Coto Japanese Academy

Marking the start of Japan’s Golden Week is Showa Day (昭和の日, Shouwa no hi), an annual holiday held on April 29th. The purpose of Showa Day is to contemplate the profound events of the 20th century, or more specifically, the Showa era (1926-1989) which was governed by the late emperor, Hirohito. While many people spend Showa Day by taking the week off from work and school, why...

Golden Week, or Oogata Shuukan, in Japan, is the period when four national holidays cram together and form an (almost) week-long break. This is when inbound travel peaks in Japan, as a lot of people use this opportunity to use their paid time off to visit other places in the country. People living in urban centers like Tokyo will usually leave the city at the beginning of the...

The JLPT N4 phrase, 〜のに (~noni), is often used to contrast two opposing remarks, similar to saying “even though.” You can use this phrase to express dissatisfaction, surprise, or regret over something unexpected or disappointing.

So, let’s learn how to use this JLPT N4 grammar point by breaking down its meaning, structure, and example sentences.

The JLPT N4 grammar 〜しよう closely translates to “let’s do!” The grammar is actually the volitional form of する, meaning “to do.” Volitional form is a verb conjugation that is used to express an invitation or suggestion.

So let’s break down what the volitional form is, how it works, and how we can use it in actual Japanese conversation.

The JLPT N4 grammar 〜させてください (~sasete kudasai), which closely translates to “please let me do…” It is often used as a polite way of asking for permission to do something.  So, let’s learn how to use this JLPT N4 grammar point by breaking down its meaning, structure, and example sentences.