The latest from Ippatsu!
The Question Marker （か）
Questions in polite form The question marker is covered here because it is primarily used to clearly indicate a question in polite sentences. While it is entirely possible to express a question even in polite form using just intonation, the qu... More... 0 Comments
Site Upgrade: Let there be Gravatars!
Look at me ma, I'm Gravataring! So, you might have noticed that the icons of all the Top Ranking Users on the right side of the page are all CRAZY-looking! I got tired of the plain little faceless avatar guy that was there previously, and figu... More... 0 Comments
Addressing People
Not only is it important to use the right type of language with the right people, it is also important to address them by the right name. It is also important to address yourself with the proper level of politeness. Japanese is special in that ... More... 0 Comments
Polite Form and Verb Stems （～です、～ます）
Not being rude in Japan The Japanese we have learned so far is all well and good if you're 5-years old. Unfortunately, adults are expected to use a politer version of the language (called 丁寧語) when addressing certain people. People you will pr... More... 0 Comments
Flashcard Software: Let's Version up!
Whether you've already noticed or not, we've updated our Flashcard reviewing application, and added a whole bunch of new features and options! What's Changed We've switched the main software from Flash over to an original AJAX-based solution whi... More... 0 Comments
紅葉 Kouyou Fall Foliage in Japan
In Japan, autumn is a special season in many ways. There is a Japanese saying that “Autumn is the time to enjoy sports, art, reading and food.” As this saying shows, autumn is a time when Japanese people relax and recuperate from the long and sw... More... 0 Comments
Hacking the JLPT: How to pass the Reading Section
Today we're going to look at one of the sections that has historically given people the most difficulty: the Reading Section, and look at a few tricks on how to pass it more easily. For all of its issues, the JLPT is considered the definitive sca... More... 0 Comments
Hacking the JLPT: How to pass the Kanji Section
Today we're going to look at one of the sections that has historically given people the most difficulty: Kanji, and look at a few tricks on how to pass it more easily. For all of its issues, the JLPT is considered the definitive scale for Japanes... More... 0 Comments
Onomatopoeia: Meditating With Celery : 精神統一編
In this Episode of Chad Mullane's Onomatopoeia Series for Japanese learners, we'll look a calming ourselves and our souls with the help of some talking celery. Haven't run away after the mention of talking celery? That's good -- let's continue.... More... 0 Comments
Introduction to Chad Mullane's Onomatopoeia Series : オノマトペとは？
Welcome to Chad Mullane's (famous(?) Japanese comedian and friend to Japanese learners everywhere) Onomatopoeia Series for Japanese learners. In these short video comedy sketches, we'll learn about the uses of Onomatopoeia in Japanese, as well as ... More... 0 Comments