Surviving and Thriving in Japan
Like Duolingo, but for Surviving and Thriving in Japan. Tomo turns the whole topic into a game you play five minutes a day, until it actually sticks.
For the part of you with thirty open tabs that never became anything.
Free during early access · No credit card · iPhone & Android
Key ideas in Surviving and Thriving in Japan
- Sumimasen acknowledges a social debt or disruption
- The word functions as a 'soft' apology and a 'soft' thank you simultaneously
- Sumimasen is a social multi-tool for navigating friction
- It is more appropriate than a formal 'Arigatou' when someone has been inconvenienced
- Matching the social context to the specific function of 'Sumimasen'
- Choosing the most versatile word to handle unexpected social friction
- Sumimasen is for light social friction and daily interactions
- Serious or formal apologies require different, more heavy-weight language
- Distinguishing when 'Sumimasen' is used versus a formal apology
- The particle 'o' connects the object to the request
- 'Kudasai' is the standard polite way to say 'please give me'
- The item name must come first in the sentence
- The request 'kudasai' always ends the phrase
- The correct word order for a simple Japanese request
- Applying the standard polite request formula to a menu item
- The 'tsu' number series works for most food items
You've tried the other tabs
Thirty open tabs. Four facts you actually kept.
You watched. You nodded. By Sunday it was gone.
One answer, then back to scrolling.
Eight weeks. You meant to finish. You didn't.
Tomo gives Surviving and Thriving in Japan the Duolingo treatment: levels, streaks, and quick quizzes that test what you just learned. That game loop is what the tabs above never had, so it's the one you actually finish.
Here's what playing it feels like
A real question from this course. Take your best guess.
What two feelings does the word 'Sumimasen' express at the same time?
Get it right to open this lesson and 23 more in the app.
Where Surviving and Thriving in Japan takes you
Skip the textbook drills and learn how to actually navigate Japan. From ordering the best ramen to finding your way through Shinjuku station, this course focuses on the phrases that get things done.
- 1
Get What You Need Right Now
- The Magic Word for Everything
- Ordering Food Without Pointing
- Paying the Bill and Saying Thanks
- Finding the Nearest Restroom
- Shopping for Snacks at the Convenience Store
- 2
Navigate the Streets Like a Local
- Asking Which Train to Take
- Understanding Signs and Directions
- Checking Into Your Hotel
- 3
Connect and Understand the Culture
- Introducing Yourself Simply
- How to Be Polite Without Trying Too Hard
- Reading the Basic Alphabet
- Why Sentence Order is Different
3 sections · 12 units · 24 levels. Built to play, not to enroll.
You pick the voice
Surviving and Thriving in Japan is taught in the Explain Like I'm 5 style: no big words. promise.. Want a different feel? In the app you can spin up the same topic in any of Tomo's teaching styles. Same facts, totally different vibe.
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Start Surviving and Thriving in Japan today.
Download Tomo, search Surviving and Thriving in Japan, and play your first lesson in under a minute.