How to Learn Japanese?

04.04.2019

How to Learn Japanese?
School
University education
Science and Technology

Contents:

  1. Why learn Japanese?
  1. History of the Japanese language
  1. How to learn Japanese from scratch?
  1. How to learn Japanese fast?
  1. Learn Japanese with the help of Anime and Manga
  1. Top 3 programs to learn Japanese
  1. Personal experience

Japanese is one of the most difficult languages to learn. Perhaps, only Asian related languages - Chinese and Korean - can compete with this language. In order to begin learning Japanese, it is important to know the grammatical rules and to have sufficient vocabulary. How to learn Japanese - this question worries many people who want to either go there for education or just visit Japan as tourists. Each discipline has to be learned in the correct order. Japanese from scratch can be mastered only if you have the desire and perseverance in learning it.

WHY LEARN JAPANESE?

Learning Japanese may be important in many cases. Even though initial studies may seem to be very difficult, but over time it will become much easier. It is necessary to study it for several reasons:

  1. You will begin to understand the culture of this country and its traditions. If you do not know the language - consider that you do not know the culture of the country and customs. To understand why some martial arts have such names, or where the custom to bow during the greeting came from, there is a need to learn the language of Japan. No wonder they say that language is something akin to the souls of a people.
  1. Knowing Japanese, you get the opportunity to listen to music in the original or watch movies and cartoons. Previously incomprehensible sounds that movie characters make will have real meaning, and you can watch movies in Japanese. Emotions and feelings that will be expressed in the movies, will become clear for you.

    How to Learn Japanese foto 1
  1. Japan today has become a country of highly developed technologies. Anyone who wants to study there or to be hired in a Japanese corporation should know Japanese. Despite the fact that English is recognized as the language of international communication, it is not customary in all firms to communicate in it. This is also part of Japanese culture.
  1. Grow! Knowing and learning Japanese will help you develop thinking and memory. While learning Japanese from scratch, you will be amazed at the possibilities your mind has. Difficult and overwhelming topics will eventually become easier and easier, and you will understand Japanese. Learning will cease to be a burden.
  1. Learn Japanese easily! When learning Japanese, you will learn many new things. It is not only about what products Japan produces, and why they have such high success in world markets. The ability to think like a person in another country and in his/her language will undoubtedly provide an opportunity to understand the mentality of the people and their basic aspirations. Do not hesitate, start learning Japanese!

HISTORY OF JAPANESE LANGUAGE

Japanese is one of the few languages in the world, the origin of which is controversial among linguistic scholars. Some hold the opinion that the first language roots of this language arose after the conquest of the Japanese islands by the Altai tribes. Others believe that after the emergence of diplomatic relations between China and Japan, the Japanese emerged, with which we are familiar today. After the Chinese writing was introduced and under its influence, the stress in many words changed.

The semantic meaning of some words also changed, depending on how they were pronounced. Japanese speech and its development can be divided into four periods: ancient, classical, middle and modern. Each period differs from the previous one by changing the form of hieroglyphs, which denoted phenomena and things, as well as the introduction of new word forms. From all this, it follows that learning Japanese is much easier if you have an idea of Chinese. It is important to take into account grammar, the use of cases and verb forms. For this, you need to learn Japanese. You can also do this online.

Japanese is distinctive because of the relative limitations of Japan as a country from the mainland of Eurasia. The four main islands on which this country is located are Honshu, Kyushu, Hokkaido and Shikoku. The difficulty to swim from the coast of Eurasia to them led to the independent development of the Japanese language. The Japanese language school has become a school of learning an unusual, but sweet-sounding language. A person who knows it may take a slightly different look at the world around him or her. Every Japanese hieroglyph is not only a letter, as in other alphabets. It is a symbol that reflects the essence of nature and human society.

HOW TO LEARN JAPANESE FROM SCRATCH?

To master the Japanese language, you need to understand what you want to get as a result. Such goals can be the study of spoken Japanese or a language in a specific direction. If you want to visit Japan, then you will need less technical knowledge or medical terminology, or you will not need it at all. Much more important will be to study the simplest phrases. For example, “how to get to the bus stop?” Or “where can I have lunch here?”. If it is necessary for you to study in Japan, it is important to be able to use scientific terminology in the direction that will be important in the future. Determine the necessary “field” of learning the language, select the important and most used words, learn the simplest grammatical rules. So as a result, learning a language will be much easier.

If you firmly said to yourself: “I want to learn Japanese!”, Then it is worthwhile to develop your qualities for successful mastering of this interesting language. These qualities are:

  1. Persistence and assertiveness in gaining knowledge. Japanese beginner classes require work with the phrase “I Can't”. In order to master a certain material, it is important not only the desire but also the ability to understand it correctly. Sometimes you have to sit for a few hours, and then an understanding of the grammatical rule, or the use of a word in a suitable context, will become clear for you.
  1. The ability to make yourself a competent lesson plan. You need to schedule yourself so that the next Japanese lesson is not too tedious and productive enough. It is better to study 40-50 minutes a day for the whole week than 4 hours once a week.
  1. Belief in yourself. If this does not happen - consider that the lessons are in vain. Learning from "under the stick" will not give the desired result, and time will be wasted. It is important to understand that it is possible to learn Japanese, even if it initially seems like an almost impossible task.

