n5
-
けんたの さいあくな いちにち (kenta no saiakuna ichinichi) – Kenta’s worst day (JLPT N5 Graded Reader)
Kenta is sick and keep throwing up in different embarrasing areas and situations. Read More
-
シミのひみつ (Shimi no Himitsu) – The Secret of the Stain (JLPT N5 Graded Reader)
John and Mike are aruging over whose fault the stain in the back of the car is. Read More
-
Straight Outta Textbooks: 10 Real Ways to Beat the JLPT
A’ight, listen up, fam. You wanna pass this JLPT thing? Read More
-
Understanding けっこう (kekkou): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
It means “quite a lot,” “pretty,” or “fairly.” Read More
-
Understanding たくさん (takusan): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
Takusan, or たくさん, means “a lot,” “many,” or “much.” Read More
-
Understanding ～まで (~made): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
It sets the limit or the endpoint of an action, a time, or a place. Read More
-
Understanding ～ぐらい (gurai): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
You see, gurai is like the homie who helps you size up a situation. It’s all about approximating amounts or… Read More
-
Understanding ～にする (~nisuru): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
This right here, ‘ni suru’, is about making a choice. Read More
-
Understanding ～になる (~ninaru): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
This ain’t nothin’ new, it just means “to become” or “to turn into” somethin’ else. Read More
-
Understanding なくちゃ (nakucha): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
It’s a casual way to save “have to” Read More
-
Understanding なくてはいけない (nakute wa ikenai): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
nakute wa ikenai is like the code of the streets, the unspoken law you gotta follow. Read More
-
Understanding てはいけない (te wa ikenai): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
This pattern is all about telling folks what they can’t do. It’s a straight-up prohibition, a command to not do… Read More
-
Understanding ぎもんし (gimonshi): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
We be talkin’ about them question words: what, where, when, and all that jazz. Read More
-
Understanding て-けい どうし (te-kei doushi)): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
The -te form is like your homie, the one who introduces you to the next cat. Read More
-
Understanding 〜だろう (~darou): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
あいつ は たぶん おれたち の こと を うった ん だろう。Aitsu wa tabun oretachi no koto o utta n darou.That guy… Read More
-
Understanding 〜めいれい-けい (~meirei-kei): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
Today, we’re gonna break down how to give orders and how to tell a dude to chill out and not… Read More
-
Understanding て-けい けいようし (te-kei keiyoushi): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
It takes two adjectives, a positive one and a negative one, and connects them to describe a single person, thing,… Read More
-
Understanding と (to): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
けいさつが 「ぱくるぞ」 って いってた。Keisatsu ga “pakuru zo” tte itteta.The cops were saying, “We’ll arrest you.“ Today, we’re gonna break down… Read More
-
Understanding ことがある(kotogaaru): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
This grammar pattern is like when you’re telling your homies a story and you start it with, “Yo, one time,… Read More
-
Understanding もらう (morau): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
These ain’t just words; they’re the law of the street when you’re talkin’ about giving and receiving. Get it wrong,… Read More
-
Understanding んです (ndesu): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
The nuance of んです (n desu) is all about providing an explanation or giving a reason. Read More
-
Understanding じゃない (janai): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
This right here, 「じゃない」(janai), is how you tell somebody “it ain’t that” or “that’s not what’s up. Read More
-
Understanding だった (datta): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
It’s the past tense for a noun or a な-adjective. Read More
-
Understanding ある (aru): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
These two verbs are like the two sides of a coin when you’re talking about something existin’ somewhere. Read More
-
Understanding ～なの (~nano): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
When you use “～なの,” you ain’t just askin’ a question; you’re lookin’ for the real deal. It’s like you’re tryna… Read More
-
Understanding ～なかった (nakatta): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
This is the plain past negative form. Read More
-
Understanding た-けい (ta-kei): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
さくや、やつら が ちゃか を うった。Sakuya, yatsura ga chaka o utta.Last night, they shot their gats. Today we’re talkin’ about the… Read More
-
How to use じしょ-けい (jisho-kei – Dictionary Form): Beginner Japanese – JLPT N5
It’s what you do on the regular, or what you gonna do later. Read More
-
How to use ～ませんでした (~masen deshita): Beginner Japanese – JLPT N5
Think of it like the “negative past tense.” Read More
-
How to use ～ではありませんでした (~dewa arimasen deshita): Beginner Japanese – JLPT N5
