Sounding Japanese with Kage

Level labels are approximate estimates, not official standards.

ぶっちゃけ

ぶ↑っちゃけ [0] Heiban

N2Casual副詞ふくしAdverb

Word

Honestly / to be real with you. Signals you're about to say something blunt.

ぶっちゃけ、この仕事（しごと）向（む）いてないと思（おも）う。

'Honestly, I don't think this job is right for me.'

Example

やっぱ(り)

や↑っぱ↓ [2] ／や↑っぱ↓り [3]

N3Casual副詞ふくしAdverb

Word

Just as I thought / as expected. The casual drop of やはり — in everyday speech, the full form almost never comes up.

やっぱ彼女（かのじょ）のほうが上手（うま）いよ。最初（さいしょ）からそう思（おも）ってた。

'She's better, just as I thought. I felt that way from the start.'

Example

めんどくさい

め↑んどくさ↓い [5]

N3Casual形容詞けいようしi-adjective

Word

Such a drag / too much hassle. The go-to word when something demands more effort than it's worth.

確定申告（かくていしんこく）ってほんとめんどくさい。

'Filing taxes is such a drag.'

Example

ガチで

ガ↓チで [1] Atamadaka

N3Casual副詞ふくしAdverb

Word

Seriously / for real. More intense than マジで — used when something is genuinely, undeniably true.

ガチで？それ聞（き）いて安心（あんしん）した。ありがとう。

'Seriously? That's a relief to hear. Thank you.'

Example

〜じゃん

〜じゃん: follows the preceding phrase; final rise = intonation

N3Casual助詞じょしParticle

Word

Right? / Isn't it? Casual sentence-ender seeking agreement or stating the obvious.

それ最初（さいしょ）から分（わ）かってたじゃん。なんで今（いま）さら言（い）うの。

'You knew that from the start, right? Why bring it up now?'

Example

てか

て↓か [1] Atamadaka

N3Casual接続詞せつぞくしConjunction

Word

Wait / anyway / actually. Redirects the conversation or introduces a fresh thought mid-sentence.

てか、もう11時（じ）じゃん。明日（あした）仕事（しごと）なのに。

'Wait, it's already 11? And I've got work tomorrow.'

Example

なんか

な↓んか [1] Atamadaka

N3Casual副詞ふくしAdverb

Word

Like / somehow / sort of. Japan's equivalent of the English 'like' filler — overused by every native.

なんかこの部屋（へや）、落（お）ち着（つ）かないんだよね。

'I don't know, something about this room makes me uneasy.'

Example

ワンチャン

ワ↓ンチャン [1] Atamadaka

N2Casual副詞ふくしAdverb

Word

Maybe / there's a chance. Used when something is a long shot but not impossible — born from English 'one chance'.

ワンチャン今日中（きょうじゅう）に終（お）わるかも。頑張（がんば）ろう。

'There's a chance we might actually finish today. Let's go.'

Example

マジ(で)

マ↓ジで [1] Atamadaka

N3Casual副詞ふくしAdverb

Word

Seriously / for real / no way. Works as both a question and an intensifier depending on tone.

マジで？それやばすぎ。ちょっと待（ま）って。

'For real? That's insane. Hold on.'

Example

しれっと

し↑れ↓っと [2] Nakadaka

N2Casual副詞ふくしAdverb

Word

Nonchalantly / without batting an eye. Used when someone acts as if nothing happened after doing something bold.

遅刻（ちこく）したくせにしれっと前（まえ）の席（せき）に座（すわ）ってる。

'He was late but just sat down up front like nothing happened.'

Example

花（はな）vs 鼻（はな）

は↑な↓が [2] (flower) · は↑なが [0] (nose)

N5Casual / Formal名詞めいしNoun

Word

Same sound, opposite pitch. Mix them up and you're complimenting someone's nose, not their flowers.

花（はな）を褒（ほ）めてるのか、鼻（はな）を褒（ほ）めてるのか、ピッチアクセントで一発（いっぱつ）でわかる。

Pitch accent instantly tells you whether you're complimenting someone's flowers or their nose.

Example

飴（あめ）vs 雨（あめ）

あ↑めが [0] (candy) · あ↓めが [1] (rain)

N5Casual / Formal名詞めいしNoun

Word

Drop the pitch wrong and you're handing out rain instead of sweets.

① 飴（あめ）をどうぞ。

② 今日（きょう）は雨（あめ）が降（ふ）るらしいよ。

① Please have some candy.

② Apparently it's going to rain today.

Example

病院（びょういん）vs 美容院（びよういん）

びょ・う・い・ん (4 mora) · び・よ・う・い・ん (5 mora)

N3Casual / Formal名詞めいしNoun

Word

One mora changes your destination: hospital or hair salon.

① 病院（びょういん）に行（い）ってくる。

② 美容院（びよういん）に行（い）ってくる。

① I'm going to the hospital.

② I'm going to the hair salon.

Example

おばさん vs おばあさん

お｜ば｜さ｜ん (aunt · 4 mora) · お｜ば｜あ｜さ｜ん (grandmother · 5 mora)

N5Casual / Formal名詞めいしNoun

Word

One extra あ changes the generation: aunt or grandmother.

① おばさんが来（き）たよ。

② おばあさんが来（き）たよ。

① My aunt came over.

② My grandmother came over.

Example

切（き）る vs 着（き）る

き↓る [1] (cut) · き↑る [0] (wear)

N5Casual / Formal動詞どうしVerb

Word

Same romanisation, different pitch. Get this wrong and you're asking someone to cut your shirt, not wear it.

① ハサミで紙（かみ）を切（き）ってください。

② このシャツ着（き）てみてよ。

① Please cut the paper with scissors.

② Try wearing this shirt.

Example

どうしようもない

どうしようもない: phrasing changes with context

N3Casual表現ひょうげんExpression

Word

Nothing can be done / It's hopeless. Stronger than しょうがない — for when a situation is truly beyond fixing.

もう締（し）め切（き）り過（す）ぎてるし、どうしようもないね。

'The deadline's already passed — there's honestly nothing we can do.'

Example

いい加減（かげん）にして

いいかげんにして: pronounce in natural accent phrases

N3Casual表現ひょうげんExpression

Word

Enough is enough / Cut it out. The outburst when patience runs out. Every native says it; no textbook teaches it.

「もういい加減（かげん）にして！さっきからずっとそればっかり。」

'Enough already! You've been going on about that this whole time.'

Example

ちょっとよろしいですか

ちょっと｜よろしいですか (two natural phrases)

N3Formal表現ひょうげんExpression

Word

Do you have a moment? The standard polite way to interrupt at work. Get this right and you sound natural in a Japanese office.

部長（ぶちょう）、ちょっとよろしいですか？確認（かくにん）したいことがあるんですが。

'Manager, do you have a moment? There's something I need to confirm.'

Example

お互（たが）い様（さま）ですよ

おたがいさまですよ: intonation changes with context

N2Casual / Formal表現ひょうげんExpression

Word

It goes both ways — the graceful way to wave off thanks or an apology, implying both sides owe each other equally.

「困（こま）った時（とき）はお互（たが）い様（さま）だよ。」

'When times are tough, we look out for each other.'

Example

そんなことないですよ

そんなことないですよ: intonation changes with context

N4Casual / Formal表現ひょうげんExpression

Word

Not at all / That's not true. The go-to response when someone puts themselves down or fishes for reassurance. Used constantly.

「私（わたし）って話（はな）すのへたくそだよね。」「そんなことないよ！」

'I'm bad at talking, aren't I?' 'That's not true at all!'

Example

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Pitch Accent Essentials