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Easy Tricks to Learn Japanese

By Davis Phillips


Almost anyone you ask will tell you that Japanese is a very complex language to learn. It is not easy, especially for speakers of Western languages who are not accustomed to the subtleties and almost musical quality of Japanese. As you learn, however, you start to pick up on the subtleties of this beautiful language. Don't let the fear that it's too hard stop you from even trying to learn Japanese. The fact is, just about everyone has the potential to learn another language! The only requirement is that you don't expect to get instant results; it does take some work. Make the decision that you will learn to speak Japanese fluently, work at it for a while, and it will happen sooner than you thought possible! Here are some tricks you can use to make the process just a little bit easier on yourself.

To really learn a language like Japanese, you need to really be around it. If you can afford it, take a trip to Japan and let yourself wander without a translator. It will be challenging, but you might find you can speak and understand enough to survive. This is the best way for many people to completely immerse themselves in Japanese. This method literally forces you to use the new language and leave your old one at home. If you don't have the time or funds to travel to Japan, the second best thing is to spend time in a Japanese neighborhood where you can hear the language being spoken. There is another way that does not involve any travel to immerse yourself in Japanese; for a month or so, watch only Japanese programs and films; don't choose the option for subtitles, as you don't want to give yourself this help. You'll start to pick up on vocabulary pretty quickly.

Take the time to study the Japanese alphabet. It's not necessary to learn spelling when you get started; learn first of all how to recognize the characters and how to pronounce them. If you have difficulties, you can then write down something that is at least an approximation of what you are trying to say to someone. This technique will help if you go to Japan before you are fluent in the language. Learning how to write, at least phonetically can open quite a lot of doors for you and is the beginning of how to learn to read in your new language as well as speak it.

One trick you can use to speed up your learning process is to use any Japanese recordings or downloads at times when you are not focusing on learning. You can learn a lot by practicing a language directly with drills and lessons. The subconscious also absorbs information, however, even when you aren't aware of it. Try this, and just play your Japanese programs while you are busy around the house, driving or doing anything else. Even though you aren't trying to learn, your mind is hearing the words being repeated. This method works without your having to do much at all, so it's almost effortless learning! Some people even believe you can learn while you are sleeping!

If you want to learn a language, you should try anything that might possibly help. Take your own style of learning into consideration, and base your course of study on this. The most important thing to remember is that learning Japanese is something you can do. If you are persistent and keep working at it, you will one day be fluent in Japanese!




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