5 Ways How I Learned the Japanese Language
Most of my friends asked me how I learned the Japanese language. And since I don’t have much time to answer their question, I often go with, “I study a lot.” Well, I really do. But little do they know, the way I study it is more than just reading a book. Some of the ways on this list are a bit unorthodox but believe me, it’s very effective.
- Watch, Write, Repeat
Don’t you just love living in our world today? We now have smartphones, self-driving cars, hoverboards (Oh wait! We still have to wait for the real one.) and of course, smart TVs. I took advantage of this awesome technology to study the Japanese language. I usually start with movies or dramas that I am very much familiar with (Something I’ve watched more than twice). During my Ghibli marathon, I pause video and try to write down the words that are new to me or something that I have heard before but unsure of the usage or definition. Then, I would replay the scene and practice saying it. Or, after about a month, I would watch that movie/drama again and see if I can catch the words that I have written down. For beginners, I’d recommend watching with English subtitles and challenge your yourself by changing it to a Japanese one. If you have become an advanced Japanese learner, then try it without any subtitles.
2. Station Dictation
This technique is the one that I am most proud of. At first, I did it for fun since I had a lot of free time. Before coming to Japan, I have already memorized the major train stations in Tokyo, especially the ones in the Yamanote line (one of the major train lines in Tokyo). When I arrived in Japan, I realized that some stations’ names are also used as last names of people. I had students named Shibuya-san and Ueno-san. You will also notice that the kanji used in the stations’ names are very common. For example: 原 (hara) can be found in two of the most iconic stations in Tokyo; 原宿 (Harajuku) and 秋葉原 Akihabara . During train rides, I would listen to the announcement of which station is next and write the name on my notebook in kanji (Chinese character). And with this knowledge, traveling in Tokyo becomes trouble-free. Recently, I’ve been trying to expand my knowledge by memorizing the kanji of all the prefectures and major cities in Japan.
3. The Lost Foreigner
I feel bad sharing this one because it’s a bit selfish of me to do so. But it actually helps with my studies. As I have mentioned above, I am very much familiar with the train stations and lines which makes it impossible for me to get lost. But sometimes I pretend to be lost and ask for directions (in Japanese) to build confidence and to see whether my own directions are correct. When I have an appointment and is 20 minutes early, I would ask random people to give me directions to where I would meet my friend/student. I wouldn’t recommend it doing inside a subway train, though. I once asked a very lovely lady in her 60’s on how I could get to Roppongi (a place in Tokyo where lots of foreigners live, work and play). She did explained to me how I could get there, and also talked about her dogs and her grandchildren. We really had a great conversation and I was very much focused on what she was uttering. However, we ended up missing both our stops. And I had to apologize in the most formal way.
4. What You See is What You Say
The way to do this is quite simple. You look at something then you say what it is in Japanese. For example, I am in front of my laptop and this is what I see. I would then think of what it is in Japanese, which is ノートパソコン (nōtopasokon). I used to do this every time I go out. There are lots of things to see and when I don’t know the Japanese term for that thing, I would write it down or use a translation app. You should try it! Look around you now and say what you see in Japanese. And if you want to up the ante, then think of it’s kanji and words it usually comes with. Like, I can see a chair in my room. Chair is 椅子(isu) in Japanese then we say 椅子に座ります(isu ni suwarimasu or sit on the chair).
5. Language Support Group/Page/Channel
Join a support group! May it be in your neighborhood or online. Some municipal halls in Japan have international relations division and they offer free Japanese lessons and materials. They would also guide you on your life in Japan. The online language support groups are a must to join in as they are highly informative. They usually have discussions or posts with lessons. Some even have video tutorials on simple topics like greetings and common words. Try to explore Facebook and YouTube when you have a free time. You’ll see that there are lots of groups/pages that are waiting for you.
Here’s are some of my recommendation (Click on the name to visit):
Facebook group:
The Nihongo Learning Community
Youtube:
I hope you guys enjoyed reading and learned something from it. If you are currently studying the Japanese language, this article will definitely help you with that: 5 Best Websites to Learn Japanese Online
Lastly, please tells us your own ways on how you learned or are learning the Japanese language in the comment section.
