Happy Sunday Japanophiles, Herewith the 73rd issue of the Hai Japan Newsletter — your Weekly Dose of Japan!

Today, we’re simply going through…

Anime of the day: Gachiakuta

Gachiakuta! I love this show. I know I’ve mentioned it before but I’m enjoying it more than Kaiju no. 8 right now, which I’m finding a little slow-paced in comparison. The fight scenes, the animation, and the cool characters make this show a masterpiece so far.

9/10.

Grammar Priority: Filler Words in Japanese

Filler words help you sound natural when you’re thinking or unsure. They’re very common in spoken Japanese and show hesitation, emphasis, or transition—just like “uh,” “like,” “well,” and “you know” in English.

1. ええと / えっと

Usage: Thinking or buying time
Translation: “Uhh... / Umm...”

🗨️ Example:
ええと、名前は…たなかです。
Eeto, namae wa… Tanaka desu.
→ Umm, my name is… Tanaka.

📝 Note: Both ええと and えっと are fine. ええと sounds a little more formal.

2. なんか

Usage: Casual filler for hesitation or vague expressions
Translation: “Like…” / “Sort of…”

🗨️ Example:
なんか、あの人変じゃない？
Nanka, ano hito hen janai?
→ Like, isn’t that person kind of weird?

📝 Note: Common in casual speech, especially with young people.

3. まあ

Usage: Softens statements or buys time
Translation: “Well…” / “I guess…”

🗨️ Example:
まあ、いいんじゃない？
Maa, iin janai?
→ Well, I guess it’s okay?

📝 Note: It can show agreement, doubt, or indifference depending on tone.

4. その / ええ / うーん

Usage: Pausing while thinking
Translation: “So…” / “Uhh…” / “Hmm…”

🗨️ Example:
その、今日はいけないかも。
Sono, kyō wa ikenai kamo.
→ So, I might not be able to go today.

うーん、わからないな。
Uun, wakaranai na.
→ Hmm, I don’t know.

📝 Note: These are short and non-intrusive—used often while thinking mid-sentence.

5. ていうか

Usage: Correcting yourself / changing topic
Translation: “Actually…” / “I mean…” / “Like…”

🗨️ Example:
ていうか、行かないって言ったよね？
Te iu ka, ikanai tte itta yo ne?
→ I mean, you said you weren’t going, right?

📝 Note: Often used when you change your mind mid-sentence or want to reframe something.

6. ほら

Usage: Getting someone’s attention or pointing something out
Translation: “See?” / “Look!”

🗨️ Example:
ほら、言ったでしょ？
Hora, itta desho?
→ See? I told you.

Mini Story: 「ほら、サボってる！」

"See? You're slacking off!"

社長と部下がオフィスで話しています。
Shachō to buka ga ofisu de hanashiteimasu.
The boss and the employee are talking in the office.

👨‍💼 社長:
ええと、今週のレポートはどこ？
Eeto, konshū no repōto wa doko?
Uhh, where’s this week’s report?

👨‍💻 部下:
その…まだできてません。
Sono… mada dekite masen.
Umm… it’s not done yet.

👨‍💼 社長:
ていうか、締切は昨日だったよね？
Te iu ka, shimekiri wa kinō datta yo ne?
I mean, the deadline was yesterday, right?

👨‍💻 部下:
うーん、なんか忙しくて…
Uun, nanka isogashikute…
Hmm, like, I was busy...

👨‍💼 社長:
ほら、また言い訳！
Hora, mata iiwake!
See? Another excuse!

👨‍💻 部下:
まあ、来週はちゃんとやります！
Maa, raishū wa chanto yarimasu!
Well, I’ll do it properly next week!

Try It Yourself

Can you write your own sentence using:

• なんか

• ええと

• ていうか

• ほら

Example:

ええと、今日の予定はなんだっけ？
Eeto, kyō no yotei wa nan dakke?
Umm, what was today’s plan again?