Hey, love your blog! I wanted ask: do you have any jpn-learning advice for almost-complete beginners? I can read hiragana and am working on katakana (i understand that those r critical!) But I dont have any kanji info + dont know where to start w grammar/pronunciation/etc. Ive seen ppl mention writing a daily journal or changing ur phone language, but im not close to advanced enough 4 that. I have no idea how to structure my studies + would like 2 know where to start/daily things. ty! :)
Self-studying a language like Japanese can feel like navigating through a minefield. Without any structure it’s easy to feel disheartened with so many scripts, multiple readings and grammar constantly coming at your from every angle.
Firstly, you need to be able to write both the complete Hiragana and Katakana script from memory in under 5 minutes. This was our very first task at university, during freshers week before classes had even started. There’s absolutely no way you can proceed unless you can do this - Set a timer and practice, it will make your life so much easier. Here’s some blank squared paper to print and practice on, but honestly any paper will do.
Getting comfortable with Kanji is something you shouldn’t put off. For complete beginners, I’m posting the first 100 Kanji we learned at university in the 100 Kanji challenge, with stroke order, readings and vocabulary.
Apps like Duolingo are only good for killing time while you’re waiting for the bus. They’re better than wasting time on Facebook or twitter, but shouldn’t be used exclusively in your language learning. Money spent on software like Rosetta stone would be better spent on getting a one-way ticket to Japan to live on the streets. You’d learn more Japanese that way.
So you know Hiragana and Katakana like the back of your hand, and you even can comfortably write and read a fair few Kanji - what next? All of this is useless without grammar, now it’s time to get yourself a textbook or - even better - a teacher.
If you pick up a textbook and see no Japanese script whatsoever, yeet it straight out of the language learning section and towards the nearest tourist and travel shelf. Books that use exclusively Romaji have no place whatsoever in your Japanese study. No exceptions.
Popular books I’ve seen include the Japanese for Busy People and Japanese from Zero books. I myself used the JFZ books when I was a wide eyed teenager, and actually found them quite helpful, though the way they slowly introduce hiragana can be like pulling teeth, but their grammar lessons flow very nicely.
YouTube is a treasure trove for Japanese language learning if you know where to look. My absolute all time favourite is Japanese Ammo With Misa. Her in-depth grammar lessons have everything you need, and should be watched in addition to chapters in your textbook. Also Japanese From Zero have a wide array of videos if you can’t find what you’re looking for with Misa.
Lastly, and most importantly, you need a frightening amount of self-discipline. Make Japanese study part of your daily routine, no matter what. Learning a second language isn’t something you can simply dip in and out of, and as a self-learner you likely won’t have small-but-fierce senseis expecting homework three times a week as an incentive to actually get your work done. Just remember that if you don’t use it you lose it, so you have to do a little every day at the very least. But the reward is worth it, I promise. 頑張って！(Ganbatte!)
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