Learning a new language is never easy. It can be especially difficult for people who only know their native language. For those that are bilingual, learning a new one can be quite easier. But, when it comes to a language such as Japanese, things get a bit more complicated. For people that do not have any kind of connection or relation to Eastern Asia and southeastern Asia, Japanese can be very difficult to learn. In fact, a lot of experts claim that it is one of the most difficult languages to learn.
However, nothing is impossible. These days, there are so many different ways we can learn about the culture, history, and language of a certain country. You can easily get to content that comes from Japan. There also thousands of websites that provide language teaching services and comprehensive courses. There are even free audio recordings or podcasts that can help you learn a language much faster.
To make it even easier for you, I decided to write this article and provide you with the essential tips to learn Japanese fast.
1. Watch movies, TV series, or anime from Japan
In these modern times, the easiest way anyone can learn a language is simply by just watching TV. Yes, you can a leisurely study and enjoy some TV content.
Of course, you will have to focus a bit more and try to remember the words that are mentioned in the movie or in the anime. Try to pronounce those same words or letters the same way as the actors. After enough trial and error, you might start to understand how Japanese pronunciation works. You might even start to understand what certain words mean.
Naturally, one of the first things you will learn is simple sentences. Hello, how are you? I’m fine. Thank You. Goodbye. These are probably the most used words on TV content which is why they are so easy to remember.
However, that is not all. I believe that you can achieve a lot more just by watching content from Japan. Yes, you could probably learn a lot faster through a course, but not everyone has the free time to do that.
That is why I recommend using Google translate and help from other websites on the Internet while watching TV. This way you can discover a lot more new words and letters.
2. Play video games from Japan
For a lot of people, this might not be the best option because not everyone has a computer, laptop, or the nerves to play video games. But, we simply cannot ignore the fact that there are major benefits to playing video games in a different language.
It is much easier to get immersed in a videogame than in podcasts, a course, or even a movie. I think the level of immersion from video games can be compared to watching a movie in a cinema. You probably already know that the difference between watching a movie at home on a TV and in the cinema is huge.
Video games allow you to connect with certain characters and the protagonists on a much deeper level. The amount of back story or lore can be huge, depending on the type of game you are playing. So, if you decide to play in Japanese, you will have access both to spoken and written language. This will help you learn the writing system and how to speak.
If you are interested in this method of learning this language and if you want to find the right Japanese games, you should check this. On this website, they have listed several video games that are of Japanese origin.
3. Listen to podcasts or audio courses
The fact is that modern life does not provide us with a lot of free time. Most of us are busy and we simply cannot focus on a lot of different things. However, we do have a little bit of free time before or after work. Whether you are riding your bike, driving your car, or commuting in any other way, you will have some free time that you can use to your benefit.
But, since you cannot watch TV or play video games while driving a car, you have to rely on sound. Fortunately, there are dozens of online podcasts and digital audio courses that you can use to learn Japanese very quickly.
In just a month of listening to podcasts or audio courses, you could easily rack up over 100 hours of Japanese studying. In just those 100 hours or one month, you could learn a lot about the language. Naturally, you could always continue listening to Japanese podcasts and learn even more.
4. Try books
Studying the alphabets, the grammar in the entire writing system of a language is always much more difficult than training how to speak it. This is especially true for the Japanese.
However, if you want to progress even further, you will have to learn the writing system. So, if you have gone through the methods I mentioned above such as watching TV, playing video games, or listening to podcasts, it is time to turn to books.
You have to keep in mind that this will be very difficult. At first, you will have no idea what you are looking at. The logographic kanji will seem completely alien to you. But, with the help of Wikipedia or some other website you can find online, you can start learning the characters of the “alphabet”.
5. Enter a real Japanese conversation
No matter how much you study, you can never really know how much you have learned if you do not speak with someone that understands the language. That is why it is important to enter real Japanese conversations and see how much you have progressed. A conversation partner can always in your pronunciation and help you with the understanding of certain complicated words.
It sounds scary at first, but by implementing these tips and with enough dedication, I am confident that you will start to understand how the Japanese language works.
