Embarking on the path of Japanese Learning is an exciting endeavor, filled with the promise of new cultural horizons and cognitive enrichment. However, the initial enthusiasm can quickly become overwhelming when faced with the complexities of a new language. Many resources promise effortless fluency, but the reality is that mastering Japanese, like any language, demands dedication and a strategic approach.
This guide serves as your comprehensive roadmap to navigate the intricacies of japanese learning, from your very first steps to achieving fluency. We believe in tackling the challenge head-on – doing things the right way from the start, even if it feels like the harder path. This isn’t about quick fixes or shortcuts; it’s about building a robust foundation that will propel you towards your japanese learning goals efficiently and effectively.
If you’re starting with zero knowledge of Japanese, or if you’ve dabbled a bit but are looking for a more structured approach, you’re in the right place. Let’s dive into the journey of japanese learning together, step by step.
Zero Knowledge of Japanese: Building a Solid Foundation
Welcome to the very beginning of your japanese learning adventure! This section is tailored for true beginners – those who know little to no Japanese, perhaps just a few common phrases. These initial steps are paramount; they lay the groundwork upon which your entire japanese learning journey will be built.
Think of it as constructing the foundation of a house. A solid, well-laid foundation ensures the stability and longevity of the entire structure. Similarly, a deliberate and thorough approach in these early stages of japanese learning will make everything that follows significantly easier.
By carefully completing this section, you’re investing in your future success and proactively avoiding the notorious “intermediate wall” that many japanese learning students encounter. Taking your time with these foundational steps might feel slow initially, but it’s an investment that will translate into greater speed and efficiency as you progress in your japanese learning endeavors.
Learn to Read Hiragana: Your First Japanese Script
Estimated Time: 1 day to 1 week
Hiragana is the cornerstone of written Japanese, often referred to as Japan’s phonetic alphabet. It’s one of the three writing systems you’ll need to learn for comprehensive japanese learning, alongside katakana and kanji. Hiragana is where your japanese learning journey truly begins.
Mastering hiragana is typically a prerequisite for most beginner Japanese textbooks and learning resources. Traditional classrooms often start with hiragana, and for good reason. It’s the essential first step in unlocking the written language.
While some japanese learning courses might dedicate a whole month to hiragana, we believe in a more efficient approach. Instead of rote memorization through repetitive writing, we recommend using mnemonic techniques. These memory aids, combined with targeted worksheets, can dramatically accelerate your hiragana acquisition, potentially having you reading within a day or two.
Do it: Learn How to Read Hiragana
It’s crucial to note that our focus at this stage is on reading hiragana, not necessarily handwriting. While handwriting Japanese is a valuable skill to develop eventually, it can significantly slow down your initial progress in japanese learning. In the modern digital age, typing is far more prevalent, covering approximately 99% of written communication. Therefore, we’ll prioritize learning to type hiragana (and later katakana and kanji).
This reading-first approach, coupled with mnemonics and worksheets, enables you to conquer hiragana in a fraction of the time – days instead of weeks.
Remember: Your japanese learning journey is personal. There’s no need to adhere to the pace of a classroom setting. There is no speed limit in your self-directed japanese learning.
To move forward in your japanese learning plan, your goal is to achieve fluency in reading hiragana. Even if your reading speed is initially slow, the ability to recognize each character and its associated sound without hesitation is sufficient. Ample practice awaits you, and your reading speed will naturally improve as you progress through your japanese learning journey.
Note: Before you embark on learning hiragana, it’s highly recommended to read the “Japanese Pronunciation, Part 1” section (detailed below) to prepare your ear and mouth for the sounds of Japanese.
Master Basic Japanese Pronunciation: Sound Like a Native
Estimated Time: Ongoing
Correct pronunciation is a cornerstone of effective communication in any language, and japanese learning is no exception. Hiragana plays a vital role in this aspect. While hiragana alone won’t encompass all nuances of Japanese pronunciation, it provides the fundamental framework for understanding how Japanese words are spoken. It’s the key to developing a natural-sounding Japanese accent and forms approximately 80% of the foundation needed for accurate pronunciation.
For the remaining 20% of pronunciation refinement in your japanese learning, we’ve prepared a comprehensive guide that covers the essential basics. Before you delve into learning hiragana, it’s beneficial to read our pronunciation guide up to the “Japanese Sounds and Your Mouth” section. This will familiarize you with the basic sounds and mouth movements involved in speaking Japanese.
Once you’ve become comfortable reading hiragana, revisit the pronunciation guide, this time focusing on the “Important Differences” section. This section is crucial as it addresses sounds that are unique to Japanese and don’t exist in English. Mastering these distinctions early in your japanese learning will give you a significant head start in achieving authentic pronunciation. Ensure you can accurately pronounce all hiragana characters before proceeding further in your japanese learning journey.
