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Post by Deleted on Jul 2, 2016 18:33:03 GMT -5
After watching tonnes of anime, I had the awesome opportunity to use all the cliches against a Japanese dude. He claimed my pronounciation was actually pretty good, so that was fun!
I've always wanted to learn Japanese, but it's something for 5 years later, or a decade later maybe. But I'd love to know how to actually start working on the goal.
My first question is: What's the difference between Katanaka and Hiragana? What is Kanji? How do you even learn Japanese?
Teach meeee
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Post by Nuyori on Jul 3, 2016 17:21:18 GMT -5
That's pretty neat Lego O: I always get really flustered when I meet a Japanese and my friends go like "Say something!" ....I usually mess up. I'll share what I've learned, and how I learn. For learning any language, there are quite a number of different ways I'm sure that are used to get started on learning. I find I can learn a language better when I first organize it into different categories (vocabulary, grammar, writing, talking, etc. all the hard subjects at the end though please) so see what needs to be accomplished first. When I first started learning Japanese, I didn't really have a set goal of what exactly I wanted to learn. I picked up an app and first started to learn the simple more often used words (watashi, anata, watashi-tachi, kono, sono, ano, etc.), kind of like your cliches, Lego. And learning by repetition is my jig, so I just kept repeating the words I found easiest to remember over and over till I could point with my finger at something and name it in Japanese. Relating the words to reality really helps cause then the word isn't just a noise in your head anymore. In regards to your questions... The difference between hiragana and katakana is their usage and appearance. The sounds each set of characters have are the same, but they are just written differently. You may have heard that hiragana are like the 'feminine' characters while katakana are the 'masculine' characters. This is because hiragana is much more rounded in their form, while katakana is more angular. In terms of usage... Most basically, from what I've read and observed, hiragana is mostly used for Japanese words/names/places while katakana can be mainly used for English words translated into Japanese (i.e. when Hello/How are you becomes - Haro/Hawayu becomes - "ハロ/ハワユ"). And then, finally, Kanji are actually Chinese characters adopted into the Japanese writing system (Wikipedia) -- (and that's why they look so complicated) -- and given Japanese pronunciations. A lot of Kanji carry the same meaning as when they're read in Chinese, but then some Kanji carry a totally different meaning , at least that's what I've found sometimes. I haven't got into kanji yet (how many are there again...?) but if you're looking into learning hiragana and katakana, the best way I've found to learn them is to - write them! Hard to know a word without learning it inside out... I wouldn't start learning both right away. Hiragana is the easiest to start with. Katakana has been known to be slightly more difficult because the characters are harder to distinguish from each other. Kanji...takes time and practice to know well ^^;. Hope that made sense and helped. I should get back into learning more Japanese. I wanted to learn more grammar (I've got this Japanese grammar textbook that I haven't had time to study...T_T This is when goal setting helps a lot).
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Post by Deleted on Jul 9, 2016 18:24:48 GMT -5
Yikes, even though that introduction was helpful, I guess it really is a huge mountain to cover. I guess I'll need to put that on the side for a bit. Actually, what I really do want to learn are two languages, and both seem equally unlikely because I keep on quitting on challenges. I really hope to make some progress but have no idea how to start other than to use memrise haha. Autodidactism is not my skill How far are you in japanese? Have you memorized these phonetics?
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Post by Nuyori on Jul 10, 2016 14:56:24 GMT -5
I'm glad it was helpful. Yeah, languages are quite hefty subjects. It can be daunting how intense learning them can be... If my brain would just store in memory every little thing I learn, it'd be so much easier. But it's made out of muscles... not memory cards...I want to learn Cantonese as well, but I think that may be harder since I don't hear it that often. At the same time it could be easier, because I have Chinese speaking relatives that could help in that area, whereas I hardly know a Japanese person to practice with. So far I've memorized a tons of simple vocabulary (swear words and all ) as well as the hiragana table and its sounds. I have to practice writing them more though, cause I'm not recognizing the characters as fast as I would like ahaha. Right now I'm slowly working on studying the verbs and verb forms, since those usually take up half a Japanese sentence. They're fun to learn, but there's a loooot. I sympathize with those struggling to learn the English language at its antics ahaha. What about you? Where are you in learning Japanese?
