Not all definitions in the dictionary are created equal. Now assuming I’m not just bad at visualizing definitions, I find using images in Anki cards for words that are not defined well to be absolutely essential in studying Japanese. There are some words that you can’t learn from the definition. This is a very important concept to remember. Most people know and understand this when … Continue reading →
With the internet, the amount of Japanese resources at your disposal is now endless. This is good. In this context, more is better. You can be as picky as you want with what you use. However, with the expansion of precious Japanese material throughout the internet came along a fake form of studying Japanese. It looks and even feels like you are studying real Japanese. But you are not. … Continue reading →
I’ve come to the conclusion that writing is not a high priority in time spent learning Japanese. Now before I start, I still think writing kanji is useful for remembering them when you are going over kanji reviews in anki. But besides that, I’m not sold on its other uses. Regardless of your views on the changing digital world and the sadness of the loss of the written … Continue reading →
Have you ever asked any of the following questions to a Japanese teacher, a Japanese person, or yourself? 1. Why use this word, instead of another? 2. Why is this word pronounced this way? 3. Why use this reading for this kanji? 4. Why isn’t there a word for this in Japanese? 5. Why does this Japanese version of an English word mean nothing like the original English word? “Why” is … Continue reading →
There is a bit of a debate as to whether anime is a useful tool for studying Japanese, or just something worthless that will get in the way. I know a lot of people start studying Japanese because of anime and manga. Good for you. You should study Japanese for whatever reason you want. I watch the occasional anime, and I think people need to realize … Continue reading →
You’ve come this far with Anki, and only have a little further to go before everything is in place. This is where Anki really becomes your ultimate weapon. Don’t you dare give up now. Q: How do I actually input J-J sentences? As you can probably guess, input is similar to J-E sentences, except that the E is a J. When you are reviewing a card, it should look something like this: So … Continue reading →
The best method for creating a listening immersion environment is to put a ton of movie, TV, and song mp3s on your Ipod, or other MP3 player, and listen to it as much as you can throughout the day. If you are already doing this, excellent. This is one of the most effective methods to improving your listening and speaking skills at the same. And remember, you won’t be listening directly most of … Continue reading →
Finished your first 1000 J-E sentences? Congratulations! You are now probably close to level 15-20. Pat yourself on the back, and get ready to take it up a notch. If you haven’t yet, please make sure to go through part 1 and part 2 to have a clue what I’m talking about here. Many of the tips/elements which I provided in these parts will be used with J-J sentences. … Continue reading →
