There are so many reasons why people start learning Japanese. Here are some of them:
- The unique culture of Japan. She has become part of international culture, from sushi and anime to bonsai and origami. Knowing the language will open the world of Japanese cinema, animation, and music. You can deal with the unique terminology of your favorite martial art or order sushi just like a Japanese does at his favorite Japanese restaurant. Everyone will find something to their liking!
- Trip to Japan and communication. Of course, knowing Japanese will make your trip much more enjoyable and exciting. Learning the language will help you understand Japanese behavior and way of thinking, avoid embarrassing situations, and make new friends.
- The road to business and the world of high technologies. The Japanese economy occupies a leading position in the world along with Japanese companies such as Sony, Toshiba, Honda, Mitsubishi, Canon, etc. Knowing the language can help you develop your professional career in business, information technology, robotics, etc.
- Discover a new world! Knowing Asian culture will allow you to see the world with a new look. They have similar grammatical systems and, of course, into the Chinese language culture, from which the script was initially borrowed.
- One last thing: learning Japanese is not that difficult. Yes, they have a complex writing system, but it consists of alphabets that can be known just like any other alphabet. The grammar of the Japanese language is, in some respects, much easier than the grammar of any European language. There is no gender, no plural, no future tense. So go ahead! To knowledge!
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Table of Contents
Start With the Basics
It is worth starting with studying the alphabet, namely hiragana. The most effective way would be to write the signs by hand, observing the writing rule (mostly 100 times is enough for perfect memorization, and in a day, the character will not fly out of your head since you will automatically write signs). Even if you can’t remember all the signs at once, start mastering the first words, according to the book Minna no Nihongo.
- After you learn the words, proceed to study grammatical constructions.
- Then open Minna no Nihongo in Japanese and read, translate and do assignments from the lesson.
- After you open the textbook with reading and reading, translate the text and do the tasks.
- Open the essential kanji book. We learn to write hieroglyphs (for better memorization, it is best to use the method as with alphabets) and memorize readings with examples. In the beginning, both in Minna no Nihongo and in the essential kanji book, you will come across hieroglyphs that are not yet familiar. They can be written simply in hiragana until you master these hieroglyphs in the future.
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Start Speaking
After studying hiragana and katakana, they learn vocabulary, grammar, and hieroglyphics. Listening, speaking, and reading should also be introduced.
Well, another important point that should not be missed is, of course, practice. Once you start learning Japanese, try to apply what you’ve learned.
Find a Japanese friend on the social network and start a correspondence with him, visit Japanese sites, watch movies and anime, and read manga, although, at the initial stage, you will not understand everything. But the further you go, the more and more you will understand, and you will feel your progress, which will give you an additional incentive to learn Japanese.
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Communicate More
Experts say this is possible if you team up with like-minded people. Your joint communities and activities will help you get used to the sound of Japanese speech, highlight familiar words and phrases from the general flow, and eventually understand Japanese speech.
Ideally, it is good to have acquaintances or friends who speak the language at least at a sufficient level. Communication with them, even over the phone in Japanese, will be a good help in learning the language.
Having moved to Japan, do not impose your communication on other people in an informal setting. A foreigner may not be answered according to tradition. Listen to live Japanese speech in shops, markets, and just on the street since phrases from anime and manga are rarely used in everyday life. You should study the local flavor and context and observe the behavior of the Japanese in various situations.
