Japanese culture is known for its love of all things considered “cute,” so much that the Japanese word kawaii (cute) has entered the popular lexicon! Perhaps it’s no surprise that the Japanese language has many words that may sound cute to English speakers. Some of these cute Japanese words may be English-based words with Japanese pronunciation (a cognate), slang words, and various onomatopeias.
In future Japanese conversations, try incorporating a couple of these words to add some fun! If you’d like to know other useful expressions for interactions with native Japanese people, try learning through Rosetta Stone. The intuitive, immersive method helps you learn words and phrases in a way that sticks better than just memorization.
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Things cute Japanese words might have in common with English
You’ll find many words on this list with repeating sounds, like pika pika and tsubu tsubu. In English, these are called reduplications and we don’t have a lot of them (“bye-bye” and “choo choo” might be examples). In Japanese, though, it is common to use repetitive sounds in everyday conversation. Also, their variety of cute Japanese words that repeat is much more expansive.
Grammatically, these repetitive words can be used individually as a reaction word. To emphasize the feeling, you can add da ne after the phrase, like pika pika da ne. Other examples are included in textbooks like the Genki and Tobira series. However, there are many more–and many cute words in Japanese–to explore!
1. Yabai (やばい)
Pronunciation: yah-bai
Yabai might be the most important slang term in Japanese. While it originally meant “bad” or “dangerous,” now it has positive meanings such as “amazing” or “cool.” It can be used for almost anything as long as the feelings are strong.
The flexibility of yabai can be compared to that of “sick” in English slang. The literal meaning of sick is negative, and it can be used to indicate disgust or even to say something is “amazing” or “cool.”
Yabai is an i-adjective and will be applied that way grammatically.
| Japanese | Romanization | Pronunciation | English |
| 財布を無くした。やばい！ | Saifu o nakushita. Yabai! | sai-foo oh nah-koo-shtah yah-bai |
I lost my wallet. Oh no! |
| やばい人 | yabai hito | yah-bai hee-toh | a dangerous person |
| このゲームはやばい。昨日一日中やっていた | Kono geemu wa yabai. Kinou ichi nichi juu yatte ita | koh-noh gayy-moo wa yah-bai kee-nohh ee-chee nee-chee joo yah-TAY ee-tah |
This game is incredible (but also dangerously addictive). I played it all day yesterday. |
2. Meccha (めっちゃ)
Pronunciation: meh-CHAH
In contrast to yabai, meccha is straightforward slang. It simply means “very” or “extremely.” If you’re already used to the word totemo, try replacing it with meccha in your sentences. Just keep in mind that your sentences will be more casual.
| Japanese | Romanization | Pronunciation | English |
| めっちゃ可愛い | Meccha kawaii | meh-CHAH kah-wah-eee | It’s very cute. |
| めっちゃ面白い | Meccha omoshiroi | meh-CHAH oh-moh-shee-roy | It’s very funny / interesting. |
| めっちゃ疲れた | Meccha tsukareta | meh-CHAH tsoo-kah-reh-tah | I’m very tired. |
3. Bimyou (微妙)
Pronunciation: bee-MYOHH
Depending on the situation, bimyou can be translated as “subtle,” “sensitive,” or “iffy.” Although it’s usually left out of textbooks, it’s a common and helpful Japanese word. You can use it when you don’t know how to express your feelings about something.
Bimyou is an na-adjective and will follow those grammar rules:
| Japanese | Romanization | Pronunciation | English |
| 微妙な違いがあります | Bimyou na chigai ga arimasu | bee-MYOHH nah chee-gai gah ah-ree-mahs | There’s a subtle difference. |
| 状況は微妙です | Joukyou wa bimyou desu | johh-kyohh wah bee-MYOHH dehs | The situation is delicate. |
| 微妙な味 | Bimyou na aji | bee-MYOHH nah ah-jee | The taste is iffy. |
4. Pika pika (ピカピカ)
Pronunciation: pee-kah pee-kah
This fun Japanese word refers to something “gleaming” or “shining,” especially after being polished. Those familiar with the Pokemon franchise may find this word familiar. The mascot’s name is Pikachu. Since pika pika can be used as the sound for an electric spark, it became part of Pikachu’s name. The chu part is the sound a mouse makes, essentially the Japanese equivalent of “squeak.”
