Are you attracted to Japan and its culture? Do you want to broaden your horizons and learn another language in complete autonomy? Studying a language can be a fun and stimulating experience at the same time, but many cannot or do not want to invest their money in courses or lessons. Whatever your reason for learning Japanese on your own, read on to find out how.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Doing Research on Japan
Step 1. Search
Finding more information about Japan, its culture and its own language could open many doors for you. Not only will you have a deeper understanding of the country, but you will understand if Japanese is right for you. It is not worth studying a language you don't like.
Method 2 of 4: Plan Your Study
Step 1. Get organized
Learning a language is a serious matter. You cannot study it from time to time, just for a few weeks; you have to make a plan. For example, if you attend school, set aside an hour in the afternoon, but without sacrificing your social life - or your homework. Give yourself time to collect data and search for useful sites on the web.
Method 3 of 4: Self-taught Japanese Learning
Step 1. Learn hiragana and katakana first
Hiragana is the basic Japanese phonetic alphabet, while Katakana represents the same sounds as the Hiragana syllabary, but different characters, and is used to transcribe the pronunciation of foreign words - for example, English names are written in katakana.
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Learn the kanji and move on. Remember that it takes longer than hiragana and katakana, so be prepared to take things slow. To write, you could only use hiragana, but to make your writing more understandable you must also learn logograms (kanji). ALWAYS learn hiragana and katakana first, then you can start replacing hiragana with kanji.
Learn Japanese on Your Own Step 3Bullet1
Step 2. Simultaneously learn the grammar rules and some words
Adopt the same system you would adopt to learn any other language; for example, you read websites in Japanese, and if you come across a word you don't know yet, and can't get its meaning from the context, look it up in the dictionary.
Method 4 of 4: Find Fun Ways to Improve Your Japanese
Step 1. Watch Japanese cartoons
Watch the ones with subtitles and listen carefully to Japanese voices. This will help you memorize sounds for specific words. If you do it consistently, you will learn Japanese quickly, as long as you watch many cartoons, and different from each other. I recommend Dragon Ball Z, One Piece and Naruto, for starters.
Advice
- If you decide to use textbooks, a good vocabulary is the Japanese Italian Dictionary, Italian Japanese and the Japanese Writing Guide, both by Zanichelli.
- We recommend the site https://www.g Japaneseonline.com/ to learn the grammar rules.
- If possible, use a site that has audio clips, as you have to focus on pronunciation from the very beginning. Repeating the pronunciation of the character you write as in a chant is an excellent idea, especially for auditory learners (those who learn by listening).
- Start in your spare time. Remember, it's your choice, so don't overdo it. Pay no attention to difficulties. Just focus on the step of the moment.
- Do not be ashamed if you are not perfect at the beginning; nobody is! It takes practice and a lot of effort. Nobody will laugh at you if you learn more slowly, or if you find that it is too difficult and you decide to abandon the study of Japanese; it is not suitable for everyone!
- Take a look at the bookstore (or library) to find Japanese children's books. They are perfect for helping you practice Kana.
- If it seems too difficult and you are tired, give yourself a break and convince yourself that it will get better later.
- To help you memorize the hiragana and katakana symbols, you can think of a symbol to associate with each character - the symbol for TSU, for example, looks like a wave.
- If you are a visual learner (who learns by watching) it is a great idea to use flashcards. You can find them on different sites or make your own! This is useful for kinesthetic learners (those who learn through concrete experience).
Warnings
- Learning a foreign language requires concentration and determination. If you are going through a stressful period, then consider postponing it to a time in your life when you've got things sorted out.
- If you push yourself further, you will not achieve any results. Get organized and set a goal, otherwise learning the new language will be a chore, rather than a pleasant personal challenge.
- Try not to base your idea on how Japanese speak solely on manga. While they are fun to watch, they usually use language that isn't commonly used. It is preferable to follow Japanese television programs to better understand the flow of conversations.
