#Learn Japanese Language

[gongyussy]

i'll let phie-san say it:

[learninternational]

Learn Japanese Language: A Complete Guide by LearnInternationalLanguage

Learning Japanese can be a transformative experience, opening doors to a vibrant culture and diverse opportunities. Whether you're pursuing it for personal interest, career advancement, or travel, the decision to learn Japanese language is a rewarding journey. In this guide by LearnInternationalLanguage, we’ll walk you through the essentials to get started.

First, I would like to point out that Japanese differs greatly from many foreign languages. Unlike French language, which shares similarities with English in terms of the alphabet, Japanese uses three writing systems: hiragana, katakana, and kanji. Beginners should start by mastering hiragana and katakana, which represent basic sounds in Japanese. While more complex, Kanji becomes easier as you build vocabulary over time.

Grammar may also seem different from other foreign languages, but it follows logical patterns. Japanese uses a subject-object-verb structure, which can feel unusual at first but becomes intuitive with practice. A key tip for beginners is to focus on learning essential phrases for daily communication—this will help you gain confidence quickly.

One of the best ways to learn Japanese language is through immersion. Expose yourself to the language by watching Japanese films, listening to music, or practicing with native speakers. The more frequently you interact with Japanese content, the more naturally the language will come to you.

To enhance your learning, LearnInternationalLanguage offers a range of resources, including vocabulary drills, grammar lessons, and interactive practice sessions. You’ll find tools specifically designed to help learners stay motivated and make consistent progress.

In conclusion, when you learn international language like Japanese, you're not just acquiring a new skill—you’re gaining access to a rich cultural experience. Start your learning journey with LearnInternationalLanguage and discover how enjoyable and accessible mastering Japanese can be!

[myjapaneseonline]

Embarking on the journey to master the Japanese language is only possible by the exploration with cultural immersion. MyJapaneseOnline emerges as a lighthouse, guiding learners online through a comprehensive and transformative practice through native Japanese teachers. 

[ayin-me-yesh]

In light of Duolingo laying off its translators, here are my favourite language apps (primarily for Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, and te reo Māori).

Multiple Languages

Anki is a flashcard programme and app that's not exclusively for languages. While making your own decks is ideal, you can also download shared decks for most languages.

If you're learning Japanese, specifically, Seth Clydesdale has websites for practicing alongside Genki's 2nd or 3rd editions, and he also provides his own shared Anki decks for Genki.

And if you're learning te reo Māori, specifically, here's a guide on how to make your own deck.

TOFU Learn is an app for learning vocabulary that's very similar to Anki. However, it has particularly excellent shared decks for East Asian languages. I've used it extensively for practicing 汉字. Additionally, if you're learning te reo Māori, there's a shared deck of vocabulary from Māori Made Easy!

Mandarin Chinese

Hello Chinese is a fantastic app for people at the HSK 1-4 levels. While there's a paid version, the only thing paying unlocks is access to podcast lessons, which imo are not really necessary. Without paying you still have access to all the gamified lessons which are laid out much like Duolingo's lessons. However, unlike Duolingo, Hello Chinese actually teaches grammar directly, properly teaches 汉字, and includes native audio practice.

Japanese

Renshuu is a website and app for learning and practicing Japanese. The vast majority of its content is available for free. There's also a Discord community where you can practice alongside others.

Kanji Dojo is a free and open source app for learning and practicing the stroke order of kanji. You can learn progressively by JLPT level or by Japanese grades. There's also the option to learn and practice kana stroke order as well.

[goodplan-ipromise]

[haru-dipthong]

Gendered pronouns in Japanese vs English

In Revolutionary Girl Utena, the main character Utena is a girl (it says so in the title), but very conspicuously uses the masculine first person pronoun 僕 (boku) and dresses in (a variation of) the boys school uniform. Utena's gender, and gender in general, is a core theme of the work. And yet, I haven’t seen a single translation or analysis post where anyone considers using anything other than she/her for Utena when speaking of her in English. This made me wonder: how does one’s choice of pronouns in Japanese correspond to what one’s preferred pronouns would be in English?

