Word of the Week: Available

On a computer: “Error. Insufficient memory available.” At an airport: “Sorry, there are no seats available on that flight.” At a pet shelter: “This adorable dog is available for adoption!” Talking with friends: “I really like June, but she’s not available. She has a...

Word of the Week: Previous

“I didn’t know the area very well yet, because I had just moved there the previous year.” “Previous” describes something that comes before the thing in question, in a sequence of things. It’s useful because we can’t say “last year” when talking about the past or...

Word of the Week: Former

“I visited the store where I used to work and went drinking with my former colleagues.” “Former” is used with things that someone or something used to be but no longer is. For example, if you give your cat to your friend, the cat is now your former pet. If you get...

Word of the Week: Overcome

“He overcame his fear of heights to become a professional pilot.” “Overcome” means to get over a difficulty or problem, or defeat an enemy. It ends with “come” and is conjugated in the same way. The past is “overcame”, not “overcomed”. 「彼は高所恐怖症を乗り越えてプロのパイロットになりました」...

Word of the Week: Shiny

“The first place winner will receive a shiny gold medal.” Something that is “shiny” reflects light. Something made of smooth, polished metal is usually shiny. It’s similar to the word “shine”, but something that shines often emits its own light instead of reflecting...