Ten best ways to learn Japanese language

Have you ever watched Japanese anime and wondered what they were saying? Are the English subtitles not enough? If you are looking for ways to learn the Japanese language, keep reading.

Japanese might be one of the most challenging languages compared to others because of the characters they use. They don't use the Roman alphabet like they would in languages like English, French, or Spanish.

The Japanese language may take time to learn (especially if you want to be fluent in it). However, you always want to start with the basic words first like “hello” or “goodbye” and so on. With that said, let's take a look at the list of ten best ways to learn Japanese:

1. Use A Language App

With everything pretty much being done on a phone or tablet these days, there's bound to be an app that will be helpful with learning a new language. You can learn Japanese on one of many mobile apps. Among some of the most popular favorites include Duolingo, Memrise, and Babbel (among others).

What really makes these language apps fun is that it can allow you to learn some Japanese in as little as five minutes per day (assuming you don't have much time, but still enough to learn). Duolingo and Memrise are free to use to an extent (you can get premium versions of them for a price).

2. Find a Japanese Tutor

If you live in an area where language tutoring is available, you can find one that specializes in Japanese. If there is no one who lives in your area that can teach you the language, don't despair. The closest place you can get to a Japanese tutor is online.

Websites like Preply and Italki are a couple of good places to start. Keep in mind though that the rates for online tutors will vary. Some will cost you $10 an hour while some others may ask for $50 an hour.

Remember, it's the value that you'll get out of the lessons. If you are willing to pay more, go for it. The same way goes for the less expensive options.

3. Practice Writing, Reading, and pronouncing Kanji

Kanji is one of the few scripts that are used in the Japanese language. You can practice writing each of the characters of these scripts so you can get a better understanding of how to write and read the language. Pronunciation will also be a must so you know how each character sounds.

When writing, be sure to write a pronunciation guide in English (like you would see in a regular dictionary).

4. Take a class locally (if available)

If there is a Japanese language class in your local area, then you'd be crazy not to pass up the opportunity. There may be a college or university that might offer the class to both enrolled and non-enrolled students. Research the course catalog to see if it's available.

5. Purchase textbooks

If there is one thing that might help you learn Japanese, it's purchasing textbooks. College bookstores would be a good place to start (if the school itself offers a Japanese course). Otherwise, you'll likely end up purchasing a textbook on Amazon or other related websites.

You can purchase the textbooks new or used (depending on where you purchase them).

6. Use audio courses

Back in the day, people would learn languages using a combination of booklets and audio tapes or CDs. Even today, this is still one of the most reliable ways to learn a new language. Plus, you might not even need CDs or tapes.

In fact, you can probably find a Japanese lesson or two on iTunes of all places. There are plenty of learning podcasts that will teach you the basics of Japanese and beyond.

7. Use flashcards

Flashcards are a great way to not only learn new words and phrases, but they are perfect for those reviews so you can be able to learn and memorize them. Also, picture flashcards may also come in handy so you can be able to visually identify certain items. You can find these flashcards online or purchase a stack of them online.

8. Listen to Japanese Media

Whether it's podcasts, radio streams, or even TV shows or news programs you can listen to the Japanese language even with some of the basic phrases that you can understand completely. This is highly suggested when you have a decent amount of knowledge of Japanese. But regardless, you can listen to Japanese media so you can get a sense of how the language is spoken.

You can record your voice online for free with VEED Voice Recorder

One of the things you'll notice is the language is spoken at a slightly fast pace. So it might be a little tough to catch some of the words you might already know.

9. Review, review, review

This word can not be repeated enough. Reviewing what you've learned on a regular basis will help you master the Japanese language. If you miss a word or seem to be struggling with some of the vocabulary, you can always find creative ways to learn them such as images that sound like part of the word you are trying to learn. For example, an image of a knee would come in handy if you were struggling to learn the word “konichiwa” (Ko-KNEE-Chee-Wah).

10. Record yourself

When practicing with speaking and pronouncing Japanese words, record yourself on your phone or on video. That way, you can always go back and review the words. Say the word in Japanese and repeat the English translation. It's kind of like those language learning tapes we've talked about earlier.

Final Thoughts

If you are looking to learn the Japanese language even in the quickest time possible, the ten ways listed above are your best options. Find one that is easy for you and get a good grasp of the language in no time. While it might be a challenge, it's one that is worth enjoying.