⭐ Ejderha Sato ⭐

As 2023 concludes with today's lesson, it’s time to reflect on a year and a half of learning Korean! I am deeply and incredibly thankful for discovering Sato! While I began the year familiar with many words, now I can engage in basic Korean conversations. My proficiency in conjugating between past, present, and casual to polite tenses has grown significantly. Sato's teaching skills are evident; he gauges precisely when to challenge me and when to allow independent exploration. Whenever I struggle with a concept, his patient explanations ensure clarity. He will always keep at it until I have fully grasped the topic. His organized Google Docs of lesson notes are invaluable, and his commitment shines through—even when responding to late-night questions! Beyond language, Sato also adds invaluable insights into Korean culture and lifestyle. His meticulous attention to my pronunciation ensures I sound as authentic as possible. Truly a dedicated and skilled instructor! Thank you!

Another fun and very helpful lesson with Sato-sensei! I appreciate his patience and understanding when I forget vocabulary or make mistakes. And I'm super enjoying the pace and really am absorbing the new information well. I also enjoy all the cultural and language context that he gives as we go through the lesson. It gives so much more life and meaning to learning Japanese. I also found it very easy to study up on the previous lesson thanks to the Google Doc notes and organization.

Today's lesson I learned この　せいで -> "Because of this" 刈る vs 切る -かる is more of a sweeping action to cut, like with a sickle/scythe (鎌・大鎌) -きる is more the scissor cutting action ”Concerning this" について though not sure exactly when it's most appropriate to use it vs この　はなしの　こと 時間を潰す makes more sense than 暇をつぶす if you're not in free time バッテリー vs 電池 : でんち is just the typical AA, AAA, D, etc batteries while the katakana is actual car batteries and the like Because of this.... I wasted time | Negative connotation so of course のせいで しっかり is to properly or to assuredly do something, not exactly sure what the best way of describing it is. コーヒーを入れる is to make coffee, brew, add cream/sugar, everything ﾅﾆﾅﾆしないで without doing something, ます buddy I should be familiar with. わたしが　コーヒーを　いれたら、 じぶんで　コーヒーを　いれたら、< When you brew coffee I can use the same noun more than once, 返事が来る

As another year studying with Sato San is finishing, I feel the need to write a proper review. A new year's resolution two years ago changed my life, I decided to try learning another language and shortly after discovered Sato San. Looking back after almost 100 lessons it is hard to believe we've come so far. Starting from scratch, we are now conducting class in almost exclusively Japanese. I am still far from proficient, but feel like I have an extremely solid foundation to build my intermediate level Japanese on. Sato San's style of teaching puts the ball in your court as a learner. The amount of information and study material he provides is abundant, its up to you as a student to study and apply. We have come a very long way together and I am very grateful as a student to have found such a great guide on my language Journey. We continue to trudge towards the metaphorical peak of Everest together. Sato San- 本当に　ありがとうございました

もっとできるようになる to become able to do ✅️つくえの　ほんを　おく < 〜不自然❌️〜つくえの　うえに　ほんを　おく　＜ Unnatural because it's normal to put a book on a desk れいとうこを　あけると、こおりの　ふくろが　あしの　うえに <　Works becauseit's unnatural and unexpected for someone to be standing on a desk ❌️🧒おちちゃった。おちてしまった。 ❌️おちました。 おちた。 ✅️おちてきた。< Why きた here? Because happened TO YOU, speaker involvement means should use てくる たかい is expensive, do not say a person is expensive, always use 背が高い coffee is working to keep me awake: ❌️ Doesn't work in Japanese coffee keeps me awake： ✅️ Can be translated as the following コーヒーの　おかげで めが　さめる ・　おきていられる （keeps me awake　・　keeps me stay awake) According to the result of an action て or から is used - Remember this -If it leads to a result/feeling て, if it leads to an action から 今晩❌️に　ー do NOT NEED EMPHASIS here

sato-san and I had a good lesson moving to new grammar points and upgrading some old skills!