There are 3 main differences between gendered pronouns in Japanese vs English

Japanese pronouns are used to refer to yourself (first-person), while English pronouns are used to refer to others (third-person)

The Japanese pronoun you use will differ based on context

Japanese pronouns signify more than just gender

Let’s look at each of these differences in turn and how these differences might lead to a seeming incongruity between one’s Japanese pronoun choice and one’s English pronoun choice (such as the 僕 (boku) vs she/her discrepancy with Utena).

Part 1: First-person vs third-person

While Japanese does technically have gendered third person pronouns （彼、彼女） they are used infrequently¹ and have much less cultural importance placed on them than English third person pronouns. Therefore, I would argue that the cultural equivalent of the gender-signifying third-person pronoun in English is the Japanese first-person pronoun. Much like English “pronouns in bio”, Japanese first-person pronoun choice is considered an expression of identity.

Japanese pronouns are used exclusively to refer to yourself, and therefore a speaker can change the pronoun they’re using for themself on a whim, sometimes mid-conversation, without it being much of an incident. Meanwhile in English, Marquis Bey argues that “Pronouns are like tiny vessels of verification that others are picking up what you are putting down” (2021). By having others use them and externally verify the internal truth of one’s gender, English pronouns, I believe, are seen as more truthful, less frivolous, than Japanese pronouns. They are seen as signifying an objective truth of the referent’s gender; if not objective then at least socially agreed-upon, while Japanese pronouns only signify how the subject feels at this particular moment — purely subjective.

Part 2: Context dependent pronoun use

Japanese speakers often don’t use just one pronoun. As you can see in the below chart, a young man using 俺 (ore) among friends might use 私 (watashi) or 自分 (jibun) when speaking to a teacher. This complicates the idea that these pronouns are gendered, because their gendering depends heavily on context. A man using 私 (watashi) to a teacher is gender-conforming, a man using 私 (watashi) while drinking with friends is gender-non-conforming. Again, this reinforces the relative instability of Japanese pronoun choice, and distances it from gender.

Part 3: Signifying more than gender

English pronouns signify little besides the gender of the antecedent. Because of this, pronouns in English have come to be a shorthand for expressing one’s own gender experience - they reflect an internal gendered truth. However, Japanese pronoun choice doesn’t reflect an “internal truth” of gender. It can signify multiple aspects of your self - gender, sexuality, personality.

For example, 僕 (boku) is used by gay men to communicate that they are bottoms, contrasted with the use of 俺 (ore) by tops. 僕 (boku) may also be used by softer, academic men and boys (in casual contexts - note that many men use 僕 (boku) in more formal contexts) as a personality signifier - maybe to communicate something as simplistic as “I’m not the kind of guy who’s into sports.” 俺 (ore) could be used by a butch lesbian who still strongly identifies as a woman, in order to signify sexuality and an assertive personality. 私 (watashi) may be used by people of all genders to convey professionalism. The list goes on.

I believe this is what’s happening with Utena - she is signifying her rebellion against traditional feminine gender roles with her use of 僕 (boku), but as part of this rebellion, she necessarily must still be a girl. Rather than saying “girls don’t use boku, so I’m not a girl”, her pronoun choice is saying “your conception of femininity is bullshit, girls can use boku too”.

Through translation, gendered assumptions need to be made, sometimes about real people. Remember that he/they, she/her, they/them are purely English linguistic constructs, and don’t correspond directly to one’s gender, just as they don’t correspond directly to the Japanese pronouns one might use. Imagine a scenario where you are translating a news story about a Japanese genderqueer person. The most ethical way to determine what pronouns they would prefer would be to get in contact with them and ask them, right? But what if they don’t speak English? Are you going to have to teach them English, and the nuances of English pronoun choice, before you can translate the piece? That would be ridiculous! It’s simply not a viable option². So you must make a gendered assumption based on all the factors - their Japanese pronoun use (context dependent!), their clothing, the way they present their body, their speech patterns, etc.