Most often, pika pika describes something freshly polished or brand new.
| Japanese | Romanization | Pronunciation | English |
| ピカピカの新しい靴 | pika pika no atarashii kutsu | pee-kah pee-kah noh ah-tah-rah-sheee koo-tsoo | shiny new shoes |
| 床をピカピカに磨きます | Yuka o pika pika ni migakimasu | yoo-kah oh pee-kah pee-kah nee mee-gah-kee-mahs | I will polish my floor so it shines. |
>> Find out how long it takes to learn Japanese!
5. Kira kira (キラキラ)
Pronunciation: kee-rah kee-rah
At first glance, this word is similar to pika pika, as kira kira means “sparkling” or “glittering.” However, they are used in different situations, making this a good chance to explore the bimyou (subtle) differences in the examples below.
There’s also an interesting trend of parents giving their children quirky names, known as kira kira names that “sparkle” more than the average name. Many of these names resemble little of a traditional name, such as Jedi (from Star Wars), Bullet Train (shinkansen), Sadness (kanashimi), Pikachu, and Drool (yodare). There are too many unusual kira kira names to list, but these give you an idea.
Used in the standard way, kira kira is often paired with the verbs kagayaku or hikaru, which are synonyms meaning “to shine” or “to glitter.”
| Japanese | Romanization | Pronunciation | English | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| キラキラ輝くダイヤモンド | Kira kira kagayaku daiyamondo | kee-rah kee-rah kah-gah-yah-koo dai-yah-mohn-doh | A diamond that glitters brightly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 星が空でキラキラ光っていました | Hoshi ga sora de kira kira hikatte imashita | hoh-shee gah soh-rah deh kee-rah kee-rah h
Your Guide to the 9 Parts of Speech in Spanish With ExamplesExplore the nine parts of speech in Spanish with examples from sustantivos (nouns) and verbos (verbs) to artículos (articles), adjetivos (adjectives), and more.
¡Fiesta! ¡Fiesta! ¡Fiesta! If there’s one thing Colombians love it’s a party…or a festival…or a carnival…or a parade. Colombian festivals abound all year long, and we cover the most important or most common ones in this article. After reading about these festivals in Colombia, we’re pretty sure you’ll be dying to visit. You might also want to learn some Spanish with Rosetta Stone, which offers an immersive method of language learning designed to get you speaking on the very first day. Table of Contents1. Carnaval de Negros y Blancos (Black and White Carnival)When: Late December into January Where: San Juan de Pasto What to expect: A celebration of mestizaje, or the intermingling of various cultures and races (including Pacific, Amazonian, and Andean), this is the most important carnival in southern Colombia. It was initiated in the mid-sixteenth century after the arrival of the Spanish. The festival underwent a process of fusion among indigenous, African, and Catholic traditions. Three Kings Day on January 5th was declared a holiday for the African slaves (negritos) to celebrate their heritage, so coloring the town and their faces black became a fun game. This tradition took great hold in the region of Pastos. Much later on January 6th, a blancos (whites) game started in a brothel, where tailors powdered people’s faces of everyone there or at the church after mass. Carnaval de Negros y Blancos developed even more until it became what it is today: a parade known for its exceptional artistry in terms of its floats. These huge sculptural creations of bright colors take about a year to create and sometimes hold dozens of dancers. On the second to the last day of the festival, attendees wear a dark pigmentation to honor the traditional heritage. Then on the last day, they apply white powder to their faces. As a whole, these black and white cosmetics are meant to represent the unity of the races. The Carnaval de Negros y Blancos is included in UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Fun fact: Carnaval kicks off with the Water Carnival where water fights with balloons and buckets are all part of street fun. If you decide to venture out, be prepared to get wet! >> Learn Colombian Spanish: the “easiest” Spanish dialect 2. Feria de Manizales (Manizales Fair)When: early January Where: