Japanese Language

Why Learn Japanese?

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A second major difference between English and Japanese - they have vastly different sentence structures. For example, take this simple sentence:

I throw the ball.

English sentence structures are always: [Subject] [Verb] [Object].
Japanese, however, is [Subject] [Object] [Verb]. Thus, the above sentence would be written as:

私は ボールを 投げる。
I, the ball, throw.

As more clauses are added in, the word order really begins to diverge:

In addition to the many interesting linguistical features of Japanese, there's a wealth of engaging media. From watching my first anime in highschool with my friend Nick (it was Gurren Lagann, a solid introduction), I was immediately hooked by the many unique and beautiful worlds that anime and manga have to offer. Consuming them in their original language makes watching & reading them much better.

In no particular order, here are a few of my favorite anime:

• Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
• Tokyo Ghoul
• Beastars
• Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood
• Code Geass
• Cowboy Bebop
• Hunter x Hunter
• Kids on the Slope
• Fruits Basket
• Erased

How to Learn Japanese

Learning Japanese is one of those hobbies that requires "playing the long game". It is a difficult endeavor that requires extreme dedication and patience.

At a minimum, expect 1-2 years of study (1000+ hours) before you'll be able to fluently read anything. You'll often question "Why am I doing this?" and will need to have a satisfactory answer:

I am learning Japanese because ______.

Answers can include: "I find it cool" or "Reading things in Japanese is fun", but you'll need an answer that feels worth it.

While this has already been extensively written about, here are my 2¢ on how to learn Japanese:

Step 1 - learn Hiragana and Katakana
Japanese actually uses 3 separate writing systems together: Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji. Hiragana and Katakana are phonetic alphabets used to write about 50% of Japanese language. I recommend using Duolingo or flashcards for this - it's as easy as knowing which sound each character makes.

Step 2 - learn the 3000 most common words, with their Kanji
I recommend the JLPT N5, N4, and N3 vocab lists (the JLPT is a standardized test for Japanese learners). Here's why:

When you compare vocabulary size vs % of words known while reading, you actually need surprisingly few words to understand most things.

The 100 most common words ("the", "and", "a") make up 46% of all writing.

The 500 most common words ("walk", "eat", "speak") make up 67% of all writing.

At 1000 words - 76%.

At 3000 words (our goal), you can understand about 90% of all writing. There will still be many unknown words ("balloon", "quartz", "icicle"), but you'll have basic comprehension for simple texts.

Note 1 - it's very important to learn all vocabulary words with their full Kanji - this is how they will actually appear. It will feel daunting at first - but your brain will quickly develop recognition patterns.

Note 2 - learn vocabulary words with an SRS application like Anki. It will greatly increase long-term retention.

Step 3 - learn some grammar
If words are the building blocks of language, grammar is the glue that holds it all together. I highly recommend A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar and Genki: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese, but choose whichever resource you like. What's important is that you learn the basic verb conjugations, particles, and grammar structures.

Step 4 - immerse yourself in Japanese
This is the most important step. The only way to get better at understanding Japanese is by reading and listening to Japanese. I recommend finding a manga with 6-10 volumes that has Furigana (look this up) and an English translation.

As you read & listen to Japanese language, learn the new vocabulary and grammar as you encounter it. Learning a language is as simple as using it. The more time you spend doing things in Japanese (while actively putting in the effort to learn it), the better you will become.

Great Japanese Learning Resources

Here are some great resources for learning Japanese:

Jisho.org
Every language learner needs a dictionary. This one works very well, and is online.

A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar
I've poured countless hours over this. It's a grammar dictionary packed with information written in a clear and concise way. I recommend picking up the Intermediate one too.

Genki: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese
This is a classic Japanse textbook. I do prefer A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar, but this gives a very approachable introduction to the language.

Tofugu.com
This website has a solid collection of grammar articles. It also has interesting content on Japanese culture and living in Japan.

Livakivi (Youtube channel)
This one is for fun. He's got good meme references, and does a good job of documenting his own Japanese learning journey. Worth checking out.