Japanese for real situations
76 short lessons drawn from the daily Instagram series. Each one gives you the phrases you actually need in a moment — at the register, at work, asking directions — with the Japanese, romaji, and a plain English meaning.
Words You'll Actually Use
26 lessons3 ways to say "I understand"
You'll choose the right reply by situation.
Open lesson →Beginner mini JLPT bridge: polite reply basics
You'll show useful N5/N4 forms in use.
Open lesson →How to say no softly
You'll decline without sounding too direct.
Open lesson →3 apology starters
You'll use sorry and excuse me correctly.
Open lesson →Thank-you levels
You'll match gratitude to politeness.
Open lesson →How to say "Can I...?"
You'll ask permission safely.
Open lesson →3 ways to say "Please wait"
You'll buy time politely.
Open lesson →How to say "I'm okay / no thanks"
You'll decline naturally.
Open lesson →How to say "I'm not sure"
You'll avoid freezing in conversation.
Open lesson →How to say "One moment"
You'll hold the conversation politely.
Open lesson →Need a bag? Say THIS
You'll ask for or decline common items at checkout.
Open lesson →Don't miss your train!
You'll understand platform numbers and transfer instructions at a train station.
Open lesson →Your first words at a restaurant
You'll start an order confidently at a Japanese restaurant.
Open lesson →What the barista is saying
You'll understand common cafe staff questions and respond naturally.
Open lesson →Can I get this in blue?
You'll ask about sizes and colors when shopping for clothes or goods.
Open lesson →Sick in Japan? Say this
You'll describe basic symptoms and ask for help at a clinic or pharmacy.
Open lesson →What do you recommend?
You'll ask for recommendations at restaurants, shops, and tourist spots.
Open lesson →How much? And how do I pay?
You'll ask about prices and handle payment in shops and restaurants.
Open lesson →Hello at the right level
You'll pick the right greeting for casual friends, polite acquaintances, and the workplace.
Open lesson →'How are you?' that doesn't sound textbook
You'll ask how someone is and answer naturally instead of the textbook お元気ですか.
Open lesson →Quick reactions that make you sound local
You'll drop the right listener noise so the conversation flows instead of dying.
Open lesson →'Really?' and 'I see' that actually work
You'll show interest with the right depth, from light agreement to genuine surprise.
Open lesson →Asking 'what?' the right way
You'll ask what something is, what someone said, and what someone wants in casual or polite Japanese.
Open lesson →Where and when, the right way to ask
You'll ask where things are and when things happen without word-order panic.
Open lesson →Saying goodbye at the right level
You'll pick the right goodbye for friends, neighbours, and the workplace.
Open lesson →'Thanks' and 'sorry to bother', pick the right one
You'll know when すみません, ありがとう, and 助かりました each fit.
Open lesson →Japanese in Real Life
27 lessons4 safe replies for convenience stores
You'll respond to checkout questions.
Open lesson →Lost at a train station?
You'll ask platform/direction safely.
Open lesson →Order food in Japanese
You'll start ordering with confidence.
Open lesson →5 things to say at work every day
You'll first taste of polite workplace response.
Open lesson →Ask for help politely
You'll ask staff for assistance.
Open lesson →Make them wait (politely)
You'll manage turn-taking.
Open lesson →Survive a Japanese restaurant
You'll build say-it-out-loud habit.
Open lesson →What did they just say?
You'll listening rescue dialogue.
Open lesson →At the checkout counter
You'll respond to checkout questions.
Open lesson →Your first day at work in Japan
You'll ask platform/direction safely.
Open lesson →Eating out alone in Japan
You'll start ordering with confidence.
Open lesson →Surviving a konbini checkout
You'll handle a full convenience store checkout exchange.
Open lesson →Lost at the station?
You'll ask a station staff member which platform to use.
Open lesson →Ordering ramen like a local
You'll complete a full restaurant ordering exchange in Japanese.
