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[urfe]

Yeah thinking about that's a pretty dumb question. It's like you said. I'm nearing the end of the list and was expecting some crazier 25+ stroke stuff but it's all kind of simple. And easier too as they start having only one reading. I dunno I'm just interesting in getting as much info out of people who took the test.

I apologize if I came across rude, it wasn't my intention.

I really meant that I fluked a pass, and didn't study properly to "deserve" a pass, so I couldn't be of much help in terms of how it was with my study.

But yeah, honestly "easy" kanji with a million different pronunciation are prob the hardest. (上 and 下 have over ten each I'm sure.)

 

[KanameYuuki]

Edit:

That's not reassuring at all, regardless of how impressive his rolling is.

I forgot to mention some backstory, we already had other 3 teachers before that were seriously bad (no confidence on their teaching/language skills), so I was thinking about quittingback then, that's what I meant.

 

[Aizo]

This is your main teacher? It's not a native speaker? On top of that, it's not even a fluent speaker? I personally wouldn't want that.

 

[KanameYuuki]

Yup, he is my main teacher not native speaker, I've seen him talking with some native teachers (that are only for more advanced levels unfortunately) and as far as it looked he was quite fluent, I wish he was native ofc but that's how you gotta roll in here : | although, there is another classroom that is kinda far and is more expensive and when I went there to get more info they mention the teacher was a half Jp/Colombian woman who lived in Japan, I was going to change but I gave my current place a chance because of him, So should I just go for it and switch places after the next month (already paid)?

 

[Kurita]

Teacher with N2 is acceptable for the very basic stuff but outside of that, heh After that you need a native teacher or a foreigner with tremendous skills.

 

[Aizo]

100% is highly unlikely even for a native speaker who knows the language well, so that is a very impressive result.

The stealthiest of stealth brags are made unknowingly to the one making them.

 

[Resilient]

Yup, he is my main teacher not native speaker, I've seen him talking with some native teachers (that are only for more advanced levels unfortunately) and as far as it looked he was quite fluent, I wish he was native ofc but that's how you gotta roll in here : | although, there is another classroom that is kinda far and is more expensive and when I went there to get more info they mention the teacher was a half Jp/Colombian woman who lived in Japan, I was going to change but I gave my current place a chance because of him, So should I just go for it and switch places after the next month (already paid)?

Yeah probably. Doesn't hurt to have made the friend but I wouldn't pay someone with just N2 to teach me anything; they wouldn't be teaching you anything you couldn't learn on your own with the Internet.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

The stealthiest of stealth brags are made unknowingly to the one making them.

Haha... yeah, that definitely looks bad in retrospect, or to anyone who read the thread after my follow up post.

I really didn't expect to get 100% on the test, but it's too late to edit it out now...

Yup, he is my main teacher not native speaker, I've seen him talking with some native teachers (that are only for more advanced levels unfortunately) and as far as it looked he was quite fluent, I wish he was native ofc but that's how you gotta roll in here : | although, there is another classroom that is kinda far and is more expensive and when I went there to get more info they mention the teacher was a half Jp/Colombian woman who lived in Japan, I was going to change but I gave my current place a chance because of him, So should I just go for it and switch places after the next month (already paid)?

If you like the guy as a teacher, then stick with him for now, maybe. I'm sure he's fine at teaching material, but just be aware that he may not have the right answers when it comes to questions on more complicated topics.

 

[Mepsi]

This is probably a question that gets thrown in here a lot, but I'm struggling with a good starting point to get this language down. I've tried 3 times in the past to have a go at it, and the furthest I've ever gotten is learning how to read/write Hiragana and Katakana , limited readings for about 100 Kanji and some basic grammar. I really want to have another go at this but there's just so much stuff out there I don't really know where to begin or what approaches to take.

 

[Laevateinn]

Is formal education available to you? Outside of immersion and talking with native speakers, there's no better way to learn than in a classroom setting. Oftentimes, these have the benefit of being taught by native speakers providing the immersion without the huge step of actually relocating. I know in my case I originally had difficulty with the motivation necessary to learn until I was put into a structured classroom setting.

