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Description
Nihongo To English blends language learning and stand-up humor as comedians Michelle MaliZaki and Michael Allen CPA (GoatVsFish) explore the quirks of Japanese and English—words that don’t translate, culture shocks, and why politeness can melt you faster than ice cream. Each episode moves freely between the two languages, revealing how funny and human bilingual life can be.
You’ll learn phrases, hear authentic conversation, and laugh about everything from Japanese idols and snacks to Ken-son humility and mistranslated signs.
Perfect for fans of Japanese culture, bilingual comedy, or learning Japanese the fun way.
16 Episodes
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Send a text In Episode 16 of Nihongo to English, Michael Allen and Michelle MaliZaki fall into a “ki” spiral—kitte (stamp), kite(to cut / “cut and…”), and somehow kitty—which turns into a chaotic pitch for a Hello Kitty x Garfield crossover (and the question nobody asked: what if they dated?). Then we jump into Genki Lesson 6 practice: Shopping + prices vocabulary (hat, shoes, bag, wallet, and more)The endlessly confusing world of Japanese counters (flat things vs cylindrical things… why)A fu...
Send a text In Episode 15 of Nihongo to English, we dive into Japanese Valentine’s Day culture—from giri choco (obligation chocolate) to the panic of White Day reciprocity. Comedians Michelle MaliZaki and Michael Allen (Goat VS Fish)also bounce from “nee / Knights who say Ni!” into a surprisingly deep (and very funny) cultural breakdown. Then it’s Genki time: we crack open Genki (pp. 66–68) and practice Japanese money + numbers, from yen bills vs coins (satsu / kouka) to counting up through i...
Send a text Episode 14 starts with a very LA problem: “It doesn’t rain enough to casually say ame ga yamu.” From there, Michael Allen and Michelle MaliZaki jump into Genki-style grammar and nuance—yamu vs yameru, tomaru vs tomeru, and what changes when the “stopping” happens by itself vs when you stop something (Superman stops the Shinkansen, obviously). Then we go full language-nerd with a pronunciation breakdown of why Hi / Pi / Bi (ひ・ぴ・び) are in the same family—voicing, airflow, and how th...
Send a text In this episode of Nihongo to English, hosts Michael Allen CPA and Michelle MaliZaki break down Japanese particle も (mo) from Genki I (Lesson 5)—how to use も to mean “also/too,” and how it can imply “among other things.” We also practice じゃないです (janai desu) vs ではないです (dewa nai desu) for saying “not” in Japanese, plus common beginner pitfalls (like stacking “also” and “too”). Then we do what we do best: a comedian detour into pennies, “paying to do the work,” and the Flying Spaghet...
Send a text In Episode 12 of Nihongo to English No Show, Michelle MaliZaki and Michael Allen (CPA / comedic performance artist) bounce between English + 日本語 (nihongo) and dive into the Genki textbook to tackle one of the most confusing beginner topics: kore / sore / are / dore — plus the matching sets kono / sono / ano / dono and koko / soko / asoko / doko. Along the way: an audition callback mix-up, Michael’s Goat vs Fish early-morning livestream “motivational” routine (is it a cult? 👀), Mic...
Send a text In Episode 11 of Nihongo to English (No Show), hosts Michelle MaliZaki and Michael Allen tumble into Japanese shopping phrases, beginner-friendly Genki vocabulary practice, and a chaotic-but-useful roleplay that goes from the store… to the restaurant… to “wait, why is Mary going to the bathroom?” 😄 You’ll hear practice with essentials like kore / sore / dore, common shopping & everyday nouns (wallet, bag, shoes, notebook, pen), and the most important question of all: “How much...
Send a text Welcome to 2026 — and our first 初笑い (hatsu warai), the first laugh of the New Year 🎍 Nihongo to English hits Episode 10 with Japanese New Year traditions, language mix-ups, and joyful confusion. We talk oshōgatsu, bonenkai, and shinnenkai, New Year foods, long tamago jokes, karuta vs. hanafuda, and why the Japanese New Year lasts more than one day. Along the way, we confuse similar-sounding words, invent new ones, and laugh a lot. Then it’s classic Genki-style chaos: Japanese num...
