Today's lesson might feel like overkill—and honestly, it kind of is. But I think there’s value in digging deep into the little details now and then. After all, mastering the small stuff has a way of scaling up to the bigger picture.
Makoto+ Members, click here to download all the sound files and an Anki flashcard deck just for this lesson. Practice makes perfect!
Introduction to 「フォロー」
Quick! Help me translate the following Japanese (after I set the scene in English):
Cleaning Little Clay's Room
Scenario: Little Clay is trying to avoid cleaning his messy room after mom tells him to make his room as neat and clean as his little sister's. Little Sister jumps in to support his excuse while Mom isn’t having it.
Little Clay:
"Mom, I’ve been thinking. I recently read that a messy room is a sign of genius. Think about it: all the great minds were surrounded by chaos. Without chaos, order would be meaningless. Honestly, I think it’s time I embrace my inner genius."
Little Sister:
"Exactly, Mom! Clay’s room is practically a work of art—if that art was a landfill in progress. If you clean it, you’ll ruin all the ‘effort’ he’s put into making it the perfect dumping ground for everything he’s too lazy to deal with."
Little Clay:
「フォローされてるのに、何かムカつくな」
Mom:
"Uh-huh. Genius or not, that room’s getting cleaned today. And Little Sister, since you’re such a fan of his ‘art,’ you can help him."
What do you think Little Clay meant by this the 「フォローされてるのに、何かムカつくな」?
Let’s break it down literally first.
Being followed | even though | for some reason | irritated
Vocabulary
So, put this all together, would you say this would be a good English translation?
“Even though I’m being followed, it’s somehow irritating.”
Uhm… if the context was about social media, this might work. But the context is how supportive his sister is—even if that support is a little insulting.
The Meaning of フォロー
Long story short, フォロー has two basic meanings. It can mean “to follow” someone on social media (not what Clay was saying). Or it could mean “to support” someone or “patch things up” for someone. It's not used to "follow" behind someone as it is usually used in English.
Given the situation, a better translation would be:
"Even though I’m being backed up, it’s somehow irritating."
That’s more like it.
But short answers are, well, short. Let’s start over and overcomplicate things by digging a little deeper into フォロー.
But first, let's discuss カタカナ loanwords in general.
カタカナ Loanwords in Japanese
Ah, the English speaker learning Japanese—armed with a secret weapon! Many loanwords in Japanese come from English, so you might stroll around Japan, hear some familiar words, and think, "I got this!" But hold up—this advantage is a double-edged sword.
Sure, many カタカナ (katakana) words come from English, but their meaning and pronunciation have taken on a life of their own. The temptation is to assume they still work exactly like their English counterparts.
Spoiler alert: they rarely do.
Remember this: Loanwords are genuine Japanese words.
When an English speaker treats a Japanese word as if it’s a direct match to an English one, it’s not laziness at play—it’s just your brain being efficient. Your brain sees something familiar and goes, “Hey, no need to overthink this!” And that’s when things go off track—leading to misuses or mispronunciations. But we definitely don’t want that, do we?
So, my advice is to forget the English pronunciation and meaning when learning one of these words.
As a beginner (and even later, I admit), I’d see a katakana word, “translate” it into English, and sprinkle a bit of katakana flavor on the English pronunciation. More often than not, I got puzzled looks. These words have evolved—sometimes subtly, sometimes dramatically—into something uniquely Japanese.
I know it is obvious, but this is important, so I'll repeat myself. Loanwords are real Japanese words.
Take words like these:
サラリーマン
(salaryman)
コンセント
(which, surprise! means "electrical outlet," not "consent")
Katakana Loanwords
They’ve got familiar roots, but very different branches.
If you truly want to learn Japanese, mastering these differences will help you avoid awkward moments and give you a deeper understanding of Japanese.
Alright, enough pep talk. Today, let’s break down one katakana barrier with the word…
Slow Speed
NORMAL Speed
フォロー
(follow)
Yes, フォロー comes from the English "follow," but it’s a cousin and not a twin to the English word.
As I mentioned earlier, フォロー in Japanese usually means "support" or "compensating for someone's shortcomings."
This is just one example of a seemingly familiar friend turning into an unfamiliar fiend.
Here are two more examples of fun カタカナ loanwords that don't mean what one would think. Can you guess the meaning? Click the toggle to reveal the answer.
カンニング
(from the English “cunning”)
Meaning
マンション
(from the English “mansion”)
Meaning
Just remember, words change as they are used. And now let's talk about… Pronunciation!
Pronunciation
In English, the word "follow" has two "o" letters. However, at least in an American accent, they are pronounced differently ("fa" and "low").
In Japanese, フォロー also has two "o" sounds, but the "お" sound is consistent: フォ (fo) and ロー (ro-).