Otherwise, since you already know hiragana, katakana, a decent number of kanji and basic grammar, I don't really know what else you can learn completely independently.

 

[bigmit3737]

This is probably a question that gets thrown in here a lot, but I'm struggling with a good starting point to get this language down. I've tried 3 times in the past to have a go at it, and the furthest I've ever gotten is learning how to read/write Hiragana and Katakana , limited readings for about 100 Kanji and some basic grammar. I really want to have another go at this but there's just so much stuff out there I don't really know where to begin or what approaches to take.

Pimeslur's audio books were really helpful to me in the beginning.
Japanese Pod 101 also is a great place for some structure and a starting point.

Memorize the N5/N4 vocabulary.

I can't think of anything else at the top of my head.

 

[OpinionatedCyborg]

Pimsleur is a great start to any language because it goes extremly slow and breaks down pronunciations syllable by syllable. It probably wouldn't be a good time investment to do all of their courses in a given language (they typically have 3 - 4 levels, each with thirty 30 minute lessons, so that's 45 - 60 hours learning a mere 400 - 500 words and grammatical patterns that may just reach the lower intermediate level). But for drilling the sound of the language into your brain and getting your pronunciation up to snuff, they are excellent. Also, due to the way it introduces and continuously reinforces new words and grammar, along with demanding you to recall and produce the language, ensures you will remember everything you learn in one of their courses... probably forever.

For most people, the backbone of your early learning should be a textbook for its structured curriculum. Use supplements to augment your abilities and maintain interest. Supplements include: podcasts, tutoring (italki or in person), graded readers, memrise (wanakini might be your equivalent?), heisig, anki/SRS, grammar books, etc. You don't necessarily need a traditional textbook series -- something like assimil is quite good, particular for autodidacts (warning: some assimil's are known to be shitty, so look into the Japanese one before you start it). The point is to follow a structured approach so you learn the fundamentals of the language (reading, writing, speaking, and listening) to an upper beginniner/lower intermediate level, so you won't have any serious gaps in your abilities. At that point, you'll be equipped to branch out into different areas (like doing the crazy program I am an expert outlined 10 - 20 pages ago).

Unfortunately, at least 50 - 100 hours of learning a language for the first time is spent learning how to learn a language, period. Everyone has different preferences, so the advice you'll receive is going to be highly variable, but I think someone like you who has stopped and started several times would benefit from a textbook of some sort, whether it's one designed for the classroom or one like assimil that's made for autodidacts.

 

[Resilient]

damn son. who the f are you. that's the legit advice you wanna be following.

the key is to follow that stuff until you are like they just said - until you're upper beginner/lower intermediate. then, go find what suits your style of learning and whatever your goals are.

to add something so that this post isn't an ass kiss; my advice, do not use Heisig, or RTK, or Remembering The Kanji. stay away from it. if you're gonna use a method like that, use Wanikani. when you've got a good foot into Wanikani come back here and then i'll tell you what to do with Wanikani next

 

[Mepsi]

Thanks for the advice everyone, it should be enough to get me off the ground. I'll certainly invest some money into the first Pimsleur level.
I've had a quick go with Wanikani also, it's apporach seems to work quite nicely so I'll stick with that.
As for using a textbook for a more structured approach, I've seen Genki recommended a lot. Is that something that is worth using alongside Pimsleur and Wanikani or are there better ones out there?

 

[Reversed]

Are there services that offer media with japanese subtitles? I wish I could get that on anime.

 

[RangerBAD]

Are there services that offer media with japanese subtitles? I wish I could get that on anime.

I don't have the link, but there's a site with Japanese scripts of anime up to a few seasons ago. Nothing too current.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

Are there services that offer media with japanese subtitles? I wish I could get that on anime.

