The best ways to learn Japanese – univers-japon-shop

It may seem daunting, but if you plan to spend a lot of time in Japan, know that the Japanese language will make your experience much more fun and fascinating. Despite Japan’s presence on the international scene, the language barrier in this country is still very real. Getting around the city is usually not too difficult as most of the signs are in English as well, but anything beyond that can be a real challenge as a lot of people here only speak Japanese and you won’t be able to communicate easily with them. in any other language.

Since you are reading this article, we are sure that you already think that having some knowledge of the Japanese language would benefit you and help you enjoy this amazing country even more, so without further ado, let’s talk about some of the most effective ways to! learn japanese!

1. Enroll in a Japanese language school

(c) Tokyo Central School of Japanese Language / TCJ

It probably goes without saying that a language school is one of the best places to learn new skills, and that goes for learning the Japanese language as well. Enrolling in a Japanese language school is undoubtedly one of the best ways to study effectively because the school will structure your study schedule and pace, and the teachers will know exactly how to best encourage and support you to maximize your learning abilities. And it’s also fun as you can make friends with your classmates!

There are many excellent Japanese schools to choose from in Japan, so it’s easy to find one that suits your individual needs. Another advantage of enrolling in a language school is the fact that you will be able to apply for a student visa, which is probably one of the easiest ways to start your life in Japan.

Register now: Tokyo Central Japanese School Courses

If you can’t go to Japan for long-term study, it might be worth looking into language schools in the country where you reside, as many Japanese courses can also be found abroad.

2. Watch Japanese movies and TV shows

totoro studio ghibli
ⓒ Studio Ghibli

Comparé à aller à l’école, look at the Japanese films of the series and of the televised programs is a more relaxing façon for the étudier la langue, and you pourrez souvent learn slang, dialects or specify à la langue gestures who are generally not taught by it ‘School. While it can help you sound more natural when communicating in Japanese, keep in mind that not all phrases or words that appear in cartoons or TV shows are used in everyday speech, so be sure to do your research before you begin. use it.

3. Immerse yourself in Japanese culture

Mizukake Festival
Attending a local festival can be a fun way to challenge yourself to use more Japanese.

Japanese movies and TV shows are only a very small part of the country’s offerings. The culture and immersing yourself further will also improve your language learning. Try going to a small local restaurant, attending a festival or visiting the countryside – anything that takes you out of your comfort zone and limits your ability to speak in English or your native language will be an effective way to discourage you. more japanese.

4. Kanji, Kanji and more kanji

kanji writing
Learning kanji It is one of the keys to mastering Japanese.

For many Westerners, kanji is probably the most intimidating part of learning Japanese. The English language has only 26 letters, and while some upper and lower case letters may look different, it’s still a fairly low overall number of characters, and most of them are very simple and quick to type. Japanese, on the other hand, uses three different alphabets, including kanji (Chinese characters), which have more than 50,000 characters. Some of them are incredibly complicated and time consuming to write! You need to know about 2000 kanji the characters should even be considered relatively fluent, so the sooner you start studying them, the sooner you can progress with the rest of your studies as well.

5. Study every day

Be consistent with your studies for better results

It is practice that makes perfect. Whatever skill he is trying to learn, if he doesn’t practice or work on it regularly, he will lose his progress. Language is a skill that is used every day and therefore must be learned in the same way. If you already live in Japan, this shouldn’t be a problem for you, but it doesn’t happen automatically, and if you want to improve, you have to be consistent with your studies. Whether it’s an hour of flashcards every day, setting aside time to hone your speaking and listening skills, or delving into some facts and history behind the language, the key is to try to use Japanese as much as you would. with their own language. native language, every day.

6. Make friends with native Japanese speakers

Making new friends isn’t necessarily something you can choose to do, but if you manage to make friends with native Japanese speakers, it will probably make a big difference to your rate of learning and go a long way toward achieving fluency. in speech No matter how much you study on your own, it can be difficult to assess your own use of specific words or phrases, so having someone who can correct your Japanese in everyday situations can be invaluable. However, the Japanese are very nice people who want to avoid hurting you, so you will hear the phrase quite often. “nihongo jozu” (日本語上手, meaning “your Japanese is so good”), never let that be a reason to be satisfied with your efforts! Make sure your Japanese friends know that you want to improve your language skills and you will be glad if they help you achieve this goal by correcting your mistakes.

7. Set a goal or schedule

Setting goals is the best way to stay on track

As with any other type of learning and skill building, being strict with yourself when setting goals and deadlines is a smart way to track your progress and keep it consistent. It’s important to be able to analyze and reflect on your strengths and weaknesses to come up with a timetable, so ask your teacher or a Japanese friend what they think you should work on and use this to plan your studies later.

tokyo tower tokyo at night
Immerse yourself 100% in the language by moving to Japan

It goes without saying that the most effective way to learn Japanese is to move to Japan. Immersing yourself in Japanese culture and making friends with native speakers can be almost impossible outside of the country itself, and all the other points highlighted in this article will be much easier to follow while in Japan. Also, when you learn Japanese, the best reward is to put your studies to good use to explore this amazing country. Being in Japan will greatly boost your progress as you will subconsciously absorb all the Japanese words and phrases you will inevitably hear every day, making your study efforts much easier to sustain.

travel to japan

Japan Merveille Voyage is a travel agency that offers guided tours throughout Japan.
From private walking tours to delicious food tours, we can help you put together the best tours just for you! If you want to explore Japan and learn more about the history and stories of each region you visit, our knowledgeable and friendly English-speaking guides will be happy to take you to the best places!
Also, we can provide any assistance you may need for your next trip to Japan, so please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or need help!

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