Advanced Japanese: Aizuchi Is Tough!

Whereas most Westerners are taught to hold off on speaking until the other party has finished, Japanese depend on an elegant dance of aizuchi back and forth; indeed, if you fail to provide aizuchi, your Japanese speaker is likely to conclude that you don't understand what he is saying.

Yet knowing the appropriate aizuchi is a challenge, even for advanced students of Japanese. Adding "そうですか" or "そうですね" as the other party speaks is generally safe, but that only nicks the surface of aizuchi.

How much aizuchi is too much or how little is too little can be answered only through experience and observing native Japanese speakers, but this free Nihongo quiz will help you understand the appropriate aizuchi response in different situations.

We hope you enjoy our free Japanese quizzes. If you want to learn more Japanese, why not consider private lessons at Nihongo-Pro? Our professional teachers build customized Japanese lessons specifically tailored to your language goals and your learning style. Plus, no other online Japanese school offers a classroom with the customized Japanese learning features of the Nihongo-Pro online classroom.