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Post by Deleted on Jul 11, 2016 3:49:08 GMT -5
I'm only as far as comedic phrases I'm afraid. I need to put it on the side until I make some headway with the other languages I'm learning, but I do hope to be able to get through these vowels at least though. Let me see how long they stay in mind.
Verbs and verb forms? Could you hit me with one example?
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Post by Nuyori on Jul 13, 2016 12:52:44 GMT -5
I learned French as part of my schooling...and I have failed to retain 50% of what I learned. The 'trick' to learning languages is using them as often as you can. I really think the usage of a language improves one's memory of it. For example, the most often phrases I use in French are: "Je suis fatigue."" J'ai faim." "Je suis desole, je ne comprend pas." and "Je parle anglais." I'm only as far as comedic phrases I'm afraid. I need to put it on the side until I make some headway with the other languages I'm learning, but I do hope to be able to get through these vowels at least though. Let me see how long they stay in mind. Verbs and verb forms? Could you hit me with one example? Let's see... For example, the -masu form, that you hear quite often in anime, is the present tense form of a verb. So for the verb "taberu" (to eat), it's present tense form is "tabemasu". Other examples: - Watashi wa tabemasu (I eat) - Anata wa nomimasu (You drink) - Kare wa nemasu (He sleeps) - Kanojo wa arukimasu (She walks) Then there's the negative present tense form of a verb, that you can make by changing the end of a verb. "tabemasu" would become "tabemasen". - Watashi wa tabemasen (I am not eating) - Anata wa nomimasen (You are not drinking) - Kare wa nemuremasen (He is not sleeping) - Kanojo wa arukemasen (She not walking) The present, past tenses and their negatives would be the simplest ones to learn. There's a lot bunch of other forms as well, but it's a lot to remember ^^ (for example, when "taberu" becomes "taberaremasendssh*ta"....) Hope that made sense...?
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Post by Deleted on Jul 13, 2016 15:33:17 GMT -5
That makes a lot of sense actually! Where did you pick up so much know-how? Youtube? Or somewhere else?
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Post by Nuyori on Jul 13, 2016 17:23:23 GMT -5
AHHHHH I made a big error on the previous post. I fixed it, but I wonder why I didn't realize it sooner.... anyhow, the pronouns are fixed now ahaha.... I used a number of different apps and books actually. The first tool I used was an iphone app called "Learning Japanese Phrases" that got me started on simple vocabulary words. Then there was another app, "Tae Kim's Guide to Learning Japanese", that taught me more about grammar and particles; I think you can find this one on the net. After that I was given a Japanese learning book, "Japanese for Beginners" given to me by a friend. It's pretty old though, so I don't think it's being printed anymore. Also presented the language in little steps, thought I think it was meant for children, and that's why it was easier to look at than the extensive textbook I have now haha. My favourite method of learning was this app you could get for the Nintendo DS, "My Japanese Coach". Really helpful and fun way of learning Japanese through different means, though mostly through games and repetition. I haven't been keeping up with it though ahaha... www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7lUzljul_cAnd actually, he doesn't log onto the forums that much anymore, but Dr. Striker has been helping me learn some more concepts and such. He's been taking Japanese courses and such. (He's gonna become a mastah! If not a sensei first!) But yeah, apart from that, I've been learning little by little over the years, so it's not like I obtained it all really quickly. I owe a lot of learning to the anime and manga actually (And maybe learning improper usage along with it lol) What have been your methods of learning?
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Post by Deleted on Jul 13, 2016 18:45:08 GMT -5
That's quite a lot of resources, you#ve really been working at it huh? Impressive.
Man, if only I had a DS
Haha I didn't even think Striker existed anymore. He vanished liked the wind.
Yeaup, I know the feel.
Well so far anime and manga really. And that one Japanese colleague. I don't want to actively get into it just yet because I'm already juggling so many other languages that are taking all my willpower to deal with atm haha. I hope to get to it at a point though... *crickets* ... I swear I do! *more crickets...*
Not even I believe myself T-T
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Post by Nuyori on Jul 14, 2016 14:00:19 GMT -5
Actually Striker provided me with some of those examples. (And now he says they're bad examples...how could you, Striker-sensei....I'll have to edit them again, though I do understand the structure of them).
It's okay to take your time. Even I only do it whenever I feel like it. Little by little! Don't worry! Fight-o!
I've been considering purchasing a book that has both Japanese and English text. Not sure what yet though. But I think that would help.
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