Learn Japanese online faster than ever before

The time it takes to learn Japanese varies widely among learners, but according to the US Foreign Service Institute, it typically takes around 2200 hours for English speakers to reach proficiency. This estimate, however, can vary, as numerous factors influence the learning process. These include your native language, any other languages you speak, the amount of time dedicated to studies, and your overall commitment to the learning process. What can make Japanese difficult to learn is their writing system, grammar, and pronunciation, which are quite different from English.

When choosing the right learning method for yourself, you need to consider your learning style, goals, and interests. 

• Writing systems – You should start by first learning hiragana and katakana, which are relatively easy to learn. After you’ve fully learned these, you can move on to learning kanji and focusing on the easiest ones. Lingvist has hiragana and katakana decks that teach you how to type them on a keyboard.
• Structured learning – Use a language learning app like Lingvist, which can help you stay motivated and on track to help you learn new words, provide feedback, and track your progress.
• Immersion – Immerse yourself in the language through Japanese media. Watch Japanese dramas, movies, or anime, listen to J-pop, or follow Japanese YouTubers. This helps with listening skills and understanding cultural nuances.
• Practice speaking – Find language partners who you can practice with. Practicing with a native speaker can really help with your listening and speaking skills.
• Be consistent – Regular, daily practice is more effective than occasional long sessions. That’s why learning with Lingvist is a great way to improve your Japanese. You only need 10 minutes of daily study with Lingvist to start seeing your Japanese skills improve rapidly.

Japanese has three different writing systems: hiragana, katakana, and kanji. Learning all of them may seem daunting if you’re just a beginner starting to learn Japanese, but it’s an important step toward fluency in Japanese. With the right approach and consistent study, you can definitely learn the Japanese characters. Here’s how you can approach learning each:

Hiragana is used for native Japanese words and grammatical elements. Of the three writing systems, this one is the easiest to learn. Use apps like Lingvist to help you memorize the characters. Practice writing them and pay attention to the stroke order.

Katakana is used to write foreign names and words or sometimes to emphasize the words. You can use the same methods for learning katakana as you used for learning hiragana. With katakana, you’ll be able to read even more Japanese.

Kanji are characters borrowed from Chinese. There are thousands of them, however, so learning them will be a longer process. Lingvist is a great place to start, because you’ll begin with the easiest kanji and move on to more difficult ones gradually.

If you’d like to learn Japanese on your own, then there are many options and methods to choose from. You should choose one that fits your learning style and schedule best, but if you haven’t decided yet, here are a few options that could help you learn Japanese on your own:

• Listening – Immerse yourself in the Japanese language as much as possible to train your listening skills. Watch Japanese TV shows and movies, or listen to Japanese audiobooks, podcasts, or music.
• Reading – Another immersion method is to read books, news articles, and blog posts in Japanese. It’s good to start with topics you already know or are interested in; that way it will be easier for you to grasp the topic under discussion.
• Language learning apps – Mobile apps offer interactive lessons and the ability to practice on the go. By using a language learning app like Lingvist, you can improve your Japanese skills with only 10 minutes of daily study.
• Make learning Japanese fun for yourself – Learning a language requires dedication and persistence. You can stay motivated by setting goals, tracking your progress, and rewarding yourself for achieving milestones.

Learning Japanese can be quite challenging, especially for native English speakers, as the writing systems, grammar structure, and pronunciation patterns differ significantly from English. However, with dedication, effective learning strategies, and consistent practice, you are sure to reach fluency in Japanese. Here are some factors that might make Japanese more difficult than other languages:

• Writing system – Japanese has three different writing systems: hiragana, katakana, and kanji. Hiragana and katakana are phonetic characters that each represent 46 different sounds. Kanji are characters that have been borrowed from Chinese.
• Grammar structure – Japanese has a very different grammar structure when compared to English. It uses a subject-object-verb (SOV) word order, which is different from English’s SVO structure. Additionally, Japanese has particles that indicate grammatical relationships between words, which can be challenging to grasp at first.
• Pronunciation – Japanese pronunciation can be challenging for English speakers, as there are sounds that do not exist in English. Additionally, Japanese has pitch accents, which means that the pitch of your voice can change the meaning of a word.

Hopefully, these points haven’t scared you away from learning Japanese. It is a beautiful and expressive language that opens up a rich culture and history. With the right approach, you can achieve fluency in Japanese in no time at all.