How I Became FLUENT in Japanese: Zero to JLPT N1 🎌📚
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- Опубліковано 24 чер 2023
- LET'S STUDY JAPANESE AND NOT BE INTIMIDATED BY THE SEEMINGLY ENDLESS AMOUNT THERE IS TO LEARN!!
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Today I'm going over my Japanese language learning journey with you guys in a bit more detail since I often get asked about it!! Many people ask me how long I've been studying Japanese, but it's naturally a bit more complicated of an answer 😅 But I think this is pretty normal, especially for languages!
Now that I've finally passed the top level of the JLPT exam, I feel like I'm only really just now starting on really...learning...Japanese. It's kind of complicated haha but basically I'm done studying just for the sake of passing an exam and can finally focus on real, practical things that I use in my daily life and that I may want to read!! 😇
Let me know about your Japanese language journey down in the comments!
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How I Became FLUENT in Japanese: Zero to JLPT N1 🎌📚
Okay actually I don't really consider myself fluent (more like advanced) and feel like my real journey towards fluency is finally just starting now that I passed N1 BUT ALSO I will simply never make this video if I keep waiting around for myself to be at my ideal standard of fluency (hint: it will never happen lol) 😎 ANYWAYS PLEASE CHECK OUT GO! GO! NIHON'S LINKS IN THE DESCRIPTION IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN LEARNING JAPANESE OR STUDYING AT A LANGUAGE SCHOOL (I REALLY DO RECOMMEND LANGUAGE SCHOOLS LOL)
I am curious when you watch native content know how much can you comprehend at a N1 level ? I hear you need to know around 20-30k to understand about 99% of the content, like to know you thoughts and congrats on N1 and 40k subs
Yeğ / Yüğ = upper, superior
Yeğ-mek > Yemek (to eat)= to add on oneself, to include in one's essence,
Yeğ-im> Yem= provender, fodder -Yemiş= fruit
Yüğ-le-mek > yeğlemek = to keep on top, to make relatively superior, ~to prefer
Yüğ-ka-yer-u > yukarı =(which side is on top) = Up
Yüğ-ce > yüce = superior in level
Yüğ-ce-al-mek > yücelmek = to achieve superiority in level
Yüğ-sü-ek > yüksek = high
Yüğ-sel > yüksel = exponential , superlative
Yüğ-sü-al-mek> yükselmek = to rise to a high level, to go up levels
Yüğ-sük > yüzük = jewelry worn on the finger top
Yüğ-sü-en-mek > yüksünmek= to take offense
Yüğ-ük > yük =(load)> taken on, carried over
Yüğ-ün > yün =(wool)> the feathers that on sheep
Yüğ-üt > yiğit =(valiant)> superior in character
Yüğ-gen > yüğen /yeğen =(nephew)> which is kept superior, valued, appreciated (yüen > yen 元)
Yüğengi >yengi> yeni =(new)> it's coming on top, coming after
Yüğenge > yenge =(brother's wife)> who's coming after, added to the family later (new bride)
Yüğ-üne /Yeğ-ine > yine/ gene =again /over and over > yeniden = anew /as a repeat
Yüğ-en-mek> yenmek = to overcome, to cope with, to subdue
Yüğ-en-el-mek > yenilmek= to be overcome, to be subdued, to show weakness
Yüğengil > yengil =remaining on top, light, weak
Şan= Glory, splendor 單于 > Şan-Yü =Exalted glorious
Yormak=to tire= to arrive over someone (too many). (too much) to go onto
(Yörmek)> Örmek=(to operate on something), to wrap around, to weave on top
(Yörümek)> Yürümek= to go on (over something) to roam around
(yöre=precincts) (yörük=nomad)
Yürümek= to walk (yürü=go on)
Yülümek=to go by slipping over something
Yalamak= to give a lick >~to take by scraping something off
Yolmak= to pluck=to pull by snatching off, tear off (~flatten the top)
Yılmak=to throw down from the one's own top (~get bored), to hit the ground from above (yıldırım=lightning…yıldız=star)
Yurmak= to pull over own, cover over (yur-ut>yurt=tabernacle) (yur-gan>yorgan=quilt)
Yırmak=get from bottom to top, inside-out, come out on top (yırışmak>yarışmak= to race> to overcome each other)
(Yır-et-mak)>Yırtmak= to tear= to get inside-out or bottom to top (by pulling from both sides) (~tide over, to get rid of)
Yarmak= to split=go vertically from top to bottom, separate by cutting off
Yermek=to pull down ,pull to the ground
Germek=to tense= pull it in all four directions Sermek= spread it in all four directions
Yıkmak= to demolish= overthrow , take down from top to bottom, turn upside down
Yığmak= to stack= put on top of each other, dump on top of each other (yığlamak=shed tears over and over, cry over)
Yağmak=get rained on, get spilled on / to pour down from above
Yakmak= to burn out=purify by heating and removing matter , reduce its volume
Yoğmak=make condensed=to tighten and purify, narrow by turning, get rid of volume (~get dead)
Yoğurmak= to knead=tighten and thicken , reduce volume, bring to consistency
(Yogurt= thickened milk)
Yuğmak=squeezing purify, clean (Yuğamak>yıkamak= to wash)
Yiv = sharp, pointed (yivlemek= sharpen the tip)
Yuvmak=to squeezing thin out, narrow (yuvka>yufka= thin dough) (yuvka>yuka=thin, shallow) (yuvuz>yavuz=thin, weak, delicate)
Yuvarlamak=to round off=narrow by turning (yuva (smallest shelter)= nest) (yavru (smallest)= cub )
Yummak=to close=shut by squeezing, close tightly (Yumurmak=to close tight ) (yumruk=fist) (yumurta= egg)
fluent isn't a level. it means how fluently you speak. nothing to do with accuracy.
