Do you want to master hiragana by Xmas? Join the challenge. Comment below! What is it? 12 Days. 20 Mins per day. You’ll learn (or review) all 46 hiragana characters with daily videos and worksheets. It's the Hiragana Masterclass with us learning together for accountability and motivation. Who is it for? Whether you’re: starting Japanese from zero getting back into study trying to build consistency ..this challenge is made for you! Why is it effective? I have taught hiragana to thousands of students in Australia and around the world. My methods will have you reading and writing hiragana in 12 days! If you want to start your journey to being a Japanese speaker, master hiragana reading and writing effectively and boost your skills by Xmas, then comment on this post and we'll master hiragana together!!

When I first started learning Japanese, I thought 「お願いします」 just meant “please.” But the more I lived, worked, and trained in Japan, the more I realised it means so much more. The Many Meanings of お願いします 「お願いします」 comes from the verb 願う (negau) — “to wish” or “to request.” Depending on the situation, its meaning changes subtly: Before a match or lesson – it means “Let’s do our best together” or “Please treat me kindly.” > I said it before sparring kendo and playing table tennis, bowing to my opponent. It set the tone: respect, not rivalry. At work – it often means “Thank you for your cooperation” or “I’m counting on you.” > I’d say it when handing someone a project or when finishing an email: 「よろしくお願いします。」(Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.) When asking for help or service – it’s a polite way to make a request. > 「コーヒーをお願いします。」(Kōhī o onegaishimasu.) → “Coffee, please.” (soft, respectful tone — less direct than ください) It connects your intention to the listener with respect and warmth. 💬 Your Turn Think about it — where have you heard 「お願いします」 used? In anime? At work? In a shop or restaurant? Share one example below 👇 And how would you translate it naturally into English in that context?

When you travel in Japan, you’ll often need to ask for directions or talk about transportation. Let’s learn how to use 〜で (de) and 〜に (ni) — they’re small but very important! 💡 Mini Lesson 〜で (de) shows how or by what means you go somewhere. 🚌 バスで行きます。(Basu de ikimasu.) → I go by bus. 🚄 しんかんせんで東京へ行きます。(Shinkansen de Tōkyō e ikimasu.) → I go to Tokyo by bullet train. 〜に (ni) shows the destination. 東京に行きます。(Tōkyō ni ikimasu.) → I go to Tokyo. 学校に行きます。(Gakkō ni ikimasu.) → I go to school. So you can combine them: 👉 しんかんせんで東京に行きます。 (Shinkansen de Tōkyō ni ikimasu.) → I go to Tokyo by bullet train. 🥢 Beginner Quiz Which of these means “I go to Kyoto by bus”? a) バスで京都に行きます。(Basu de Kyōto ni ikimasu.) b) 京都でバスに行きます。(Kyōto de basu ni ikimasu.) c) バスを京都に行きます。(Basu o Kyōto ni ikimasu.) ⚔️ Intermediate Quiz Translate this into Japanese: “I came to Japan by airplane.” (Hint: airplane = ひこうき / hikōki, came = きました / kimashita) 🏯 Advanced Quiz Write a sentence using 〜で (de) and 〜に (ni) but with a different means of travel (for example, car, train, or on foot). Bonus: Add why you went there! 例: くるまでうみに行きました。さかなを食べました。 (Kuruma de umi ni ikimashita. Sakana o tabemashita.) → I went to the sea by car. I ate fish. 💬 Share your sentences below!

Introduce yourself and share a pic of something Japanese you own or something Japanese that you're interested in! Feel free to explain why you want to learn Japanese or what you like about Japan. Also, feel free to post any Japanese language questions you have. I'd be glad to answer them! As for me, I love learning Judo. Have you ever tried it? And I love Japanese literature, such as Kokoro by Natsume Soseki. Have you read any Japanese novels? I also really enjoyed Cowboy Bebop when it came out! Not the live action Netflix version!