By taking the time to understand how the Japanese language works, you'll be able to speak Japanese naturally, and read and write in Japanese. We know this can be one of the more challenging parts of your course, and we’re here to help! You can browse the topics, do a search in the top right corner of this page, or start a new conversation. Don’t be shy!
Can someone please tell me the difference between "shitte imasu" and "shite imasu"?
3 replies - Last post by keiko-rocket-japanese-tutor - June 29, 2014
Konnichiwa. I just began studying Japanese a few days ago. I currently do not know anyone who speaks or is studying Japanese, so I have been practicing by speaking to myself! Was wondering if anyone might be interested in practicing together over the p...
11 replies - Last post by コウ日本語 - June 22, 2014
I'm not sure what ichiban atsukatta hi wa kinou desu means. Does it mean The hottest day was yesterday. or Yesterday was the hottest day.
3 replies - Last post by risa-rocket-japanese-tutor - May 20, 2014
ni noborimasu or wo noborimasu
I can't understand the difference between 東京タワ を 登る and 東京タワ に 登る
4 replies - Last post by risa-rocket-japanese-tutor - April 30, 2014
Question about this statement -- using chopsticks
In Lesson 1.8, one of the Write It Section questions is this: Can you use chopsticks? which in romaji is: O hashi wa tsukae masu ka? In Lesson 1.9, the student is introduced to the idea of -ga <verb> stem + "e" + masu. If I were to follow the rul...
2 replies - Last post by J742129 - March 4, 2014
Well I love the new site to start off. Much easier to navigate through and stuff :] The quizzes seem to be somewhat glitched. I answered the quizzes for some lessons, and it gives me a grade that is too low. For example, the first one says 91% but when I...
7 replies - Last post by J742129 - March 1, 2014
Difference between tabemasen and tabenai
What is the main difference between tabemasen and tabenai?
4 replies - Last post by J742129 - February 3, 2014
How do Japanese native speakers write their name in Romaji/English?
Does the surname still come first? Or do they write their name as English speakers would; first name, then last name? I am corresponding with a Japanese hotel receptionist in English and I this person's first and last name could be either/or; a first o...
1 reply - Last post by 2679 - December 14, 2013
Hello my fellow Japanese learners! みなさん おげんき ですか？ Perhaps I'm being premature in asking, (as it might come in more detail at later lessons) but I'm becoming more baffled by particles. My question in this instance is when to use を and when to use は . f...
3 replies - Last post by risa-rocket-japanese-tutor - December 12, 2013
Asking for numerous glasses of wine
Is it correct to say: aka wain o futatsu no gurasu o onegai shimasu or is it correct to say: aka wain no gurasu o futatsu o onegai shimasu I would think that the first way is the correct way.
3 replies - Last post by risa-rocket-japanese-tutor - December 12, 2013
are ga and wa different? Or can they be used the same way? ありがと！！！
3 replies - Last post by risa-rocket-japanese-tutor - November 24, 2013
Hi I was wondering if anyone can help me. I came across these words and I'm not sure what they mean. Does this mean I have 1 brother older than me? Or does it mean he is 1 year older than me? 兄は僕より一つ上 Same with this one here...I'm not too sure if it me...
2 replies - Last post by risa-rocket-japanese-tutor - November 23, 2013
help with describing where I am from.
Mina san, Konnichiwa! I have only just started my course so please forgive my lack of knowledge! I have just completed the basic lessons on asking where someone is from and proceeded to the grammar lessons that tie in with it. I have a few questions tho...
5 replies - Last post by risa-rocket-japanese-tutor - November 23, 2013
Difference between －ませんか and ーましょか
What is the difference between －ませんか and ーましょか？ えうがをみませんか・ えうがをみましょか・
2 replies - Last post by risa-rocket-japanese-tutor - November 12, 2013
What is the difference? 日曜日にいそがしです。 日曜日はいそがしです。
2 replies - Last post by risa-rocket-japanese-tutor - November 12, 2013
Please clarify more on the Japanese tenses as some confusion persists, for example, if I say, "we read" to mention that the action is in present, we say it as "わたしたちは よみます"。 Then again, if I want to say "We read", that is reading is already done in the pa...