Send a text 🎧 Episode 9 Description Is a stripe the same as a border? (No. Definitely no.) In Episode 9 of Nihongo to English, comedians Michelle MaliZaki and Michael Allen CPA tumble into classic Japanese–English confusion while debating stripes, borders, and why English sounds so confident even when it’s wrong. Along the way, they snack on zebra popcorn, wander into euphemisms, sake cups, gift-giving customs, and — eventually — make their way back to studying Japanese. This episode loosely ...
Send a text In this episode of Nihongo to English (No Show), Michelle and Michael learn Japanese the way adults actually do — through real conversation, mistakes, and a little sake. We dive into Genki textbook Japanese (pages 46–48), including school years (〜年生), age counters (〜歳), and the confusing but essential grammar pattern 〜ようになる (“to become able to do”). Along the way, we untangle passive vs ability forms like taberareru and nommeru, and why they trip up English speakers. Cultural deto...
Send a text In Episode 7 of Nihongo to English (No Show), Michelle and Michael dig into one of the most surprisingly fun language differences: animal sounds in Japanese vs. English. Why does a dog say wan wan instead of woof woof? Why do cats go nyan nyan? And what happens when you translate sounds instead of meanings? This episode uses onomatopoeia as a gateway into how Japanese actually thinks about sound, rhythm, and expression—and why literal translation often misses the point. From pets ...
Send a text In Episode 6 of Nihongo to English (No Show), Michelle and Michael talk about New York through a Japanese cultural lens—and stumble into a surprisingly deep conversation about boundaries, politeness, and the power of saying no. What starts as travel talk turns into a lesson on how everyday experiences shift when language and culture collide. From New York energy and sensory overload to small misunderstandings like “bread ears,” we explore how Japanese learners navigate unfamiliar ...
Send a text In Episode 5 of Nihongo to English (No Show), Michelle and Michael talk about Thanksgiving through a Japanese lens—and discover how food, gratitude, and cultural assumptions don’t always translate cleanly. The conversation starts with Thanksgiving basics and quickly veers into Japanese food culture, including inari sushi, leftovers, and what it actually means to share a meal. Along the way, we unpack how Japanese expresses gratitude differently, why certain foods feel “special” in...
Send a text Just in time for October, Nihongo to English (No Show) gets a little spooky. In Episode 4, Michelle and Michael explore Halloween in Japan and the fine line between kawaii (cute) and kowai (scary)—two words that sound similar but live in very different worlds. Along the way, we unpack haunted houses (obake yashiki), folk spirits (yokai), and Japan’s deep-rooted obsession with cleanliness, politeness, and the unseen. A big discovery in this episode is the power of the polite “o-” p...
Send a text In Episode 3 of Nihongo to English (No Show), Michelle and Michael chase the kind of everyday Japanese that textbooks forget—like how to talk about paying utilities (コーネツヒ)—and somehow end up building a whole philosophy around ice cream, idols, and enlightenment. We look back at the early days of learning Japanese before Google Translate, when tiny paper dictionaries were basically pocket-sized lifelines (and accidental fashion accessories). From there, the conversation swerves in...
Send a text Counting to ten quickly turns into a comedy class as Michelle and Michael warm back up to Japanese and discover how easily being “rusty” becomes part of the lesson. From the art of 謙遜 (kenson, humble deflection) to why shi sometimes becomes yon, we explore how numbers, politeness, and social instinct collide in everyday conversation. Along the way, we riff on Niigata senbei, “shrimp media,” and a fairy tale where Yuki-hime literally melts from too much politeness—a surprisingly ac...
Send a text Ever tried to learn a language by watching TV shows or listening to the news—and felt totally overwhelmed? This show is for you. In the first episode of Nihongo to English (No Show), two comedians kick things off by talking about nothing in Japanese—and discovering why that’s often the best way to learn. We introduce ourselves, swap Niigata snow stories, and dig into the small phrases textbooks skip but real life depends on: timing, fillers like nanka, and everyday greetings that ...
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