6 Crucial Tips for Moving From Beginner to Intermediate Japanese

6 Crucial Tips for Moving From Beginner to Intermediate Japanese

The definition of various skill levels in the Japanese language study community is widely discussed.

The rules themselves are a little hazy: some claim you're intermediate if you pass the N2 level of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test. Others believe that passing N3 is more akin to intermediate, whereas N2 is more like upper-intermediate or advanced. You should join the best Japanese language classes near you for the best results if you want to master the Japanese language.

However, no exam was able to determine my competence level. My everyday contacts with fluent Japanese speakers taught me this.

How I Discovered My Japanese Proficiency

Here's the rundown of what happened. I was in a video store in Japan looking for a tape that I had planned to rent (that tells you more or less how long ago this was). My Japanese was excellent enough at this time in my life that I knew the essential survival skills and words for living in Japan:

I could write my name in katakana and get compliments on it! "!" would constantly be said by post office clerks. "?????????? (Nihongo umami desu ne) – You have good Japanese

I could enter my address while hearing my favorite phrase, "??????????"

I could comprehend totals at the cash register without having the cashiers flip the display around for me.

Then there was the video shop. I assumed I was ready to leave. A buddy taught me the simple phrase "Do you have ( " ______???????"/ "_____ ga arimasu ka"). The issue this time was that I didn't know the Japanese title of the film I was looking for. I only knew the movie's original title, and when trying to pronounce it in Japanese didn't help the cashier understand it, he inquired what the movie was about.

"?…???…???…???…??????????????"

He was completely unaware. "What About Bob?" was what I was looking for. It's no surprise.

I still remember that as my "moment of truth": the realization that, for all the progress I'd made in my Japanese – and there had been plenty, given that I'd begun from scratch – I'd need to make much more if I wanted to attain more excellent smoothness in my day-to-day existence. That was the day I discovered my Japanese was still at a beginner's level.

If you're in a similar scenario, this post is for you. We'll look at different methods for identifying your Japanese skill strengths and possibilities to advance your Japanese abilities from beginner to intermediate level.

My Favorite Techniques for Moving Beyond Beginner Japanese

1. Determine Your Level of Japanese Proficiency

To effectively assess your level of Japanese, you must consider all four primary competencies: hearing, speaking, writing, and reading. Examine what you can accomplish in each. Remember that it is conceivable – in fact, extremely common – to be better at one ability than another. This is true for many Japanese learners.

Assume "John" has been studying Japanese semi-regular for around two and a half years. His listening comprehension is enough for grasping the essence of a typical Japanese comedy program.

However, if he read a transcript of the same show, he would barely grasp a few words here and there, even using furigana to aid him with the more complicated Kanji. While writing a synopsis of a two-minute piece of that program would be a difficult task for John, he could indeed have an introductory chat about it with his language exchange partner, even describing his favorite comedians.

The JLPT website is a beautiful place to start if you want to see where you are with the four abilities. It has many interactive, valuable tools for Japanese learners to assess their skills and weaknesses.

For example, the "Can-Do Self-Evaluation" gives a sequence of "I can..." statements for each of the four skills. When you've reached your breaking point, you've reached your JLPT level for that talent.

The JLPT website also includes example examinations for each competence for each JLPT level. Like those available on Nihongo Pro, other online exams are quick, engaging, and effective methods to assess your listening, speaking, writing, and reading skills.

2. Create a study plan and stick to it.

Once you've determined whatever abilities you lack, it's time to take action.

As you progress from beginner to intermediate, I've included some pointers for increasing your Japanese hearing, speaking, writing and reading abilities. I've used many of these tactics personally, and those I haven't come highly recommended by coworkers and other Japanese language learners.

Whatever Japanese language abilities you need to develop, make sure you select a successful and enjoyable technique. Use one of the two methods or none. It will be considerably more challenging to incorporate it into your usual language learning practice.

It's also crucial to have a well-planned and balanced diet — in other words, if you're working on many skills, work on them on various days. Plan which skill to use, when, how, and how long.

Consider learning Japanese to be similar to going to the gym. If you attend once a week and attempt to work out every muscle in your body, you won't make much progress and may even dislike it. You'll see faster progress and be more encouraged to keep going if you attend a couple of times each week with a scheduled regimen that matches your needs and goals. But, just as with working out, don't forget to take a break now and again!

3. Concentrate on Listening

When you first begin focusing on your listening skills, it is critical not to set your sights too high. To be sure, being able to comprehend your favorite Japanese dramas or films is a fantastic objective to strive for. You should start with something more appropriate for your present level if you're new to listening.

Increasing your vocabulary is the key to enhancing your understanding. The more Japanese words and phrases you know, the easier it is to grasp the context, discern critical concepts, and pick up on essential nuances. Use audio tools that teach you ordinary, daily words that you may be missing to improve your understanding.

Japanese music is an excellent listening resource. Songs employ natural, daily Japanese, and words, phrases, and topics from one song are frequently repeated in others. When you're

When you recall a song's lyrics, you remember the language included within them. You'll utilize those words in your original phrases before you realize it!

A decent language learning podcast is another valuable resource for making the beginner-to-intermediate transition. There are a plethora of Japanese-specific podcasts available to suit all levels of learners.

You may also exercise your listening skills. FluentU is a website and app that mixes real Japanese videos with interactive subtitles so you can verify your knowledge and learn new vocabulary. However, if you want to improve your listening abilities, you should turn off the subtitles.