Investing time and effort in pronunciation at this early stage of japanese learning is highly advantageous. Don’t be tempted to overlook it simply because it might seem challenging. By dedicating time to speaking and hearing these sounds now, you’ll be well-prepared to navigate the complexities and subtleties of Japanese pronunciation as you advance. This proactive approach will be invaluable when you encounter more challenging aspects of japanese learning later on.
Now, return to learning how to read hiragana. Once you can confidently read and recall all hiragana characters, you’re ready to move on to the next crucial step in your japanese learning process.
Learn to Type Hiragana: Digital Japanese Communication
Estimated Time: 1-2 days (or less)
Prerequisite: Able to read hiragana
Now that you’ve mastered reading and pronouncing hiragana – remember, initial slowness is perfectly acceptable! – it’s time to equip yourself with the ability to type in hiragana on your computer or smartphone. This skill is indispensable for modern japanese learning and communication.
The first step is installing a Japanese keyboard. Fortunately, this doesn’t require purchasing specialized hardware. Input Method Editors (IMEs) are software tools that allow you to add Japanese keyboard functionality to virtually any computer, phone, or operating system. Our comprehensive guide provides step-by-step instructions for installing an IME on your devices, making this a straightforward process in your japanese learning toolkit.
Read: How to Install a Japanese Keyboard
With the Japanese keyboard installed, the next step is learning to type effectively. Utilize our guide, focusing specifically on the hiragana section for now, as this is the writing system you’ve currently mastered in your japanese learning journey.
Read: How to Type in Japanese
Assuming you are proficient in reading hiragana, typing in hiragana is surprisingly intuitive. Once you feel confident in your hiragana typing abilities, including handling trickier aspects like contractions, the small tsu, and dakuten marks, you’re ready to progress to the next stage of japanese learning. It’s time to confront the “elephant in the room” for many japanese learning students: kanji.
Understanding Kanji: Unlocking Japanese Characters
Estimated Time: Ongoing
In our approach to japanese learning, we advocate for early engagement with kanji characters. As soon as you can read and type hiragana, it’s the optimal time to begin tackling kanji. This might seem counterintuitive to some traditional japanese learning methods, but here’s our rationale:
- Kanji is the most challenging aspect of Japanese. While often perceived as daunting, delaying kanji learning is detrimental to your overall progress in japanese learning. Kanji is pervasive in written Japanese; ignoring it drastically diminishes your learning experience and hinders your ability to comprehend authentic materials.
- Early kanji knowledge streamlines textbook learning. Beginners often spend a significant portion of their study time looking up kanji and vocabulary in textbooks. This constant interruption detracts from grammar learning and makes progress feel slow and frustrating. Learning a foundational set of kanji and vocabulary upfront significantly accelerates and simplifies grammar acquisition. It’s a strategic investment of time now to save substantial time and frustration later in your japanese learning journey.
- Kanji fosters vocabulary acquisition, which is essential for communication. Vocabulary acts as the building blocks of language, while grammar serves as the glue that binds them together. Without a robust vocabulary, grammar becomes abstract and challenging to grasp. Kanji, being intrinsically linked to vocabulary, provides a natural pathway to vocabulary expansion, making grammar learning more concrete and accessible in your japanese learning process.
- Effective kanji learning methods exist. Contrary to the common perception of kanji as rote memorization, we employ a more effective methodology that leverages mnemonics and radicals. This approach makes kanji learning not only manageable but potentially even enjoyable, defying the conventional wisdom surrounding kanji in japanese learning.
This kanji-vocabulary-first approach is designed to expedite your ability to use Japanese effectively. While it might feel slower initially, it sets you on a trajectory to surpass fellow japanese learning students who follow traditional methods. Furthermore, it equips you to overcome the “intermediate wall” more readily, minimizing the risk of burnout and ultimately increasing your chances of long-term success in japanese learning.
If you embrace this philosophy, your next step is to understand the fundamentals of kanji and their usage. For this, we have another insightful guide to prepare you for your japanese learning journey:
Read: On’yomi vs. Kun’yomi: What’s the Difference?
Once you grasp how Japanese kanji readings function, you’ll be well-prepared to begin learning actual kanji characters and further advance your japanese learning.
Beginning Kanji & Stockpiling Kanji Knowledge: Building Your Vocabulary Base
Estimated Time: 1-3 months
Important note about this section: It’s recommended to start learning katakana (the next section) concurrently with this kanji learning step. “Beginning Kanji & Stockpiling Kanji Knowledge” is expected to take 1-3 months. In fact, you can even complete all the subsequent steps up to “The Beginner of Japanese” while you’re diligently working on this crucial kanji foundation!
