ。 Dore kurai osushi taberu no? Metta ni tabenai yo. How often do you eat sushi? I hardly ever eat it. 2: どれくらい映画を見るの？ 滅多に見ないよ。 Dore kurai eiga o miru no? Metta ni minai yo. How often do you watch movies? I hardly ever watch them. Tama ni – Occasionally (01:38) 1: どれくらいお寿司食べるの？ たまに食べるよ。 Dore kurai osushi taberu no? Tama ni taberu yo. How often do you eat sushi? I occasionally eat it. 2: どれくらい映画を見るの？ たまにに見るよ。 Dore kurai eiga o miru no? Tama ni miru yo. How often do you watch movies? I occasionally watch them. Tokidoki – Sometimes (02:03) 1: どれくらい運動するの？ ときどきするよ。 Dore kurai undō suru no? Tokidoki suru yo. How often do you exercise? I sometimes exercise. 2: どれくらいカラオケに行くの？ ときどき行くよ。 Dore kurai karaoke iku no? Tokidoki iku yo. How often do you go to Karaoke? I sometimes go. Yoku – Often (02:29) 1: どれくらい運動するの？ よく運動するよ。 Dore kurai undō suru no? Yoku undō suru yo. How often do you exercise? I often exercise. 2: どれくらいカラオケに行くの？ よく行くよ。 Dore kurai karaoke iku no? Yoku iku yo. How often do you go to Karaoke? I often go. Itsumo – Always (02:53) 1: どれくらいゲームやるの？ いつもやってるよ。 Dore kurai geemu yaru no? Itsumo yatteru yo. How often do you play video games? I’m always playing them

In this podcast you will learn how to book a table at a restaurant by phone in natural Japanese. These days it is easy to make bookings online and with mobiles apps. However, there are still many restaurants in Japan which don’t have online booking facilities. Also, in crowded cities like Osaka and Tokyo, it can be hard to get a seat, especially during Fridays and weekends. Therefore being able to book seats in Japanese by phone is a useful skill. Another thing you will learn is the polite language commonly used by restaurant and service staff. This is called Keigo and is a very polite way of speaking in Japanese. It’s also quite tricky to master as it uses different phrases and vocabulary compared with casual speech. However, I would recommend learning just enough to be able to understand it so you can interact with hotel, restaurant or department store staff. You don’t need to learn to speak it perfectly, just understanding a little is enough. Most Japanese people have difficulty speaking proper Keigo!

In this podcast you will learn how to book a table at a restaurant by phone in natural Japanese. These days it is easy to make bookings online and with mobiles apps. However, there are still many restaurants in Japan which don’t have online booking facilities. Also, in crowded cities like Osaka and Tokyo, it can be hard to get a seat, especially during Fridays and weekends. Therefore being able to book seats in Japanese by phone is a useful skill. Another thing you will learn is the polite language commonly used by restaurant and service staff. This is called Keigo and is a very polite way of speaking in Japanese. It’s also quite tricky to master as it uses different phrases and vocabulary compared with casual speech. However, I would recommend learning just enough to be able to understand it so you can interact with hotel, restaurant or department store staff. You don’t need to learn to speak it perfectly, just understanding a little is enough. Most Japanese people have difficulty speaking proper Keigo! Check out the podcast lessons and accompanying files which will help you learn to speak the dialogs fluently. Main Dialogue (Japanese) A: 居酒屋忍者でございます。 B: 今晩の予約をしたいんですが。 A: はい、かしこまりました。何名様でいらっしゃいますか？ B: 4名でお願いしたいんですが。 A: 何時からご希望ですか？ B: 7時でお願いします。 A: 少々お待ちください。お待たせいたしました。 お席ご用意できます。お名前お伺いしてもよろしでしょうか？ B: アレックスです。 A: アレックス様ですね。 では本日7時から4名様でご予約させていただきます。 お待ちしております。 A: Izakaya Ninja de gozaimasu. – This is Izakaya Ninja B: Konban no yoyaku o shitain desu ga. – I’d like to make a booking for tonight. A: Hai, kashikomarimashita. Nanmei sama de irasshimasu ka？ – Yes, certainly. How many people are there in your party? B: Yonmei de onegai shitain desu ga. – I’d like (to book for) 4 people. A: Nanji kara gokibō desu ka. – What time would you like (to book)? B: Shichiji de onegai shimasu. – Seven o’clock please. A: Shōshō omachi kudasi. Omatasei itashimashita. Oseki go yōi dekimasu. Onamae oukagai shitemo yoroshi deshou ka. – One moment please. Thank you for waiting I have prepared your seats. May I have your name please? B: Arekkusu desu. – It’s Alex A: Arekkusu sama desu ne. Dewa honjitsu shichiji kara yonmei sama de goyoyaku sasete itadakimasu. Omachi shite orimasu. – OK, so that is Alex. So, I have prepared your booking for 7pm for 4 people today. We shall be waiting for you.

