LEARN JAPANESE with English
Updated: Oct 21
Lesson 1
Learn Japanese words at school with English explanations and fun illustrations. Build your Japanese vocabulary through practical words and expressions you can use in everyday situations.
Free HIRAGANA & KATAKANA Charts
In this blog, Japanese words are shown with Hiragana and Katakana readings in parentheses.
The reading before “/” is in Hiragana, and the reading after “/” is in Roman letters.
Use our free charts to check how the Japanese characters are read.
Download the charts from the Free Japanese Printables page.
＝Today's Japanese Words: At School＝
CONTENTS 目次
机 (つくえ / tsu ku e): a desk
机があります。: There is a desk.
tsukue ga arimasu
❀Related words
テーブル (てーぶる / tee bu ru): a table When you see "ー" in Japanese, hold the vowel sound before it longer.
学習机 (がくしゅうづくえ / ga ku shu u zu ku e): a study desk
ちゃぶ台 (ちゃぶだい / cha bu da i): a low dining table
机 usually refers to a desk or a table used for studying, working, or other activities.
テーブル usually refers to a table used for dining or other purposes.
学習机 means a study desk.
ちゃぶ台 is a traditional Japanese low table for dining while sitting on the floor. It is also famous for "ちゃぶ台返し (ちゃぶだいがえし / chabudai gaeshi)", or flipping the table in anger.
本 (ほん / ho n): a book
机の上に本があります。: There is a book on the desk.
tsukue no ue ni hon ga arimasu
❀Related words
ノート (のーと / noo to): a notebook
教科書 (きょうかしょ / kyo u ka sho → kyookasho): a textbook In Japanese, when "u" follows "o" in a word, the "o" sound is usually held longer.
電子書籍 (でんししょせき / de n shi sho se ki): an e-book
雑誌 (ざっし / za sshi): a magazine
冊子 (さっし / sa sshi): a booklet
女の子 (おんなのこ / o n na no ko): a girl
女の子は机に向かって座っています。: A girl is sitting at the desk.
onna no ko wa tsukue ni mukatte suwatte imasu
♠︎Tip
〜に向かって (〜にむかって / ~ni mu ka tte) means "toward" or "facing." It describes direction, not just location.
❀Related words
女子 (じょし / jo shi): a girl, a female
女性 (じょせい / jo se i): a woman, a female
女の人 (おんなのひと / o n na no hi to): a woman
女性の方 (じょせいのかた / jo se i no ka ta): a woman
婦人 (ふじん / fu ji n): a woman
女の子 usually refers to a girl, especially a young female.
女子 can mean a girl or female, and is often used in terms such as female student.
女性 usually refers to an adult woman and is a more formal expression.
女の人 means a woman and is a common, neutral expression in everyday conversation.
女性の方 is a polite way to refer to a woman.
婦人 is a formal and somewhat old-fashioned word for a lady.
笑う (わらう / wa ra u): smile
彼女は笑っています。: She is smiling.
kanojyo ha waratte imasu
♠︎Tip
彼女は微笑んでいます。: She is smiling.
kanojo wa hohoende imasu
笑う can mean both "smile" and "laugh" in English, depending on the context.
You can also say 微笑んでいます, which means "is smiling." However, 笑っています is more common in everyday Japanese.
名前 (なまえ / na ma e): name
彼女の名前はアリスです。: Her name is Alice.
kanojo no namae wa arisu desu
❀Related words
あだ名 (あだな / a da na): nickname
ニックネーム (にっくねーむ / ni kku nee mu): nickname
本名 (ほんみょう / ho n myo u → honmyoo): real name, legal name
名字 (みょうじ / myo u ji → myooji): family name
名前 (なまえ / na ma e): first name, given name
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