3 replies - Last post by risa-rocket-japanese-tutor - November 12, 2013
Writing english digits vs. Japanese Kanji
I have seen Japanese text where predominantly, english digits (e.g. 1, 2, 3, and so on) are used in the context instead of Japanese Kanji. When does a person use english digits vs. Japanese Kanji to represent digits?
4 replies - Last post by 477580 - November 7, 2013
Here are some guidelines on how to get the most out of your Rocket Japanese course: Rocket Japanese is a beginner's course in three main components: 1) audio lessons, which you listen to; 2) textual lessons, which you read; and 3) learning games, w...
7 replies - Last post by Luz--8 - October 12, 2013
I just purchase the Rocket Japanese. When I take notes on a given lesson and click on the submit button what happens to the notes. Because it seems when I come back to that lesson at a later time to review my notes I can't find them, signed raug
5 replies - Last post by Chris-J18 - October 6, 2013
porque no puedo restar my password
No comprendo porque cuando pido mi clave siempre me dicen que toque el ling de abajo pare reset y results que no sale nada..sera que esta pajina es un escam.es triste que uno quiere aprender pero ..siempre hay algo raro von Los escamiadores...espero meden...
0 replies - Last post by maritza--6 - September 17, 2013
I LIKE THIS JAPAN CONTRY VERY SO MUSH SHOUT BE I WAIL TO COME JAPAN CONTRY.
1 reply - Last post by Yahaira Vega - August 14, 2013
Any other sources recommended for learning
7 replies - Last post by 2679 - July 7, 2013
What is the usage scenario of "Shite imasu" ?
Usually I see "shite imasu" being used for the action which is continuous. However, I have also seen that only "imasu" being used. For example, to say "I am reading" we may say - わたしはよんでいます. But when I say that - "I have been studying", It is said as ...
1 reply - Last post by 2679 - July 4, 2013
Why is "wa" sometimes written as "ha" in Hiragana?
1 reply - Last post by 2679 - June 29, 2013
こにちは In Grammar news letter #4 the sentence reads こひはすきですか。 If coffee is the subject or the improtant point of the sentence why don't you use が instead? Thanks
6 replies - Last post by crush23 - June 26, 2013
My friends input on "yori"
I have a Japanese friend who was helping me learn some more of the language... We got to the topic of "yori" and I remembered learning it here... Here's her input, and I was wondering if I could get some extra feedback from others. She says that: <A&g...
2 replies - Last post by K73SK - June 24, 2013
Hello everyone, I've been studying Kanji for quite a lot of time now, however I've noticed a lot of changes being made during the last 2 years. At least this is what I see in the electronic representations of kanji, not in handwritten cases. I'll start o...
2 replies - Last post by 2679 - June 3, 2013
Hello, First I would like to say that I love Rocket Japanese, it's fits perfectly on what I was looking for learn Japanese, demo I feel a little lost about grammar and it's being really hard to me to construct my own phrases. Specially with the verbs for...
6 replies - Last post by 477580 - May 29, 2013
i wants to learn japanese language in short way. firstly i wants to learn alphabets & pronounce for these alphabets . if you are help me ,then do otherwise leave it.
4 replies - Last post by George-G3 - May 14, 2013
Difference between yoroshii desu ka? and shimasu ka?
Is there a big difference between these two phrases? Just wondering! -arigato! n_n
5 replies - Last post by 2679 - May 4, 2013
You probably have heard a Japanese name mentioned followed by "san". "san" is an address showing a sign of respect. You might say it’s like Mr. Mrs. and Ms. San, however, can be used both after family names or given names. Thereâ...
3 replies - Last post by CatPanda - January 28, 2013
I have a question about "koto ga arimasu".. In the beginning of the conversation, Kenni says he has never drunk sake like this: "sake o nonda koto WA arimasen". whereas in the grammar news letter, there's a sentence that goes like...
3 replies - Last post by nirmala-s - January 18, 2013
How should I go through both the audio and grammer lessons?
I personally hate learning via reading so I just stoped doing the grammar lessons and just do the audio lessons. I was thinking of just going back to the grammar lessons after I finish the audio course but I'm not sure if the grammar lessons are its own t...