True words spoken here!
I'm quite a lazy guy so after about 8 years I only got to N4 Level. But being in a Language school in Japan for only 4 Month improved my japanese from the N4 to N3. So I would recommend anyone to try a language school in Japan if you have the possibity! It's also more fun:)
Or take italki lesson for a lot less and get one on one instruction 3 times a week for much cheaper price. Consistency is the key you need to study minimum of 1 hour a day to make progress in Japanese.
@@southcoastinventors6583 What kind of classes are you taking on Italki? Do you have a teacher you recommend?
im actually in N4 level, do you think that i could get a N2 level by staying 1 year and a half studying in a japanese school for 4h every day? im going to Japan next october. thanks!!!
@@pau.n7788 Easily my friend I would suggest talking one on one to Japanese as much as possible and watching content that you like. One of the hindrance of being in any is school is lack of one on one time because then you can't hide in a crowd and do not have the opportunity to talk with other foreigners. Just don't burn yourself out so you end of hating the language and more importantly do fun Japanese stuff
@@southcoastinventors6583 well I actually already have Japanese friends so i sometimes make calls with them to practice. Also i will meet them there in Japan and i will be a long time there forcing me to speak Japanese cause it’s what I want and also I wanna get fluent to it. I could say I finished N4 and N5 in 9 months just studying on my own and getting corrected by my friends whose I met studying abroad in Europe.
Congrats on passing the N1! 🎉 Studying Japanese may be a very time intensive effort, but it's absolutely worthwhile!
Hi there! I just wanted to give another perspective! I got the JLPT 1 like 15 years ago (OMG) and I have never lived in Japan, worked in a Japanese company, nor have any close Japanese friends. Back then, there were no fancy apps to drill vocab or places like Italki, only pen, notebook and past papers to practice. I don’t say this to show off, but to give some hope to those who cannot afford or have family issues that don’t allow them to study abroad. Please don’t feel discouraged, you can get your language goals too! It will definitely take more time and effort than those who have better opportunities than you, but believe me, it will be worth it!!🎉 I am cheering for you!
+1 for rural areas. :) I always try to go to non-touristy places when I visit Japan. Not only because it's just...more Japanese(perceived environment,) but...more Japanese(language-wise.) Not having another language to back you up, you're forced to learn quickly. I find it most fun when people still want to (try) chat with you even after knowing you speak literally no Japanese, while at the same time they themselves don't speak English. 😅
So true!!! 🤩
Ahhh this is so refreshinggg!!!! You’re so encouraging 🤩
Congratulations on an impressive accomplishment with learning Japanese and keep striving to get even better. Know you can do it!!🎉
Thanks for your videos, your insights on Japanese learning have helped me to formulate my own study methods.
This was so interesting, thanks for sharing! ❤ Can always count on Allison to share realistic life stories / language journeys ❤
I also found that language school was by far the quickest way to improve. Thanks for the video!! I just found your channel and love hearing about your journey! ^^
Hi Allison, thanks for your video and congrats for passing N1!! 🥳
I just started learning japanese (it was always a big dream for me) and your videos are really really helpful.
Good luck in your new job - you will rock this for sure 🤗
Congrats on 40k and N1 ! Wish you all the best!
Thank you so much for your video! Congrats on passing N1!!
I'm on the side of trying to teach Japanese, and learning English, and videos like this really help me get a better perspective for what is better for my students 🥺🤍
Also, I really do agree on the "why" part. ほんと大切ですよね！
Congratulations on passing the N1🎉! Thank you as well for the links! I'm restarting my journey into this, and I'm excited for the zero to N3 program. I'm not a student currently, so the study abroad isn't my thing but I'm definitely going to look into this program!
Congratulations on passing your N1 Japanese language. And congratulations on 40k subscribers 👏 ❤🎉
This was so helpful thank you!!
