gokigen japanese blog – Grammar, Culture & Beyond

～てばかりいる・Nばかり～ている: “Do Nothing But ~” in Japanese

Learn JLPT N3 grammar ～てばかりいる and ～ばかり～ている, meaning “do nothing but ~.” Covers the critical nuance, the casual form ばっか, comparison with ～てばかりだ and ～たばかり, examples, practice, and FAQ.

2026.10.31

level3 (N3)

～た + Noun (Noun Modification): Describing People and Things in Japanese

Learn how ～た + Noun works in Japanese (名詞修飾). This JLPT N3 guide covers the resultant-state meaning — めがねをかけた女性, 壊れたゲーム — with formation rules, ～ている comparison, example dialogues, practice, and FAQ.

2026.10.24

level3 (N3)

Lost in Translation: When Chotto Means No: The Japanese Team Thought They Had Said No

Chotto (ちょっと) means "a little," but "Sore wa chotto…" usually means no. An interpreter shares a meeting story and explains how to recognize and respond to a soft Japanese refusal.

2026.10.20

Conversation

Lost in Translation: When Kentou Shimasu (“We’ll Consider It”) Actually Means “Probably Not”

In Japanese business, kentou shimasu (検討します), "we'll consider it," can be a polite no. An interpreter explains how to tell a real "maybe" from a soft refusal.

2026.10.20

Conversation

Lost in Translation: When Hai (Yes) Doesn’t Mean Yes in Japanese

In Japanese, hai (はい) often means "I'm listening," not "I agree." A Japanese-English interpreter shares a real meeting story and tips for confirming agreement.

2026.10.20

Conversation

～込む (Komu) Meaning & Usage: “Into” and “Intensely” in Japanese

Learn JLPT N3 compound verb ending ～込む (komu). Covers both meanings — movement into something, and doing an action thoroughly over time — with formation rules, example dialogues, practice, and FAQ.

2026.10.17

level3 (N3)

～かけ・～かける Meaning & Usage: “Half-Finished” and “Almost Did” in Japanese

Learn JLPT N3 grammar ～かけ (～かける / ～かけの), meaning "half-finished" or "almost did." Covers both uses, how to form it from the masu-stem, comparison with ～そうになる and ～始める, examples, practice, and FAQ.

2026.10.10

level3 (N3)

Japanese Compound Verbs (複合動詞): ～出す, ～始める, ～続ける, ～合う & More

Learn JLPT N3 compound verbs (fukugoudoushi): ～出す, ～始める, ～終わる, ～続ける, ～忘れる, ～合う, ～換える. Covers how to build them from the masu-stem, ～出す vs ～始める, examples, practice, and FAQ.

2026.10.03

level3 (N3)

～（よ）うとする・～（よ）うとしない Meaning & Usage: “About To” and “Won’t Even Try”

Learn JLPT N3 grammar ～（よ）うとする and ～（よ）うとしない. Covers the "just about to do" meaning, the "attempt to do" meaning, the negative "won't even try," comparison with ～ようにする, examples, practice, and FAQ.

2026.09.26

level3 (N3)

～てくる vs ～ていく (Te Kuru / Te Iku): Direction & Change in Japanese

IntroductionHave you ever wondered why Japanese speakers say 「歩あるいてきた」 instead of just 「歩あるいた」, or what the difference i...

2026.09.19

level3 (N3)