Unfortunately, subtitles are a relative rarity when it comes to Japanese media. I remember being very frustrated with so many DVDs I would watch not containing any kind of subtitles. It seemed like translated English subs were more common than actual Japanese transcriptions of what was being said on screen. This was especially annoying early on in my studies when I wanted to watch Jidaigeki (period piece films/shows), but had a difficult time understanding what was being said due to lots of unfamiliar vocabulary or just poor sound mixes in general.

Luckily, Japanese is a language in which the sounds directly correspond with the written language (no wacky spelling issues), so you can easily look up vocabulary you don't recognize if you're willing to rewind as much as it takes to hear the word properly.

 

[RangerBAD]

Unfortunately, subtitles are a relative rarity when it comes to Japanese media. I remember being very frustrated with so many DVDs I would watch not containing any kind of subtitles. It seemed like translated English subs were more common than actual Japanese transcriptions of what was being said on screen. This was especially annoying early on in my studies when I wanted to watch Jidaigeki (period piece films/shows), but had a difficult time understanding what was being said due to lots of unfamiliar vocabulary or just poor sound mixes in general.

Luckily, Japanese is a language in which the sounds directly correspond with the written language (no wacky spelling issues), so you can easily look up vocabulary you don't recognize if you're willing to rewind as much as it takes to hear the word properly.

Ignores the needs of the deaf. That's sad. I almost responded to him that surely DVDs and BDs have subtitles in Japanese.

 

[bigmit3737]

Are there services that offer media with japanese subtitles? I wish I could get that on anime.

Netflix (America Version)　has a Japanese drama with subtitles (voice and subs in Japanese). I'm sure there are more to come. I forget the name though.
They also offer Japanese dubs and Japanese subtitles for their in-house produced shows such as Jessica Jones, Daredevil etc. The problem is the subtitles and dubs aren't interconnected. The subtitles were originally created for the English voices.

Also, there are tons of Chinese sites that offer anime and drama with Japanese and Chinese subtitles hard-subbed. Those are all illegal however.

 

[bigmit3737]

Hi guys I need help understanding the bolded part.


"ご丁寧にご説明頂きありがとうござます。とてもわかりやすく、理解できました！ありがとうございます。
そうですね。jeffさんがおっしゃる通りいくつか在庫を持てればいいのですが、資金繰りが難しくもう少し売れるようにならないと、在庫を持つのは心配です・・・ただそうできるよう頑張ります！


It would be great to have some more inventory/stock on hand, however due to lack of funds if we don't sell the extra stock it could prove troublesome.

I can't understand what this person means when he says, 在庫を持つのは心配です。
Is he worried about the extra stock not selling or the existing stock not selling?

Thanks.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

They have cash-flow issues, so holding onto stock is not an option.

Pretty much, they don't have enough cash coming in and the item in question doesn't sell often enough for them to buy a lot and keep whatever it is in stock regularly.

 

[bigmit3737]

They have cash-flow issues, so holding onto stock is not an option.

Pretty much, they don't have enough cash coming in and the item in question doesn't sell often enough for them to buy a lot and keep whatever it is in stock regularly.

Ahh. He's pretty much rejecting the idea of having stock since they don't have sell enough.
Thanks.

 

[mantidor]

I have let my japanese to rust over the years. What would be a good way to pick it up again without starting from zero? I used to even talk fluently with my japanese teacher, not anymore.

 

[Kurita]

Welp, I'm going to study at Rikkyō next year. So fucking happy right now!!!

 

[Aizo]

Welp, I'm going to study at Rikkyō next year. So fucking happy right now!!!

I'll probably be on campus a few times. Very cool. You're going to have a great time!

 

[bigmit3737]

Hi guys. I'm looking for a J-J dictionary for my Iphone and was looking at the following.
Anyone have any recommendations?

三省堂現代新国語　　第４版　＝　＄１３．９９
新明解国語辞典　　第７版　＝　＄１５．９９
大辞林　（物書堂）＝　＄２１．９９


I'm looking to being able to jump from word to word. So If I look up a word and then in the definition, another word I don't know the meaning of appears, I can easily touch that word and jump to that word's definition.