Hi Allison, firstly congratulations on reaching 40k subscribers. I think immersing yourself into a culture can really help you in language development and if you’re given that opportunity I’d say really go for it. Your insights into living in another country and it’s culture is very interesting and also fun too. Thank you for sharing this and best wishes to you
Thank you so much!!!
Congratulations on the 40k subscribers, and thank you for sharing your experience.
thank you!
I like that you are realistic and down to earth when it comes to Japanese. I have also been studying on and off for about 10 years with some gaps in-between. A lot has changed over the years and now I am dedicating myself more to Japanese. Passed N4 last year and I am currently targeting N3. Thanks for the video!
My Japanese language learning journey has been on and off as well. I took 3 years in high school. Took my senior year off. Then took 102 and 103 in college. I was at a community college and they didn't have 200 level classes.
I visited Japan in 2014 and 2018 but my studying for that was just reviewing a phrase book.
February last year, I signed up for classes. We only met once a week and the pace was slow but that was all I had time for with my busy schedule.
My class ended in November and I started self studying in March this year. I'm about half way through Genki 2 and I can officially say I know more japanese than when I was in high school.
Taking a class helps me stay on track. When my schedule gets busy again in the fall I plan to sign back up for classes.
Thanks for the lovely video appreciated your story!
Congrats on passing N1! I'm looking to move to Tokyo next year to study at a language school. I'm really looking forward to it! Thanks for sharing your experience. I'm hoping to pass N2 in a year and a half to 2 years and find a job after.
I love hearing people’s Japanese journeys!
I’m taking N5 this December. I feel silly because I’ve been taking classes for two years so you’d think I’d start with N4 at least or something. But my classes have been one day a week for working adults so the pace is much much slower but I can actually retain things so I like the pace.
Anyway you were the one I found out about Wani Kani from! That’s the only part of the JLPT I have zero worries on LOL.
gambatte kudasai. Its difficult to stuyy working full time. Im feel
silly always because I passed the Noken 4, now 2 years ago. Then I moved to a different country and I have to started with English, new works, etc. And Im still preparing noken 3 now. I work full time and study in the bus. But I have studied always by myself. I start preparing the noken 5 in the Summer, then I have passed in December. Then, I passed the noken 4 the next July. And still I was ashamed to say Im still studying noken exams.
I appreciate the starting talking point of this being 10 years into your studies. I personally prefer to only count my years since studying abroad in Japan in 2015 as that is when I got more serious about it, but I technically started on and off all the way back in like 2006 or something with audio CDs.
Either way, it has only really been in the last two years since dropping "formal" Japanese learning materials and programs that I feel progress is actually being made towards doing things I want to do in Japanese. I regularly play video games in Japanese now (virtually exclusively for practice reasons) and as long as a I have a dictionary handy I haven't encountered something I couldn't get the gist of. Hardest part of language learning I think is letting go of a need to understand and just letting your brain do what it did with your first language. This is particularly true for the spoken part I think. It seems slower at first, but it seems the only way to get over the hurdle of thinking in your native language vice the target language.
woooo N1合格おめでとうございます！ After passing N2 I haven't been motivated to study for N1.. one day, maybe.. I definitely get the 'needing a reason why'. I'm living in Tokyo as well, and these days making friends and better spoken communication is definitely my priority! I also recommend language schools, that's what worked well for me!
good job!! don't worry I feel like the N2 to N1 jump is so difficult because honestly N2 is good enough for most things
Congrats on passing N1!! I'm in Japan for the first time ever on study abroad and it's been so amazing. Only a week in and I am even more sure than ever that I want to live here. Definitely need to work super hard on my Japanese skills!! N5 is super not useful in daily living 😂 But I have so much motivation now! Like you said, that's the key. Also accountability 😂 I will do nothing if not pushed
My experience is kind of similar to yours, it’s been a ~20 year journey so far with several very long breaks that have set me back quite a bit. I did 2 home stay exchanges and find that living there and being forced to live in Japanese as well as having structured learning works way better for me so I’m struggling a bit with self study now but will hopefully pass the N2 this year and find my way back to living in Japan in the coming years 🤞🏻I find your videos very relatable and encouraging!
Thanks for sharing your experience with learning the language! And congratulations on passing N1! I also just passed N1 last winter and this was after 4 tries! Like you, I don't consider myself fluent especially in spoken Japanese. The longest I stayed in Japan was 10 months for study abroad and at that time, I passed N2. But most of my life, I spent learning the language outside Japan. I majored in Japanese, worked for Japanese companies after graduating and have been using the language at work everyday, which for some people, I guess, is the ideal environment next to living in Japan for you to become fluent. What's frustrating is some people don't believe you can still struggle with the language even if you already have N1. I'm sure we all have struggles with the language and the solution would look different for everyone, and you'll feel hopeless and discouraged at some point. This isn't a race and we can't give up now after everything, right? お互い応援し合いながら頑張りましょう!