Manizales What to expect: Manizales, Columbia, is famous for its coffee, and one highlight of this fair is the Coffee Queen competition. It’s a beauty pageant that attracts contestants from around Columbia and even neighboring countries. There’s also another competition in which trova singers compete by singing improvised lyrics. Though it has its share of floats, folklore and music like other Colombian festivals, Feria de Manizales has a couple unique events that other festivals in Columbia don’t hold: bullfighting and tango events. Don’t be fooled that this is a small festival—over 300 events are held each year. You’ll find something fun to do with the locals! Fun fact: This fair was inspired by the April Fair in Seville, Spain, but this version has a distinct Columbian flair. 3. Día de la Candelaria (Candlemas)When: Early February Where: Various places in Colombia but especially in Cartagena What to expect: Día de la Candelaria commemorates the moment when the Virgin Mary took the infant Jesus and some candles to be blessed in the temple. In Cartagena, you’ll see processions, fairs, and cabalgatas, which are popular parades. The focal point is usually horses and riders but you’ll also see bands, music, and floats designed to celebrate this special moment. People also climb up Cerro de la Popa (Popa Hill) and descend with an image of the Virgin of Candelaría. Candlemas is also celebrated as a popular festival in Peru. Fun fact: The Virgin of Candelaria is represented by a black Madonna statue in Tenerife, Spain, in the Canary Islands. 4. Carnaval de BarranquillaWhen: January into February Where: Barranquilla What to expect: This centuries-old Colombian festival is the biggest celebration of all, with pre-event celebrations happening for several weeks. The Barranquilla Carnival takes place over four days, filling the streets with bright colors, masks, dances, music, and so much more. Tickets are required to attend, but it’s worth doing as it might be the “partiest” party you’ll attend in Columbia. Plan to be here on the Saturday before Ash Wednesday, as that’s usually the start date of the festival. Fun fact: You can learn a lot of cultural dances like the African congo, indigenous mico y micas, or multiple Colombian dances like porro and puya. 5. Festival de Música Andina Colombiana ‘Mono Núñez’ (Andean Music Festival)When: Early March Where: Teatro Mayor Julio Mario Santo Domingo, Bogotá What to expect: Characterized as “the most important Andean music event of Colombia,” this festival is also considered to be one of the best of its kind in Latin America. Each year, the most exceptional participants are selected, and they become the headliners for the following festival. Music lovers don’t miss out on this lyrical festival that’s held annually in Bogotá. Fun fact: The festival is also simply called El Mono Núñez, the nickname for the Colombian musician named Benigno Núñez. How can I identify the French part of speech for a word?In many French vocabulary lists and dictionaries, you’ll see the French word followed by some extra letters or abbreviations. It might look like one of these examples:
The “nf” or “n.f.” refers to “noun, feminine.” This is useful to distinguish the noun magie (magic) from the adjective magique (magical). It’s a quick way to know the French part of speech the word belongs to when you need quick help. There are also commonly used abbreviations for other parts of speech and characteristics.
Le nom/le substantif (noun)If hearing the word “noun” brought to mind the common definition “person, place, thing, or idea,” then you’re on the right track already! Here are a few more features of nouns in French: Nouns are usually accompanied by a déterminant (determiner). These can be typical articles (a, an, the) or other words like (each, some, this, my).
Singular or plural nouns are used to demonstrate the number of persons, places, things, or ideas.
Nouns have grammatical gender of either masculine or feminine. The gender can change the meaning of the noun, which is why it’s important to learn their gender and not just the meaning.
Serving two purposes, nouns can function as subjects or objects in a sentence.