I also like to make monthly vocabulary lists. So I would like to be able to make a lot of lists.

Is there some else beside these 3 that you recommend?

Thanks.

 

[TheSporkWithin]

Hi guys. I'm looking for a J-J dictionary for my Iphone and was looking at the following.
Anyone have any recommendations?

三省堂現代新国語　　第４版　＝　＄１３．９９
新明解国語辞典　　第７版　＝　＄１５．９９
大辞林　（物書堂）＝　＄２１．９９


I'm looking to being able to jump from word to word. So If I look up a word and then in the definition, another word I don't know the meaning of appears, I can easily touch that word and jump to that word's definition.

I also like to make monthly vocabulary lists. So I would like to be able to make a lot of lists.

Is there some else beside these 3 that you recommend?

Thanks.

I use the 大辞林 app and it's quite nice. It has "jump" lookup support, and even lets you jump to other dictionaries. It does feature bookmarks, but while you can manually rearrange their order in the bookmark list, it doesn't seem possible to create folders with them, or to automatically export them (although you can copy/paste definitions into other apps by hand).

I can't speak to any of the others, unfortunately, as I've never used them.

 

[marimorimo]

Late to the party, but WOW, Zefah! Lots of respect. I couldn't even imagine 100% on the JLPT, haha.

I remember not being too happy with my score back when I took the test in 2013 so I had a quick look at MyJLPT and found out I got 79%. I was hoping for somewhere around mid-80s. I got all As, but 読解 was my weakest link. Horrible score. But I would probably score better now after 2 years of being forced to read convoluted work emails. And if I actually sat down to study, 90% might not be too far off...

But I don't have any reason to retake the test now. I have the Spanish exam (DELE C1) to do first.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

Late to the party, but WOW, Zefah! Lots of respect. I couldn't even imagine 100% on the JLPT, haha.

I remember not being too happy with my score back when I took the test in 2013 so I had a quick look at MyJLPT and found out I got 79%. I was hoping for somewhere around mid-80s. I got all As, but 読解 was my weakest link. Horrible score. But I would probably score better now after 2 years of being forced to read convoluted work emails. And if I actually sat down to study, 90% might not be too far off...

But I don't have any reason to retake the test now. I have the Spanish exam (DELE C1) to do first.

Thanks a lot! 読解 definitely seems to be the most difficult part. A lot of the time it will seem like multiple answers can be correct for any single problem. I imagine 2 years of work email (and other professional work experience) would easily bump your score, although 79% obviously isn't bad!

Spanish exam? Is C1 the second to highest level offered or second from the bottom? I couldn't quite tell from the website.

How many languages do you speak? Haha.

 

[bigmit3737]

I use the 大辞林 app and it's quite nice. It has "jump" lookup support, and even lets you jump to other dictionaries. It does feature bookmarks, but while you can manually rearrange their order in the bookmark list, it doesn't seem possible to create folders with them, or to automatically export them (although you can copy/paste definitions into other apps by hand).

I can't speak to any of the others, unfortunately, as I've never used them.

Thanks! So every word I add falls under one bookmark?

 

[TheSporkWithin]

Thanks! So every word I add falls under one bookmark?

Into one bookmark list, which you can either sort by date added or manually rearrange (you can switch between these two sort methods at a button tap).

 

[marimorimo]

Spanish exam? Is C1 the second to highest level offered or second from the bottom? I couldn't quite tell from the website.

How many languages do you speak? Haha.

C1 is like N2 I guess. Second to the highest level. Although the main difference between JLPT and the European language exams (DELE, DALF, etc) is that they have an actual oral test.

I speak 4 languages fluently, Spanish somewhat semi-fluently (which is a shame considering I studied it at university), and studying beginner French. I took French on a total whim as the school was just across the street from my old workplace and work was driving me crazy so I wanted to try something new in my life. All the specialized pronunciation and speaking practice at the classroom was a pretty good stress reliever.