Now, it’s time to actively engage in japanese learning by starting to learn kanji. Let’s first clarify what “learning kanji” entails to set clear expectations for your japanese learning goals.
- When we say “learn kanji,” we mean mastering a kanji’s most important English meaning(s) and its most frequently used Japanese reading(s). As you learned from our guide on on’yomi and kun’yomi, kanji can have multiple readings. Similarly, English meanings are translations and may not always perfectly align with the nuanced Japanese meaning, resulting in multiple valid English interpretations for a single kanji. We’ll focus on the most essential meanings and readings initially – those encountered 80-90% of the time. Less common meanings and readings will be acquired through vocabulary learning and continued practice in your japanese learning journey.
- Kanji learning is intrinsically linked to vocabulary acquisition. As you learn kanji, you’ll simultaneously learn vocabulary words that utilize those kanji. This dual approach not only reinforces your kanji knowledge but also provides a practical context for learning various kanji readings. Crucially, this vocabulary base will serve as the foundation for grammar learning later on in your japanese learning process.
- By the end of this phase, your goal is to accumulate knowledge of approximately 2,000 of the most commonly used kanji, along with 6,000-7,000 vocabulary words that incorporate these kanji. This substantial groundwork will empower you to read a vast majority of Japanese text – or at least possess the tools to readily decipher the rest independently, significantly enhancing your japanese learning capabilities.
Aim to learn 20-30 new kanji and around 100 vocabulary words that use only the kanji you’ve already learned each week. This might seem like a significant workload, but don’t be discouraged! Effective memorization techniques exist to accelerate this process. We highly recommend familiarizing yourself with the Radicals Mnemonic Method. As an added benefit, you’ll gain valuable foundational knowledge about the structure and function of kanji within the japanese learning context.
Read: Learn kanji with the radicals mnemonic method
This guide will teach you how to prioritize kanji meanings and readings, focusing on the most essential ones first for efficient japanese learning. You’ll learn to utilize radicals and mnemonics effectively and establish a productive study routine.
You can leverage these techniques to create your own free weekly study plan if you’re committed to putting in the effort in your japanese learning. However, if you prefer a comprehensive, ready-made package that incorporates all these elements and more, we recommend exploring the kanji learning program, WaniKani.
We’ll be referencing WaniKani throughout this guide, but remember that creating your own system and schedule is perfectly viable and achievable for dedicated japanese learning students. Just ensure you maintain a consistent pace to stay on track. Conversely, some learners might need to consciously slow down to avoid burnout and maintain a sustainable japanese learning rhythm.
Once you begin learning vocabulary in WaniKani (or your chosen system), revisit the Basic Japanese Pronunciation Guide, starting from the “Pronouncing Vocabulary section” all the way to the end. This section delves into crucial pronunciation aspects like long and short vowel sounds, double consonants, and sound dropping – common stumbling blocks for beginners in japanese learning. You’ll also be introduced to pitch accent. While mastering pitch accent might be challenging at this stage, simply being aware of its existence and function in Japanese will give you a significant advantage in your japanese learning journey.
Read: Basic Japanese Pronunciation Guide
Now is the time to take action and start your kanji japanese learning journey! Remember, the most challenging part is often simply starting. Sit down, commit to the process, and begin building your kanji foundation.
Learn to Read Katakana: Mastering the Second Script
Estimated Time: 2 days to 2 weeks
Prerequisite: Able to read hiragana
Learning katakana shares similarities with learning hiragana, but with a few unique twists that add to the richness of japanese learning. We’ve prepared another mnemonic-based guide to facilitate your katakana acquisition, and with dedicated effort, you can expect to be reading katakana within a few days.
Your goal is to achieve reading proficiency in katakana by the time you start encountering vocabulary in WaniKani (or when you begin vocabulary learning in your chosen kanji method). While katakana words might not be as prevalent in the very initial stages of japanese learning, they appear frequently enough to warrant early attention. Learning katakana also provides a productive way to utilize your study time while the number of kanji you’re learning is still relatively low.
Do it: Learn to Read Katakana
Note: Katakana often presents a slightly greater challenge for japanese learning students compared to hiragana. This is partly because katakana might seem less frequently used than hiragana and kanji, especially at the beginning stages. However, katakana’s importance grows as you progress, and it becomes more prevalent in later stages of japanese learning. For now, simply achieving reading proficiency in katakana is sufficient. Opportunities to improve your katakana reading speed and fluency will arise naturally. Just be aware that katakana acquisition might not feel as rapid as hiragana, and that’s perfectly normal in the japanese learning process. Hiragana and kanji are, indeed, more immediately useful at this stage, so prioritize your time and energy accordingly.