4. Make Speaking a Part of Your Listening Practice

While several tools are available to help you improve your Japanese listening skills, increasing your speaking skills is a different story. One technique is to include speaking components into other Japanese language study practice aspects.

Assume you routinely listen to podcasts to improve your listening skills. What about "shadowing" the podcast? "Shadowing" refers to repeating along with the speakers while trying to mimic their pronunciation and intonation. This is an excellent technique to increase your fluency and accuracy while converting podcast input into output.

You may also enhance your speaking skills by locating a discussion companion. Your language exchange partner can help you fix your mistakes, teach you more natural ways to articulate your ideas, and give you unique cultural insights that you may not have gotten otherwise.

Find a partner that is a good fit for you and your level: someone who has taken a comparable leap studying a second language may be more understanding of your situation and have some valuable suggestions for you.

5. If you haven't already, learn KanaKana and begin writing Kanji.

Beginner Japanese Hiragana and Katakana: The First Steps to Mastering the Japanese Writing System (CD-ROM Included)

Learning the KanaKana – hiragana and katakana – followed by the Kanji is an essential aspect of writing. If you don't know how to write all of the KanaKana yet, start now: KanaKana opens the door to Kanji. The more Kanji you know and can write, the more writing chores you can accomplish in Japanese. "Japanese Hiragana & Katakana For Beginners" by Timothy G. Stout is undoubtedly the most incredible drill book for acquiring the KanaKana: each lesson is easy enough to complete in one sitting, including amusing and practical refresher questions.

Tuttle's Japanese Kanji Study: (JLPT Levels N5 & N4) The Innovative Approach to Learning the 500 Most Important Japanese Kanji Characters (With CD-ROM) Similar books are available for acquiring the critical Kanji required to go to intermediate.

Tuttle's "Essential Japanese Kanji Characters" series is one of the most popular. It is written with the learner of Japanese in mind. If you reside in Japan and feel adventurous, you may attempt a Gakken series drill book. Gakken provides kanji exercise books for elementary school kids, widely accessible in bookstores around the country.

Their modules are little – generally only a page or two – but the activities are extensive. You must first wade through the Japanese instructions.

When studying KanaKana and Kanji, it is critical to put them into perspective by writing simple phrases. Online diary services like lang-8.com allow you to engage in written language exchange: you can have your writing corrected by native speakers.

In turn, you may edit entries by those learning your native language. You get points for each post you make and each entry you fix! On lang-8.com, Japanese students of all levels, from total beginners to expert students, are all there for the same reason: they want to learn! Don't be afraid to ask!

6. Get Away From Romaji

Several beginner-level Japanese textbooks are available in romaji, or Japanese written in the Roman alphabet. You should stop if you're a beginner and still utilizing a romaji textbook. The more you cling to romaji, the more difficult it will be to transition to full-fledged Japanese reading and writing.

Romaji is also bad for Japanese pronunciation: when you talk, you envision Japanese as romaji, increasing your chances of "Anglocizing" your Japanese speech. Beginning Japanese reading with KanaKana is difficult for beginners, but it pays off long-term. It will make the transition from beginning to advanced much easier.

You can't go wrong with old-school flashcards to improve your reading of KanaKana and key Kanji. White Rabbit Press's are among the most commonly used and respected: they're long-lasting, rationally ordered. Each card lists many words or compounds that use the KanaKana or Kanji. You may increase your reading skills and your vocabulary at the same time!

If you're going to use flashcards, don't try to learn too much at once. Limit yourself to a couple of cards every week. Review at the end of the week: which ones did I recall the best? Which ones am I having difficulty with? Any cards from the latter group should be added to your pile for next week.

There are also digital flashcard programs that can handle this stage for you and tailor your learning route to your preferences. Anki is one of the most well-known. When Anki displays a card, you determine how well you recall it by pressing one of four buttons: "easy," "good," "hard," or "again." Anki's algorithms then track your progress and display KanaKana and Kanji that you struggle with more frequently.

Finally, just like learning Japanese writing, you'll need the means to put all of that KanaKana, Kanji, and vocabulary into context. Is your Japanese class taught from a textbook? Read aloud the example phrases or conversations from your textbook, then cover and repeat them. This is an efficient method for increasing your reading speed and bringing everything together.

How about a basic manga or anime if you want to challenge yourself to read something authentic? Classics such as "Sazae-san" and "Doraemon" are accessible in English, with Japanese captions above the panels. Try reading a narrative in English first, then Japanese, with the English dialogue removed. As you feel your comprehension and speed improve, take things

to the next level by reading in Japanese first – or, even better, reading the manga in its entirety in Japanese!

If you want more ideas on practicing these essential abilities, see our piece on how to create immersion without leaving your house.

Don't Give Up ( / akiramenaide )

This essay looked at different methods for determining your Japanese ability level and how to go from beginner to intermediate. We've spoken about several excellent practices as well as dangers to avoid. What happens next is entirely up to you.

What level of Japanese do you presently possess?

What location do you want them to be?

How are you going to transport them?

Whatever your aim is, make it obvious, apparent, and a part of your daily life. As the Japanese say,???????????? (idomanakereba erarenai) - nothing ventured, nothing gained. The beginner-to-intermediate barrier is high, and it may appear higher on specific days than on others. But if you keep focused and happy, you will succeed!

At Language Fluent, we help you learn a foreign language at the ease of time. We also provide IELTS coaching and language translation services online.