Kid me would be pretty impressed with myself but if I had to do it all over again I would skip the foreign language degree, limit myself to one other foreign language via private/group lessons, and use the available time and resources to study a more useful trade like accounting/IT, etc.

 

[Kilrogg]

C1 is like N2 I guess. Second to the highest level. Although the main difference between JLPT and the European language exams (DELE, DALF, etc) is that they have an actual oral test.

Yeah, C1 is the second highest, like N2. Highest is C2/N1.

That said, if anyone's wondering, speaking a language at C1 level is a much bigger deal than speaking Japanese at N2 level. In my mind, C1 is much higher than even N1. Like, I have the N1 (barely), but my Japanese sucks balls compared to my English. I'd say my English is C1.5-C2.

 

[urfe]

Any updates from the people using Expert's method? It was fun to hear often how you guys were doing with it.

 

[Resilient]

i just finished it (kanji) about 1 hour ago - i had to increase the pace and kanji per day due to work commitments taking over the next month. so i kind of had to finish around this week. the next few days are revision for the last few days kanji, but i am so thankful i don't need to write 先日、人口、一日、大きな、見せる、二つ etc first thing tomorrow morning.....

i slipped a bunch of 人名用漢字 towards the end for fun, and the list i used didn't include the all of the 2010 additional 常用漢字 "implemented" throughout. so they were technically last on my list as an additional bunch i guess even though they're required for the req. 2136. i think all in all i wrote about 2400　漢字 today, eventually it becomes...so easy and mindless. i think i was doing the first 1800 (and always a word/verb) in just over 3 hours, then slowing down as i got towards the more shitty stuff lol.

the grammar i finished a week and a bit ago. pretty straight forward stuff.

as for its effect...can't describe it. it just works. because my sensei knows how much of a weeb I am, she bought me a copy of West Bukes (novel) on her trip over the break. being able to read it - to an extent and at a slow pace - was a pretty good feeling. so it's gonna feel good to finish the book at some point lol. shit is long.

as a side note. the most fun words to write are probably 驚く、警察、回復、with 憂鬱 taking the cake.

also i dont know why i dropped random J in there but its fun

oh yeah also, im only really starting the listening stuff now. i did it in Jan over the NY break but when work started again there wasn't enough time to do all of it. so back in to that shiet now.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

being able to read it - to an extent and at a slow pace - was a pretty good feeling. so it's gonna feel good to finish the book at some point lol. shit is long.

It's a pretty huge milestone, and an awesome feeling, when you can start reading a real book written in another language (even if it's slow going at first) and actually understand it.

 

[TheSporkWithin]

It's a pretty huge milestone, and an awesome feeling, when you can start reading a real book written in another language (even if it's slow going at first) and actually understand it.

Seriously. I still feel giddy when the realization sets in that I've been reading for an extended period and haven't needed to reach for the dictionary once.

Congrats on finishing your "grindstone period" Resilient. When are you planning on taking the JLPT? I forget what time it's offered there.

 

[urfe]

Resilient, that's awesome. I've been in Japan 10 years, but there's still kanji I come across that I don't know. This week is was the second kanji in 招聘. I'm really slow at novels, but I also have been sticking with it and it is really rewarding.

I should really do something similar to brush up on grammar. Definitely my weakest part on N1.

 

[RangerBAD]

Good job, Resilient. In contrast, I feel like I'm struggling. I really fight my way through Tobira.

 

[Resilient]

lol thanks but in the end didn't really do anything..it was just studying.

Zefah, yeah it feels good, i mean i still have to look up words but i can read whatever, look up its meaning based (without having to guess each kanji/stroke order using an app) and then just commit the word to memory...shit is real

Spork, they made it available in Canberra and QLD for the midyear test, so I'll go for N1 in July. if i fail, i'll just take it again in Dec, makes more sense to do N1, potential fail, N1 than N2, N1. though with 4.5 months prep for listening+reading i don't see myself failing. is that cocky? i dunno, it's confidence i guess, it's only a fail if i dont commit the study to it lol. if expert did it in 3 months don't see why i can't in 7.

