Can you teach me how to speak japanese

A forum to discuss in any language, not necessarily in English.
User avatar
Astro Forever
Administrator
Posts: 9806
Joined: 19 years ago

Postby Astro Forever » 11 years ago

Speaking of deck of cards, I am using Anki. I am not learning Japanese, but I know it supports Japanese characters. It's a spaced repetition program. When you answer a card, you can press on 4 buttons depending on how easy or difficult it was. If you keep pressing on the "easy" button each time the card is shown, it will be presented again in a few days, then weeks, then months, then years... If you miss it, it will ask you again after a few seconds or minutes while you are answering the other cards, then the next day, etc.

I was using a method that said I would assimilate the new words as I was progressing, which wasn't false; but after many units, I started having trouble recalling everything, and I would find myself recognizing many words in a different context, but not being able to recall their meaning. That almost completely solved my problem.

I also started adding sentences to it, and that helps a lot as well. I even added a little bit of grammar. It can also automatically generate reverse cards.

User avatar
Fuzzy Pickles!
Rocket Ball Champion
Posts: 320
Joined: 12 years ago
Location: Texas
Contact:

Postby Fuzzy Pickles! » 11 years ago

@Astro Forever: I plan on using it for Japanese once I get done learning all of my hiragana so I can test myself with it.

Satus wrote:The trace sheets? Those also work well. That's nice system.
Yeah, its really nice to learn new hiragana letters every day and then after a few round of testing (usually three rounds), able to store the knowledge of previous hiragana letters into longer term memories. I know that I'm going to need a trace sheet for those muddied words and words like ぎ and りゅ.
Satus wrote:Yes, つなみ seems to be a common example word, but it's a good example.
つなみ is supposed to be spelt 津波. But that is correct in hiragana.
Satus wrote:がんばってください! I hope it continues to go well. I'd like to communicate in Japanese with you sometime.
That's what I'm hoping to do as well (and not just partially).

あいえうおかきくけこさしすせそたちつてとなにぬねのはひふへほまみむめも

User avatar
Satus
Robot President
Posts: 552
Joined: 12 years ago
Contact:

Postby Satus » 11 years ago

To Astro Forever: Yes! Anki does support Japanese. :) My Japanese Anki cards look like this. As you can see I am really terrible at remembering the word museum in Japanese since it's not even that far spaced out. I am noticing I have a hard time remembering words that I don't think I'd use... They probably don't stick due to my mentality towards them.

"astarisborn94" wrote:つなみ is supposed to be spelt 津波. But that is correct in hiragana.

Although I don't think tsunami is one of these words, some words can be and are written in hiragana more often than their kanji writing by a native Japanese person. There's no right or wrong, but too much hiragana can get difficult to read in sentences. I just chose to type it out in hiragana since I was typing it in an English sentence. :) The word エンガチョ seems fine written as えんがちょ for example.

User avatar
Fuzzy Pickles!
Rocket Ball Champion
Posts: 320
Joined: 12 years ago
Location: Texas
Contact:

Postby Fuzzy Pickles! » 11 years ago

I finally figured out how to say the Japanese 'R' sound.

What I did was use the flap as used with t in butter but make a d word with a flap. So now I can pronounce らりるれろ。

Should I start worrying about translating English to Japanese now or should I wait until I finish with all my hiragana and katanaka studying? The only word I know so far is あい and さくら。
Satus wrote:Although I don't think tsunami is one of these words, some words can be and are written in hiragana more often than their kanji writing by a native Japanese person. There's no right or wrong, but too much hiragana can get difficult to read in sentences. I just chose to type it out in hiragana since I was typing it in an English sentence. The word エンガチョ seems fine written as えんがちょ for example.
I can see that, although I'd prefer to write in as much Kanji as possible once I learn the language.
Last edited by Fuzzy Pickles! on Tue Mar 12, 2013 4:59 pm, edited 3 times in total.