Once you can read each katakana character, even slowly, you’re ready to move on to the next step: learning to type katakana, further enhancing your digital japanese learning skills.
Learning to Type Katakana: Expanding Your Japanese Typing Skills
Estimated Time: 1-2 hours
Prerequisites: Able to type hiragana, able to read katakana
Katakana shares many similarities with hiragana, making the transition to typing katakana relatively smooth and efficient in your japanese learning journey. Leveraging your hiragana typing knowledge, learning to type katakana should be quite straightforward. While there are a few differences to learn, your existing hiragana typing skills will provide a strong foundation for rapid progress. Jump directly to the katakana section of our comprehensive typing guide and begin mastering this essential skill for japanese learning.
Read: How to Type Katakana
Note: Remember to maintain consistent progress with your kanji japanese learning! If you’re utilizing WaniKani, diligently complete your reviews as they become available. Establishing this as a regular habit is crucial for long-term success. WaniKani, being a spaced repetition system, inherently requires intervals between reviews, gradually increasing over time (depending on your performance). Adhering to your review schedule is essential to navigate this initially “slow” phase, which typically lasts a week or two. This short period is a small fraction of your entire japanese learning career, so cultivate patience. The waiting time between reviews is strategically designed to optimize your information recall and retention, a cornerstone of effective japanese learning.
Learning to Type Kanji: Completing Your Japanese Input Toolkit
Estimated Time: 1-2 hours
Prerequisite: Able to read 20-30 kanji
Before embarking on this step, ensure you can confidently read a handful of kanji – around twenty to thirty will suffice. If you’re using WaniKani for your japanese learning, this stage typically aligns with unlocking vocabulary or reaching approximately level 2.
Ready to proceed?
Typing in kanji is slightly more intricate than typing hiragana or katakana, but it still follows similar principles. Learn the mechanics of kanji typing by consulting the kanji section of our comprehensive typing guide, and then continue reading to the end. The guide also includes valuable additional tips and tricks, covering aspects like punctuation and symbols, which will prove handy as you advance in your japanese learning journey.
Read: How to type kanji
Congratulations! You’ve now acquired the ability to type everything in Japanese (unless you’re venturing into the realm of kaomoji)! If you’re already proficient in English typing, you’ll find Japanese typing surprisingly accessible. With consistent practice, typing in Japanese will become as natural and effortless as typing in your native language, a significant milestone in your japanese learning progress.
To further solidify your typing proficiency, you’ll need to expand your kanji and vocabulary knowledge. Once you reach that stage, you’ll be well-prepared for “The Beginner of Japanese” section, marking the next exciting phase of your japanese learning adventure!
Before moving on, aim to reach level 10 on WaniKani (or acquire approximately 300 kanji and 1,000 vocabulary words using your preferred method).
This period is also crucial for pronunciation refinement. Make a conscious effort to mimic the audio pronunciations of vocabulary words, paying attention to pitch accent. This dedicated pronunciation practice will lay a solid foundation for sentence-level comprehension and speaking in the future stages of your japanese learning journey.
With a strong foundation in kanji, vocabulary, and pronunciation, grammar learning will become significantly more accessible and efficient. You’ll no longer be bogged down by constantly looking up unfamiliar words. Instead, you can focus your energy solely on grasping grammar concepts, understanding the meaning of approximately 80% of every sentence you encounter for the first time. And when you vocalize these sentences, you’ll speak with greater confidence and fluency, thanks to your familiarity with Japanese sounds and pronunciation. The time and effort you invest in kanji, vocabulary, and pronunciation now will yield substantial returns as you progress further in your japanese learning endeavors.
Trust in this process, dedicate yourself to consistent daily effort, and witness the transformative power of this approach to japanese learning.
Keep progressing, maintain your momentum, and return here when you’ve reached this pivotal milestone in your japanese learning journey.
The Beginner of Japanese: Moving to Grammar and Beyond
Being a beginner in any field, including japanese learning, is a unique and rewarding phase. Everything is novel, progress feels tangible and exciting, and even mistakes are seen as learning opportunities because you’re still in the early stages of acquiring knowledge.
Savor this beginner’s mindset while it lasts, as it’s a powerful motivator in japanese learning.
At this juncture in your japanese learning journey, you’ve established a robust foundation of kanji and vocabulary. If you’ve been utilizing WaniKani, you should have reached level 10 or higher. If you’ve been pursuing kanji learning independently or using other resources, you should possess knowledge of the most common meaning and reading of approximately 300 kanji and 1,000 vocabulary words. It’s crucial to emphasize that if your chosen resource only teaches kanji meanings without readings, that doesn’t qualify as sufficient progress. You need to acquire both meaning and reading comprehension for effective japanese learning.