About that フォ: it’s not in the original 五十音 (hiragana chart). It’s made by combining フ (fu) with a small ォ (o) to approximate the English "fo."
Making the フォ sound:
1. Start with the "F" sound – Unlike the English "F," which involves the upper teeth touching the lower lip, the Japanese フ (fu) is a soft puff of air between both lips—think starting to say "who" but with a lighter touch. Remember, don't let your upper teeth touch your lower lip.
2. Move to the "O" sound – Make a small, rounded mouth shape, like you’re pursing and pushing your lips out for a pure "O."
3. Blend Them – Combine them smoothly to approximate "fo," but with the gentler Japanese フ. You can think of it as almost whispering "hoe" but with a bit more of that soft lip friction.
Now, the ロ sound:
ロ
(one beat or mora)
ロー
(two beats or mora)
The Japanese "R" is closer to a blend of "L," "D," and a soft "R."
The tongue lightly taps the ridge behind the upper teeth, more like the start of "dog" or "light" in English.
It’s a quick, flicking touch, not the English "R" sound where the tongue doesn’t touch anything.
And remember, the “O” is elongated—keep it going for two beats.
Finally, the pitch accent for フォロー is 頭高.
It starts high, then drops on the second mora and stays low. Practice saying that a few times.
Usage and Meaning
Now that we've discussed the importance of stopping to smell the... I mean stopping to consider the pronunciation of katakana loanwords from English, let's turn to the meaning of フォロー.
There are three main meanings of フォロー in Japanese today. The first one, used with social media, is similar to English, but pay attention to the second and third definitions.
Meaning #1: Social Media Context (Similar to English)
In the context of social media, フォロー retains the same meaning as "follow" in English. It refers to subscribing to someone's posts or updates, such as on Twitter (X) or Instagram.
Example:
友達をインスタでフォローしたよ。
I followed my friend on Instagram.
Vocabulary
This use is nearly identical to English, where "following" someone's account lets you see their posts in your feed.
Meaning #2: Supportive Context (Unique to Japanese)
One of the major differences is that フォロー in Japanese can also imply "support" or "help." This sense of the word is common in business, interpersonal relationships, or any scenario where someone is covering for or assisting another person. This nuance doesn't exist in the English "follow."
Example:
彼の失敗をフォローする。
I will support him through his mistake (or cover for his mistake).
Vocabulary
In this case, it implies actively helping or compensating for someone’s shortcomings rather than just following their actions.
Example from a Japanese Movie
Here’s a dialogue from the movie ベビーワルキューレ (Baby Assassins). It’s not a movie for everyone, but if you enjoyed John Wick, you’d probably enjoy this too—in fact one of the actresses (伊澤彩織) was a stuntwoman in John Wick 4. Anyway, she’s explaining why she should focus on her main job (being an assassin) rather than having to get a side job.
- ちさと played by 髙石あかり (left in the picture) [If you are a Makoto+ subscriber, please click here for her bio. (or become a member by clicking here.]
- まひろ played by 伊澤彩織 (right in the picture)
This scene is in the first movie around the 1 hour 29-minute mark.
まひろ: 「私、社会不適合者なので、社会で働けないです。私、気づきました。はい。あの、私、この仕事結構好きなんで」
Vocabulary and Translation
Handler: 「ホントに、はっきり言いましたね」
Vocabulary and Translation
まひろ: 「だって無理なんだもん」
Vocabulary and Translation
ちさと: 「私もそう思います。コミュ障だし、人見知りだしで、多分普通の仕事できないですよ。」
Vocabulary and Translation
まひろ: 「フォローされてるのに、何かムカつくな」
Vocabulary and Translation
Meaning #3: Post-Support and Tracking: Following up
There is also a usage in Japanese where フォロー means continuing to monitor a situation or providing follow-up, often in business settings.
For instance, it could refer to checking in after a meeting or project to ensure progress, which in English might be better translated as "following up" rather than just "follow."
Example:
プロジェクトの進捗をフォローしています。
I am following up on the project’s progress.
Vocabulary
Key Differences:
- In English, "follow" generally means to physically or metaphorically track or observe something.
- In Japanese, while it shares this meaning in social media, it extends to include supporting or compensating for someone in times of need.
Thus, the word has expanded in Japanese to be more versatile, covering not only the act of following but also actively helping someone, especially in professional or personal situations.
So, my advice is when you hear フォロー, unless the context is social media, think of it as meaning “support” rather than the English “follow” and nine-times-out-of-ten, this will help you understand the meaning.
Oh, and be sure to follow us on social media.
Makoto+ Members, click here to download all the sound files and an Anki flashcard deck just for this lesson. Practice makes perfect!