Le pronom (pronoun)This popular Romance language has several different types of French pronouns, which are used to replace a noun in order to avoid repetition. Your reader or listener can get annoyed pretty quickly if you repeat a name or noun excessively while you tell a story. Compare these examples in English:
Le pronom sujet (subject pronoun)Subject pronouns are often one of the French parts of speech learners will memorize. You can use subject pronouns to replace a noun when it is the subject of the sentence. Remember, not all nouns are grammatically the subject, so you’ll have to ask “who or what is doing the verb, or the action?” to determine the subject. Nous mangeons beaucoup de pizza. = We eat a lot of pizza. Who eats a lot of pizza? “We” do. So “we” is the subject pronoun.
Le pronom réfléchi (reflexive pronoun)Reflexive verbs are used when the subject of the verb receives the action of the verb. To accomplish this in English we sometimes use words like “myself.” Sometimes the reflexive pronoun doesn’t translate to English at all, as French has lots of verbs that are used reflexively.
Le pronom objet direct (direct object pronoun)Direct object pronouns replace the noun as the object of the sentence, receiving the action of the verb. Learn Japanese Numbers: Counting from 1-100Japanese numbers are a foundational aspect to learn for anyone interested in the Japanese…
Japanese numbers are a foundational aspect to learn for anyone interested in the Japanese language. Whether your interest stems from the desire to travel (for which you’ll want to know some key Japanese words), to understand Japanese media, or to connect with a unique heritage, mastering these basics are a great first step. The numbers 1 through 100 are relatively simple. Once you know the numbers from 1-10, it just takes a few simple rules to get you the numbers from 11-99. However, as with most languages, 100 will be different from how the other numbers are formed and how they sound. Have no fear, you’ll probably pick them up faster than you think! Table of ContentsJapanese numbers 1-10The numbers 1-10 are the building blocks of all numbers in Japanese. They are also a good sampler of the relative simplicity of Japanese sounds. When learning words in any language, it’s important to learn proper pronunciation and TruAccent is the ideal way to improve your accent. Otherwise you may have to work extra hard to break bad habits. With Japanese pronunciation, vowels are especially important to say accurately. Keep this in mind as you go through the numbers.
Within the basic Japanese numbers, there are a few that have multiple possible pronunciations. 4 is sometimes shi, 7 is sometimes shichi, and 9 is sometimes ku. These are used depending on context. For example, when saying the day or month (where January is translated as “month number one”), the alternative sounds are used. Tips for remembering numbers 1-10 in Japanese:Memorizing new words without context tends to be a challenge for most language learners. While it’s important to repeat new words multiple times and try to use them frequently, you can make studying easier on yourself by using memory aids. Here are our suggestions to remember numbers 1-10 in Japanese:
Japanese numbers 11-19For the numbers 11-19, all you need to do is say the number for 10 (juu), then say the number that would add up to the final number you need. It can help to think of this in a mathematical formula. For example, to make 11 we start with 10 then add 1.
This formula easily applies to the rest of the numbers in this range of 11-19.
Japanese numbers 20-99Just as the numbers 11-19 follow a formula, so do the rest of the numbers in Japanese that go from 20-99. Instead of addition, this range of numbers uses multiplication that you can see with the number 20:
With this formula, just make sure your smaller number comes first, otherwise you’ll have created a different number like juu ni, which means 12 instead of 20. This pattern means that 30 is san juu, 40 is yon juu, 50 is go juu, and so on.
To create other numbers, such as 21, 46, etc., you combine the two formulas:
If you’d like to quiz yourself on whether you understand the rules so far, try saying these numbers in Japanese after trying to make the words on your own.
100 in Japanese (and beyond)Now that you know most of the numbers, your last task is to learn the number 100 in Japanese. It’s a unique word: hyaku (百), pronounced “hyah-koo.” If you’re curious, the previous rules also apply to numbers over 100. Here are two examples.
There are a few numbers where the pronunciation |