With this assumed level of knowledge, we’ll now explore various options for delving into Japanese grammar. This includes utilizing a structured textbook, creating your own grammar program from scratch, or leveraging readily available online resources. Most likely, you’ll find yourself adopting a hybrid approach that combines elements of these methods. Regardless of your chosen path, your pre-existing foundation of kanji, vocabulary, and pronunciation will significantly simplify and enhance your grammar japanese learning experience. Without this solid base, even the most highly-regarded Japanese textbook can become a frustrating and inefficient tool.
Using a Spaced Repetition System For Vocabulary: Expanding Your Word Bank
Estimated Time: 2-4 hours + ongoing
Your kanji studies will naturally introduce you to a substantial amount of vocabulary in your japanese learning process. As long as you have a well-structured kanji learning system in place, vocabulary acquisition through this channel should be a primary focus. However, it’s equally important to actively learn words that don’t utilize kanji. In the initial stages of japanese learning, these will largely consist of grammatical particles and words written solely in hiragana or katakana, often encountered in your textbook materials. As you progress and engage with more authentic Japanese content like signs, manga, and real-life conversations, you’ll encounter an increasing number of new vocabulary words.
Therefore, it’s crucial to establish a system for learning and retaining vocabulary words encountered outside of your kanji studies. Having a robust system is paramount for effective japanese learning.
You need a method to record and store these new words for later study and review. Equally important is a system to process and actively engage with these words. Simply noting them down once and never revisiting them is an inefficient use of your japanese learning time.
At your current level in japanese learning, most new words you encounter will likely be written in hiragana or katakana only. As you begin reading more extensively in Japanese, the frequency of encountering new words will increase. Therefore, developing the habit of tracking and incorporating these words into your study routine becomes increasingly vital. For now, your primary goal is to cultivate the habit of collecting, processing, and studying unfamiliar vocabulary words, making this process second nature in your japanese learning workflow.
1. Collecting Vocabulary
The majority of vocabulary you’ll want to learn will likely originate from your Japanese textbook (which we’ll discuss shortly!). As mentioned earlier, these might be words without kanji or words that weren’t included in your kanji learning program like WaniKani. The Japanese language is vast, and no single resource can encompass all vocabulary.
Once you identify words you want to learn in your japanese learning journey, you need to collect them systematically. The specific method of collection is less important than the consistency of doing it. Options include creating a spreadsheet, using digital tools like Evernote or OneNote, or simply writing them down in a notebook. Choose a method that’s easily accessible and establish a trigger for yourself: “If I encounter a vocabulary word I want to learn, then I add it to my list.”
Numerous list-keeping apps and paper-based options are available, making it difficult to recommend a single “best” tool. Personal preferences vary. Some learners prefer digital tools like Evernote with customized organizational systems, while others gravitate towards spreadsheet apps like Airtable for their visual structure. Physical pocket-sized notebooks, to-do lists, or even smartphone cameras (with a dedicated folder for future processing) are also viable options.
The key is to choose a method that works seamlessly for you and integrates easily into your japanese learning routine. Prioritize ease of use and accessibility. If this initial step of vocabulary collection is neglected, the subsequent steps will be compromised.
2. Processing
The next crucial step in vocabulary acquisition for japanese learning is processing. Establish a regular habit – daily, weekly, or monthly, depending on your desired pace of vocabulary expansion – to review your collected vocabulary list and prepare them for your Spaced Repetition System (SRS) of choice. What is an SRS? Let’s explore that next.
3. Adding the Words to Your SRS
If you’ve been using WaniKani for kanji japanese learning, you’ve already been utilizing a Spaced Repetition System (SRS) throughout your studies! However, for vocabulary words encountered outside of your kanji studies, you’ll need a separate SRS. We’ve created a comprehensive guide to help you with this. It explains how to collect vocabulary and effectively add them to your chosen SRS for optimal retention and japanese learning.
Read: Spaced Repetition and Japanese: The Definitive Guide
For an additional valuable technique, we recommend reading our article on Keyword Mnemonics. This surprisingly simple yet effective mnemonic method is particularly useful for learning non-kanji vocabulary. It enables you to learn more vocabulary in a single study session and enhances long-term recall, significantly boosting your japanese learning efficiency.
Read: Keyword Mnemonic Method for Learning Japanese Vocabulary
As mentioned previously, vocabulary overload isn’t a primary concern at the very beginning stages of japanese learning. Initially, rely on your kanji studies to provide the bulk of your vocabulary acquisition. However, as you encounter new vocabulary “in the wild,” consistently channel them through the vocabulary collection, processing, and SRS integration system you’ve established.
Make vocabulary systemization a habit.