Open lesson →Ordering coffee like you belong
You'll handle a complete cafe ordering dialogue naturally.
Open lesson →Buying a jacket in Japanese
You'll ask about size, color, and try on clothes in a full shopping dialogue.
Open lesson →At the pharmacy in Japan
You'll ask for medicine and describe symptoms at a Japanese pharmacy.
Open lesson →Which exit do I take?
You'll ask for directions inside a train station and understand basic responses.
Open lesson →Paying the bill smoothly
You'll handle the full payment process at a restaurant or shop.
Open lesson →Walking into the office: 3 greetings
You'll say the right thing as you arrive at work, pass colleagues, and start the day.
Open lesson →Bumping into a friend on the street
You'll say the right thing in the first ten seconds when you spot a friend by chance.
Open lesson →Train ride small talk that doesn't get awkward
You'll make small talk with a colleague or acquaintance on the commute without long silences.
Open lesson →Asking about a coworker's weekend
You'll ask and answer 'how was your weekend' so Monday morning at work feels easier.
Open lesson →Lost? Asking directions without panic
You'll stop a stranger politely and ask where a place is, then thank them.
Open lesson →Asking a coworker for help (without sounding helpless)
You'll ask a colleague for a quick favour or a few minutes of their time.
Open lesson →Wrapping up a call without dead air
You'll close a phone call with a friend smoothly and warmly.
Open lesson →Leaving the office without weird pauses
You'll wrap up your day at work with the right lines on the way out.
Open lesson →Say It More Naturally
13 lessonsTextbook yes/no vs natural replies
You'll sound less stiff.
Open lesson →Why direct "you" feels off
You'll avoid awkward translations.
Open lesson →How 大丈夫です changes by context
You'll understand hidden yes/no nuance.
Open lesson →Safer polite general replies
You'll what sounds safe in many contexts.
Open lesson →Sound natural at checkout
You'll replace stiff textbook replies with natural convenience store responses.
Open lesson →Polite but weird
You'll recognize when textbook-polite Japanese sounds unnatural in casual settings.
Open lesson →Stop translating in your head
You'll avoid common translation traps when shopping or asking for things.
Open lesson →Quick replies for any checkout
You'll have a set of ready-to-go natural checkout responses.
Open lesson →When すみません isn't enough
You'll use different levels of 'excuse me' for different real-life situations.
Open lesson →Skip textbook はじめまして
You'll introduce yourself the way locals actually do, without sounding like page 1 of the textbook.
Open lesson →Don't say はい/いいえ for everything
You'll agree, deflect, and disagree without the robotic yes/no.
Open lesson →Drop 〜ですか, pull listeners in with 〜ですよね?
You'll ask questions that sound collaborative instead of interrogative.
Open lesson →Don't say さようなら to friends
You'll say goodbye to friends and family without sounding like you'll never see them again.
Open lesson →Review / Quiz
10 lessonsWeekly confidence recap
You'll bundle the week's most useful replies.
Open lesson →Counters you'll actually need
You'll use basic counters confidently when ordering or shopping.
Open lesson →Where do I hand this in?
You'll ask where to submit documents or items in a workplace or office setting.
Open lesson →Can you catch these 3 scenes?
You'll identify common phrases and respond in konbini, station, and restaurant scenes.
Open lesson →How much did you learn this month?
You'll review key phrases from konbini, station, restaurant, and shopping scenes.
Open lesson →May review: are you ready?
You'll test all May real-life place phrases in a fun quiz format.
Open lesson →Week 1 recall: starting conversations
You'll test all week 1 phrases for starting a conversation in a fun quiz format.
Open lesson →Week 2 recall: keeping it going
You'll test the reactions, small-talk lines, and weekend questions from week 2.
Open lesson →Week 3 recall: asking and answering
You'll test the question words and softeners from week 3.
Open lesson →June review: ready for July?
You'll test the full month of conversation-opening, keeping-going, asking, and closing phrases.
Open lesson →