14
votes
Graded readers for Japanese?
The Japanese Graded Readers published by White Rabbit Japan are available in 5 levels:
level 0 corresponds to JLPT N5 (500 字 per story; 350 new words);
level 1 corresponds to JLPT N4-5 (400 - 1.500 字 ...
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10
votes
Accepted
Is it easy for native Japanese speakers to remember simplified Chinese characters?
Japanese learners of Standard Chinese have both advantages and disadvantages compared to native speakers of other languages. (I will simply write "Chinese" from here on.)
According to Hu Xinghua,
...
- 19.8k
6
votes
Accepted
According to scientific research, which languages take the least time to learn for a native Japanese speaker?
This language school's website has hour estimates for how long it takes a Japanese speaker to learn various other languages based on their internal studies. I've attempted to translate it.
The ...
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5
votes
Mnemonics for learning hiragana and katakana (other than Heisig)?
One handy resource is Kana Pict-o-graphix by Michael Rowley (Stone Bridge Press, 1995).
This is a pocket-sized book (roughly 7 by 13 cm) containing just 70 pages. It contains a short introduction, ...
- 19.8k
5
votes
Accepted
Should I use my second language to learn my third language?
There are various ways to learn or teach a foreign language. At one end, there is the direct method, and at the other end there are methods such as the bilingual methods and the grammar–translation ...
- 19.8k
5
votes
Japanese – how to learn it without using SRS?
Sometimes, SRS really does just feel like a chore. I'm definitely not sufficiently consistent with my reviews. However, specifically with Japanese, I have discovered some other ways to improve my ...
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4
votes
Graded readers for Japanese?
A major new resource in this category is the Kanji Learner's Course Graded Reading Sets. It's designed for people using the Kodansha Kanji Learner's Course, but basically anyone can use it as long as ...
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4
votes
Japanese – how to learn it without using SRS?
Keep in mind that reading and listening are, generally speaking, passive learning activities. And while passive learning is better than nothing, Active approaches (speaking, writing in the case of ...
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4
votes
Accepted
First learn speaking and then writing OR both at once?
I addressed this issue in another question, where I wrote, among other things :
In his video on learning foreign alphabets, Olly Richards mentions some (anonymous) learners of Japanese, Chinese and ...
- 19.8k
3
votes
Is it easy for native Japanese speakers to remember simplified Chinese characters?
Yes it is. However it is hard for Japanese to learn Chinese pronunciation because Japanese and Chinese read same kanji differently, for example Japanese read 中 as "chuu" but Chinese "zhong."
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3
votes
Accepted
How quickly do western adults learn Kanji?
To be honest, I think your question cannot be answered properly in its current format. There are too many loosely defined elements in your question.
For example, when you say 'learn kanji', what ...
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2
votes
Is there a better way to memorize the stroke order of 恵, 専, and 敷?
Historically, Japanese kanji are copied from or derived from Chinese hanzi. The stroke order of the kanji 恵, 専 and 敷 is identical to the stroke order I would expect if they had all been Chinese hanzi, ...
- 19.8k
2
votes
How old is too old to learn Japanese?
I learnt Norwegian (and to lesser extent Danish) to good level within a couple of years and I am a bit over thirty. I had studied, but not learnt, Swedish earlier, and I did this while living in ...
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2
votes
Should my current translating process be improved and if so how?
If your translation technique should be improved is only contingent on it being fit for its purpose. For instance, if it allows you to understand Japanese texts at a reasonable pace and if that is ...
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2
votes
Looking for a French-Japanese dictionary in text format
If you are looking for a physical paperback/hardback book, then here are a few options:
DICTIONNAIRE STANDARD JAPONAIS FRANCAIS
Maxi-poche plus japonais
Harrap's Mini dictionnaire visuel Japonais
...
- 5,115
2
votes
Learning japanese, 1 month progress (Tokyo)
I assume your boss was aware you are not fluent in Japanese when hiring you? So can you say "sorry please talk slower, I do not understand"?
For speaking, I like Pimsleur audio courses a lot. You ...
2
votes
How old is too old to learn Japanese?
I’m closing in to half a century old. Started learning Japanese for fun last year. Took JLPT 5 after about 5 months of self learning using a few apps. Failed. I’m not sure I want to take it again. ...
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2
votes
How old is too old to learn Japanese?
I am 40 and have been learning Modern Hebrew for three years. I taught myself the alphabet and diacritics from books and apps, started learning the actual language about two weeks later, and have been ...
- 1,370
2
votes
Should I learn Japanese pitch accent right from the start?
Short answer: yes.
Elaborate:
Resources: When you use a good Japanese-Japanese dictionary or Takoboto (online or the app) it will take only a second to take note of the accent. You can also hear the ...
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1
vote
How old is too old to learn Japanese?
I'd say it is only too late to learn Japanese if you're at the very end of your life, such as if you have a terminal illness or serious health condition and only have a few months left to live. ...
- 400
1
vote
When studying Japanese, how much should I be able to retain at the end of a Genki textbook chapter (Self-study concerns)?
To add on to the answer already posted by K Man, Genki is a good jumping-off point to guide your studies. I would recommend learning just about everything that the first and second books have to offer....
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1
vote
When studying Japanese, how much should I be able to retain at the end of a Genki textbook chapter (Self-study concerns)?
I took a semester of Japanese in college and we did use the infamous Genki textbook. I would recommend taking your time to learn each chapter's content in depth. If the exercises are not sufficient, ...
- 993
1
vote
Learning kanji and vocabulary
In my experience with Chinese, there is no chicken-and-egg problem here, even though most Chinese words contain more than one character. In the beginning, you will learn many words that consist of ...
- 19.8k
1
vote
What sequences of learning kanji characters, their readings, meanings, and related vocabulary tend toward longest retention?
From my personal experience, working points 1 and 3 together on a side and 2 and 4 together on the other side seems to be efficient.
Use RTK or other kanji material to learn writing, recognizing and ...
- 316
1
vote
Japanese language: Exercises for learning adverbs and their usage
I can't find any other books like Taeko Kamiya's The Handbook of Japanese Adjectives and Adverbs, at least not in English. There are books with Japanese grammar exercises in English, for example:
...
- 19.8k
1
vote
Accepted
Is it more efficient to make flashcards for L3 in L2 and L1?
In terms of efficiency, it is likely better to make the flashcards in conjunction with your L1. In terms of effectiveness of retaining your non-native languages, however, then it would be better to ...
- 5,115
1
vote
First learn speaking and then writing OR both at once?
Watashi wa Jen Jen.
Congrats on wanting to learn Japanese as a hobby. I, too, have made that decision 5 years ago. During the tsunami that took place awhile back, a lot of Asians moved to Texas after ...
- 21
1
vote
First learn speaking and then writing OR both at once?
I would go back even further. Start by concentrating more on learning to comprehend speech than on producing it. Producing too soon sometimes results in habits that have to be unlearned. The more ...
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1
vote
Is it easy for native Japanese speakers to remember simplified Chinese characters?
First let's remember Japanese simplification was not related to Chinese simplification:
a group of them weren't simplified in either case, for example 星(star);
a group of them were simplified in the ...
- 111
1
vote
Is it necessary to learn the characters of a language that uses logograms [Japanese]?
I apologize to everyone.
With respect to Japanese, my earlier answer was absolutely and completely wrong! My first answer was correct, but only for those who discover they want to go beyond what ...
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