Everyone expects areas of ability to vary in strength depending upon your focus and the training you put in. If you don’t care about something, you let it become frail. You accept your weaknesses, and study based on the reasons you are learning Japanese and what you want to use it for. You always have the opportunity to strengthen your weaknesses later once the need or desire arises. … Continue reading →
The future. You know it’s coming. As a Japanese learner you have a lot to look forward to. No, you won’t get your universal translator, or your Matrix download, but there are some exciting developments on the way. 3. Loving robots Japan will become the robot capital of the world. With the goal of a robot in every home, they are already working towards robot … Continue reading →
You want to be the best? Great. Your first step should be to find someone better than you. Your next step is to become friends with and hang around them. If you are the best among your circle of Japanese learner friends you need to expand that circle until you can find someone higher. Why do you need someone who surpasses you? Avoid overconfidence Nothing … Continue reading →
What comes to mind when I say the words: “Study”? “Kanji?” “Reading in Japanese?” Work, effort, and not easy? As if having fun while reading or studying in Japanese was cheating. Everyone wants to have a roller coaster ride of fun and kick-ass experiences, but these ideas are too seldom applied to the words above. For myself, kanji and (consequently) reading in Japanese used to be … Continue reading →
Not understanding what you are hearing getting you down? Frustrated at the feeling of input that just feels incomprehensible at times? Well there’s an easy trick that gives you a tiny boost: Close your eyes. This is obvious, but sometimes you have to remind yourself of the obvious. You probably have done this unconsciously in the past when you are trying to focus very closely … Continue reading →
No one starts learning Japanese thinking they want to just be average. But the unfortunate truth is that it often turns out that way. And that may be if you’re lucky. Many people don’t even make it to mediocre. They simply disappear. And if you disappear, who is going to watch and read all that amazing Japanese stuff out there in the world? Nobody. It’s … Continue reading →
We all want our Japanese to beautifully progress in the most painless of ways possible. Since you start at 0, and you aren’t out to reinvent language learning, you research in depth method after method. You try them out, for different lengths of time. Some work, some don’t, some you are unsure of, some you alter to suit yourself. As you move forward, you continue … Continue reading →
You like the Japanese language. No, you love it. That should be all that matters, right? Well if you want a good relationship, Japanese has to like you as well. And that’s not going to just happen by itself. Life isn’t that easy. You have to work towards creating a future together. So how do you get Japanese to like you? 6. Spend more time … Continue reading →