This is how you say something “was not” somethin’ else. Read More
-
Understanding ～ています (~teimasu): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
「ています」is like what you use when you’re talkin’ about an action that’s going down right now. Read More
-
How to use ～ません (~masen): Beginner Japanese – JLPT N5
The -masen form is the polite, negative version of a verb. Read More
-
How to use ～でした (~deshita): Beginner Japanese – JLPT N5
でした (deshita) ain’t nothin’ fancy. It’s the past tense of です (desu), you feel me? Read More
-
Understanding ～くなかった (~ku nakatta): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
～くなかった is the negative past tense for i-adjectives. Read More
-
Understanding ～じゃなかった (~ja nakatta): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
You’re basically sayin’ “it was not” or “that wasn’t the case.” Read More
-
How to use ました (mashita): Beginner Japanese – JLPT N5
It’s the polite way to say somethin’ went down. Read More
-
How to use ～ます (masu): Beginner Japanese – JLPT N5
The -masu form is all about being respectful and formal. Read More
-
Understanding か (ka): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
The particle か (ka) is what you drop at the end of a sentence to turn that statement into a… Read More
-
Understanding だ (da): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
It’s the equivalent of saying “it is,” “they are,” or “this is what it is,” but with that extra sauce. Read More
-
Understanding どうやって (dou yatte): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
This is the real deal when you tryna ask about the way or the method you gotta use to do… Read More
-
Understanding 〜つもり (~tsumori): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
It’s about your plans, your intentions, your whole damn mindset. Read More
-
Understanding 〜けど (~kedo): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
This word is all about that but, though, or however kind of vibe Read More
-
Understanding 〜ください (~kudasai): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
It’s a direct, no-nonsense request that’s polite, but also gets straight to the point. Read More
-
Understanding 〜ましょうか (~mashouka): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
It’s the offer to take action, to get things poppin’. Read More
-
Understanding 〜より～のほうが (~yori ~nohouga): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
It’s how you tell people which one you like better, which one’s the top dog in your book. Read More
-
Understanding 〜ね (ne): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
It’s like you’re saying, “Right? Ain’t that the truth?” or “You know what I’m talkin’ about? Read More
-
Understanding 〜よ (yo): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
You’re giving them some new info or straight-up telling them what’s what. Read More
-
Understanding 〜ほうがいい (hou ga ii): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
This right here is how you tell someone they better do something, or you’re giving them some serious advice. Read More
-
Understanding 〜あまり〜ない (amari nai): A Streetwise JLPT N4 Grammar Guide
It basically means “not very much” or “not often.” Read More
-
Understanding 〜と おもう (toomou): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
This is how you state your opinion, how you let people know what’s on your mind. You feel me? Read More
-
Understanding 〜なければならない (nakereba naranai): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
It’s a straight-up declaration, a necessity. This grammar point means “must do,” “have to,” or “gotta.” Read More
-
Understanding 〜ませんか (masenka): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
It’s like you’re hittin’ ’em with a proposition, somethin’ like “How ’bout we go handle this business? Read More
-
Understanding 〜でしょう (deshou): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
It’s when you got a strong feeling about somethin’, but you ain’t 100% sure, so you’re askin’ for a nod. Read More
-
Understanding 〜ましょう (mashou): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
It’s how you say, “Let’s make this happen” or “Come on, let’s do this thing.” Read More
-
Understanding だけ (dake): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
This ain’t no complicated jive. だけ (dake) is a real straightforward word that means “only” or “just.” Read More
-
Understanding なあ (naa): A Streetwise JLPT N4 Grammar Guide
You’re lettin’ everyone know you’re feelin’ uncertain, hopin’ for something, or just straight-up impressed. Read More
-
Understanding や (ya): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
It’s like they’re sayin’, “Yeah, we got this, and this, and a bunch of other stuff, too.” Read More
-
Understanding まだ (mada): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
It’s all about something that ain’t happened yet, but you expect it to. Read More
-
Understanding もう (mou): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
It’s the word you use to let people know that an action is already complete. Read More
-
Understanding かた (kata): A Streetwise JLPT N5 Grammar Guide
It’s about the way you do things, the method, the technique. Read More
