Chapters
The only normal way to begin speaking in a new language is to begin speaking badly - Greg Thomson
Are you looking for the best Japanese language course to start off your tryst with the language? Don't know where to go to in order to find a good Japanese tutor? Looking for free online classes to help you begin?
If these are questions that you're struggling with right now, then this article is for you. Superprof has curated a list of resources and approaches to help you learn Japanese the right way.
Looking to Improve Japanese Fluency? Here is How
Whether it is English or Japanese, learning any new language requires time, dedication, and hard work. Learning a new language is like picking up a new skill. So, it is both difficult and rewarding at the same time. Similarly with learning Japanese. It requires time and effort, although the task may seem daunting at first.
If you are a beginner looking to learn Japanese, an SOP to improve Japanese fluency will be a completely alien concept altogether. To begin with, the characters and words are completely different from the English language or any other language you may already know. Japanese alphabets and the script are like an unknown art to most. You can well imagine how hard and time consuming it will be to learn Japanese before you can have a precise conversation with someone.
Learning the Japanese language, however, can be highly rewarding. Did you know? Japanese is one of the most popular languages in the world. As a country too, Japan has a rich history and heritage that attract the lot to travel to the country and settle there. Learning the language by signing up for spoken Japanese classes can bring you closer to this culture and understand its people better.
Economically, Japan is one of the most stable nations that offers innumerable career opportunities. Not just that. It has a very lucrative and flourishing entertainment industry juts like Bollywood. So, to learn Japanese pronunciation and improve Japanese speaking will open up many doors to improve your quality of life.
Best Ways to Increase Japanese Vocabulary
Learning Japanese is not complete if you have only learnt many Japanese words. Vocabulary and words are just one of the many means to communicate what you think and feel. In that sense they are just a tool to express your thoughts and ideas. In that sense, you need to learn the right words and vocabulary in order to communicate with maximum ease.
Take this case as an example-
You learn 50 new Japanese words. One of those words is fast. But you don't learn a critical word like no, which is probably more important for you to converse in Japanese than the word fast. Practically speaking, you will have a hard time in communicating your thoughts and ideas without this important word. In fact, just by picking up the word no could have doubled the number of ideas and expressions that you could have used otherwise. Are you seeing the difference?
A private tutor in the Japanese language would help you make these judgement calls during your learning process. These are subjective in nature and quite obviously so. So, effectively, a word does not have to be absolutely necessary to learn just because they find mention in Japanese vocab books.
You have the advantage to learn Japanese words that are relevant to your context. An easy principle to apply while doing this is to categorize the words into beginner, intermediate, and advanced in order to decide the purpose of a particular word that you want to pick up.
How to Get Better At Japanese Writing Practice
You have to be motivated enough to learn Japanese writing and to get better at it. Japanese writing practice has many benefits that include learning important skills of self-discipline and memory.
It is said that one who has mastered the Japanese language has made her life a little more easy by opening up doors to the world. If you have mastered Japanese language writing, then you have learnt important skills and techniques to tackle other foreign languages. It stimulates the three important aspects of learning- memory, concentration, and analytical ability.
Your exposure to Japanese writing will also bring you face to face with the rich culture of Japan. It is hailed as one of the most advanced cultural center in the world and a top economy. So, if you're looking to improve your standard of living significantly, Japan is the place to head to. Of course, that would mean you have a good grasp on the Japanese language and vocabulary.
Did you know? There are over 130 million native Japanese speakers in the world? More than half of them are found in Japan and about 1 million outside the country.
This is good news for those who want to learn Japanese for career advancement. There is a huge demand for native Japanese speakers outside Japan and few takers.
Learn The Basics of Reading Japanese Like A Pro
A foreign language is like a frail, delicate muscle. If you do not use it, it weakens - Jhumpa Lahiri
Starting with improving your Japanese comprehension may be a good idea if you are just starting out with the language. But be wise enough to not pick up random books and novels (manga) to make it easy. Seek the guidance of a tutor or an expert if you want to avoid disaster.
Although Japanese characters, script and vocabulary are beautiful to look at, yet they are very complex. And even more difficult to remember. And the level of complexity only increases as you go through the motions of hiragana, katakana, and kanji. It may prove to be a little intimidating and overwhelming for a beginner if you try to tackle the dual problem of Japanese reading and writing in one go. There are about 50,000 kanji characters in the Japanese script. But it is unrealistic to expect that you will learn all of them. Even the native Japanese speaker uses two phonetic scripts and roughly 6,000 kanji characters. That should be enough for you to get by.
Now, if you're looking to get ahead in the shortest possible time, it may be a good ideas to break down and prioritize the sections of your study. You do not need to learn everything, but you do need to learn the basics. Getting a Japanese tuition teacher to guide you on this may not be a bad idea.
Japanese comprehension practice can help expand your language vocabulary and build your understanding of Japanese language grammar. If you know how to read and write hiragana, katakana, and kanji, then you have won half the battle. When you improve your Japanese comprehension, you can easily practice and review words that you already know. You also learn to apply grammar rules and kanji in spoken Japanese.
How to Get Better at Japanese Listening Practice
To improve Japanese listening skills, it is important to invest in Japanese listening practice. Doing this will boost your confidence by imparting a sense of control while speaking in any situation. If either of your reading or speaking or comprehension skills are weak, then your overall Japanese language skills will suffer. To practice Japanese listening is to practice reading the situation well before responding in a conversation.
On another side, you will be able to enjoy your favorite Japanese movies and music when you have a better ear for Japanese language listening.
Listening is a very critical part of any language learning. If you want to study a language seriously, you need to dedicate quality time to develop your listening skills. Apparently, Japanese listening practice is the most difficult segment to crack in the JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test), as per multiple surveys taken by language students. And the reason for this could be the fact that these students only converse and listen to the language within the classroom or during an online lesson. The moment they are outside, it is back to their native language.
In a nutshell, you must put in more than adequate time and effort to learn Japanese. Whether it is Japanese reading, writing, comprehension, or listening, each one demands ample time that you must be willing to invest. And it is all the more important if you're not in Japan and have a drastically reduced exposure to the language in real time.
The platform that connects tutors and students
Enjoyed this article? Leave a rating.
Loading...
