What is the best way to learn Japanese?

Question

celticman · Accepted Answer

Here are some effective ways to get started and stay motivated:

Immerse Yourself: Surround yourself with the language as much as possible. Listen to Japanese music and podcasts.

Use Language Apps: Apps like Duolingo, Anki, and Memrise are great for daily practice and building vocabulary. Anki, in particular, is fantastic for memorizing kanji with its spaced repetition system.

Take a Class: Enrolling in a language course at a local community college or language school can provide structured learning and opportunities to practice speaking with others.

Find a Language Partner: Platforms like Tandem or HelloTalk connect you with native Japanese speakers who want to learn your language.

Study Grammar: Resources like Genki, Tae Kim's Guide to Learning Japanese, and Minna no Nihongo are excellent for understanding grammar and sentence structure.

Practice Writing: Start a journal in Japanese, even if it's just a few sentences a day.

Join Online Communities: Reddit’s r/LearnJapanese, language learning forums, or Discord servers dedicated to Japanese learning can provide support, resources, and motivation.

Flashcards for Kanji: Learning kanji can be daunting, but using flashcards to practice a few each day will make it more manageable. Apps like WaniKani specifically focus on kanji learning.

Consistent Practice: Consistency is key. Even if it’s just 15-30 minutes a day, regular practice will yield better results than sporadic, intensive study sessions.

Visit Japan: If possible, spend some time in Japan. Immersion in a Japanese-speaking environment forces you to use the language in everyday situations and speeds up learning.

Everyone’s learning style is different, so try a combination of these methods to see what works best for you. Ganbatte! (Good luck!)

HoraceB · Accepted Answer

Japanese is very difficult to learn for several reasons:

2 alphabets to learn - kana, which is similar to Romance language alphabets where each character represents a certain sound; and kanji, which are imported Chinese characters that take years to learn.
Cultural influence. Japan has largely been a homogeneous, inward-looking country and culture throughout its history. The Japanese language is very closely tied to the culture, and there are many language constructs and rules that follow the culture. For example, there are certain words and phrases used depending on how well you know someone (acquaintance, close friend, male vs. female, etc ) or their position in relation to you (manager, subordinate, etc.). You can't just learn the language without knowing these cultural rules.

I don't mention these things to discourage you, just to make sure you know that it will require a lot of work and study.

To learn Japanese, as others have suggested, you ideally would want to find native speakers and ask if they would help you. There are also a lot of online resources that can help, too.

WindAtMyBack · Accepted Answer

People learn differently. Taking a regular structured class is a good way for most people. There are also all kinds of online classes and apps for learning language. I don't think any of them are better than classroom instruction.

Of course moving to Japan and taking classes there is probably the fastest way. Marry someone Japanese, so you're surrounded by it daily.

I think spoken Japanese would not be too difficult. Written Japanese is a whole different story. There are two kinds of Kana, which are phonetic, but don't give much meaning. Kanji takes a lifetime to learn.

CrabCakes11 · Accepted Answer

Immersion is the best way to learn any language. If that is not an option, a structured class from a native speaker is the next best thing

CocacolaGirl1993 · Accepted Answer

Probably being Around those who speak that language. That’s how my Greek got better.

DryGermanGuy · Answer

Just become a contestant on one of their outrageous game shows! 🤪

TommyMountainFigure · Answer

I don't know much about Japan, but I do know the best way to learn a language is to move to the country that speaks it!

Avicenna · Answer

Having a Japanese partner really helps, especially if some or all of their family members aren't comfortable speaking your language (s).

SolitarySolace · Answer

I haven't tried it but I've heard on the radio that Babbel is

KrisKris81 · Answer

I would say look for a community College class or a private tutor.

JayBones2469 · Answer

Don't. They won't respect or except you amd they really don't have anything important to say or understand

Anonymous · Answer

Take courses and practice conversing with a native japanese and ask them to correct you

MadhuriDixit · Answer

Get drunk with Japenese whiskey

ohvanillalattegal · Answer

Anime, classes, singing, apps

BarryLiverstone · Answer

Be born into a Japanese family

FunkyMonkee · Answer

Godzilla movies.

spicythunder · Answer

You need to be exposed to that language.

Iron_Man · Answer

Rosetta Stone

coolguy919 · Answer

Anime, Jpop, ometv, duolingo

RebelinSteel · Answer

Prison.

purplepoppy · Answer

Become a POW

DrPepper12 · Answer

Go to Japan?

In_Trance · Answer

Practice

What is the best way to learn Japanese?

Most Helpful Opinions

What Girls & Guys Said

What's the best way to learn Hiragana?

What is the best way to learn Japanese?

Most Helpful Opinions

What Girls & Guys Said

What's the best way to learn Hiragana?

We're glad to see you liked this post.