Japan remains the world’s second largest economy and will remain among the top 5 to 10 globally (and number 1 or 2 in Asia) during the remainder of the 21st century hence learning Japanese can be a big asset for anyone planning to travel or do business with Japan. Japanese is among the most fascinating languages in the world to study as a non-native speaker. Its complexity, its openness to incorporating words from other languages (gairaigo), and its association with one of the world’s strongest economies makes it an ideal choice for foreign language study. Here are three useful tips for learning Japanese faster and with better retention. However if you are looking for a professional approach to learning japanese there are two courses out there that beat the rest. One is the Rocket Japanese Course. More information about this program can be had here - Rocket Japanese. The other course is the Pimsleur Japanese Audio Course. You can find more information about it here - Pimslueur Japanese Review. I recommend Rocket Japanese over all other courses.
1: Master the basics first, then throw out the rule book: As with starting to learn any language, studying Japanese requires a mastery of the basics first. You must learn the basic grammatical structure (e.g., verbs are placed at the end of a sentence), the function of a particle, and when to use each of the four alphabets (kanji, hiragana, katakana, and romajii). However, once you are able to read even a simple sentence in hiragana, I suggest throwing out the rule book in terms of study order. Remember, you learned your native language without a rule book - you learned by doing. Follow the same philosophy for studying Japanese and you will attain mastery much more quickly.
2: Imagery: Using images in your head is an extremely powerful tool for learning Japanese. It has been proven that you can remember and recall vocabulary much easier when it is associated with relevant images. Using the example in the above hint, when learning the Japanese word ‘ichi’, think of a man itching his arm. This way, not only do you have an English word to help you remember the vocabulary, but you also have an image in your head. When learning sentences or phrases, you can produce a whole story in your head; you will be surprised just how much you remember with this technique.
3: Read Aloud : When reviewing your Japanese notes and publications, read them aloud. This will not only help with your pronunciation, but also the word recognition section of your brain. As well as getting used to speaking Japanese, you will be getting used to hearing it. I find that it exercises my “language muscle” much more effectively than when just reading to myself. This will help your speaking skills as well. I suggest alternating between non-fiction texts and books with lots of dialogue.
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