So, you want to start learning Japanese? I started studying Japanese about a year ago. Although I am still a beginner, I have put together a list of helpful tips and ideas for studying and improving your Japanese!
I was lucky enough to start out in a class with an amazing professor. My school offers two beginner Japanese courses. I have already taken both classes and a class in the city. If there is a class available to you, I highly recommend starting there. In my opinion, it is much easier to learn when someone is teaching the material to you (especially when your teacher is straight from Japan). However, it is not impossible to teach yourself Japanese. There are many great resources and communities online. I have been studying this language for about a year; within this past year I've learned of many helpful tools for improving my skills.
There are many apps and websites to help aide your studying. The first app you will need is a dictionary. I like the Takoboto Japanese Dictionary or Jisho.org. Find a dictionary that has features you find beneficial. I like when a word is used in sample sentences (usually available on jisho.org) or when a website allows drawing so I can easily look up an unknown kanji. If you are interested in improving your kanji, I like tanoshiijapanese.com. This website gives you steps to draw out certain kanji's. In addition to dictionary apps, there are many language learning apps that allow you to talk to native speakers. HiNative and HelloTalk are two popular applications. I used HelloTalk a lot when I was first studying. This app allows you to post statuses and start conversations with native speakers of the language you are learning. You can send voice clips, drawings, images, or just regular messages. You can also make phone calls to improve your listening and speaking skills. Others can respond to your posts and even correct your mistakes. I have met some really helpful people on this app; I can't recommend it enough. I have not used HiNative, however, it is a very similar app. On HiNative you can ask native speakers questions, start conversations and send voice clips. Both of these apps are a great way to practice all elements of learning a language. If you like flashcards or games, there are many apps for your style of learning. Quizlet, Duolingo, and Memrise are apps that allow you to play memorization games, use flashcards, and overall review what you've learned so far. Memrise is great if you are using the Genki textbooks because there is a course made to follow the books lessons.
Reading is an important part of learning Japanese. Katakana, hiragana, and kanji are all equally important elements of the language. In addition to using your new apps, it would be helpful to read strictly in Japanese. There are many online resources for this as well, such as nhk.or.jp/news, a Japanese news website. The best part about this website is that it has an "easy" section which is great for practicing your reading a a beginner.
News can be pretty boring though, so my favorite way to practice reading is with manga or magazines. I occasionally buy manga in Japanese because it allows me to look at new kanji and sentence structure. When I am reading manga in Japanese I often translate words or sentences on a sticky note that I keep on that page to look over later. I also really love buying magazines in Japanese. Not only are they a lot more colorful and exciting than American magazines, they are also easy to read and often have simple sentences and words; perfect for a beginner. In my collection so far I have three Japanese manga: Food Wars, Bye Bye Liberty, and My Hero Academia. I have two copies of Food Wars, one in English and one in Japanese. This is an easy way for me to make sure I am translating things right; it is extremely helpful for when I get confused or lost on a page. I also have a few Japanese Seventeen magazines which are super fun to read and often have short manga included.
Listening is probably one of the easiest things to practice (but difficult to get the hang of), especially if you are a fan of anime. I am a big anime fan so I am constantly listening to Japanese being spoken. Watch a children's show if you're not confident in your listening skills, these usually have an easier to follow script. If you don't like anime very much, you can watch a Japanese drama. I remember the first time I could understand a dialogue when watching a drama, I was extremely excited and proud. There are many different styles of drama available so I'm sure you can find something you like! If you have fun and enjoy yourself while practicing Japanese, it will be much easier to learn. I recommend watching Terrace House on Netflix. This is a reality show about strangers living together. Because the cast is young, you will hear slang and casually spoken Japanese. This show could be a good resource if you are hoping to speak like an average Japanese teen. If you don't have time to watch a show and read subtitles, music is a great alternative. I have a few favorite Japanese bands and musicians. I recommend Spyair, One Ok Rock, UVERworld, the GazettE, and Asian Kung-Fu Generation. I have also been recommended great music from people on the HelloTalk app so be sure to ask what Japanese music your new friends enjoy.
Having a good textbook is extremely helpful in studying Japanese. I have been using the Genki 1 textbook. This book has many different writing, listening, and reading activities. It covers katakana, hiragana, and kanji. The textbook comes with a CD and you can purchase an additional workbook that follows the lessons. This is one of the most popular textbooks for learning Japanese and I recommend it 100%. It is easy to understand and gives you a lot of information. If you don't want to use a textbook there are resources online for teaching yourself Japanese. Tae Kim's Guide to Learning Japanese is essentially an online textbook loaded with information. There are many online communities, on Reddit or Tumblr, full of people who are also studying Japanese and are willing to share what they know and what tips they have. Just by searching "beginner Japanese lesson" on YouTube, you will find tons of great and informative videos. Making charts or vocabulary lists for yourself is helpful for review and memorization. I've made a few grammar charts that I keep pinned up at my desk to help me when I am studying. I also recommend doing as many practice activities as possible.
It is important to study at least a little bit everyday so you don't start to forget the language.
I keep a Japanese journal. This is such a great way to practice the language everyday. I write about things I did or anime I finished. Sometimes I write with kanji if i'm feeling confident, or sometimes I will write with just hiragana and katakana. I practice my writing, grammar, and vocabulary by keeping this journal.
Japanese may seem scary and difficult at first but push through and you will find it become much easier. Don't give up and study hard everyday. There are so many amazing resources readily available for you to use. Study with a friend or study in a way that makes Japanese fun. You won't get better unless you put in the effort. I wish you the best of luck in your language learning journey! 頑張って!
Indiana Grace °˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°
