Learning Japanese, especially as an adult, is not a walk in the park. The most challenging part is in the dialect. You can pronounce every syllable and still have difficulty expressing yourself. It’s critical to sound Japanese.
So which are the tips that can help you when learning Japanese as an adult?
Listen and Imitate
Books and notes can only take you so far when learning Japanese. Books can screw you up if you don’t take time to listen and imitate the Japanese language. Of course, the phonetic alphabet is the easiest to learn, but there are usually long periods that you typically feel as if you are not making any progress with kanji.
It is usually helpful to subscribe to Japanese TV, listen to Japanese music and Japanese radio. That is if you are living outside Japan. You can then buy books written in Japanese and try to read them.
Learn the Most Useful Adjectives First
The trick is to learn a couple of useful Japanese adjectives and then build from there. An example of these adjectives includes small (chiisai), scary (kowai), difficult (muzukashii), cheap (yasui), and expensive (takai), among others. As mentioned earlier, listen to these adjectives before you can attempt to pronounce them.
Consistency
- One of the most dreaded questions for language learners is whether they are fluent. Can you express yourself clearly in Japanese, without the need to reach for the dictionary?
- Among the barriers towards fluency include nagging self-doubt. It is often quite terrifying when you have to describe yourself without that inside feeling of obnoxity.
- Fluency in Japanese demands consistency. It would be best to make the language a daily habit, and the 2000 plus kanji characters will seed in your brain.
Lumen Learning tutors adults and children learning Japanese. Contact us today and start your lessons.