If translation is about rewriting the text as if it were originally in the target language, you must also rewrite the gender of those people and characters in the translation. The question you must ask yourself is: How does their gender presentation, which has been tailored to a Japanese-language understanding of gender, correspond to an equivalent English-language understanding of gender? This is an incredibly fraught decision, but nonetheless a necessary one. It’s an unsatisfying dilemma, and one that poignantly exposes the fickle, unstable, culture-dependent nature of gender.

Notes and References

¹ Usually in Japanese, speakers use the person’s name directly to address someone in second or third person

² And has colonialist undertones as a solution if you ask me - “You need to pick English pronouns! You ought to understand your gender through our language!”

Bey, Marquis— 2021 Re: [No Subject]—On Nonbinary Gender

Rose divider taken from this post

[theblogs2024]

How To Discover Japanese Easily With ten Uncomplicated Ideas

Japan is definitely an ingenious state and Japanese is One of the more acknowledged languages on earth staying spoken by just about 121 million folks. What makes Mastering Japanese so fascinating is The chance it offers for you to support fully grasp diversity in tradition.

If you intend to vacation to Japan for a tour, holiday vacation or function-linked, learning the Japanese language is going to be very advantageous and at least a minimum comprehension of the language are going to be very handy. The signals, roads and food stuff are the basic principles you ought to have a maintain of in advance of planning a trip.

Considering that Japanese will not be connected to every other language, It's a hard a single to know. This Forbes Advisor India guideline will let you jumpstart your journey towards learning Japanese.

Exactly what are The basic principles Of The Japanese Language Understand The Basic Crafting Units There are a few composing methods inside the Japanese language, Each and every of which consists of different characters.

Hiragana

Hiragana is basically a Japanese syllabary, phonetic sound people that formulate 1 Japanese producing system. It truly is the first alphabet taught to young children and pupils to go through and produce and it's broadly Employed in Japan. The Hiragana creating technique has forty six people and each one of these signifies a specific key sound or syllable. They can be commonly useful for phrases, Component of text or practicals, in easy conditions native terms.

Katakana

Katakana also has phonetic audio figures but is generally employed for international or bank loan text, for instance, organizations, foods and animals that can't be translated into Japanese. They've an onomatopoeic sound like squeak or bang and can be quickly identified because they are sharp and appear to be blocks.

Kanji

Kanji originated in an ancient hieroglyph and has a massive quantity of symbolic writing people that have a special shape than the alphabet. The styles are characterized as complex combinations of curves and lines.

Romaji

Romaji is one extra crafting procedure during the Japanese language and it is also known as the “Romanization of Japanese”, a Latin script that basically helps to pronounce the words of the Japanese language. It is often not Employed in everyday conversations but has aided a lot of Japanese expressions and phrases enter Westernization. As an example: text like Sushi- 寿司 and Samurai – 侍さむらい.

Vocabulary Vocabulary is yet another important essential component of Finding out any new language. Japanese vocabulary can be a quite challenging task and would require you to invest a reasonable length of time daily to ace the language. Here's two methods You should use to learn Japanese vocabulary:

Spaced Repetition Procedure

The spaced repetition program is really a Studying system that helps you to memorize issues, in this case vocabulary in a lot less time. It targets your extended-expression memory rather then small-term memory. Spaced repetition aids the data to remain refreshing in your memory as well as your intellect is pressured to work with Lively remember. The active recall approach involves recurring and retrieval testing that helps your brain to spice up memorization, retention and comprehension. This system will help you understand many hundreds of Japanese phrases in just a short time.

Rote Memorization

Rote memorization is a way utilised commonly for Mastering a new language. It's really a repetitive viewing of your analyze product. This technique largely needs you to definitely repeatedly examine a little total of fabric over a short period. You need to choose a little portion of the Japanese language vocabulary and repetitively memorize it each day for a short time.