Japanese for beginners includes the development of basic rules for the use of words and phrases. Therefore, it is a good idea to train yourself all the time in this. Even if on the street you have heard the conversation in your native language, try translating it to yourself in Japanese. Anyone with enough desire can learn Japanese. Even without looking at the individual characteristics, you can do it.

How to Learn Japanese foto 2

Watching movies, listening to music will help you to adapt to the specifics of pronunciation and understanding the meaning of words and sentences. To learn Japanese, it is important to understand its “logic”. Some hieroglyphs denote not only a specific letter but also some phenomenon or object. For example, in order to write the word “ice”, it is necessary to connect the hieroglyphs “water” and “frost”. As a result of freezing, water and ice are formed. Interest in the logic of building Japanese phrases and sentences will make it possible to learn it easily. Even the word “crisis” in Japanese consists of two hieroglyphs. One of them means “devastation, decay”, the second has the meaning of “opportunity”. If you think about it, it turns out that as a result of the crisis in society, there is an opportunity for further development and advancement.

HOW TO LEARN JAPANESE FAST?

How to learn Japanese independently and quickly? Many people ask this question when they decide to master this language. You can study Japanese at school, on courses or with a private tutor. Each of these options has its own advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, when choosing a teaching method, it is important to consider what you want to receive and in what time frame. When learning Japanese at school, you get the opportunity to master it in a very long time. If you study once a week, then the knowledge gained can be quickly forgotten.

One learned word in Japanese should be repeated as much as possible in order to get a certain reinforcement of the knowledge gained. Despite the relatively small workload, the lessons will give a small result. During school hours, in order to encourage students, points are awarded for a task or a written test. In some cases, this is an incentive for acquiring new knowledge, in others - the opposite. If a student gets bad marks on a subject all the time, a student himself begins to believe with time that he or she simply doesn’t have the skills needed to learn this language. This discourages further the desire to learn and move on. Given that Japanese is not the easiest discipline to learn, a bad grade can be an obstacle to gain further knowledge. Classes during group language courses also have their own advantages and disadvantages.

If you decide to choose Japanese language courses, it is important to know what type of course and what price they offer. The courses can teach Japanese from scratch, communicating with a native speaker and learning all the language skills he or she possesses. You can study grammar and vocabulary at lectures and check how well the material was learned in practical classes. But it is necessary to take into account that the Japanese language is a very rare discipline, and the cost of such a course may be very high. In addition, the office of the company that provides these services may be far from the place where you live. Classes at the courses occur most often with the formation of small groups of students. On average - five to ten people. Even in this case, the attention of the teacher is “scattered” between several students, and it becomes difficult to take into account the peculiarities of language learning. Classes in language courses can have another difficulty. This is the time and duration of the classes. If classes begin in the evening (and this is the usual time when they start), the child should return back home at dark night.

How to Learn Japanese foto 3

It is also necessary to take into account the fact that the knowledge gained can be evaluated differently for future activities. Japanese language courses for beginners can be effective if you need to learn the basics of the language and get a certain basis for its further study. But if specific training is required, then to find courses in the medical or engineering field becomes a problem. Another way to learn a language is with a private tutor. Studying Japanese with a tutor, you are given the opportunity to independently choose the venue for lessons. This can be at your home, or if you prefer to have lessons in your tutor’s place, it is also possible to do so. If necessary, it will be possible to choose classes in the “online” mode. You can study and learn Japanese via Skype. When studying with a private teacher, a negotiated price is set at a comfortable price for one lesson.

You will be able to adjust the duration of each Japanese lesson and the time period throughout the day. The schedule is also negotiated in advance, and you can choose the days when the lessons will be held. The negative aspects of cooperation with the tutor include the following. Occupations can be cancelled or postponed due to any force majeure circumstances. Weather conditions or illness of the teacher, or problems with transport - any of the reasons can cause force majeure. In addition, when one teacher ends all the classes, the search for the next tutor may take a long time, but usually tutoring companies will be able to find you a substitute really fast.

During this time, most of the material already learned will be forgotten, and the skills acquired will come to nought. Knowledge of the Japanese language can be compared with the canvas on which the picture is painted. If to throw a canvas, then it will be covered with dust, and all paints, previously applied, will become dull. To write on it a new picture will become impossible. In addition, it should be added that the study of any language requires continuous training and repetition of the materials already learned. In all three cases - schooling, on language courses or with a private tutor – all of them also require independent work and effort.

Japanese lessons with a tutor

If you decide to learn Japanese with a tutor, you should consider what you can get as a result. If you do not have enough time to attend courses, then classes with a private teacher - one of the most convenient options for you. You will be able to learn Japanese in the conditions that are familiar to you, and not worry that the lesson will pass in vain. Japanese lessons will be held where you feel comfortable. Japanese language courses, on the contrary, can be held in a place far away from you and at inconvenient times. In order to master the language, it may take a long time. But, if you will be able to rationally allocate study time, then mastering the main rules of Japanese will not take so much time. A private teacher will be able to teach the basics of the Japanese language or specific terminology.

