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If you're serious about learning Japanese, you need to move there. I'm not sure there is any other way to properly understand all the uses of "kakeru" besides s

by loomio 12y ago

If you're serious about learning Japanese, you need to move there. I'm not sure there is any other way to properly understand all the uses of "kakeru" besides simply hearing them all hundreds of times to the point where you just "feel" when it's right to use it. There's just no substitute for immersion and pure exposure. I studied Japanese at one of the most demanding University programmes for two years intensively (an hour of class, another hour or two of language lab time, another two or three hours studying PER DAY) but I honestly did not really start internalizing any of it until I lived it every day. It was watching TV, hanging out in bars, hearing the subway announcements, and texting my friends that actually let me become fluent. It's like any other skill, actually... could you learn painting by reading about it but not using a brush all the time? Could you learn gymnastics watching demonstrations but never trying to do a flip? I'm not saying you don't practice - it sounds like you've worked very hard - but immersion is a completely different kind of experience. If there's any way you can, don't give up on your dream Move to Japan, even just for a year. Once you really internalize the language, it will be a part of you forever.

byuu 12y ago
I really would love to go the immersion route, but just cannot do so. In my 20's, I was always far too poor. Perhaps I should have gone the student loan route and tried harder then, but unfortunately I didn't. In my 30's now, I have some money; but I'm also married, have a stable career, a home, two cars, etc. The best I can hope for is to simulate immersion as much as possible. Watching TV Japan, playing games, listening to music, etc.
pixelcort 12y ago
Even living in Japan is not enough. I'm able to get by for days in Tokyo with only please and thank-you's. Even one or two days using English-only, my SRS flashcards indicate I'm forgetting more vocabulary than I'm learning. My suggestion is, wherever you are, find one or more native speakers to talk with at least every day. If aren't any in your local area, use Skype or some other video chat to talk with native speakers. Just watching movies and TV shows and reading books doesn't usually work. You need to see the facial reactions of a native speaker as they listen to you speak.

by loomio 12y ago

byuu 12y ago

I really would love to go the immersion route, but just cannot do so. In my 20's, I was always far too poor. Perhaps I should have gone the student loan route and tried harder then, but unfortunately I didn't. In my 30's now, I have some money; but I'm also married, have a stable career, a home, two cars, etc. The best I can hope for is to simulate immersion as much as possible. Watching TV Japan, playing games, listening to music, etc.

pixelcort 12y ago

Even living in Japan is not enough. I'm able to get by for days in Tokyo with only please and thank-you's. Even one or two days using English-only, my SRS flashcards indicate I'm forgetting more vocabulary than I'm learning. My suggestion is, wherever you are, find one or more native speakers to talk with at least every day. If aren't any in your local area, use Skype or some other video chat to talk with native speakers. Just watching movies and TV shows and reading books doesn't usually work. You need to see the facial reactions of a native speaker as they listen to you speak.