I'm recently studying Japanese by myself and saw a video of a polyglot, Kazu. He suggests new learner to study 30 commonly used phrases of a language first, instead of memorising tons of new words or practising grammar. Therefore, I've made my own list:
お名前は 何 ですか？ - What is your name? はじめまして - Nice to meet you. 何をしていますか？ - What are you doing？ 英語が話せますか？ - Can you speak English？ どうして英語を勉強しているのですか？ - Why are you studying English? 趣味で日本語を勉強しています - I am studying Japanese as a hobby どのくらい英語を勉強していますか？ - How long have you been studying English？ これをやってもいいですか？ - Can I do this？ 出身地はどこですか？ - Where are you from？ どこに住んでいますか？ - Where do you live？ いつそれをしたのですか？ - When did you do that？ 運動は好きですか？ - Do you like exercise? 映画を見るのは好きですか？ - Do you like watching movie？ これはどういう意味ですか？ - What does this mean？ 歌っていただけますか？ - Could you sing？ ここにこれはありますか？ - Do you have this here？ もう一度言っていただけますか？ - Could you repeat that？ もう一度お願いします - Could you please say that again？ これはいくらですか？ - How much does this cost？ これはやったことありますか？ - Have you done this before？ ご趣味は何ですか？ - What is your hobby？ 博物館に行きたいです - I want to visit a museum. 本屋へはどうやって行くのですか？ - How do I get to the bookstore？ その駅へはどうやって行けばいいですか？ - How should I get to the station？ それはどれですか？ - Which one is it？ どのジムですか？ - Which gym is it？ どのレストランがお勧めですか？ - Which restaurant do you recommend？ 今は何時ですか？ - What time is it？ あちらの方はどなたですか？ - Who might that person over there be？ この方はどなたですか？ - Who might this be？ あの人はだれですか？ - Who is that person？ 何かおすすめの飲み物はありますか？ - What is your recommended drink？ おすすめのカットはありますか？ - Do you have any recommended cuts？ これをください - Please give me this. それをお願いします - Please give me that. お会計お願いします - Bill, please. 手伝っていただけませんか？ - Would you mind helping me？ 手を貸してもらえますか？ - Could you lend me a hand？ これを持ってくれますか？ -Could you please hold this for me？
For some phrases, I've written an alternative example.
How do you guys think of the phrases? Are they correct and natural to speak in real life?
I’m probably wrong on this, but shouldn’t どのくらい英語を勉強していますか？ have the end be してきましたか？ because it is talking about something started in the past that has an effect in the present?
I’m probably wrong on this, but shouldn’t どのくらい英語を勉強していますか？ have the end be してきましたか？ because it is talking about something started in the past that has an effect in the present?
どれくらい英語を勉強していますか？ or どのくらい英語を勉強していますか？ are both natural. Changing the end to してきましたか？ is mostly fine, but definitely not my first pick. It's more formal, slightly interrogative, and more like you're asking for a report on their learning history.
@しゅ ん け ん While Kazu (I'm assuming we're talking about Kazu Languages) is one of the more honest polyglots, I'm not a huge fan of the whole "learn these very specific phrase" approach. To me it's more of a parlor trick designed so you can 'fake' basic fluency, and get a bit of a confidence boost.
Just something to think about, I'm not saying it's wrong or anything. It's probably fine as a starting point.
Anyway, ここにこれはありますか？ is the only one I don't like (a bit clunky). Besides that, they seem fine to me.
While Kazu (I'm assuming we're talking about Kazu Languages) is one of the more honest polyglots, I'm not a huge fan of the whole "learn these very specific phrase" approach.
I don't really like it too. I prefer writing my own sentences, though these can be easily got wrong when it comes to Japanese. The example sentences are great for learning natural vocabulary and grammar, but I wouldn't be trying to memorize them.
Especially, if you don't know the meaning of words used. Such a phrases can be good learning material, but make sure you understand every word, and maybe even every little nuance, not just "That sentence means «what's your name» but I have no idea why that particle is used and how to use it". Then, it's actually efficient.
I just want to chime in with guarded support of your efforts to memorize / practice these common phrases. They're all good, on paper and grammatically anyway. The best use of phrases like these is to practice speaking them out loud to get your lips and tongue used to the rhythm of Japanese grammar and the proper pronunciations of Japanese words.
