Explore the best ways to learn Japanese

If you plan to spend a significant amount of time in Japan, knowing the Japanese language will make your trip much more enjoyable and fascinating. Exploring the best ways to learn Japanese will help you meet a large number of people and build everlasting relationships.

Since you are reading this, we are sure you are thinking that knowing some Japanese would be beneficial to you and help you enjoy this amazing country even more, so without further delay, let’s talk about some of the most effective ways to learn Japanese!

But, before that, if you are looking for a well-structured language learning platform to learn Japanese online, check out italki. It has some amazing Japanese teachers that are budget-friendly. You can book your lessons online by checking out the availability of a particular teacher and start your learning sessions right away!

Now, let’s discuss some of the best ways to learn Japanese.

The best ways to learn Japanese

Enroll in a Japanese learning school/institute

It probably goes without saying that a language school is one of the best places to learn new skills, and this is also true for learning Japanese. Enrolling in a Japanese language school is undoubtedly one of the most efficient ways to study because the school will structure your curriculum and study pace.

The teachers will know exactly how to push and support you to maximize your learning abilities. It’s also enjoyable because you will be able to make friends with your classmates who share the same learning interests as yours.

There are many excellent Japanese language schools to choose from, making it simple to find one that meets your specific requirements. Another advantage of enrolling in a language school is that you will be able to apply for a student visa, which is one of the simplest ways to begin your life in Japan.

If you are unable to study in Japan for an extended period of time, it may be worthwhile to look into language schools in your home country, as many Japanese language courses are also available abroad.

Watch Japanese movies

Watching Japanese movies, series, and TV shows is a relaxing way to learn the language, and you will often pick up slang, dialects, or language-specific gestures that aren’t usually taught in school. While this may help you sound more natural when communicating in Japanese, keep in mind that not all phrases or words used in anime or TV shows are used in everyday speech, so look them up before you start using them.

Immerse yourself in Japanese culture

Japanese movies and TV shows are only a small part of the country’s culture, and immersing yourself, even more, will help you learn the language. Going to a small, local restaurant, attending a festival, or visiting the countryside are all effective ways to push yourself to speak more Japanese. You can learn Japanese by learning Japanese food names.

Practice kanji

You can use several Japanese learning websites to learn and practice kanji. The most intimidating aspect of learning Japanese is probably the kanji. While some upper and lowercase letters may differ in appearance, the English language has only 26 letters in total, with the majority of them being very simple and quick to write. Japanese, on the other hand, employs three different alphabets, including over 50,000 kanji (Chinese characters).

Some are extremely complicated and time-consuming to write! To be considered even moderately fluent, you must know around 2000 kanji characters, so the sooner you begin studying them, the faster you will be able to progress with the rest of your studies.

Make Japanese friends

Making new friends is not always easy, but if you can make friends with native Japanese speakers, it will probably make a huge difference in your learning pace and will be a huge help when it comes to achieving fluency in speech.

It can be difficult to evaluate your own usage of specific words or phrases, no matter how hard you study on your own, so having someone who can correct your Japanese in everyday situations can be invaluable.

However, because the Japanese are very nice people who don’t want to make you feel bad, you will frequently hear the phrase “nihongo jōzu” (日本語上手 – meaning “your Japanese is so good”). Don’t let that be reason enough to be satisfied with your efforts. Make it clear to your Japanese friends that you want to improve your language skills and that you will be grateful if they can assist you by correcting your mistakes.

Study everyday

Perfect makes a man perfect. Whatever skill you are trying to learn, if you don’t practice or work on it consistently, you will fall behind. Language is a skill that is used every day and should be learned in the same manner.

If you already live in Japan, this should be no problem, but it does not happen by itself, and if you want to improve, you must be consistent with your studies. No matter what your reasons to learn Japanese are, setting j an hour of vocabulary flashcards every day, setting aside time to improve your speaking and listening skills, or digging into some language facts and history is necessary to keep you on the right track. The key is to try to use Japanese as much as you would your native language on a daily basis.

Move to Japan

It is a well-established fact that moving to Japan is the most efficient way to learn Japanese. Immersing yourself in Japanese culture and making friends with native speakers can be difficult outside of Japan, and all of the other points raised in this guide will be much easier to follow while you are there.

Besides, the best reward for learning Japanese is actually putting your studies to use as you explore this incredible country. Being in Japan will significantly accelerate your progress because you will subconsciously absorb all of the Japanese words and phrases you will inevitably hear every day, making your study efforts much easier to sustain.

People often ask how long it takes to learn Japanese. Well! The learning process definitely speeds up if you move to Japan and have real-life conversations with the people residing there. In fact, it will also give you the opportunity to make new friends and build everlasting relationships.

There are several travel agencies that offer guided tours throughout Japan. These agencies help to make Japan tours memorable, let you explore Japan, and learn more about the history and backstories of each area you visit.

Frequently asked questions

Q. What is unique about the Japanese language?

A. Unlike other languages in the world, Japanese consists of three different types of alphabets: Hiragana (ひらがな), Katakana (カタカナ), and Kanji (漢字). Each of them has distinct features, usage, and origins. This makes the Japanese writing system complicated for foreign learners to learn.

Q. Why is the Japanese language important?

A. It serves as a gateway to other Asian cultures and languages. Other Asian countries, such as Korea, China, and India, had an impact on Japanese history. Although Asian cultures are distinct, there are some similarities that you will notice as you study the language.

Q. Is Japanese a language or a culture?

A. Japanese is a unique language that is enjoyable to learn but difficult to master. The Japanese culture and language are closely linked and inseparable. It is necessary to learn about Japanese culture in order to speak the language correctly.

Conclusion

In this guide, we have discussed some of the best ways to learn Japanese. Moving to Japan is surely one of the most effective techniques that can make you a fluent Japanese speaker within a few months.

If moving to Japan is not possible for you right now, you can learn Japanese from italki. Being the best among different language learning platforms available online, italki will make your learning journey super-easy as well as organized at the same time. Book your lessons. Wishing you happy learning!