I started learning Japanese about 9 months ago. I'm definitely N5ish. I do a fair amount of listening practice with music and dramas or movies. I'm using some apps to work a little each day and I am trying Japanese with Yuta online course.
We plan on visiting Japan but don't have a set trip yet. I feel like I'm going to be studying it forever, I figured it's good for my brain and aging. 😊
What a cool adventure you're on! It's neat that you're still living there too
Wow what a journey(so far) & you did it all on your own!. I guess I was right, you got guts girl!
You’re amazing!
Congratulations!!!!
I have been studying Japanese for year and a half and I'm going to take the N4 on Sunday. Doesn't say much but onwards and upwards. Plan is to take N3 in July 2024 but more importantly to have simple everyday conversations and be able to understand a lot of Netflix shows.😂
Honestly thank you so much for this video and sharing your experience... it really has given me a lot of courage to not give up on learning Japanese. I started studying in 2018 and later studied abroad in Kyoto at a language school for 6 months which is when I saw my greatest language development. However, when I got back and entered grad school, I had a gap for about 3 years where I didn't study Japanese at all. Last year after I graduated, I decided to pick up Japanese again (since it's always been one of my goals to be bilingual, I greatly admire those who are); I signed up for the N4 and passed. This year I'm taking the N3 and am very nervous as, similar to you, I am just awful at self-study and find it hard to convince myself to actually sit down and put in the time. But honestly after seeing this video it gives me strength to actually try and study to learn new things and also relearn the things I've forgotten. Hopefully this year I can pass the N3 and in the future pass the N1!
I've been learning Japanese for 20 odd years but with a big gap in the middle. I majored in Japanese studies in the university but then lost interest for years. In any case, I was nowhere near fluent after university. I picked up Japanese again during covid lockdowns - I started to learn one to one online. I went to Japan recently and was pleasantly surprised that I can communicate with little problem on most everyday things! It felt good 😊. I'd say I'm probably around N3 level? Congratulations on passing N1! 👏
Thank you and nice! communication is really much more important than test scores!!
Of those 20 years how many of those did you actually study consistently ?
@southcoastinventors6583 let me see... a year before university I attended Japanese lessons - learned hiragana/katakana and the very basics there. Then 5 years uni - but we didn't learn to speak much, mostly read and grammar. And now I'm learning 1to1 since 2020, once a week. This time I just wanted to learn to speak - and speak naturally. Worked OK for me!
@AllisoninTokyo yes, now my focus is speaking rather than only grammar, reading or kanji. I have no need to pass JLPT - I'd need to study hard to pass N3 I think!
@@makeemar Thank for letting me know are you using italki for your 1 on 1 learning ?
congratulations on your graduation friend, success always
I started learning Japanese 4 years ago when I decided to study in Tokyo for a semester in 2019. But honestly, I didn't do much besides use Memrise, watch only the first series of Learning Japanese from Zero, and study some phrases online. Then, I was given a job offer to work as an ALT in 2021, but wasn't able to come to Japan until 2022 due to COVID-19. In that time, I got through most of the Learning from Japanese from Zero textbook video series. Then I came across channels like Sarah Moon Japanese, Matt vs Japan, and Tokini Andy. I used Sarah Moon Japanese and Tokini Andy to get through the Genki and Quartet textbooks (I didn't buy the books. The videos and explanations were enough for me). I made Anki cards for all of their examples and studied them. I continued that routine even when I moved to Japan, and working as an ALT was helpful since my colleagues would teach me words and phrases that were natural and useful. I would often reference Matt vs Japan videos to help improve my language learning strategy (immersing more through anime, movies, TV shows, etc.) I also used HiNative to practice writing my own sentences in Japanese and get corrections from native speakers. I'm not sure what my level is now, to be honest. I know a lot of things all the way up to N2, but I think I still haven't mastered a lot of the grammar and vocabulary. I think repetition and constant usage of the language is key. You can study all of these textbooks and take all of these classes to pass the JLPT, but if you don't keep at it, you just lose it.
I also noticed this issue with my own Japanese students who I teach English to. The ones who are actively studying English and using the language every day are the ones who maintain fluency and are able to have natural conversations with me. The ones who solely depend on textbooks, classes, and don't do much immersing outside of conversation classes don't make much progress and can barely get a sentence out smoothly and naturally. I recommend teaching English not only to help people with learning English but to also observe their habits with language learning. It helps to see how other people are learning languages and to distinguish the ones who are making the most progress. Oftentimes, they're using a studying method that's productive and will help them reach fluency faster (and maintain it for the long-term).
Studying a language is a real commitment, and we've gotta commit to it like we easily do with our own native languages. It's something I've been trying to tell myself as I've had commitment issues with studying languages. And it's important to reevaluate our studying strategies and look at the new content that's being published online since there is definitely more and better language learning content, resources, and advice being shared than ever before.
