Japanese Words You Already Know

When you start to learn Japanese, it can be daunting.

There are so many new words to learn!

What if I told you that you already know a lot of Japanese words?

It’s true! Even if you have never studied Japanese before, I’ll bet you know a lot more
Japanese words than you realize.

This is because of loan words.
Loan words are words from one language taken into another language.
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Learn Japanese Words From English!
If you’re reading this article, I’ll assume you speak pretty good English.

So for a start, think of all the Japanese words used in English.
Typically, these are used to describe Japanese objects that that are unique to Japan.

So when people in the English-speaking world first came to hear of these things, they didn’t have any words for them – and borrowed the Japanese word!

Think kimono, sushi, bonsai, karate.
English words used in Japanese include hamburger (ハンバーガー), computer (コンピューター), soccer (サッカー) and beer (ビール).

You might already notice a pattern. Loan words are often used for things like food, clothes, hobbies and sports.
These things tend to be unique to a particular culture.

So, if you’re trying to learn Japanese words, make sure you know all of these first.
It will speed up your learning, and give you a confidence boost!

Examples
Here are some well-known examples of loan words.

Have a look, and see how many you already know!
These are just a tiny fraction of all the loan words out there.

Hopefully, these lists will help you realize that you know more Japanese than you think!

Japanese words used in English
Kimono きもの
Sushi すし
Bonsai ぼんさい
Karate からて
Karaoke からおけ
Origami おりがみ
Judo じゅど
Haiku はいく

English words used in Japanese
Kamera カメラ — camera
Maiku マイク — microphone
Suupaa スーパー – supermarket
Karendaa カレンダー — calendar
Depaato デパート — department store
Enjin エンジン — engine
Gamu ガム — chewing gum
Pantsu パンツ –- underpants
Terebi テレビ — television
Hoteru ホテル — hotel
Resutoran レストラン — restaurant
Juusu ジュース　– juice

Familiarizing yourself with these words will seriously kick-start your Japanese language study!

So, you’ve realized that you already know thousands of Japanese words, just by reading this article!
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