In this episode, Ami and Alex teach you how to speak Osaka dialect which is called Osaka Ben in Japanese. And for this lesson Ami sensei is our secret weapon as she is a native of Osaka city. Sometimes this is referred to as Kansai Ben however, Kansai is the larger region located in central Japanese that includes Osaka city, Kyoto, Nara, Wakayama, Shiga, Mie and Hyogo. And in turn, each of those areas have their own dialects. However, Ami sensei is from Osaka, and Osaka Ben is the dominant dialect that influences all the surrounding areas. Therefore we decided to go with Osaka Ben. Of course this lesson is not a comprehensive guide to Osaka Ben as that would fill a few books. However, this lesson will teach you the most common phrases, speech patterns and intonation that you will hear on the streets of Osaka. The main dialog is recorded by natives from Osaka including Ami so you’ll learn the authentic accent. We also included a dialog in standard Japanese so you can compare. Enjoy!

In this episode, Ami and Alex teach you how to speak Osaka dialect which is called Osaka Ben in Japanese. And for this lesson Ami sensei is our secret weapon as she is a native of Osaka city. Sometimes this is referred to as Kansai Ben however, Kansai is the larger region located in central Japanese that includes Osaka city, Kyoto, Nara, Wakayama, Shiga, Mie and Hyogo. And in turn, each of those areas have their own dialects. However, Ami sensei is from Osaka, and Osaka Ben is the dominant dialect that influences all the surrounding areas. Therefore we decided to go with Osaka Ben. Of course this lesson is not a comprehensive guide to Osaka Ben as that would fill a few books. However, this lesson will teach you the most common phrases, speech patterns and intonation that you will hear on the streets of Osaka. The main dialog is recorded by natives from Osaka including Ami so you’ll learn the authentic accent. We also included a dialog in standard Japanese so you can compare. Enjoy! Main Dialog – Osaka Ben (Japanese) A: めっちゃ久しぶりやん。最近どないしてんの? B: 相変わらずやで。そっちは? A: ぼちぼちやな。ま、頑張ってるで。 B: そうなんや。うちなんか全然あかんわ。 A: なんでなん? B: 彼氏と別れてん。 A: え、そうなん?知らんかった。俺やって全然彼女できへんで。 B: 付き合おか。 A: なんでやねん! Main Dialog – Osaka Dialect (English and pronunciation) A:  Meccha hisashiburi yan. Saikin donain shiten no? –It’s been ages. How have you been recently? B:  Aikawarazu ya de. Socchi wa? –Same as usual. About about you? A:  Bochi bochi ya na. Ma, gannbatteru de. – So so I guess. Well, doing my best. B:  Sō nan ya. Uchi nanka zenzen akan wa. – Really? I’m not good at all. A:  Nande nan? – Why? B:  Kareshi to wakareten. –I split up with my boyfriend. A:  E? Sō nan? Shirankatta. Boku yatte, zenzen kanojo dekihen de. – Eh? Really? I didn’t know. I can never get a girlfriend. B:  Tsuki aoka? –Wanna date? A: Nande yanen! – What the heck! Main Dialog – Standard Dialect Version Here is the same dialog written in standard Japanese. Can you spot the differences? A:  めちゃめちゃ久しぶりじゃん。最近どうしてるの? Meccha hisashiburi jan. Saikin dō shiteru no. It’s been ages. How have you been recently? B:  相変わらずだよ。そっちは? Aikawarazu da yo. Socchi wa?Same as usual. About about you? A:  普通かな。ま、頑張ってるよ。 Futsuu ka na. Ma gambatteru yo. Same as usual. About about you? B:  そうなんだ。私なんか全然だめだよ。 Sō nan da. Watashi nanka zenzen dame da yo. Really? I’m not good at all. A:  どうして? Dō shite? Why? B:  彼氏と別れたの。 Kareshi to wakareta no. I split up with my boyfriend. A:  え、そうなの?知らなかった。俺だって全然彼女できないよ。 E sō na no? Shiranakatta. Boku datte, zenzen kanojo dekinai yo. Eh? Really? I didn’t know. I can never get a girlfriend. B:  付き合おっか。 Tsuki aokka? Wanna date? A: なんでだよ! Nande da yo! What the heck! Extra Osaka Ben Phrases ちゃう – Chau – No / That’s not right ええ – Ee – Good / OK (ええやん、ええで、ええよ) アホ – Aho – Stupid なおす – Naosu – Put something away (Standard Japanese = to fix something) Random Phrase of the Week This week’s random phrase of the week is: ちゃうちゃう、チャウチャウちゃうんちゃう? Chau chau, chau chau chaun chau. No no, that’s not a Chow chow is it?! Let’s break it down like this… ちゃうちゃう 、 チャウチャウ ちゃうん ちゃう? No no, a chow chow dog , it is not , is it? Or in more natural English “No no, it’s not a Chow chow is it?!”

In this podcast, Ami and Alex answer all your Japanese study related questions. If you would like to get your question answered on the podcast go to http://learnjapanesepod.com/questions and fill in the form. It’s super quick and easy! Once you submit your question, we will try to answer it in the following “Ask us anything” podcast.

Have you been scratching your head trying to work out what “Yappari” means? Well, scratch your head no more! In this podcast Ami sensei and I (Alex) attempt to explain what Yappari means. We teach you the three main meanings of Yappari and how to use it naturally and fluently in conversation with your Japanese friends. For more information keep reading, listen to the podcast and download the show notes.