The 5 Common Mistakes Japanese Learners Make Part 1: Beginner 🔰

Mako
1 day ago
3 min read

You've mastered the Kana and started your first textbook, but the grammar is already throwing curveballs! As a Japanese tutor, I see the same fundamental errors pop up repeatedly. These mistakes often stem from trying to apply English logic to Japanese syntax.

Here are five key linguistic mistakes beginners make, and how to fix them to build a solid foundation.

1. The Location Trap: Confusing に and で

This is the most common particle mix-up for beginners.

The Mistake: Using the wrong particle to mark a location.
The Rule: Use に when marking existence or the final destination/goal (verbs like いる / ある (to exist) or いく(to go)). Use で when marking the location where an action takes place (たべる(to eat), べんきょうする (to study), はたらく(to work)).
The Fix: Remember: に for being (state/existence), で for doing (action).

Incorrect Example	Correct Example
としょかんでほんがあります。	としょかんにほんがあります。(There is a book in the library.)
いえにたべる。	いえでたべる。(I eat at home.)

2. Neglecting the Nominaliser (の or こと)

Japanese is strict about what can function as a noun.

The Mistake: Failing to convert a verb or a clause into a noun when it is the subject or object of the sentence.
The Rule: When a verb phrase needs to be the topic or the object of liking/disliking, you must add the nominaliser の or こと.
The Fix: Always use の after a verb if that verb is followed by a verb like すき(liking) or できる (to be able to do).

Correct Example: にほんごをはなすのがすきです。(I like speaking Japanese.) にほんごをはなすことができます。(I can speak Japanese.)

3. The Short vs. Long Vowel Error

This is purely phonetic, but it's a huge cause of miscommunication.

The Mistake: Not holding the sound long enough for a long vowel, or mishearing the difference.
The Rule: Vowel length can change the meaning of a word entirely, especially withお/う and お/あ combinations.
Why This Mistake is Important:
1. Politeness: Be careful with age-related terms! Saying おばあさん (grandmother) when you mean おばさん (aunt/middle-aged woman) is considered impolite. You are referencing a younger person with a term for someone much older, which can be seen as insulting 🥲
2. Clarity: Asking for ビル (building) when you want ビール (beer) in a restaurant will lead to confusion, as the meaning is completely changed.

When learning new vocabulary, you must be meticulous and pay close attention to any double vowels (あ, い, う, え, お) in the Hiragana or the long dash (ー) in Katakana.

Short Vowel	Reading	Meaning	Long Vowel	Reading	Meaning
おばさん	obasan	Aunt (or middle-aged woman)	おばあさん	obaasan	Grandmother
おじさん	ojisan	Uncle (or middle-aged man)	おじいさん	ojiisan	Grandfather
ゆき	yuki	Snow	ゆうき	yuuki	Courage
とる	toru	To take	とおる	tooru	To go through
え	e	Picture	ええ	ee	Yes (casual agreement)
ここ	koko	Here (as a location)	こうこう	kookoo	High school
ビル	biru	Building	ビール	biiru	Beer

4. Confusing もう and まだ with Negation

These common adverbs must pair correctly with the verb's tense.

The Mistake: Using もう (already) with a negative verb form.
The Rule: もう (already) pairs with the affirmative past tense. まだ (still/not yet) pairs with the negative ていません form.
The Fix: Commit these pairs to memory:
- もう + た (もうたべた - Already ate)
- まだ + ていない (まだたべていない - Haven't eaten yet)

5. Inappropriate Use of 〜てあげる (Offering Help)

This is a cultural and linguistic mistake wrapped into one.

The Mistake: Directly using the 〜てあげる structure to offer help to a superior, teacher, or older person.
The Problem: 〜てあげる implies you are doing a favour and are in a higher position. This sounds patronising or rude to someone of higher status.
The Fix: Use the humble offer 〜ましょうか.
👍ペンをかしましょうか。(Shall I lend you a pen?)

Ready to Speak Correctly from Day One? 🚀

Textbooks teach the rules, but only a native speaker can spot your specific mistakes with particles (に vs. で) and correct your subtle pronunciation errors. Stop practising mistakes! Start building fluency with immediate, personalised feedback.