Habit formation typically takes 3-6 weeks of consistent practice. Start implementing these vocabulary management strategies now because in the coming weeks, you’ll increasingly need to leverage this habit as your japanese learning journey progresses and your vocabulary expands.
Beginning Japanese Grammar: Understanding Sentence Structure
Estimated Time: It’s a mystery – the journey is unique to each learner.
It’s finally time to delve into Japanese grammar in your japanese learning process! If you’ve diligently followed this guide, you’re likely 2-4+ months into your studies. If it’s been longer, don’t worry. Japanese learning is a personal journey with varying paces, and the most important aspect is consistent forward progress. You should now possess knowledge of approximately 300 kanji and 1,000 Japanese vocabulary words, and your pronunciation should be steadily improving, or at least you’re actively focusing on its refinement. Now, it’s time to conquer Japanese grammar.
Let’s begin by internalizing a core philosophy that will serve you throughout your japanese learning journey and beyond:
When learning something new, aim to already understand 80% of it.
This principle emphasizes incremental learning, where each new concept builds upon a strong foundation of existing knowledge. New learning should be a +1 step from your current understanding, rather than a +20 or +100 leap into the unknown.
Many learners approach a textbook with minimal prior knowledge, often spending a significant portion of their study time deciphering unfamiliar words. Consider the vocabulary density of a typical sentence. Depending on sentence length and complexity, vocabulary often constitutes more than 80% of its content.
By entering grammar study with a solid vocabulary base, you’re already at that 80% comprehension level. This allows you to laser-focus on the remaining 20% – the grammar itself. Instead of constantly interrupting your grammar study to look up unfamiliar kanji and vocabulary and dealing with context switching when you return to the lesson, your primary focus remains on grammar acquisition, minimizing distractions and maximizing efficiency in your japanese learning.
This is the essence of the +1 incremental learning approach.
Let’s consider scenarios where your Japanese vocabulary knowledge might fall below that 80% threshold in your japanese learning:
- Insufficient Vocabulary: If you encounter sentences with numerous unfamiliar words, you’re not starting with 80% comprehension. In this case, revisit your kanji/vocabulary studies and reassess the difficulty level of your chosen learning resource. Alternatively, proactively extract vocabulary from the resource, study them using your SRS method, and then return to the grammar lesson once you’ve mastered the vocabulary.
- Complex Grammar: Imagine a sentence containing three distinct grammar points, and you’re only learning one of them. If you’re unfamiliar with the other two, your comprehension level drops significantly below the ideal 80%.
- Short Sentences: In very short phrases (e.g., “[vocabulary] + [particle] + [vocabulary]”), even one unknown word can drastically reduce your comprehension percentage (e.g., 66% if one of three elements is unknown). In such cases, exceptions can be made. Comprehending 66% of a three-part phrase or 75% of a four-part phrase is often acceptable, particularly in the early stages of japanese learning.
This 80% philosophy is the guiding principle as you progress in your japanese learning journey. Re-verify that you have a solid foundation of kanji and vocabulary before continuing with grammar studies. A weak foundation significantly increases your chances of frustration and hinders your progress.
A Beginner’s Japanese Textbook / Program: Choosing Your Learning Materials
Estimated Time: 1-3 months
It’s time to apply our 80% philosophy to selecting a beginner textbook or program for your japanese learning. Aspects that might have previously tripped you up – concepts that teachers and textbooks often struggle to explain effectively due to the curse of knowledge – should now be more manageable. With your kanji and vocabulary “tool belt” already equipped, grammar learning should be a more engaging and less daunting experience. You won’t be expending 90% of your time and energy on deciphering unfamiliar kanji and vocabulary. Instead, you can focus on actively learning and applying grammar concepts in your japanese learning process.
With this solid foundation, the specific textbook or program you choose becomes less critical, but there are still varying degrees of “good” and “bad” textbooks available for japanese learning. Most textbooks cover similar core content, albeit with different pedagogical approaches. Therefore, select a textbook that resonates with your learning style and preferences.
To assist you in making an informed decision, we’ve created a helpful guide:
Regardless of your chosen resource, start using it immediately. It’s common for learners to fall into a “preparation loop,” where they spend excessive time planning and preparing, only to stall before actual learning commences. Break free from this cycle and dive into active japanese learning.
At this stage, your focus should be on working through your chosen textbook or program systematically from beginning to end. Completing a beginner textbook will establish a strong foundation of Japanese knowledge, serving as a solid base for further learning and fluency development in your japanese learning journey.