User avatar
Satus
Robot President
Posts: 552
Joined: 12 years ago
Contact:

Postby Satus » 11 years ago

"astarisborn94" wrote:Should I start worrying about translating English to Japanese now or should I wait until I finish with all my hiragana and katanaka studying? The only word I know so far is あい and さくら。

I'd recommend learning words after you know the pronunciations, which I assume you would know after you've gone through all the hiragana? So I guess in between hiragana and katakana?

"astarisborn94" wrote:I can see that, although I'd prefer to write in as much Kanji as possible once I learn the language.

It's a good method. I try to type as much kanji as I can when writing/typing full Japanese sentences. Afterall, using kanji is the best way to remember them. :p

Out of curiosity I decided to see how many Japanese words have been mentioned in this thread so far:
ひらがな - Hiragana.
カタカナ - Katakana.
ローマ字 - Romaji.
ありがとうございます - Thank you.
どういたしまして - You're welcome.
初めまして- How do you do? / Nice to meet you.
あなたはどうですか - What about you?
英語は話せますか - Can you speak English?
私は少し日本語が話せます - I can speak a little Japanese.
私は(country)の出身です - I am from (country).
私は(age)歳です - I am (age).
絵を描きました - I drew a picture.
がんばってください - Go for it, keep at it, do you best, hang in there, etc.
馬鹿 - Stupid, fool, silly, etc.
竜 - Dragon.
何 - What.
手書き - Tegaki (handwriting).
ブログ - Blog.
常用漢字 - Jouyou kanji.
単語林 - Tangorin.
電子辞書 - Denshi Jisho (electronic dictionary).
暗記 - Anki.
理解 - Rikai.
アニメ - Anime.
漫画 - Manga.
やばい - Dangerous.
髭 - Mustashe.
日本 - Japan.
津波 - Tsunami.
博物館 - Museum.
エンガチョ - Engacho.
愛 - Love.
桜 - Sakura.

I wonder if I missed any? :lol: I skipped the anime related stuff, but there's still a lot. Anyway, if anyone can read them, please do feel free to correct me if I used the wrong kanji.

User avatar
Astro Forever
Administrator
Posts: 9806
Joined: 19 years ago

Postby Astro Forever » 11 years ago

"Satus" wrote:To Astro Forever: Yes! Anki does support Japanese. :) My Japanese Anki cards look like this. As you can see I am really terrible at remembering the word museum in Japanese since it's not even that far spaced out. I am noticing I have a hard time remembering words that I don't think I'd use... They probably don't stick due to my mentality towards them.

Wow, you are even using images! :o hmy: I'm too lazy for that, I have to be able to enter new words really quicly. :lol: I only use color codes to help with the genders. I too have a some words I struggle with. Sometimes, the little words are the worst ones! I'm probably a little too stubborn, because I have entered all the words that are in the learning method I chose, and as a result, I find myself with words such as "spark plug" in my Anki decks. As if I was ever going to need that... :rolleyes:

User avatar
Satus
Robot President
Posts: 552
Joined: 12 years ago
Contact:

Postby Satus » 11 years ago

:lol: I got the idea to make my cards that way from this article. I only include the English translation as an almost redundant extra. I tried to include common words as this article advised, but I seriously don't know when I'd talk about a museum. :p However I have been thinking about making a separate deck for people's names, for the emperor and other important people. Japanese names are a bit tricky to read.

Haha, wow. :lol: Spark plug?

User avatar
Fuzzy Pickles!
Rocket Ball Champion
Posts: 320
Joined: 12 years ago
Location: Texas
Contact:

Postby Fuzzy Pickles! » 11 years ago

Finally finished with basic hiragana. Just need to take one final test and try to remember them from instant recall before I move on to katanaka.
Satus wrote:I'd recommend learning words after you know the pronunciations, which I assume you would know after you've gone through all the hiragana? So I guess in between hiragana and katakana?
I wouldn't feel comfortable with starting to translate words after just learning hiragana. I think it'd be better if I started after I learned katanaka (I actually got some advice to wait to translate until I get some kanji/grammar down, so maybe then).

