The Tofugu Podcast: Japan and Japanese Language
けど: Why Are Japanese Speakers Always Ending Their Sentences with "But"?
In this episode, the Tofugu crew, Kanae and Nick, discuss how "but" in Japanese, けど (kedo), is often used at the end of sentences in real-life conversations. For more details, check out Kanae's article: https://www.tofugu.com/japanese/kedo/
26 Apr 2023 - 01 h 05 min 11 s
How To Language Exchange Successfully
Language exchange is a fun and free way to improve your Japanese. But to do it successfully, you should consider a few things. In this episode, the Tofugu crew, Kanae and Ian discuss tips and practical expressions you can use for language exchange sessions. For more details, check out: https://www.tofugu.com/japanese/language-exchange/
19 Dec 2022 - 01 h 08 min 41 s
How and Where to Buy Japanese E-Books
In this episode, the Tofugu crew, Kanae and David discuss why e-books can be great materials for Japanese learners, all their tips for buying Japanese e-books, and their favorite Japanese e-book stores. After listening to the episode, check out: https://www.tofugu.com/japanese/how-to-buy-japanese-ebooks/
4 Nov 2022 - 47 min 34 s
Why Is Everyone Raving about "Yotsuba & !"?
よつばと！ (Yotsuba & !) is a Japanese slice-of-life comedy manga series that's become very popular in the Japanese learning community. In this episode, the Tofugu crew, Kanae and Ian talk about how much they love Yotsuba & ! and why it's such a great manga series to pick up for Japanese learners, especially beginners. After listening to this episode, check out Ian's review article about "Yotsuba & !": https://www.tofugu.com/reviews/yotsubato/
23 Jul 2022 - 44 min 20 s
"Yuri" — Japanese Queer Women Love Stories
In this episode, Emily and Kanae discuss “yuri,” the Japanese genre of women-loving women (wlw) romantic relationships. Check out this episode to learn a brief history of yuri, famous examples of yuri, and Emily’s yuri/LGBTQ+ recommendations, such as: 少女革命ウテナ (Revolutionary Girl Utena) やがて君になる (Bloom Into You) しまなみ誰そ彼 (Our Dreams at Dusk) … and more!
26 Jun 2022 - 56 min 05 s
Things I Wish I Knew When I Was A Beginner Japanese Learner, Feat. Ian Battaglia
Things I Wish I Knew When I Was A Beginner Japanese Learner, Feat. Ian Battaglia
1 Apr 2022 - 54 min 12 s
Things I Wish I Knew When I Was A Beginner Japanese Learner, Feat. Emily Suvannasankha
Things I Wish I Knew When I Was A Beginner Japanese Learner, Feat. Emily Suvannasankha
25 Mar 2022 - 58 min 21 s
Things I Wish I Knew When I Was A Beginner Japanese Learner, Feat. David Honeycutt
Things I Wish I Knew When I Was A Beginner Japanese Learner, Feat. David Honeycutt
18 Mar 2022 - 41 min 07 s
MEXT Research Scholarship: Get a Master’s Degree in Japan for Free
The MEXT Research Scholarship is Japan's government-funded program that will let you do a free master's *and* cover living expenses to boot. ...Sounds too good to be true? Well, Emily is living proof that it's not. In this episode, Kanae and Rachel welcome Tofugu’s new writer Emily as a co-host and talk about her experience with the scholarship program she just finished in Nagoya a few months ago. Anyone who’s curious about MEXT will find some insight into the application process in this chat, as well as a few words of support if you decide to go for it. For more detailed information about the MEXT Research Scholarship, check out Emily's article on the Tofugu blog: https://www.tofugu.com/japan/mext-monbukagakusho-scholarship/
22 Dec 2021 - 50 min 22 s
は and が: Part 1
Put your hands up if you agree that は and が are up there with the most confusing aspects of Japanese grammar. Part of the confusion is that they're often conflated as being more or less the same thing. And while that's intuitive in lots of situations, it can be confusing if you come up against an example where they add a different nuance, or where using one of them sounds just plain weird. If you've ever been confused about は and が, join us for this three-part mini-series on the two trickiest particles in Japanese. In this first episode, Kanae and Jenny discuss particles in general, then shift their focus onto は and が, answering a listener's question and trying not to get too confused themselves as they pick apart different examples. For more details about は and が, check out Jenny's article: https://www.tofugu.com/japanese/wa-and-ga/
17 Nov 2021 - 42 min 23 s