Pronunciation The basics of any language are mastering the pronunciation in order to fully grasp the speakers and earning you comprehended. The pronunciation of Japanese text will not be that hard as you have an understanding of The essential audio of these. The alphabets hiragana and katakana are not alphabets but syllabaries. The fundamental distinction between them would be that the alphabet puts person letters and Appears alongside one another which leaves a good amount of home for interpretation While Conversely syllabary turns syllables like “bo” or “ma” into one characters. As an illustration, bu or ぶ normally be pronounced like a brief “boo” and mi or み will no matter what usually be pronounced as the English word “me” no matter the context.

Grammar Japanese grammar takes place to get flexible and straightforward. Discovering The fundamental grammar with the language can assist you variety your sentences easily and provides you a greater idea of the language. Beneath absolutely are a number of things which will allow you to have an understanding of the basic grammar of the Japanese language.

The subject is optional which is rarely bundled. The predicate usually comes about being at the end of the sentence. Nouns don’t come about to possess gender and mainly do not have individual plural types. Personal pronouns: I, you, etcetera. vary on the level of formality and politeness. Verbs usually do not modify In keeping with selection: Singular/Plural like I/We/They and the topic: He/She/It. Suggestions On How To Understand Japanese Effortlessly Learning a fresh language could be a task. Being new to some language one tends to be puzzled regarding where by to start out and what to give attention to. The Forbes Advisor India team has collected several strategies for you to start out Mastering your Japanese language. Here are some of them that can help you to get started on the whole process of Finding out.

Established a purpose for yourself and possess a simple strategy toward it. Begin with the vocabulary and grammar. Find out basic vocabulary and grammar on the Japanese language and established a plan for you personally to achieve your concentrate on. Discover pronunciations from the words. As you get a maintain of The fundamental Japanese audio It'll be easy for you to master the pronunciation on the Japanese words. Understand a thing that pursuits you and is particularly relevant. Once you love the procedure you'll quickly be captivated with Finding out A growing number of of your Japanese language. Master the basic writing devices of your Japanese language. View Japanese films and displays with subtitles. It will allow you to fully grasp the vocabulary and pronunciation of your language superior. Get yourself a further idea of the language and its culture. Exercise powerful Finding out. Actively exercise the Japanese language and observe it by using a determination to ace the language. Have interaction with Japanese instructors and close friends to assist you tutorial by means of the training course of action. Make sure you Have got a discussion with them inside the Japanese language so your vocabulary and pronunciation recuperate and You can even understand from the blunders. Don’t quit. Mastering a whole new language may be hard and exhausting nevertheless the resolve of continuing it should really remain the same as when you experienced it in the beginning.

Get more info. here: Japanese N5 Course

[oediex]

(Languages taken from the top 10 foreign languages learned on Duolingo in 2024.)

I would like to bring your attention to two fundraisers that are near and dear to my heart.

@elhamhamdan-gaza is a young woman trying to survive in Gaza with her family. She was a top student at university until October 2023, when she and her family were displaced from their home in Khan Younis and forced to flee to Rafah. After the invasion in Rafah, they returned to their home in Khan Younis only to find it burned. They had no choice but to live in it. Elham and her family desperately need funds for blankets and clothes, because winter is here and nights in Gaza are very cold right now.

Elham's campaign is very low on funds! So far they have only been able to raise £594 and they desperately need more support. Please donate to them if you are able, and share this post and campaign with as many people as you can.

This campaign was verified by the Butterfly Effect Project (instagram) and is number 1180 on their spreadsheet, which you can access through the link on their instagram profile.

You can contribute to Elham's campaign by clicking on the link below:

Secondly, @drdarine is a young woman who is a medical student in Gaza. Despite being displaced and suffering hardships we can only imagine, Darine is continuing her studies and helping out others in the refugee camps and shelters in southern Gaza. Her family consists of seven people, one of them being my friend @dawoudi who is selflessly and unfailingly helping many other families in Gaza by verifying their fundraisers and promoting them on Tumblr. Everyday I see more campaigns added that he has verified, providing an important service to the many families in Gaza that need our help.

