Japanese is an East Asian language spoken by at least 125 million people worldwide. Although Japanese is the national language of Japan, it is also spoken in Korea, the United States, and many other countries. If you are a native English speaker, Japanese may be very different for you. Learning Japanese takes practice, of course, but with a little effort, you can become an effective Japanese speaker.
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Method 1 of 3: Studying Basic Japanese
Step 1. Learn Hiragana
Hiragana is the alphabet in Japanese. Hiragana consists of 51 phonetic characters, and each character represents one exact sound. (This is different from English; one letter can have different sounds in different contexts). Once you understand Hiragana, you will know how to pronounce any word in Japanese. Start your journey to mastering Japanese by learning and remembering Hiragana characters.
Step 2. Also learn Katakana
Katakana is a series of characters used to represent loanwords or words that are not native to Japanese (eg hot dog or internet). It's a good idea to learn Katakana terms for words in English that are likely to be used.
Step 3. Learn Kanji
Kanji are Chinese typographic symbols used to represent basic words and phrases in Japanese. While Hiragana symbols are almost identical to English letters (representing simple sounds), Kanji symbols are used to describe whole words. Knowing some basic Kanji will allow you to understand and be able to speak basic Japanese.
Step 4. Avoid dependence on Romaji
Romaji is a writing system that uses English letters to spell Japanese words. Romaji can be a useful tool for learning initial key phrases, or for online communication. If you rely too much on Romaji, you can never have an authentic understanding of the language. Focus on learning Hiragana, Katakana, and some Kanji.
Step 5. Practice mastering grammar
To learn grammar in Japanese, you have to forget everything you know about grammar. Do not apply grammatical rules and concepts in your native language to Japanese. Instead, take the rules of Japanese grammar for granted.
- Buy a Japanese grammar practice book and follow the lessons. Some of the best choices include "Practice Makes Perfect: Basic Japanese" and "A Guide to Japanese Grammar" by Tae Kim.
- Look for free online resources (such as Duolingo) to learn Japanese grammar.
Step 6. Learn some key phrases
Learning a few key phrases will help you get started with your practice, and may even allow you to enjoy casual conversations with Japanese speakers. While you shouldn't rely on Romaji, using Romaji to learn basic phrases can be a good starting point.
- Hello - Kon'nichiwa
- Goodbye - Sayonara
- I'm fine, thanks - Watashiwa genki desu. Arigato.
- Thank you very much - Domo arigato gozaimasu
- Nice to meet you - Hajime mash'te
Method 2 of 3: Practice Japanese
Step 1. Use flashcards (small cards that contain information in the form of images, text, or symbols)
You can buy Japanese flashcards, or make your own at home. You can practice using flashcards in a variety of ways. Practicing using flashcards is a great way to enrich vocabulary in all three character systems (Hiragana, Kanji, or Katakana).
- Use flashcards to label items in your home in Japanese.
- You can also practice by asking your friends to give you a quiz using flashcards to help you remember Hiragana letters, or words in Kanji and Katakana.
- You can also use your own flashcard without the help of friends.
Step 2. Speak like children
Young children's ability to learn a new language is extraordinary because they are not afraid to imitate sounds. They are not ashamed. So, study like a child and keep repeating Japanese sounds, words, and phrases even if your pronunciation isn't perfect.
Step 3. Practice with someone face to face
The best way to improve your Japanese skills and improve your grammar is to practice it live with other people. If you have a native-speaking friend, make an appointment to chat with them!
If you don't know a native speaker, you can find an international community or language exchange group in your area
Step 4. Talk to someone online
Another great way is to make video calls with a native speaker. You can find a variety of sites online that bring together people who need a tandem to practice a foreign language. Make new friends who can speak Japanese and start conversing with them on your computer.
Step 5. Don't be afraid to make mistakes
The most effective way to learn minor differences in Japanese is probably to make mistakes and have them corrected by a native speaker. Don't avoid words you're not sure how to pronounce or skip phrases that may still be mispronounced. Making mistakes means that you are serious about learning.
- Get out of your comfort zone.
- Accept input from others.
- Some native Japanese speakers may not want to correct your mistakes out of respect for you. So it's a good idea to explain that you would really appreciate their guidance.
Step 6. Enroll in a language class
One of the most effective ways to learn a new language is to take a language class. Taking a Japanese class is a great way to use your time as you will receive guidance from an instructor, lesson plans, exercise books, and most importantly, the opportunity to practice with other people in person. In addition, language classes will also introduce you to new people.
Method 3 of 3: Approaching Language Learning in a New Way
Step 1. Watch Japanese movies
To learn Japanese, you need to get in the habit of exposing yourself as much as possible to the language. Take your time to watch movies or television shows in Japanese. This way of learning will get you used to hearing a variety of terms (including slang) and provide another opportunity to sharpen your understanding.
Step 2. Keep reading
Try reading Japanese books or newspapers. In addition to being an active way, reading will introduce you to new words and phrases. You will understand this new language in greater depth by reading literature in the original language.
Step 3. Listen to Japanese radio broadcasts
Like watching television and movies, listening to Japanese radio broadcasts can help you recognize new words and practice your listening skills. Look for Japanese songs with lyrics and try singing along to the songs. You can also listen to Japanese talk radio.
Other good language learning resources are podcasts in Japanese or language learning podcasts
Step 4. Be diligent in learning
The most effective way to learn a foreign language is to immerse yourself in the environment of native speakers. If you get the chance to go to Japan, or spend time with a Japanese family in your country, take it. If you have native Japanese-speaking friends, try to spend more time at their home if possible.
Step 5. Watch the native speaker speak
Speaking Japanese requires a different mouth position than you normally know. You may have to make new shapes with your lips and tongue to make the right sounds in Japanese. Look at the mouth of a native Japanese speaker to understand how to produce certain sounds with your mouth.
Step 6. Use an electronic dictionary
Sometimes, trying to find the meaning of a word in a regular dictionary can be very tedious. Instead, you can use an e-dictionary to enrich your vocabulary, fill in gaps in conversation, and help you understand new terms. You can also use an online dictionary, download a dictionary app on your phone, or purchase a pocket translator.
Tips
- Don't be in a hurry to learn. Learning a new language takes a lot of time and effort.
- Don't listen to what other people have to say. If there is motivation, you will be successful in learning a new language.
- Look for language learning apps to practice your Japanese skills.