If there is a desire, it is possible to learn other topics in additional lessons. The disadvantages of working with a tutor can be like weather conditions, in which moving around the city is difficult. In large cities, even traffic can make it difficult to conduct lessons at the appointed time.

Learning Japanese from books

Books about learning Japanese can also help in mastering the skills of this discipline. They set out the basics of grammar and the rules for writing words, phrases and sentences. Learning Japanese can be useful for those people who spend a lot of time travelling. For as long as the plane flies or the train travels, you can spend this time with benefits - learn to distinguish and understand the meaning of Japanese characters, and read the texts written in Japanese. But at the same time, oral communication skills and the opportunity to practice it may be simply not available for you. Without speaking with a speaker or tutor, gaining oral conversation skills over time will become more challenging. When learning from books, you should pay attention not only to educational books but also to works of art. They will give the opportunity to know the "live" of Japanese people and culture. You will be able to communicate with native speakers without fear that you will be misunderstood. Each language situation can be met in a book that you read.

Studying Japanese at the university

Japanese can be studied from scratch at the university. To do this, you must regularly try out lectures and engage in seminars. If you study Japanese at an institution of higher education, the duration of high-quality language training will take several years. Not everyone will be able to allocate their time effectively to attend classes in order to learn Japanese. Lessons may come at a time when you may be busy with other things.

How to Learn Japanese foto 4

But if you decide to study Japanese abroad, then you should give preference to Tokyo and Kyoto universities. They are considered as two of the best universities in this country. In order to learn Japanese in the post-Soviet Union countries, in Europe or Africa, it is also important to choose a suitable institution of higher education.

Language Schools in Japan

Studying in Japan can have a different direction and a different end goal of the study. There are various types of language schools. Some provide a long-term training program. They may take from one to two years. Others teach their students in the short term (from one week to three months). Some of the schools practice both types of student education at the same time. Among them are “TLS”, “SAMU”, “INTERCULTURAL”.

Such training can help prepare for college or school graduates. Additional programs are designed to learn Japanese for employment. Japanese is taught in Japan thanks to its speakers, and the ability of students to communicate with the locals. The disadvantages of this type of training can be both cultural shock when familiarizing with unfamiliar traditions of another country, and the difficulty to adapt to any country/culture. Many young people cannot assimilate another material only because they are in an unfamiliar environment.

LEARN JAPANESE ON ANIME AND MANGUE

Japanese for children is best taught in a playful way, or with the help of animated series and entertaining reading. Anime is a form of Japanese animated film that often has a memorable character. Thanks to the emotional experiences that accompany the viewing of the cartoon, the words and phrases heard from the screen are unconsciously remembered. Japanese beginner grammar can also be learned using anime. Looking through the cartoon, the child will learn how to build words, phrases and sentences. Manga is a type of comic books. Most often, it is performed in black and white and tells the story of the adventures of the main character or heroine. By reading the manga comics, the child can learn the basics of the Japanese language and learn how to write correctly. Anime and manga are best suited to learn Japanese from scratch by children. Empathizing with the beloved heroes, Japanese will be mastered much easier. Such a learning method can also be suitable for adults who already have a certain amount of language knowledge. With the help of anime and manga, you can improve the quality of pronunciation, improve grammar and learn a large number of new words. This will increase vocabulary and allow you to express your thoughts correctly.

TOP-3 PROGRAMS FOR LEARNING JAPANESE

Learning Japanese can be done not only at school or university. You can choose the appropriate program for this. With the help of them, there is an opportunity to learn the language both at home and on the road.

Yarksi This program can be installed on various electronic devices. It is suitable for both smartphones and laptops and personal computers. You can graphically depict the required hieroglyph, and after that, the program will recognize it. Then it will give the meaning of the hieroglyph that you entered. You can also find the meaning of the required hieroglyph not through graphic input, but through the selection proposed for consideration. This program can be useful to those who have just begun to study Japanese. Learning Japanese from scratch is very easy with this program since you get the opportunity to learn the meaning of those hieroglyphs that form the basis of Japanese.

Anki This program is a resource that helps to memorize words. In some cases, to learn the words, people use cards. On one side is written the word in an unknown language, on the other - the translation. Thanks to multiple repetitions, learning the language becomes easier. It enriches vocabulary and helps to understand the speech of others. Anki - these are the same cards, only in electronic form. You will be able to repeat the words and meanings of hieroglyphs using only your tablet or smartphone. This option is suitable for those who are always on the go.

WWWJDIC This program helps to learn Japanese “for dummies”. You can take full advantage of the program and start learning Japanese from scratch. The program provides an opportunity not only to recognize the meaning of individual hieroglyphs but also to compile lists of certain “cards”, the meaning of which hieroglyphs are important to remember. Using this function, you can create a “deck” that you will use in the near future. Such a program is useful for one that already has a knowledge base of the Japanese language.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

Do not be afraid. Firstly, try to understand the Japanese language and its structures. Watch movies, cartoons, even listen to music. And after that - feel free to visit Japan. Japanese is not so difficult to learn. Good Luck!

Rate the article