Kon'nichiwa dorsok! Native Fumito here 😊

"What should I do?" has 5 versions: https://reading-japanese.com/how-do-you-say-what-should-i-do-in-japanese/

1. Casual worry (alone):

どうしよう？(Doushiyou?)

"Rain... what should I do?"

2. Asking advice (friend):

どうしたらいい？(Doushitara ii?)

"Forgot wallet... what should I do?"

3. Polite question:

どうしますか？(Doushimasu ka?)

"What will you do?"

Real examples:

- 電車遅れてる、どうしよう！(Train late, what to do!)

- 宿題忘れた、どうしよう？(Forgot homework!)

FREE PDF: 15 conversations + audio

Practice: Your "doushiyou" moment? 👇

Hello dorsok! Fumito Emi here 😊

Numbers 1-9 in Japanese: https://reading-japanese.com/japanese-numbers-1-to-9/

1️⃣ いち (ichi)

2️⃣ に (ni)

3️⃣ さん (san)

4️⃣ よん (yon) ← lucky! / し (shi) = avoid

5️⃣ ご (go)

6️⃣ ろく (roku)

7️⃣ なな (nana) ← lucky! / しち (shichi)

8️⃣ はち (hachi)

9️⃣ きゅう (kyuu) / く (ku) = avoid

Cultural note: Shi=death, ku=suffering ☠️

Practice: さんぽん (3 bottles) coming next!

FREE PDF chart + audio

If you're learning Japanese, the days of the week are a great place to start.

https://reading-japanese.com/days-of-the-week-in-japanese/

Monday = 月曜日 (getsuyoubi)

Tuesday = 火曜日 (kayoubi)

A useful pattern:

- Every weekday ends with **-yobi**.

- 月 = moon, so Monday is “moon day.”

- 火 = fire, so Tuesday is “fire day.”

Also, **じゃなかったです** means “wasn’t” in polite past negative speech.

Example:

今日は月曜日じゃなかったです。

= “Today was not Monday.”

Simple, but very useful for beginners.

In this lesson we continue through Lesson 2 with Dialogue 3 https://reading-japanese.com/kono-sono-ano-dono-in-japanese/ — an orientation scene for new employees where Michael meets a staff member and then spots a well-known professor across the room. Its a natural, realistic slice of Japanese workplace and social life.

From this one dialogue we pick up three things that will come up constantly in real Japanese conversation: echo questions (one of the most distinctive features of Japanese communication), the kono / sono / ano / dono series (the second set of the ko-so-a-do pointing system), and a full list of language names in Japanese. We also get some really useful social phrases — like how to accept a compliment on your Japanese in a natural, humble way.

Kon'nichiwa! Native Fumito 😊

TIME in Japanese = Super easy!

Ask: なんじですか？ (Nanji desu ka?)

Answer: はちじです (Hachi ji desu = It's 8)

Numbers:

• 1 = いちじ (ichi ji)
• 2 = にじ (ni ji)
• 8 = はちじ (hachi ji)
• 10 = じゅうじ (juu ji)

AM/PM:

1. ごぜん = AM (gozen hachi ji = 8 AM)
2. ごご = PM (gogo san ji = 3 PM)

Emphasis: はちじ**です**よ！ = "It's 8 o'clock yo!" (casual emphasis)

FREE PDF: 20 restaurant/train conversations https://reading-japanese.com/what-time-is-it-in-japanese/

Practice: 今何時ですか？ (Ima nanji desu ka?)

Kon'nichiwa! Native Fumito here 😊

BEGINNER GRAMMAR LESSON 1 – 5 rules in 1 post! https://reading-japanese.com/essential-japanese-grammar-review/

1. MASU FORMS** (polite verbs)
   食べる → 食べます (tabemasu = eat)
   飲む → 飲みます (nomimasu = drink)

2. HAI/IIE** (yes/no)
   質問：ラーメン食べますか？
   Hai, tabemasu / Iie, tabemasen

3. WA vs MO**
   ラーメン**は** = ramen topic
   ラーメン**も** = ramen too/also

4. CHOTTO** (7 meanings!)
   ちょっと待って = wait a sec
   ちょっと高い = a little expensive

5. KEDO** = but/though
   食べます**けど** = I eat, but...

Perfect sentence:**
ラーメンは食べますけど、ちょっと高いです
= "I eat ramen but it's a bit expensive"

FREE PDF: 20 practice sentences + quiz

Your turn: Make sentence with WA + KEDO!

Kon'nichiwa! Native Fumito 😊

PAST TENSE = MASU → MASHTA (JLPT N5!)

Examples:

- 食べます → 食べました (tabemashita = ate)

- 行きます → 行きました (ikimasita = went)

- 勉強します → 勉強しました (benkyou shimashita = studied)

Yesterday pattern:

昨日 + [verb-mashita] + か？

昨日何を食べましたか？ (What did you eat yesterday?)

Negative past: 食べませんでした (tabemasen deshita = didn't eat)

FREE PDF: 20 verbs + 15 conversation drills https://reading-japanese.com/japanese-past-tense-mashita-meaning/

Practice time: 昨日何をしましたか？ (Nani o shimashita ka?)

Kon'nichiwa! Native Fumito here 😊

**IKIMASEN KA? = "Won't you go?"** = Come together! 🤗

**Japanese Negative Questions = INVITATIONS:**

- Ikimasu ka? = "Are you going?" (yes/no)

- Ikimasen ka? = "Won't you go?" = "Join me!"

**CHOTTO = 10 meanings:**

1. "Wait a second" (ちょっと待って)

2. "A little" (ちょっとだけ)

3. "Sorry..." (ちょっと...)

**AIZUCHI = Conversation sounds:**

- うん (un) = "yeah/mmm"

- へえ (hee) = "really?/wow"

- ああ (aa) = "I see"

FREE PDF: 15 dialogues + audio guide https://reading-japanese.com/japanese-negative-questions/

Practice: "Eiga mimasen ka?" = "Not watching movie?" = "Wanna watch together?"