Thanks for the video! I'm currently checking out Go Go Nihongo since I'm hoping to attend language school in Japan :D ! I'd say i'm a high N3-low N2, but aiming for the N2 this December for grad school!
Very impressive!
Congratulations!
ive done it for 3 years and ive never set foot in japan or had a teacher/school, i just used free resources on the internet at first and read a lot of manga, played japanese games and watched anime and youtube. Im pretty happy with my current level, I did a mock exam for jlpt n1 and got about 60% of the questions correct, so I can safely say im at n2 level even though i dont plan to take the tests ever. Ive been able to read N1 Kanji pretty easily for a long while so maybe my Kanji ability is carrying me. I can definitely say if you cant afford language school or tutoring, just start learning anyway, because if you really want to learn it, you 100% will get good eventually!
Hello Allison, thankyou for share your experience, here I am not native English so i just learn English and Japanese from your video, its make me happy
I am currently studying Japanese on Duolingo and through anime and UA-cam! I have been working on it about 1-3 hours a day for the past 3 months I would say and it’s a process for sure!
Thank you for another great video. (I mean that--so many channels are boring or pointless or lack something that you have)I am probably your oldest subscriber(I'm 70). Yikes, I wrote that! I have been watching NHKworld-Japan videos that are in English, but styled like NPR in the states. So many interesting places in Japan to visit! Please consider going to Cat Island sometime! I would love your take on it. Who knows, I might need to learn some Japanese to come for a visit myself.
Listening to your journey is definitely nice to hear. It really isn’t linear at all! it’s impossible to be perfect and it’s so easy to get in your head about absolutely everything
it wasn’t until 2018 that I really started to learn japanese and I have yo-yo’d ever since. Did college courses, studied abroad for a month, attempted a tutor and self study. Made no actual progress but I’m committing myself now to actual change. I have accumulated so many resources over 5 years and am going to track my progress so I can hit N3 before yeeting myself to a language school next April. Btw anyone hear anything good about Miyazaki College’s Language School?
Yessss love the dedication you can do it!
Congrats on passing N1!
I also have N1 and I like to call myself “selectively fluent” 😂
I work in an IT company in Japan and I can understand all the IT terms. I can speak without thinking when the topic is about work but my brain stutters whenever I go to the grocery store. I cannot read most of the labels! Idk wtf the names of everything is😂
That's cool! I imagine you must see yourself still improving in great ways even at that level. Can I ask the obvious question that comes up when you say "I work [...] in Japan": What's it like where you work? Do they have that typical work-to-live culture or is it more balanced?
@@jamesm.9285 i’ve heard horror stories from my friends but i’m lucky cuz it’s more balanced where i work. i fully work from home and our hr is very strict about taking pto and overtime. there’s one whole department dedicated to making sure there are other things to do at work other than work lol. it’s still not perfect though. there are still people who work long hours (including me sometimes) but we are constantly told that this is not normal.
@@shellybananas wow, I haven't heard of companies like yours out there - nice work landing that position! Hopefully, Japan will eventually learn to embrace life as whole more and accept a more balanced work culture (especially for the sake of their population problem)! Thanks for sharing your experience. It's pleasant to think that there is a way to work in Japan without going overboard.
@@shellybananasWere you familiar with the work culture of your company before you applied? Could you please give some pointers on how to find companies in Japan with good work-life balance?
I really want to live in Japan but the horror stories about work culture really discourage me from trying.
@@fractalflash7 I don't think I'm qualified to give advice because I was just really lucky. My current company was my previous company's client, so I had previous experience with them, which gave me an idea about the work culture, etc. But, I suggest you research the company you're interested in online (research in english and japanese if possible) and ask people who work there. LinkedIn is a good place to start, in my opinion. Look for companies with foreign workers. Personally, I wouldn't work for a company with zero foreign workers as I don't want to deal with the stress of being the only one who's different.
If you get an interview, don't be shy and ask about overtime, work-life balance, etc. During my interview, I asked about the support they give to their foreign workers, how the foreign workers are treated, and the attrition rate. You'll be able to gauge which companies are good based on their answers. Of course, they can lie, so it's up to you to determine the credibility of their responses.
Lots of good ideas here, no matter what language you’re learning.
Great video. Love the thumbnail 😅
Congratulations on certification you won
# ➡️ N1
Had got through many difficult stages
then eventually realized it is worth it.
*Here next time i in addition want to see your memorable certification written in N1 captured photo.
💛💖Thanks for hardworks to your Y.T.and related bad or nice people
100% why I won't pay for classes anymore in the US. They are so slow and expensive. There are so many great resources now
I'm leaving for JET in July and also going to Gifu! But I'll be in Gifu City instead of the mountains. Can you recommend some places to see in Gifu or the nearby prefecures? My husband and toddler are also coming with me 😊
I've been watching your videos forever and it's surreal I'll be in the same prefecture on JET. Your video on the SOP really helped me formulate mine, so thank you 😊
Hey, well done!! I’m visiting at the moment..Sapporo and back to Tokyo tomorrow. Sapporo is so chilled (and much cooler than Tokyo at the mo!)
