Insights The big-boi list of things we've found along the way while studying Japanese. As your Nihongo Familiar, I share this with you!

Notice:

Insights won't be posted for the year of 2023. Sorry about that!

Right now, there are some important setbacks occurring, but I'll get things set back up as soon as I can.

Recipes

How can PB & J teach Japanese?

Recipes are just delicious little projects to practice and study from....
Inspiration

There is a story in every Japanese word

You can get big studies out of making tiny sentences....
Tips & Tricks

Improvising while learning Japanese

Sometimes when you can't think of a word in Japanese, the best solution is to get creative and improvise!...
Tips & Tricks

The benefit of a niche Japanese vocabulary list

Japanese vocabulary can be overwhelming, but being selective about what and how you learn can help make it easier....
Projects

Making your own flashcards

Let's talk about the value of flashcards and how they can leveraged to help you learn Japanese. Make your own!...
Projects

Learning Japanese with your own mini calendar

Calendars have a wealth of features you can leverage for everyday practice in your language learning adventure....
Projects

Exercise your Japanese skills~

It turns out that exercise is not just good for your body, but also good for Japanese study!...
Inspiration

Reading between the lines of Japanese

People say that the Japanese language has a lot of conversational subtext to consider, but that isn't as much of a death sentence as you......
Projects

Making a toy to practice Japanese together: Kana-gories!

I made a small game to practice Japanese with your friends. Let's talk about that~...
Particles

The か particle: so many questions

This particle defines uncertainty in a Japanese sentence....
Projects

Learn Japanese with the humble To-do list

To-do lists can be leveraged as a learning tool, not just a chores compendium. Make your own to practice Japanese!...
Tips & Tricks

Learn Japanese better with mnemonic devices

Level up your lessons with a useful tool that creates a mental shortcut when learning!...
Grammar

Japanese existence words: is, is, and is???

Let's break down the difference between 3 types of 'is' in the Japanese language....
Particles

The GA particle: it's a little subjective

This particle can help you indicate the subject in a Japanese sentence....
Inspiration

One whole year~✨!

In celebration of our 1 year anniversary, let's learn about years in Japanese!...
Particles

The WA particle - a topic to comment on

Indicating topics in a Japanese sentence....
Inspiration

Always be asking questions

If you don't ask, you don't find out! Stay curious, and keep asking questions while learning Japanese....
Tips & Tricks

Give your speech an injection of interjections!

The normal filler words, phrases, and sounds we make during everyday conversation are just as important for learning Japanese as saying please and thank you.......
Tips & Tricks

Learning Japanese with a Familiar!

Got a pet or perhaps a cardboard cutout of Thor? You can practice your Japanese with them!...
Tips & Tricks

Embellish your Japanese with a dash of onomatopoetics

In Japanese, onomatopoeia are more practical for everyday usage than just theatrical words used in the comics....
Grammar

This is COPULA!!!

It is one of the first and most common grammar lessons everyone will go through when learning Japanese. This is the copula!...
Tips & Tricks

Push your studies forward with a fallback

When your normal study methods are a bit much to handle, you should have a fallback to continue studying without ruining your progress....
Tips & Tricks

The mora: speaking with a beat

Speaking with the right rhythm can help your Japanese sound more natural!...
Tips & Tricks

Small phrases make big impacts

Using small phrases & gestures that could make a world of difference to the person you are talking to, and your initial learning experience....
Tips & Tricks

How to start learning Japanese, simplified

Sometimes getting started learning feels like a miraculous feat. Just keep your cool, and remember to take it one step at a time!...
Inspiration

Alien Tongues: Why do we learn a language?

The basics of understanding & harnessing your motivation to learn Japanese....