【Difference】Particle 「に」 (ni) vs 「へ」 (he)
“I go to Japan.” In Japanese, you can say this in two ways: 日本に行きます。(Nihon ni ikimasu.) 日本へ行きます。(Nihon e ikimasu.) Both sentences are correct. Both mean “to.” But what is the difference? And...
【Difference】にぎやか (nigiyaka) vs さわがしい (sawagashii)
Imagine a restaurant full of people. Is it にぎやか (nigiyaka) or さわがしい (sawagashii)? Both words describe a place with many people and sounds. However, one is positive (“Lively/Fun”), and the other is...
The Difference Between やさしい (yasashii) vs かんたん (kantan)
If you want to say “This test is easy,” you can say 「やさしい (yasashii)」 or 「かんたん (kantan)」. Both are correct. But if you want to say “He is a kind person,” you...
The Difference Between 暑い vs 熱い vs 厚い (Atsui)｜Japanese Grammar (N5–N3)
In Japanese, the word “hot” can be written in three different ways: 暑い, 熱い, and 厚い. They are all pronounced “atsui” and they are all i-adjectives. However, their meanings are completely different!...
【Difference】うれしい (ureshii) vs たのしい (tanoshii)
When you receive a present, are you うれしい (ureshii) or たのしい (tanoshii)? When you play a game, is it うれしい or たのしい? Both words express positive feelings, but they are used in...
【Difference】入る (hairu) vs 入れる (ireru)
Do you want “to enter” a room? Or do you want “to put” sugar in your coffee? In Japanese, these actions use a similar but very important verb pair: 入る (hairu) and...
【Difference】うれしい (ureshii) vs たのしい (tanoshii)
When you receive a present, are you うれしい (ureshii) or たのしい (tanoshii)? When you play a game, is it うれしい or たのしい? Both words express positive feelings, but they are used in...
【Difference】よい (yoi) vs いい (ii)
“It is good.” In Japanese, you say “いいです (Ii desu).” “It was good.” In Japanese, you say “よかったです (Yokatta desu).” Wait, why did “ii” change to “yo”? This is because there are...
The Difference Between きれい (kirei) vs 美しい (utsukushii)｜Japanese Grammar (N5–N3)
When you see a flower, you say “きれい (kirei)!” When you clean your room, you also say “きれい (kirei)!” But there is another word for “beautiful”: 美しい (utsukushii). When should you use...
The Difference Between すごい (sugoi) vs すばらしい (subarashii)｜Japanese Grammar (N5–N3)
When you see something amazing in Japan, what do you say? You might hear すごい！(Sugoi!) many times. But sometimes, you hear すばらしい (Subarashii). Both words mean “Great,” “Amazing,” or “Wonderful.” However, the...
The Difference Between 静か (shizuka) vs しずかな (shizuka na)｜Japanese Grammar (N5–N3)
Do you know the word 静か (shizuka), which means “quiet”? Sometimes you see it as しずかな (shizuka na). What is the difference? When do you add the な (na)?This is the most...
The Difference Between うるさい (urusai) vs にぎやか (nigiyaka)｜Japanese Grammar (N5–N3)
What’s the difference between a loud, fun party and loud, annoying construction? In Japanese, we use two different words: うるさい (urusai) and にぎやか (nigiyaka). Both words describe a situation with a lot...
The Difference Between 分かる (wakaru) vs 理解する (rikai suru)｜Japanese Grammar (N5–N3)
In English, we use “understand” for many things. But in Japanese, there are two common verbs: 分かる (wakaru) and 理解する (rikai suru). They both mean “to understand,” but their nuance is different....
The Difference Between 持つ (motsu) vs 持っている (motte iru)｜Japanese Grammar (N5–N3)
How do you say “I have a pen” in Japanese? Many N5 learners say: 私はペンを**持ちます**。(Watashi wa pen o mochimasu.) This sounds a little strange to native speakers. The correct, natural way is:...
The Difference Between 出る (deru) vs 出す (dasu)｜Japanese Grammar (N5–N3)
Look at these two sentences: 私（わたし）は、部屋（へや）を 出る。(Watashi wa, heya o deru.) – I leave the room. 私（わたし）は、ゴミを 出す。(Watashi wa, gomi o dasu.) – I take out the trash. They both use the...
The Difference Between 入る (hairu) vs 入れる (ireru)｜Japanese Grammar (N5–N3)
Do you want “to enter” a room? Or do you want “to put” sugar in your coffee? In Japanese, these actions use a similar but very important verb pair: 入る (hairu) and...
The Difference Between 付ける (tsukeru) vs 付く (tsuku)｜Japanese Grammar (N5–N3)
“The light is on.” “I turn on the light.” In Japanese, these two common phrases use a very similar verb pair: 付く (tsuku) and 付ける (tsukeru). But they are not the same!This...
The Difference Between 開く (aku) vs 開ける (akeru) ｜Japanese Grammar (N5–N3)
“The door opens.” “I open the door.” These two sentences are very similar, but in Japanese, they use completely different verbs and particles. This is one of the most important grammar points...
The Difference Between 乗る (noru) vs 乗せる (noseru)｜Japanese Grammar (N5–N3)
Do you know the difference between 乗る (noru) and 乗せる (noseru)? They look similar and are about riding in a vehicle, but they are very different. This is a common point of...
The Difference Between 見る (miru) vs 観る (miru) vs 見える (mieru) vs 見られる (mirareru)｜Japanese Grammar (N5–N3)
Do you know how to say “see” or “look” in Japanese? You might know 見る (miru). But what about 観る (miru)? And what is the difference between 見える (mieru) and 見られる (mirareru)?...