I have a job interview in Tokyo for my home country’s embassy on Wednesday and I’m super excited…once in a lifetime!! If i get it MyMacca’s puppies are coming with me!!
How is the new job going? I remember the new clothes you got for your first day. I hope you’re enjoying it and they are being nice to you :)
Congratulations, I feel like I can do my best in Japanese, I am about to study N3 level 😮💨
I spy ouran on the tv 👀 I missed the n3 by just 2 points on the kanji section last year and I'm planning to take the n2 this year, but I did 9 months at a language school and it was truly the experience that pushed my japanese forward the most. I definitely backslid a little bit after that though because making time to study while working full-time is... rough...
I've been trying to learn Japanese for about ten years too, but I never got past somewhere in between N4 and N3 because I needed courses in order for me to make progress, and there weren't any further courses in my city anymore. Japanese has always been a major life goal for me though, if not THE life goal, so fast forward I've been in Tokyo for about half a year now thanks to Go! Go! Nihon actually, and no I am in no way affiliated with them but I though people might be interested to know from a current studen'ts perspective that I've had a great experience with them. Now that I'm in Japan, the service isn't really relevant to me anymore, but they were essential during the whole planning phase (or rather, they planned everything for me and told me exactly what I had to do).
As for the JLPT, Allison is right in saying that it doesn't measure your fluency. My Chinese class mates have it really easy at the JLPT because they get perfect or near-perfect scores on the kanji and vocabulary parts but that doesn't say ANYTHING about their actual grasp of the language because in class, they're usually hardly even able to say a whole sentence (and I'm in the N2 course now).
Also, don't expect your Japanese to magically improve as soon as you're in language school in Japan. If you don't review what you do in class, you'll still stagnate.
Glad to hear you've had a good experience with them, thank you for your insight!!!
Congratulations
I totally agree! The best thing you can do to learn a language is to go to a language school in the country of your traget language. But if you can’t afford that I’d always say, get yourself a basic foundation of vocabulary and grammar and then immerse, immersive, immersive, daily. Find something in that language that really interests you. Because that way you’ll stick with it and surround yourself on a daily basis. That’s actually how I became fluent in English. I had to learn English at school but I was really really bad at it. I barely past my tests. I just didn’t get a feeling for the language. However I was totally curious about the United States because every tv show I liked came from there and I wanted to see the country for myself. And since English is the most spoken language in the world and it makes your life so much easier if you can communicate in that language, I decided to combine my curiosity for the US with my need to improve my English skills. So after highschool, I went to a language school in the US. I only could afford one month there, but that is where I’ve got the most important advice from an upper classmate. He said, find yourself something that really interests you in that language. Whether it is your favorite tv show, a movie, a book, a song, it doesn’t matter. But read, listen or watch it in English. That way you’ll have fun with it, you’ll really want to understand that stuff and you’ll surround yourself more and more with that language. And it worked! I’ve bought myself some novels that I really liked and had already read in my native language. I watched my favorite tv show in English with English subtitles. Of course, at the beginning I didn’t understand almost anything but I wanted to, so I looked up words I didn’t understand or grammar point and so I became better and better. At university I took some English classes to improve my grammar knowledge but the more important part was to do something in English daily. And so little by little I came to the point where it almost makes no difference to me if I read, listen or watch something in English or my native language anymore. It was 2004 when I went to that language school in the US and immersion wasn’t that easy as it is nowadays but especially with English, it was possible. I took me about eight years to become really fluent. Some might say that this is a lot of time and I agree. But since I think learning a language is a lifelong journey and even in my native language there are still sometimes words I didn’t know before, I think it’s a pretty decent time to become comfortable in another language. Now I’m using the same approach for my Japanese journey. Although I guess it’ll take me more than eight years to become comfortable in Japanese because it’s so much harder than English 😅 But that’s okay 😊 It’s a lifelong journey and I like it!
I completely relate to your experience! My brother once said to me that I should start watching content that I usually watch in English, that way I could enjoy the content as well as learning the language. And he was right. Of course it wasn't a fast procces, and I'm still learning every day and founding words that I dind't know. But the fact that I could just watch this video, read your comment and now writing this comment it's just magical. Now its hard for me to think that many years ago I could live just with my native languaje (spanish).
In 2021 I discovered this world that is Japan: anime, manga, the music and the culture in general, and I love it. This is why I chose Japanese for my second foreing language and to feel the same satisfaction I felt with English. I just need to be patinent, because now I know how much time and effort it takes to learn a languaje and this is a biggest challenge! 😌
I was able to get around Tokyo on the trains and subways as they always had the names in English beneath the Japanese name. The only things I learned to read were dates as I collected coins. I loved the Meiji coins with the dragon.