Urfe, that's pretty funny that you mention that (not laughing at you) - 招聘 was in my writing list under 招 along with 招待 and 招く. i kept writing 聘 waiting for it to come up in the 常用 list eventually but it never did lol. will be interesting to see how many of those pop up from now on and how many obscure kanji i picked up along the way.

thread has gone a bit quiet so i'll just post this for people who maybe lurk, feel like they aren't going anywhere or are middling.

put hours in. that's all really. just put as many hours as you can. out of all the discussion that happened over the last 3-4 months, the biggest things to take away from experts posts are simple things that anybody could tell you.

if you don't know it well, study it harder.
how much time do you spend playing games/watching TV? cut that out and study harder.
do you want to get better but can't find the time to study harder? cut out stuff like
- socialising with friends
- your girlfriend/boyfriend
- parties

if you do this stuff for even a month, you will see a huge change in your skill set. it just depends on if you want to do it or not. expert said it pretty good - you basically trade the fleeting good feeling of being entertained by TV, a game, a night out for the permanently good feeling of being able to understand Japanese. and when the initial commitment is done, you can just go back to all that stuff anyway. but with more options.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

Urfe, that's pretty funny that you mention that (not laughing at you) - 招聘 was in my writing list under 招 along with 招待 and 招く. i kept writing 聘 waiting for it to come up in the 常用 list eventually but it never did lol. will be interesting to see how many of those pop up from now on and how many obscure kanji i picked up along the way.

While I don't think 聘 is necessarily one of them, there are absolutely tons of commonly used Kanji that aren't part of 常用. I think this is especially true since the proliferation of PCs and mobile computing devices in Japan and it became simple for everyone to use Kanji they may not have otherwise if they were writing by hand. They did make a revision in 2010 that added a bunch (and also removed some), but you'll still encounter plenty in novels, etc. that aren't covered by the 常用 list. That's fine, of course, since it's not meant to be a comprehensive list of Kanji recognized in the Japanese language, but I definitely feel like the current number is a bit low, although I imagine the people in charge have spent a lot of time thinking about it before arriving at their current recommendation.

 

[Aizo]

Res, how much time were you putting in for kanji and grammar total each day in month three?

 

[Resilient]

Res, how much time were you putting in for kanji and grammar total each day in month three?

Kanji was looking at between 5-6 hours per day
Grammar was looking at about 1-1.5 hours per day

At the peak (all N4-N1 grammar), it was probably 3.5 - 4.0 hours Kanji and 1.0 - 1.5 hours grammar.

Bear in mind the grammar set up might be different for you. For me, it was this.

1. Study the grammar point. Use the dictionaries, google, goo, read some example sentences.
2. Create an English trigger in the list. Include how it would be typically form (i.e. the type of verb ending, or for nouns only etc.)
3. Write the pattern.

an example

20/1/2016
91. N compare between different levels; there is no point comparing
It’s no match for A, it’s too different to A that it can’t be compared.

the answer for this would be 比べものにならない。

 

[Aizo]

Shit, man. That's intense dedication. Obviously, if someone is dedicated enough, they can make that kind of time every day. While I understand that argument, I can't see myself making 5 to 6 hours every single day. 3 hours most days is difficult but doable, but damn. Anyway, very impressive! Good work, man!

 

[Resilient]

Shit, man. That's intense dedication. Obviously, if someone is dedicated enough, they can make that kind of time every day. While I understand that argument, I can't see myself making 5 to 6 hours every single day. 3 hours most days is difficult but doable, but damn. Anyway, very impressive! Good work, man!

you make the time for it, you'd be surprised how much time you waste if you actually sit down and figure out what you actually do in a day, lol. i still think 3 hours is totally worth it. i mean, you can easily set your "limit" to 3 hours. at the peak i could do 1400-1600 in 3 hours. so even if you aren't at that stage and you're doing 1000, you can probably say "ok, i'm going to drop the 25 for every new 25". you lose some repetition but you're just doing a modified method. the core is still there. you don't have to do all of them, you don't have to do anything really. it's about what works for you i think.

like, i just spent a few min popping this thread back up, and replying, i've probably lost 5 min. could be the same for you. GAF was exclusively poop/down time only for the last few months lol.

i want to hear how the other people are doing though. haven't heard from Porcile for weeks now.

