May 15 (News On Japan) - Many Japanese people agree that Japanese is a difficult language, especially for foreigners. They point out the complexity of homonyms, kanji characters, multiple writing systems (hiragana, katakana, kanji), and the different intonations that can change meaning—for example, the word "hashi" can mean either "bridge" or "chopsticks" depending on pronunciation. Even native speakers find this confusing.
Several people noted that foreigners often make mistakes with particles like "wa" and "ga", and mixing up respectful and casual speech. Others explained that Japanese often omits the subject in sentences, which can be hard for learners used to the subject-verb-object order in English. This requires a good sense of context or the ability to "read the air" (understand unspoken cues), something that Japanese immersion programs can help develop over time.
Politeness levels, such as using "keigo" (honorific language), add to the complexity. Many said even native speakers sometimes misuse honorifics, so it's understandable that learners struggle. A common example was how "iu" (to say) becomes "ossharu" or "mōshiageru" depending on who's speaking to whom.
Regional dialects (like Kansai or Wakayama-ben) also cause difficulty, and some locals said even Japanese from other regions don’t always understand them. Some shared fun examples, such as “aotan” for bruise in Wakayama dialect.
When asked what mistakes foreigners tend to make, participants said errors in number counting (like different counters for clothes, animals, and people), particle use, and tone of speech were common. However, many also emphasized that Japanese people are generally kind and will try to understand even if a foreigner makes mistakes.
For encouragement, several people said it's okay to make errors—what matters is trying to speak and communicate. They advised beginners to watch Japanese shows, listen to conversations, read manga, and not be afraid of making mistakes. One said, "Even Japanese people find Japanese hard—so don’t give up. You’ll get better by speaking with people."
Some added humorous notes like "don’t say to a girl 'you look like my ex'," and that phrases like “kimoi” (gross) or “kusai” (smelly) are best avoided if trying to be polite.
Overall, the message was that Japanese is challenging due to its structure, vocabulary, and nuance, but it’s learnable through persistence, conversation, and immersion.
Source: Interviewing Japan