Thank you for those tips Allison im a false debutant in 2013 did 33 days in japan with a 6 month once a week private course it was ok but i whant to improved for a next level ! domo arigatou
Congrats on passing N1
I have been studying Japanese for maybe about 5 years now and have passed N3, all my Japanese friends have told me I'm pretty much fluent especially speaking but I still don't feel it.
I will also be taking N2 this year and I'm so nervous and really don't know what to do as I haven't studied at all. I am just hoping I can pass it.
Nice story. You were born the year I came to Japan. I am also from Florida. Just North of you in Ibaraki.
I started learning Japanese a little before entering college, and then took 3 semesters of Japanese classes which placed me around the N5 level (didn't take the JLPT, nor have I yet to :/). Then I studied abroad in Japan for a semester which took me to around N4/before N3 because I was staying in a sharehouse with Japanese students learning English. Then I stopped learning Japanese for about 1-2 semesters because I had no other credits left/did a semester's worth of internships before enrolling into a semester at a local Japanese school. Then just before I graduated, I was itching to study in Japan again so I did a summer language program just before I convocated, which took me to around N3. But I stopped (again) and only went back to language school classes almost a year later, but then stopped again because I started on my masters. It's been almost three years since then, and I've definitely backslidden, but GoGoNihon still reassuringly places me at the N3/N2 mark ;u; It's the ninth year since I've started back in 2014, and I'm raring to get back to studying Japanese again (hence why I clicked on your video). I'm really hoping to get at least an N2 or N1 (if possible) next year so I can study again in Japan. Your video encourages me since I've been feeling like I could have gone through this much faster, but ergh life's commitments post-college really takes up one's time.
Thank you for coming to my TEDtalk 😅
I'm just at the beginning of my journey learning Japanese just going through the basics, Hiragana, Katakana, and some Kanji. I'm enrolled in my College's Japanese class which yeah I know is gonna be super slow but working with other people helps me more than just sitting on my own doing it lol. I've been mulling over the whole language school thing as my school has a program for me to go to one in tokyo and I could do that next year. I feel like I want to do it but like you said it also seems incredibly strenuous and not exactly like most study abroad programs, and to be be honest I don't really wanna go over there and just be miserable lol but I understand that learning a language like this requires a lot of hard work. So I'll have to keep thinking on it and kind of decide where I want to go with my whole Japanese language journey from here. If anyone has advice I'd appreciate it because I'm sort of torn on what to do to progress
omg your word choice is really like Japanese. I can imagine how hard you've studied... I will do my best to study English, too! from Japanese❤️
Wow you are amazing
Congrats on passing the N1😊 I'm STRUGGLING with Kanji. I feel like I'm constantly relearning them. You mentioned wanikani, is that what you use primarily? I would love if you could share any tips you have about Kanji ✨
Unrelated but I loooove your button up shirt :)
You are hardworking to learn Japanese language time after time, Miss Allison, and being part of the community.
My family hosted a few students from Japan at different times. They had denshi jisho back then. Cell phones didn’t exist so that tech seemed so advanced.
I've been learning japanese in an small online class (but only once a week because that's what i can afford). We use Marugoto, and i'm still on book 1. I'm also using duolingo mostly for vocabulary, cause i suck at remembering things. Not sure if it's enough I feel like i'm the student with less vocabulary in my class, but i'm trying to keep motivated cause nihongo is fun ❤
Terima kasih. Aku suka
2 years really isnt enough to be fluent. Thanks for this video! Ive been here for like 8 months and I think I’ve been pressuring myself so much which was awful.
Its plenty with the right approach.
Hi Allison, congratulations on passing N1. Question: did you find practicing writing the Kanji conducive to helping you pass the test? Or just focusing on lots of reading and looking up Kanji you did not know or understand? So many times we understand the meanings but can’t provide the proper pronunciation. Even a simple Kanji like 行く can have so many readings. Okonau, gyou, Yuki, and iku. Thanks and congratulations.
I learn Japanese since October 2021 and was able to understand 90% of the spoken Japanese in the beginning, I am shooketh 🥵
Japanese is complicated. You can take it from me (as a Japanese). Living in Spain, occasionally asked "how to say this, or that, in japonés (Japanese), often it's me who ask a question: in which situation or with whom are you talking? Japanese is flexible or context- dependent. Particularly when you talk to elderly people or the (higher) ranked in the office, for instance, you must choose proper phrases, markedly differing from a relaxed chat with your friends. Her experience & suggestions are very helpful & would work pretty well. Yes, hard work is the best solution. Reading & writing (with kanji) is tough, particularly the latter, so that some determination must be summoned. That's said, there may be a way round. To talk it is, in fact, not so difficult. Here's a little tip. Fortunately, plenty of Japanese animes. They'd come to your rescue. Although they might be inappropriate on formal occasions, watching scenes, listening & following subtitle would be a nice practice & an easier access to start with. Good luck!