Expect to spend approximately 2-6 months completing most beginner Japanese textbooks. This timeframe depends on factors like your study time commitment and the grammar learning method you employ. You can even work through multiple textbooks concurrently if you desire diverse perspectives. If one textbook’s explanation of a concept is unclear, another textbook might offer a more accessible explanation. However, avoid skipping over concepts you don’t fully understand. Instead, pursue your curiosity and actively seek clarification. Learning should be an enjoyable and intrinsically motivating process, despite potentially negative past experiences with formal education.
Read the next section as you begin your textbook studies. Inevitably, you’ll encounter concepts or questions that your textbook doesn’t fully address. Being prepared to find answers to these questions is an essential skill in self-directed japanese learning.
Answering Your Japanese Language Questions: Finding Solutions and Clarifications
As you progress through your textbook in your japanese learning journey, you will inevitably encounter concepts you don’t fully understand or situations where your 80% comprehension threshold is challenged. This isn’t necessarily a flaw in your textbook; many textbooks are designed for classroom use, assuming a teacher is present to answer student queries. Alternatively, comprehensive explanations of every nuance might simply exceed the practical page limits of a textbook.
Don’t worry. When you encounter questions or areas of confusion in your japanese learning, actively seek out answers. No matter the nature of your question or the type of answer you’re seeking, we’ve compiled a guide to direct you to resources for finding any Japanese language-related information:
Note: Continue utilizing WaniKani (or your chosen kanji learning method) consistently throughout this stage and beyond in your japanese learning journey. Persist until you complete the program and/or reach the end of this comprehensive guide. Maintaining your kanji-vocabulary knowledge ahead of your grammar knowledge is crucial at all times. Failing to do so will gradually erode your 80% comprehension ratio, potentially making your studies feel unsustainable and less enjoyable.
Alternative: Learning Japanese Grammar On Your Own: Self-Directed Study
Estimated Time: 1-3 months
By building a substantial foundation of kanji and vocabulary, you’ve made it possible to learn Japanese grammar independently. Compared to kanji and vocabulary acquisition, grammar learning is relatively straightforward. That being said, if you choose not to rely primarily on a Japanese textbook for grammar instruction, there are several key considerations for successful self-directed japanese learning:
Order of Learning
The optimal sequence for learning grammar topics is a complex subject, and we plan to create a dedicated guide on this in the future. In the meantime, don’t let the lack of a definitive order deter you from starting your japanese learning. By consistently adhering to the “know 80% of all new things” philosophy, the order of grammar topics will largely fall into place organically.
Fact Checking / Cross Referencing
Exercise critical evaluation of information you encounter online. This applies to textbooks and even teachers as well. When you learn a new grammar point in your japanese learning, consult explanations from multiple sources. Some explanations will be linguistically dense and technical, while others will be overly simplified. Seek out explanations that strike the right balance for your understanding. Developing the habit of cross-referencing grammar explanations from diverse sources might initially feel time-consuming, but it ultimately leads to a more robust and nuanced understanding, accelerating your overall japanese learning progress. We’ll recommend excellent reference books at the end of the Beginning Japanese section, so be sure to check those resources.
Do the Work
If you’re pursuing self-directed grammar study in your japanese learning journey, consistent effort is even more critical. The challenge isn’t necessarily in studying and applying what you’ve learned; it’s in maintaining the self-discipline to sit down and start studying regularly. Unlike structured classes or textbook lessons, self-directed learning requires greater personal initiative and motivation. Make sure you actively create dedicated study time and track your progress. Measurable progress, while ideal, can be more challenging to define in self-directed grammar study.
With a textbook, progress is often easily quantified (e.g., completing exercises, finishing pages). Self-directed grammar learning requires you to proactively define and track your progress to maintain momentum and a sense of accomplishment in your japanese learning journey.
Sometimes, You’ll Just Get Stuck
Inevitably, you’ll encounter grammar concepts that you find particularly challenging. If persistent research and self-study don’t resolve your confusion, consider seeking professional guidance. Speaking of professional help…
Optional: Finding A Japanese Language Tutor: Personalized Guidance
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This might be an opportune time to consider enlisting the help of a Japanese language tutor, especially if you find yourself struggling to answer your japanese learning questions independently. With your solid foundation of kanji and vocabulary, you can now leverage a tutor’s expertise to focus on areas where personalized guidance is most beneficial: speaking practice, listening comprehension, and clarifying complex grammar points.
Keep in mind that utilizing a tutor’s time for kanji and vocabulary memorization is generally not the most efficient use of their expertise. Many tutors lack specialized training in kanji pedagogy, often resorting to rote memorization techniques they themselves used as children.
When working with a tutor, prioritize activities that only a tutor can effectively provide. This includes their ability to engage in conversational practice, explain nuanced grammar points that might not be explicitly covered in textbooks, and provide real-time feedback on your pronunciation and usage.
