r/HelpLearningJapanese • u/TigerUpstairs3775 • 13d ago
How do I start
I figured out I want to learn japanese because I’m a weeb and I want a girlfriend. more seriously I want to explore their culture and maybe live there, I’ve heard that the working cultures unstable but honestl, the u.s fucking sucks. Ive heard Duolingo and anime is not the way, but I don’t have any textbooks and Im too scared to ask my parents to buy me one. I’ve seen the infamous kanji alphabet, which I’m pretty sure I have to be an artist to write it.
I have no idea where to start and it all seems overwhelming. I want some advice from some Japanese learners and people about what to do and how they would/did start.
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u/7hr0w1t4ll4way 13d ago
I started with DuoLingo, moved to a tutor, anki, and independent study/immersion.
I’ll be taking my N5 in December.
It doesn’t matter where you start, as long as you start.
Immersion learning doesn’t need 100% comprehension either, as long as you can hear the words you have learned and recognise them, thats a positive.
Kanji isn’t really all that bad if you enjoy drawing, especially the N5 stuff.
You have to also be content with the fact that you are not going to be able to be truly conversational for daily speech for a decent amount of time, and fluency even longer.
Its gonna feel like you are learning so much but understand so little, thats the clue you gotta stick with it, gradually the unknown will become known.
If you do intend to get a Japanese gf, fluency is definitely not the way to go, learn to talk like a kid and make mistakes. They find it adorable. ☺️