Wow, that is a lot of words in Japanese. I noticed that some of the kanji look like the word they're representing.

In regards to learning kanji, have you tried putting kanji in sentences as a practice and if so, how much? It should help if you're primarily studying vocabulary.

あいうえおかきくけこさしすせそたちつてとなにぬねのはひふへほまみむめもやゆよらりるれろわをん
Last edited by Fuzzy Pickles! on Wed Mar 13, 2013 10:44 pm, edited 2 times in total.

User avatar
Satus
Robot President
Posts: 552
Joined: 12 years ago
Contact:

Postby Satus » 11 years ago

"astarisborn94" wrote:Finally finished with basic hiragana.


Congrats!

"astarisborn94" wrote:I wouldn't feel comfortable with starting to translate words after just learning hiragana. I think it'd be better if I started after I learned katanaka (I actually got some advice to wait to translate until I get some kanji/grammar down, so maybe then).


Whatever you feel comfortable with then. :) Everyone learns differently.

"astarisborn94" wrote:Wow, that is a lot of words in Japanese. I noticed that some of the kanji look like the word they're representing.


Yep. :lol: Even though we've been talking in English, there's been a lot of Japanese that has been mentioned so far. Also here's an article about kanji that I found interesting. Those poor turtles though...

"astarisborn94" wrote:In regards to learning kanji, have you tried putting kanji in sentences as a practice and if so, how much? It should help if you're primarily studying vocabulary.


Yep, I use Japanese on Pixiv, Tegaki and Twitter. I used to have blogs in Japanese too, but I decided to not use them anymore since I rarely have a whole lot to say to keep a blog active.
Last edited by Satus on Thu Mar 14, 2013 12:50 am, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
Fuzzy Pickles!
Rocket Ball Champion
Posts: 320
Joined: 12 years ago
Location: Texas
Contact:

Postby Fuzzy Pickles! » 11 years ago

It looks as I have been misguided a little in regards to speaking.

I got called out for using Japanese words as a way to pronounce the word and as such, have been paying more attention to the sounds of the Japanese hiragana aside from just the R words. From what I know, つ is made by making a small opening (like an o shape) of the lip, putting the roof of your tongue on the back of the your and trying to pronounce sue. ふ is basically the f sound but with slightly more air.

At least that's what I got from Tae Kim's video. I'd recommend everyone learning Japanese watch them carefully. I wish I had.
Satus wrote:Yep. :lol: Even though we've been talking in English, there's been a lot of Japanese that has been mentioned so far. Also here's an article about kanji that I found interesting. Those poor turtles though...
I will admit, I find it kind of funny, especially the picture where they refer to kanjis as torture methods (if anything, I see it as inviting as I like a challenge).
Satus wrote:Yep, I use Japanese on Pixiv, Tegaki and Twitter. I used to have blogs in Japanese too, but I decided to not use them anymore since I rarely have a whole lot to say to keep a blog active.
I plan on starting up a blog regarding my journey in Japanese and comment on my own progress.

Where would you say your Japanese skills lies in? Somewhere in upper beginner/lower intermediate level? Are you able to read Japanese mangas and anime?

Also, some Tezuka series names in Japan. Helpful if you know Japanese and want to buy some Japanese products.
鉄腕アトム (Tetsuwan Atom)
火の鳥 (Phoenix)
ブラック・ジャック (Black Jack)
ジャングル大帝 (Jungle Emperor Leo)
リボンの騎士 (Princess Knight)

Japanese Phoenix manga are a lot cheaper overall than their English counter partner and also easier to find. Of course Tezuka is massively popular over there so its no surprise.
Last edited by Fuzzy Pickles! on Fri Mar 15, 2013 5:52 am, edited 2 times in total.


Return to “Multilingual forum”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 21 guests