N1おめでとう🎊
Huge Congrats Allison for Grand N1 awesomeness. Do you tire of hearing how Amazing Y☺️U are?
I tried languageschool but it just wasnt for me... same as learning with textbooks, which bored me to death xD... Just reading/watching native material and looking everything up all the time made me kind of bruteforce my way through it. You need to be consistent with this kind of method though. The best advise i can give is to do something fun and don't be afraid of making mistakes. If you don't make mistakes, you didn't learn properly.
Nice video :)
I missed gogonihon's golden week discount but if they run another one i'll finally pick up the online course with Akamonkai. so pricey but I guess worth it to gain the language experience - im 30 so I need to have done a course in order to go to language school for the visa i think.
I don't think you need to have done a language course for the visa. I believe it's that you need to pass n5 to get the student visa if you're over 30. But yeah, obviously taking an online class will help towards that goal.
I’m a beginner… Just had my first Italki lesson… I’d this a good approach, or should I use language apps and workbooks to start? Best, John
I`ve found people who got really good at spoken jpn between 7--12 months
Or you could be like me and still be at N3 level 13 years after starting! I had lots of motivation at the start, but a few years in, that went away and I had some looong breaks in there. I did try and restart my studies several times in that long break but it just never stuck. Now I've got my motivation back a bit more, I'm fully back into it, aiming to take N2 next December despite being nowhere close to it now!
You said you spent a lot of time studying kanji for N1, what sort of studying is needed for the test? I did Remembering The Kanji in my first few months and haven't had to touch any kanji study since - I just focus on learning words instead of treating kanji as a separate thing.
It’s alright
What company are you working for/what do you do in your role? Im starting a bachelor in Japanese studies next year and i am considering being a JET after. In your experience would you recommend the JET path to kickstart the journey into working in Japan? Thanks for the video i learned a lot :)
Just saw that you made a vid dedicated to my question, lol whoops. Thanks anyway :)
How did you apply for summer school in Japan? I really want to experience something like that too.
For writing EJU 留学試験 is great... you need also other subjects like 総合科目, math, and basicly all the subjects you`ve done till graduating high school in japanese...
"But when I did go out I just ordered coffee or something, which doesn't, you know, improve your Japanese that much." 😂😂 I laughed at that one. Thanks for sharing your story. :)
もう立派な日本語ですよ！僕より話せてるかも。w 動画もなんだか、親近感があって落ち着けます！ナイス！
@AllisoninTokyo There was a video you put out that said there was a book you wish you had been using to learn but I can't find the video or remember the book. Can you point me in the right direction?
What level did you get to wanikani and how many did you do a day?
You "nisun" in Toukyou which greatly helps in achieving fluency.
Have you heard of 'Kanji Kentei'? It's a series of tests, and I hear it's what locals use. It has 10 levels, and I picked up the practice book for the lowest level (level 10) at my local bookstore. For me, the kanji is manageable, and useful. What I struggle with at this point is understanding the basic instructions, because I can memorize kanji pretty well but I don't know enough words and grammar yet to understand the context. What I mean by that is, I'm pretty good at 'this kanji means this', but I'm not great at 'here it's pronounced this way, because...' I think it might help you find a structured path to study kanji further, and it's a well established, recognized, national test. Kanji kentei.
While any study is good, I think kentei is a relatively inefficient use of time, having to perfect stroke counts and know every possible reading. The kentei levels follow the Japanese school grades, to a similar depth of understanding. Japanese students spend three hours/week for nine years learning the jouyou kanji (while immersed in the language every day). If you're willing to do that and become a kanji expert, cool (very cool!), but most foreign students would rather learn kanji more quickly but with less depth, mixing in grammar, listening, and speaking. JLPT is already heavy enough on kanji and strikes a good balance with other skills.
@@ericj9011 Thanks for the info/advice.
Allison, you are correct about living in the sticks to improve your Japanese. If you do live in Tokyo, act like a nun or priest and do not venture out with English speakers. And when Japanese try to speak English, just say you speak Spanish or Italian etc. and that you prefer to speak in Japanese. I visit the city office a lot and never accept help in English. You know your Japanese is very good when you can converse fluently with the tax consultation. Call all those toll free numbers and ask tons of questions. And ask the speaker to repeat words and phrases you don’t understand. It is free Japanese lessons.
May I ask?
What about your job in Tokyo?
Does N1 test your speaking abilities in japanese and tests you on pitch accent or thats something you do after N1
what to do if you are here working and want to improve? language school isnt much of an option when you work
Please let me know about the books you had used
AppleMilk was from Florida too
Is that ouran on the screen in the background?
I spent 3 months to learn everything about kana including extended Katakana. Then I spent 1 minute learning close to 3,000 kanji characters. Now I am learning Japanese vocabulary.