Darine's family has been fundraising since February, which is almost ten months! Despite that, they have only been able to raise $5,765, 19% of their goal. Progress on their campaign is extremely slow, often needing to wait multiple days for another donation to come in. We can do better than that.

This campaign was vetted by @gazavetters, and is number 15 on their spreadsheet, which you can find in the pinned post on their profile.

You can contribute to Darine's campaign by clicking on the link below:

Please support these fundraisers! Thank you!

Tagging for reach, let me know if you want me not to tag you in the future

@commissions4aid-international @funds4gaza @a-shade-of-blue @dlxxv-vetted-donations @kyra45-helping-others

@northgazaupdates2 @bilal-salah0 @imjustheretotrytohelp @devilofthepit @ankle-beez

@lukewarm-lesbian @wellwaterhysteria @appsa @qattdraws @laughteronsilverwings

@felixander-official @nabulsi @mukkie @oursapphirestars @fruitwoodmac

@comrademango @sunflowersmoths @mindchalice @battleteacake @girlinafairytale

[dkettchen]

she would've told them unlike her canon! version who decided not to be an ally smh

[nihongonotabi]

ways to say "only", "just" in Japanese

When I started learning Japanese, I quickly discovered that “only” translates to だけ (dake). Soon after, I learned about しか (shika) and then ばかり (bakari). This led me to wonder how many ways there are to express the idea of "only" or "just" in the Japanese language. I began exploring the fascinating world of adverbs that convey limitation or exclusivity, each with its own specific nuance.

Here are some of the terms I’ve discovered (which I may continue to expand upon):

だけ (dake): Strongly emphasizes exclusivity, meaning that nothing else is included or considered. Example: 水だけください。 (Please give me only water.)

しか (shika) (used with a negative verb): Often conveys a sense of disappointment or limitation, implying that there’s nothing but the mentioned item, often with a sense of restriction. Example: 私は日本語しか話せません。 (I can only speak Japanese.)

ばかり (bakari): Suggests the dominance or prevalence of something, often with a sense of excess or monotony and a negative nuance. It does not imply strict exclusivity. Example: お菓子ばかり食べている。 (I’m only eating snacks.)

ばかし (bakashi): A casual variant of ばかり, used mostly in spoken language. It conveys a similar meaning but carries a more informal tone. Example: 遊んでばっかしいる。 (He’s only playing.)

のみ (nomi): Used in formal or written contexts, conveying exclusivity. It can sound elegant and refined. Example: 本日のみ有効です。 (Valid only today.)

ばかりか (bakari ka): This expression expands the meaning by introducing additional information, indicating more than just "only." Example: 彼は優しいばかりか、面白いです。 (He is not only kind but also funny.)

だけしか (dake shika) (used with a negative verb): This term combines だけ and しか, emphasizing strong exclusivity when used with negative constructions. Example: これだけしかない。 (There is only this.)

こそ (koso): Indicates that the highlighted item is particularly special or the best choice, often implying that nothing else can compare. Example: 今日こそ勉強する。 (Today, of all days, I will study.)

たった (tatta): Implies that an amount is minimal and often inadequate, highlighting a sense of limitation. Example: たった一人で旅行した。 (I traveled with just one person.)

わずか (wazuka): Emphasizes a minimal quantity or degree, often with a sense of surprise. Example: わずか10分で終わった。 (It only took 10 minutes.)

ほんの (honno): Indicates a small or trivial amount, often used to downplay something. Example: ほんの少しだけ食べた。 (I ate just a little bit.)

に限る (ni kagiru): This expression is used to convey that something is the best or only suitable choice for a situation. Example: 夏はアイスクリームに限る。 (Ice cream is the best for summer.)

