gokigen japanese blog – Grammar, Culture & Beyond

V-stem + にくい: Beginner’s Guide to Saying “Hard to Do” in Japanese

Learn how to use V-stem + にくい to say something is hard to do in Japanese. Formation rules, i-adjective conjugations, natural examples, practice drills, and common mistakes—perfect for JLPT N4 beginners.

V-stem + やすい: Beginner’s Guide to Saying “Easy to Do” in Japanese

Learn how to use V-stem + やすい to say something is easy to do in Japanese. Clear formation rules, i-adjective conjugations, natural examples, practice drills, and common mistakes—perfect for JLPT N4 beginners.

V-stem + nagara (〜ながら): Beginner’s Guide to Saying “While ~ing” in Japanese

Learn V-stem + nagara (〜ながら) to express two actions happening at the same time in Japanese. Clear form rules, same-subject requirement, examples, drills, and common mistakes for N4 beginners.

V-nai de (～ないで): Beginner’s Guide to Saying “Without ~ing” in Japanese

Learn V-ないで to say “without ~ing” in Japanese (plus the formal 〜ずに). Clear steps, natural examples, drills, and pitfalls—perfect for N4 beginners.

Arigato Gozaimasu: How Do You Say Thank You in Japanese

Learn what “arigato gozaimasu” means, how to pronounce it, and the different ways to say thank you in Japanese, from casual to formal expressions.

Japanese Names: Popular Surnames, Meanings, and Name Generator Guide

Explore the meanings, origins, and most common Japanese last names. Learn pronunciation, cultural insights and genealogy tips.

short-present + と: Beginner’s Guide to “Whenever A Happens, B Happens” in Japanese

Learn the pattern "event A [short/ present] + と Event B" to describe constant results and natural consequences in Japanese. Form rules, examples, practice drills, key contrasts with toki, and common pitfalls for JLPT N4 beginners.

toki (時): Beginner’s Guide to Saying “When (Sentence 1), Sentence 2” in Japanese

Master the toki (時) clause pattern to link two actions in Japanese. Learn the short-form rule, tricky tense choice, clear examples, drills, and common pitfalls—perfect for JLPT N4 beginners.

V-ta bakari (V-たばかり): Beginner’s Guide to Saying “Have Just …” in Japanese

Master V-ta bakari (V-たばかり) to explain something has just happened in Japanese. Clear rules, time-range nuances vs. V-たところ, examples, practice drills, and common pitfalls for beginners.

V-tokoro (V + ところ): Beginner’s Guide to Saying “About to / In the Middle of / Have Just …” in Japanese

Master the grammar V-tokoro (V(short) + ところ) to describe what you’re about to do, currently doing, or have just done in Japanese. Clear steps, conjugation chart, real-life examples, practice drills, and pitfalls for beginners.

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