掲示板 Forums - How do you study NIHONGO?

Im making a thread like this becuase im always asking people (here and in other forums) about how they learn japanese, what are some of their resources and what study techniques do they use. Its especially interesting seeing people use the same textbook (GENKI series) and become so good in the language. Seeing foreigners learn japanese and hearing their stories serve as motivation for me and im sure it does for others too.

So, How long have you studied Japanese?
How do you study japanese?
How long do you study for (hours/days you study)?
What are some resources you use?
What tips for studying to improve can you share?

For me, I have been studying for almost a year now. As im sure you know, Im using the GENKI series (lesson 17 ^^). I usually study everyday for "atleast" 1 hour.

I write down vocabulary, kanji and grammar in a notebook (cuz its true, writing stuff down helps remembering). Another thing I've done is write down the grammar points on flashcards (summing them up to the point where the basic idea isn't lost and i still have the basic understanding). For Kanji, I pretty much just writing it down many times until I get it right.

I have a paperback dictionary, Dictionary on my Ipod touch and Living Language Japanese audio (for pronounciation).

1. I've studied for about half a year.

2. I study alone. It's quite lonely to not have a conversation partner. The closest thing to it is a discussion in Japanese, written and online. Basically, there's renshuu. I also have a diary of sorts, where I write stuff I think about and try to incorporate the vocab and Kanji there.

3. I don't exactly know, but a song or a show becomes good study once I try to understand them. So it's accidental in a way.

4. I'll sound poor (in resources) here. I have none. Just this and a couple of other sites. And Tae Kim's grammar guide. Really helpful. So, only the free ones.

5. I'll have to agree with クリスタリン　(is that Crystalline?). Writing things down in context are really helpful. It enforces grammar too. Exposure also helps. You can pick up nice phrases and it helps with the listening and pronunciation, and it's also very very colloquial (I'm talking about dramas and songs here). I'll sound lonely again, but I talk to myself too. What the heck, that sounded like I've gone crazy. :D Basically, sometimes, live uhm..Japanese-ly.

I do that too when waiting for the train and while in the bus. And yes, quietly. Sometimes I also think of situations where everyone uses Japanese, so I make up dialogues. The words also come out more naturally when I'm pissed or something.

[quote]Quietly, mind you, but I do make up conversations in my head in Japanese all the time, and if I know I won't look crazy, I'll quietly speak them aloud as well.[/quote]

Quietly speaking aloud sounds weird, but it's true, I do that too. Like muttering under my breath.
「今日の天気はいいなあ。」「でんしゃおそい！」 - examples of a dialogue with the self. Sounds spiritual huh. :D

They're accessible by metro! I live in College Park so I just take the metro there. They use the Genki textbook too. And all the classes are taught by native speakers. The Japan America Society is the group that puts together the Street Festival during the National Cherry Blossom Festival　in DC. They're a really awesome group of people as well. I highly recommend the school.

http://www.us-japan.org/dc/

Good luck in your studying. I agree, it's hard to study Japanese on the side when taking other classes in high school or college, but good luck with it! I may stop taking classes at the JAS due to college classes and work eating me alive, but I will still continue to study on my own so as to not lose anything (which is where this website comes in!)

I'm glad you found some motivation again. Sometimes motivation seems ever-elusive, especially when you're studying on your own.

がんばりましょうね！

Already joined it my friend ^^ Although I haven't used it in a while. It's a great place to go! :)

1. I found Japanese for Dummies actually quite useful when I was first studying Japanese on my own back in 2005. I only read half the book but it was a great primer for when I started taking actual Japanese classes in college :) But you're right, it's not that great for thinking it will actually really teach you Japanese. It's a good supplement though.

2. That's so awesome that you're at JAS too! Yup, the Farragut North stop! Did you go to the "Happy Hour" party they had tonight? It's fun to go to those because you have to speak in Japanese the whole time. What class are you in? I'm in class 202, and I have class on Mondays (well, just for two more weeks anyway until the semester is over).

My husband is a Japanese major at UMCP, and I have to give a few words of warning about it. Each of the Japanese classes at UMCP are 6 credits, which is double what normal college classes are. The 101 and 102 classes are every day for an hour or 75 minutes. The textbook they use is completely different from Genki and they learn things in completely different order. Most importantly though, the classes are INTENSE. From watching my husband, I have to warn you that the classes are very, very intense. They make the JAS classes seem like JAS is teaching 5-year-olds. I'm going to transfer back into UMCP myself to finish my Japanese degree, and I'm prepared to deal with it, because I've seen what my husband went through, but you really have to be warned about their Japanese program. Many people drop out and fail the first year's classes because they're so hard, and they only get harder as you go along.

But you'll definitely learn your stuff, because it's every day for around an hour. And once you get into the second and third year classes, they're Monday, Wednesday and Friday for 2 hours each day. So it's much better than Genki's schedule, and you'll learn a whole lot more. But they're very strict.

If you want to talk about this some more, I'll be more than happy to chat with you online on AIM or something. You can email me or send me a message through this site if you want more information about it ^^

I hope to see you sometime at JAS! Maybe eventually we will have class on the same day! :)

I think one of the most important and overlooked way of learning is just reading. When I first started studying, I slaved over pages and pages of vocabulary lists, but, in the end I forgot almost all of it. Vocabulary is useless if you can't put it into context.

Once you get to a solid intermediate level, forget about textbooks and all that -- try to find books geared towards elementary/middle school students and go for it. At first you'll be reading a dictionary more than the book you want to read, but, it pays off.

Also -- a probably not so popular piece of advice -- avoid manga. People don't really talk and act like they do in manga and anime.

[b]So, How long have you studied Japanese?[/b] I'd say somewhere around a year and a half to two years, if you're talking actual serious study and not just looking up occasional phrases. [b]How do you study japanese?[/b] I mostly am going through the JLPT lists as far as what material to cover. Right now I've got a very good grasp on N5, I'd say, and am making quick progress though N4. I use Renshuu for a lot of serious study but also have a few handy books. [b]How long do you study for (hours/days you study)?[/b] Ehh... My schedule is more sporadic than I'd like, mainly due to a fluctuating work schedule. I try to get a fair amount of exposure each day however, even if it's just playing video games in Japanese or browsing Japanese websites. Not quite studying, but it helps. [b]What are some resources you use?[/b] As mentioned before, Renshuu and books for serious study. For applying what I know I like to play untranslated video games and browse Japanese websites. [b]What tips for studying to improve can you share?[/b] Might not help everyone, but something that has helped me a lot regarding kanji is writing down the kanji for a word when it first comes up in one of my schedules, even if the kanji is far more advanced than the level I'm at. I've found that despite the difficulty spike, by doing this I've been able to remember a lot more kanji than I might otherwise had I stuck directly to the kanji schedule. Might not be anything too fancy, but I'm proud of myself for remembering how to handwrite things like 砂糖, 優しい, and 飛行機 early on in my study. Also, even if I can't remember how to write the kanji, if I try to become familiar with it early on I have an easier time at the very least reading a word when it comes up.