As far as sounding natural, they're okay in a formal, learning setting. Some of these will sound pretty stiff to a native speaker, but you kind of have to pay your dues in going through that awkward phase of language learning before you can pick up the nuances that a natural speaker would use. Example: ご趣味はなんですか is grammatically correct and would be appropriate in a learning setting. However, it's constructed in such a formal way for such a casual question. If you're hanging out with a friend or a date, you'll sound more natural asking なんか趣味ありますか？ (less stiff, still formal/casual) or 最近ハマっていることある？ (asking about any recent interests in a very casual way).
All in all, your phrases are a good start for practicing speech. I would still recommend learning grammar and vocab words because the grammar used in your phrases are all very simple and won't get you far in fluency.
How do you guys think of the phrases? Are they correct and natural to speak in real life?
Most of them are fine but stiff. But if you will plan to take the "polyglote" approach, it's fine. Most of them learn only basic word, sentences or grammar and directly try to interact with native speaker. And honnestly it's one of the fastest way to learn the basic and to set up a "natural" foundation. That also how kid learn. And that also the reason why some people are overwhelmly better at speaking than other. It's because they did try to search for that natural feedback early on instead of relying only on theoritical knowledge.
And the main difference is just that polyglote stop to learn after a few month or a few years. That's it. Their ability are real but are simply not developped. And unless you're planning to stop after a few month, you will go beyond that naturally.
Honnestly the polyglote approach is the best method for me at beginner level. After that, you need to shape that rought knowledge with the help of grammar (amongst other things). And finally, you refined that knowledge and work on the details/nuance throught reading and writing.
Those 3 step are also how native learn their language in general. In primary school, they just get exposed to the language. In middle school they study grammar to shape their abilities. And in high school, they read a lot and are asked to produce complexe text/argumentation/etc.
I met a few people that studied like that and sometimes, I just... jealous. Seriously. Seeing someone, that only know basic grammar or only know 200 kanji, being able to have a complete conversation in japanese is just...
But it's also not black and white. I've seen a few advanced speaker (compared to me) produce incorrect sentences that natives couldn't understand or being unable to follow a conversation. And at those time, I did correct them or help them. Also, having putting more effort into learning kanji is currently paying off. "Currently" is the important part tho. But I will soon catch up with them. And they will have to catch with me on the more "formal"/"tradional" study part.
So up to you. Also it doesn't matter that much if those sentences are not perfect. If you try to speak to native japanese, they will correct it for you or you will correct it by listening to them. There plenty of japanese online who are able to speak english that will gladly do that (that are sinfully nice :v). Just teach some weird slang in exchange. And later, when you will be better at japanese, just do the same for the japanese that are starting they english journey. That's enough :3.
I've never been a fan of phrasebooks, let alone the Duolingo approach to learning through sentences. They can be good for picking apart to learning grammar and sentence patterns, and naturally in that way you'd learn vocabulary. However, the sentences themselves don't tell the story on their use for context and tone.
Most phrasesbook don't feel good because they are useless for most people. For example: お会計お願いします - Bill, please.
When are you gonna use that? If you're not planning to go to japan soon, you may spend 1 year, 2 years or even 3 years without even seeing it once or having an occasion to use it. And you may even forget it because of that.
I probably used at most ten of those sentences during the past 3 years (through online interactions). IF you count the polite/non-polite variations as one. Because most interactions are casual. They are good to get used to japanese but beyond that...
On the other hand, I learn a tons of variations of the same sentences. Like: 何をしていますか？ 何をしてますか？ 何をしているの？ 何をしてるの？ 何をしてんの？ 何をしとるの？(kansai ben but really common) 何してるの？ 何してんの？ 何しとる？ (kansai ben) 何しとんねん？ ないしてるの？(variant where the に is not prononced completely) ないしとるの？ ないしとんねん？ etc
Never been able to learn most of them anywhere outside interacting with native japanese. I have been also able to learn the nuances, context and tones of each them as well as to produce more subtle variation with the intonation. And once I did that, I could also apply that knowledge to other sentences, slowly building my way up. It's also help with my confidence because even if it's just one sentence and its variations, I really saw it through all of its angles. And thus, I'm not afraid of making any mistakes.
As for context, well, it's flow through a conversation, so...
But of course, that's only if you listened to get exposed to natural japanese or you try to interact with them. Which is not that hard, just go to an exchange server or on VRC. Btw, for the people that are not good with social interactions, there are plently of people that are the same (japanese or foreigner) and it's "normal" to come and stay mute :3. So don't need to hesitate!