10 replies - Last post by Son-C - November 4, 2012
まいあさ、こえん xx さんぽします。 I expected xx=で but the answer is given as を。 I've seen suggestions there is a different nuance, one being more purposeful, deliberate than the other........ can anyone elaborate? Oh and さんぽします or さんぽをします? I see both. As spoken, hard ...
3 replies - Last post by 2679 - October 23, 2012
Politely I could say Bob はどこですか。 or Bob はどこなのですか。 Less politely Bob はどこお or Bob はどこなの（And i could probably omit the は too?) The なの does not appear to change the meaning at all, seems entirely superfluous. But there is probably a nuance :-) - and its appa...
0 replies - Last post by Hnrutt - October 19, 2012
ichiban atsukatta hi wa kinou desu
1 reply - Last post by 2679 - October 18, 2012
Hi all, l am confused about the function of の here. 逢いたくなるの「衝動」哭きたくなるの「純情」。 if so, can someone please explain it to me? l really nead your help.
11 replies - Last post by 2679 - October 16, 2012
Hi all, 質問があるけど。 What is the difference between こと andもの ? They both work to nominalize a verb. お前は幸せもどだ。 お前は幸せことだ。 Please help!
4 replies - Last post by rena-patra - October 12, 2012
Hi konnichiwa. Shitsumon ga aru. l usually see ~i adjective turn into ~ki adjective such as atsui→atsuki / hayai→hayaki, itoshii→itoshiki/atarashii→atrarashiki etc. Well then, what does it mean?
12 replies - Last post by Pascal-P - September 15, 2012
Hi everyone! l usually see particle "wo" at the end of a sentence without a verb like: よい夢 を 。 楽しい旅 を 。 良い週末 を 。 良い休暇 を 。 They skip the main verb. So l just wonder what is the main verb? Can anyone help me, please?
4 replies - Last post by Pascal-P - August 27, 2012
hi everyone. What is the difference wa and ga?
3 replies - Last post by Pascal-P - August 23, 2012
Japanese 10.3 passive form of suru, female/teinego/male plain
So Chūrin-ihan de jitensha ga tekkyo sarechattano. is female speech, passive. Would the teinego form be Chūrin-ihan de jitensha ga tekkyo saremashita and the plain male form be Chūrin-ihan de jitensha ga tekkyo sareta Is there a 'male equivalent' to the...
5 replies - Last post by Hnrutt - August 17, 2012
In 10.3 why is kotowarareta used and not kotowatta? The latter seems to be the plain form past of kotowaru - the former is some rather complicated form ('passive respectful') I dont know - & I dot really see why its needed. Plain past does it surely -...
3 replies - Last post by Pascal-P - July 30, 2012
Infinitive+desu compared to ..te iru n desu or -te imasu, lesson 10.2
Firstly, am I correct that xxte irun desu and xxte imasu are essentially identical in meaning, both 'polite', but the first possibly a bit more informal, colloquial & spoken as opposed to written? But in 10.2 (& Ive seen the analogous construction...
5 replies - Last post by Hnrutt - July 24, 2012
So all of the lessons (or at least all of the lessons I've done so far) use "anata" when referring to 'you', but in pretty much every Japanese song I've listened to the singers say "kimi" instead of "anata". Is this just so the lyrics fit in with the song...
4 replies - Last post by Hnrutt - July 20, 2012
why do you say koko de matte kudasai and koko ni tatte kudasai
3 replies - Last post by Pascal-P - July 12, 2012
The particle "o" and the honorific "O"??
Can someone explain to me the O that makes words honorific and how you know what words to make honorific. Also can someone explain when and where to use the particle "o" to mark the object rather than using "ga". And what's the difference between o and g...
5 replies - Last post by Sayaka-Matsuura - July 11, 2012
In this lesson, Sayaka asks, "O sake o nonda koto ga arimasu ka?" And Kenny replies, "O sake o nonda koto WA arimasen." Why don't they both use the same particle? Suppose Kenny wanted to say that he himself has never drunk sake, but his brother drinks it...
9 replies - Last post by Maggie-J - June 3, 2012