だけでなく (dake de naku): Similar to ばかりか , this phrase is used to express that there’s more than just one thing happening. Example: 彼女は賢いだけでなく、優しいです。 (She is not only smart but also kind.)

単に (tan ni): Indicates simplicity; often used to clarify or explain something in a straightforward manner. Example: 単に冗談だよ。 (It’s just a joke.)

あくまで (akumade): Suggests that something is true only to a certain extent or in a specific context. Example: あくまで私の意見です。 (This is just my opinion.)

たかが (takaga): Often carries a dismissive connotation, suggesting that something is not very important. Example: たかが試験一回でどうなるものか。 (It’s just one exam; it won’t change much.)

I love discovering all these subtle differences and nuances, even if it can be frustrating at times. If you know of any more, please share!

[sammilearns]

here are a few podcasts I listen to weekly for practice!

Japanese with Teppei and Noriko

short, concise episodes covering various topics! easy to follow along!

Let's Learn Japanese from Small Talk

longer more detailed episodes with very casual Japanese! they explain some of the vocab they use while speaking (especially slang) and have a vocab list at the end that they go over with a link to read along!

Japanese with Kanako

great for shadowing practice with a few listening exercises mixed in. perfect if you are using the genki series!

what are some podcasts you like to listen to? 教えてください！😊

[learninternational]

Unlocking the World: Embrace the Power of Foreign Languages

In today’s interconnected world, the ability to learn international language skills is more valuable than ever. Speaking foreign languages opens doors to new cultures, perspectives, and opportunities, making it an essential tool for personal and professional growth. Whether you're drawn to romantic languages like French language or intrigued by the unique structure of Japanese, language learning transforms the way you experience the world.

The process of learning any language enriches your mind and broadens your horizons. For instance, when you learn Japanese language, you're not just acquiring vocabulary and grammar—you’re also diving into centuries-old traditions and modern innovations. Understanding these cultural contexts deepens your appreciation for the language and strengthens your connection to its speakers.

Mastering foreign languages provides practical benefits, too. In an increasingly globalized economy, multilingualism enhances career prospects, giving you a competitive edge in diverse industries. Whether you're negotiating business deals, connecting with clients, or navigating multicultural teams, being able to speak multiple languages sets you apart.

Choosing to learn international languages like Japanese or French also enriches your personal experiences. Being able to converse in another language allows for more meaningful interactions with locals, and opens up access to authentic literature, films, and music in their original form. This deepens your understanding and enjoyment of other cultures in ways that translation alone can’t provide.

To get started on your language-learning journey, visit learn international language for tips and resources. Whether your goal is to learn Japanese language, master the French language, or explore any other global tongue, embracing foreign languages is the key to unlocking a world of opportunity, adventure, and connection.

[myjapaneseonline]

Japanese is a fascinating language spoken by over 125 million people, primarily in Japan. Learning Japanese can open up new doors for communication, culture, and career opportunities. With the availability of the internet and online learning platforms, learning Japanese is now easier than ever.

[chizoies]

Not 100% about the main discussion but if I would share my own experience as a language learner, duolingo's unnecessary competitive way of teaching always bothered me. It was nice at first, but as you go on more and more days and building your rank higher and higher...it is not about learning the language anymore. It turns into a horse race.

I was studying German and Japanese on that app but since the day I discovered the japanesepod101.com and innovativelanguage.com 's other language teaching sites and their youtube channels, I have been improving way better! I am able to read paragraphs in Hiragana and Katakana very well and now I'm studying the Kanji and everyday phrases. All though my improvement in Japanese is probably because of my native tongue - Turkish - being a sister language with Japanese (Ural-Altaic language family) i think with innovativelanguage everyone can pull the language learning off! AND NO THIS IS NOT SPONSORSHIP. I JUST RESPECT AND LOVE THEIR TEACHING METHODS.

Edıt: Thank you for the people who informed me about the real relationship with Turkish and Japanese! My debatable statement was rather arrogant I assume. So I apologize for the misinformation. Long live the Turkic family!