Learning guides
Understand readings and expressions, then put them into practice with review and mock tests.
予約 and 注文: reserving a table and ordering food
Distinguish securing a place in advance from requesting goods or services in a restaurant setting.
申し込み and 受付: applying and receiving applications
Distinguish an applicant's request from the process or desk that receives it.
確認 and 相談: checking facts and discussing a problem
Learn how to distinguish checking information from discussing a decision or solution.
連絡 and 報告: passing on news and reporting progress
Compare contacting someone with news and reporting facts or progress.
返事 and 返信: answering and replying to messages
Distinguish responses to speech or a call from replies sent to received messages.
質問 and 問題: a question you ask and a problem you address
Distinguish requests for information, test items, and problems to solve through context.
理由 and 原因: reasons for choices and causes of events
Distinguish reasons explaining actions from causes producing events, including contexts where they overlap.
結果 and 効果: outcomes and effects
Compare the outcome of an event with the effect produced by an action or method.
目的 and 目標: purpose and target
Distinguish why an action is undertaken from the target it aims to reach.
意見 and 感想: views and impressions
Distinguish views offered in a discussion from impressions of a work or experience.
説明 and 案内: explaining details and showing the way
Compare explanations that support understanding with guidance about locations and access.
紹介 and 招待: introductions and invitations
Distinguish introducing people or information from inviting someone as a guest.
参加 and 出席: joining activities and attending
Compare taking part in an activity with being present at an arranged gathering.
休日 and 休暇: days off and leave
Distinguish days when work or school is off from a period of leave.
休憩 and 休息: a break and restorative rest
Compare a pause during an activity with rest for recovery.
旅行 and 観光: a trip and sightseeing
Distinguish a trip, including travel and accommodation, from sightseeing.
出張 and 訪問: business travel and visits
Distinguish travel away from the usual workplace for business from a visit to a person or place.
事故 and 事件: accidents and incidents
Distinguish accidents from notable incidents without prematurely assuming that a crime occurred.
荷物 and 持ち物: baggage and belongings
Distinguish baggage to carry or store from belongings or items someone should bring.
住所 and 場所: addresses and places
Distinguish an address used for mail or registration from a location or meeting place.
順番 and 順序: turns and sequences
Distinguish turns in a queue from the sequence of a process, including areas of overlap.
番号 and 番: identification numbers and turns
Distinguish an identifying number from 番 used for turns or numbered positions.
期限 and 期間: deadlines and periods
Distinguish a time limit from the span between a beginning and an end.
時期 and 機会: timing and opportunities
Distinguish when something happens from an opportunity to do it.
最近 and 先日: recent times and the other day
Distinguish a recent stretch of time from a particular unspecified day in the past.
今度 and 次回: this occasion and the next session
Compare context-dependent 今度 with 次回, which specifies the next occurrence in a series.
将来 and 未来: future prospects and the future
Compare future prospects and plans with the future as a time or world.
普段 and 通常: everyday habits and normal operation
Compare everyday personal habits with normal operating conditions.
全部 and 全体: all the parts and the whole
Distinguish every item without exception from something considered as a whole.
直接 and 直ちに: directly and immediately
Distinguish acting without an intermediary from acting without delay.