Engaging a tutor or teacher at this stage of japanese learning is optional, not mandatory. Everything from this point forward in your japanese learning journey can be accomplished independently without access to a tutor or native speaker. However, if personalized instruction and conversational practice are aspects you particularly value, now is a suitable time to explore this option.
Suggested Books and Resources: Deepening Your Understanding
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As you continue your japanese learning journey, there will always be more to discover. Don’t hesitate to pause your forward momentum occasionally to indulge your curiosity and delve deeper into specific areas. These “slowdowns” can actually accelerate your progress in the long run by solidifying your existing knowledge and fostering connections between different concepts.
Reference books are invaluable resources for these moments of deeper exploration. If you’re going to invest in just one reference book, we strongly recommend the “Basic” volume from the Dictionary of Japanese Grammar series. In our opinion, it’s the most comprehensive and user-friendly Japanese language reference book available.
Beyond that, explore the “Reference Books” section of our article on Beginner Japanese Textbooks, Reference Books, and Dictionaries. It lists numerous other excellent resources to enhance your japanese learning.
Read: The Best Japanese Reference Books & Dictionaries
Note: In any skill development, including japanese learning, it’s crucial to prioritize addressing your weaknesses. “Raise the floor, not just the ceiling.” By focusing on improving your weakest areas, you’ll find that your overall proficiency elevates, and you’ll experience less frustration. A stronger foundation provides more reference points in your brain as you encounter new ideas and concepts. For example, if verbs are a challenging area for you, consider acquiring “The Handbook of Japanese Verbs” and reading through it. It might take an afternoon, but from that day forward, verbs will become less of a stumbling block and more of an asset in your japanese learning.
Prioritize raising your foundational knowledge (“the floor”) because no matter how high your advanced skills (“the ceiling”), your progress is ultimately grounded in your base understanding.
Intermediate Level Japanese: Overcoming the Plateau
The “intermediate” level of japanese learning is widely considered the most challenging and discouraging stage. Unfortunately, most learners who eventually abandon their japanese learning journey do so at this point, assuming they’ve progressed beyond the initial weeks.
The availability of high-quality learning resources often diminishes at the intermediate level, both in quantity and quality. Learners may feel stuck, experiencing a plateau in their progress. Without effective guidance, navigating this stage can feel like an insurmountable task in japanese learning.
This intermediate plateau, or “intermediate wall,” is ironically exacerbated by your growing competence.
The beginner stage was characterized by unconscious incompetence. You were unaware of the vastness of what you didn’t know, so you were less likely to feel discouraged, embarrassed, or inadequate. However, at the intermediate level, you’ve acquired enough knowledge to realize you’re not yet fluent, and this awareness of your conscious incompetence can be demotivating.
Fortunately, much of the frustration experienced at this stage stems from ineffective learning or teaching methods employed during the beginner stages – pitfalls you’ve hopefully avoided by following this guide. While some degree of conscious incompetence is inevitable, learners vary significantly in how quickly they navigate this stage. Some progress through it relatively swiftly, while others become trapped for years. Sadly, many are unable to overcome this intermediate wall and ultimately give up on their japanese learning goals.
Resolve to be the learner who successfully navigates this stage efficiently.
The rewards on the other side of the intermediate wall are significant and fulfilling, so persevere and don’t let the discomfort of conscious incompetence derail your japanese learning progress.
Here’s how to effectively overcome the intermediate wall in japanese learning:
- Acknowledge the existence of this stage and recognize that the uncomfortable feelings are normal and expected. This simple awareness can be surprisingly empowering. You don’t need to feel inadequate because you understand that every japanese learning student encounters this same challenge. It’s a natural part of the process, and if others have successfully overcome it, you can too.
- Recognize that you’ve been proactively preparing for this moment throughout your japanese learning journey. This guide has specifically equipped you to navigate the intermediate stage more effectively. You have a distinct advantage! Many learners falter at the intermediate level due to deficiencies in kanji and vocabulary knowledge acquired during the beginner stages. However, by this point, you possess a more robust kanji and vocabulary base than many intermediate-level japanese learning students. This is the payoff for your dedicated effort in kanji and vocabulary acquisition, particularly through programs like WaniKani. It might have felt like a slower pace initially, but it’s precisely this foundation that will propel you through the intermediate wall.
With these strategies in mind, it’s time to transition to intermediate-level learning materials in your japanese learning journey. Ensure you have a solid grasp of 100% of the concepts covered in the previous sections before moving on. The intermediate stage is arguably the most demanding phase of your japanese learning education. A strong foundation is essential to launch you forward successfully. When you feel ready, begin exploring our Japanese articles and Grammar pages for continued growth and development. Good luck! 💪🏻
