AboutDreams Expertise I have been teaching myself the language for the past seven years, having consistent practice with Japanese materials. I can help translate things from English to Japanese or vice versa. I can also help you get started if you're planning on taking up the language. =) I'm most familiar with things like anime, manga, J-pop, games and so on.
Experience I began learning the language in 1999. I frequently talk with penpals and natives in Japan, as well as continually keep up practicing with authentic Japanese materials.
Question hi, i've been studying japanese language by myself for about two months now and still not much result, i can only understand and say greetings only and i'm not satisfied with it. and also i've been learnig how to read, write, translate, understand the japanese letters in both kani and hiragana and still zero percent achieved in it. so what should i do?
Answer Hello,
If you're having trouble catching on to Japanese, I would suggest trying a change in your study methods, and possibly your habits as well. I'm not sure how you're currently learning the language, but I would try switching to, or integrating, a new learning method. If you're not learning from a book, try incorporating some bookwork. If you don't have any audio materials, try using some of those instead. If you've never tried a computer program to learn from, perhaps that kind of interaction will help you.
If you're not currently taking a class in Japanese, try looking around for local community classes or tutors that might be available. This would be a huge benefit. If not, why not try speaking with a Japanese penpal? Many of them are willing to help foreigners with their Japanese, and can speak English to some degree. You can find one here: http://www.japan-guide.com/local/jp/?aCAT=2
If you're having trouble learning kanji/kana, perhaps you can try using flashcards if you're not already. Or grab a kana/kanji workbook that takes you through the characters, stroke by stroke. Some of the books teach you what the symbols were originally meant to represent as a picture, which might help you remember them better. Or why not try something fun, like the book "Kanji de Manga"? If you like manga, that could be a great way to learn.
As for your study habits, I'm not sure what you're currently doing here either. But if you're not doing this already, it might help to set aside a short time each day to study Japanese. Make it a routine to ensure that you get study time in each day, but don't overdo it. Spend a reasonable amount of time, like a half an hour, or else it will start to feel like a horrible chore. Take it slow, too! Don't try to cram in a new lesson every day, or you won't remember a thing.
Be sure to practice, too. It's great to study the rules of the language, but you need to spend time quizzing yourself or seeing if you can translate something simple (kids' website in Japanese, etc) or just chattering away in the language. I bet you'll see how much you already know, and continue to see improvement as you learn more along the way.
Above all, remember to have patience with yourself. Learning a new language will not be an instantaneous thing, and you need to take it one step at a time. Just have the confidence that you can do it, and before you know it, you'll be speaking Japanese. :)