 

[mcmmaster]

So is the OP up to date for someone just getting into learning Japanese?

I am planning to go to Tokyo later into the year around September and have decided it would be best to learn Japanese, whether or not I can get to an expert level by then isn't something i'm hoping to be able to do, but I would like to be able to get to the level of speaking and reading so I am able to get around in Tokyo without many issues. I've had a couple of attempts at trying to get into learning Japanese before but things just don't align, local girls only school teaches it and an evening course in the area doesn't match up with my work schedule.

I currently don't know where to start. I figured travelling to this tutor, he lives around 16 miles away and charges £25 per hour, mind I have to pay for travelling expenses as well. If I did this one hour each week till September I imagine i'd make good progress but I don't exactly have the best paid job.

If I can make progress on my own with the use of books, tools or games then would that be the better option as I would be able to dedicate much more time towards learning, I only work 4 days a week so I would commit a decent part of my 3 day weekend to studying Japanese. £25 per hour for the tutor is quite steep so my wallet is more open to going rogue in studying, but if their is no better experience than learning with a tutor then I might just end up taking the one hour lesson per week.

Anyone able to weigh in on this situation or have better advice, thanks!

 

[Resilient]

marimomomomo posted some content that would be suitable for a beginner a few pages back. they've actually contribute a lot in posts for stuff that would suit a slower burn approach.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=192735932&postcount=9100

if you sift through the last 600 or so posts you'll find a lot of discussion + content that will help you. if you have a good BG in japanese already like you say and you want to be decent level enough to read in September, there is a way lol.

dunno what to tell you about the tutor, but are they native? if so they could definitely help you with your conversation skills. you can do a lot on your own via self study though.

 

[mcmmaster]

Sweet, I will check those posts out. The tutor unfortunately isn't native, but they do seem experienced enough to teach at least that's what I gather from their bio. He's the only tutor available to travel to as well, their are others that offer online classes but with my spotty connection it just wouldn't work.

Likely going to down this self study route then, hoping I haven't come off too arrogant of what level I hope to be at by September, I just want to do as much as I can to make the holiday more enjoyable even if only slightly.

 

[shanshan310]

Sweet, I will check those posts out. The tutor unfortunately isn't native, but they do seem experienced enough to teach at least that's what I gather from their bio. He's the only tutor available to travel to as well, their are others that offer online classes but with my spotty connection it just wouldn't work.

Likely going to down this self study route then, hoping I haven't come off too arrogant of what level I hope to be at by September, I just want to do as much as I can to make the holiday more enjoyable even if only slightly.

Having a tutor would be invaluable for feedback, corrections, focus, getting a gist of where your level is etc. Even as a non native speaker there is still a lot they can teach you as a beginner. The cost seems reasonable so at least go try it out and see how it goes

 

[LorDjidane]

So I had posted a few weeks back here about my wanting to learn with videogames and mangas and such... I understood that there were lots of interesting discussions about J learning here so I went back to October posts and I inevitably read the expert's method. And saw that people were trying it (btw we're approaching your 3 months mark Resilient, can't wait to see your final feedback).

I must say that after reading all the posts here and thinking back on it, I do agree with expert's position and I understand how foolish I (and only I, not judging anybody here) with my "blabla learned English with video games" and stuff. I started E at 10 and by age 20 I started to be "proficient" with the language. I don't have 10 years of sloooooooow learning to spend so.

So I'm joining the train hoping I can get at least past the 2 weeks mark.