Japanese has a reputation for being difficult to learn for adult students, and that reputation is well-earned. For most, the problem with Japanese is the written language, rather than the spoken one. The spoken grammar of Japanese is fairly regular, and pronunciation is overall a straightforward affair compared to, say, the complex grammar of Russian […]
Living and working in Japan will give you plenty of opportunities to hear natural Japanese spoken, but it’s always a good idea to do some focused study work to build this skill, just like with reading. The key word here is focus: simply hearing Japanese isn’t going to drive learning the way focused, intentional study […]
Despite its critics, and some alternatives, the JLPT is still a major milestone for most Japanese learners.
In the beginning, most language learners are likely to have just a few hours of regular practice each week and will continue to use the majority language of their home region in daily life, such as for study, work and socializing.
Learning Japanese on your own is at heart a question of motivation. Maintaining that motivation is the primary key to success, and one powerful way is to find some element of the culture that will give you a payoff: something that you flat out like.
Tongue-twisters, those amusing expressions so artfully designed for maximum difficulty, are perfect for practicing pronunciation.
This is Part 2 of a two-part article offering practical advice for studying kanji. In Part 1 we looked at how important context is for learning kanji. In Part 2 we will continue with our top tips for studying kanji and list some useful resources. 6. Read You should read and read a lot. This […]
It happens to so many. You get started learning a language and those first few months feel like a rocket taking off. The jump from zero to anything feels like pure success—where once Japanese looked like a mysterious jumble of signs and pictograms, you start to make sense of it.
Having readied yourself mentally and emotionally for getting started on self-learning, it’s time to get to the actual learning part of your journey. Here we’ll take a look at real, useful things you can to get started.
