Occupationsしょくぎょう

Guide to Self-Studying Japanese

A large proportion of Japanese learners self-study. Finding places to learn Japanese in a classroom environment can be difficult and expensive. Here’s a guide on how you can learn Japanese for free and from the comfort of your sofa.

When learning Japanese, the most important step is to learn Hiragana and Katakana, the writing alphabets of Japanese.

The best way I’ve found to do that is to make flashcards. Make sure you practice writing as well as recognizing them, this will not only be a great skill to have but will also reinforce the shapes in your mind.

Resources:

[Hiragana 42], the best guide I’ve found to learn the Hiragana (in a day!) [Hiranana and Katakana Quiz Site] [Kana Invaders Game] [Anki] An amazing program that will make sure you never forget any Kana….

The next step is to start learning vocabulary. Where can you find what to learn? Use a site like Memrise to find word lists (for example, there is a word list for all the vocabulary in starter textbooks like Genki), and use the amazing interface to learn them and keep them in your long term memory.

Resources:

[Memrise] as mentioned above to find and learn vocabulary lists. [Most Common Words List] [Anki] An amazing program that will make sure you never forget any Vocabulary….

While encountering vocabulary, you’re likely to be coming across super-complicated-looking Kanji. You can learn Kanji through Memrise as above, but there are some other websites that may be of interest.

Resources:

[Kanji Damage] A great site where you can learn Kanji through mnemonics. [WaniKani] by the same people who make TextFugu can help you learn Kanji from scratch. [Anki] An amazing program that will make sure you never forget any Kanji….

The next step is to apply that new vocabulary to grammar points and start making sentences.

If you can’t get your hands on textbooks like Genki, don’t fear! There are a lot of great online grammar resources.

Resources:

[TextFugu] a highly rated ‘online textbook’ which will guide you right from the beginning of learning Japanese. [Guide to Japanese] another online textbook with a lot of grammar points and excellent explanations.

So you probably started to learn Japanese because you have some interest in Japanese media. Time to start using it to your advantage!

Aside from the obvious watching Anime, J-dramas and films, why not try Reading Japanese News? Watching Japanese TV? Just make sure you are making these activities productive - note down new vocabulary, add them to Anki, and keep learning! It’s much easier to learn things you’re interested in.

The most important but difficult part of self-studying Japanese is getting your own compositions checked. Utilize all that grammar and vocabulary and write a short piece, it could be a diary entry or a short essay. Get it recorded for you by a native on RhinoSpike, and checked for grammar and consistencies on Lang-8.These sites also give you the chance to connect with Japanese natives, and perhaps start up some language exchanges!

For more resources, take a look at my Ultimate Resources List

Any more tips? Please submit them here!

Dark German Vocab

Vergangenheit (f) - past  Gegenwart (f) - present Zukunft (f) - future 

Zeit (f) - time Zeitreise (f) - time travel Wurmloch (n) - wormhole schwarzes Loch (n) - black hole Maschine (f) - machine Zeitmaschine (f) - time machine

Kind(-er) (n) - child(-ren)  Elternteil (m) - parent Fremder (m) - stranger Polizei (f) - police

Selbstmord (m) - suicide Brief (m) - letter Höhle (f) - cave Wald (m) - forest Atomkraftwerk (n) - nuclear power plant

vermisst [inf. vermissen] - missing [inf. to miss]  verschwinden - to disappear

zweitausendneunzehn - 2019 neunzehnhundertsechsundachtzig - 1986 neunzehnhundertdreiundfünfzig - 1953

Let me know if there are any mistakes!

白い目で見る

しろいめでみる

to look coldly at; to turn a cold shoulder

彼は性格が悪いのでみんなが白い目で見ています。 かれ　は　せいかく　が　わるい　ので　みんな　が　しろいめでみています。 Because he has a bad personality, everyone looks at him scornfully.

（人）を白い目で見る: look at someone with disapproval / regard someone with disdain

Japanese Vocabulary : Using your phone in Japanese

[FRENCH BELOW]

This list is not complete, I will update it from time to time when I can ! Please note that I’m using a Samsung Galaxy S7 and  there might be slight differences depending on the phone you have.

I will not put the terms written in katakana, as 1) you should know them 2) their meaning is usally easy to guess since most of the time they’re english words.

PS : If you’re learning French, note that there are quite a few words / expressions that are abbreviated ! 

PS2 : Also note that I put my phone back in English and French to get the best translations, but some words are “computer terms” so please check before using them in another context :)

I hope this will be useful :) 

Cette liste n’est pas complète, je la mettrai à jour quand je pourrai! Prenez en compte le fait que j’utilise un Samsung Galaxy S7, donc il se peut qu’il y ait quelques différences avec d’autres téléphones.

Je ne mettrai pas les termes écrits en katakana : 1) vous devriez les connaître 2) si vous comprenez l’anglais leur sens est normalement simple à trouver, sinon il suffit d’aller chercher la signification (ce qui est bien plus facile que de chercher des kanjis qu’on ne connait pas…) 

PS : J’ai remis mon téléphone en anglais et en français pour avoir la meilleure traduction, mais faîtes attention car certains mots sont des termes réservés à l’électronique et pourraient ne pas fonctionner dans un autre contexte ! 

ロックを解除(かいじょ)するには、スワイプしてください : Swipe screen to unlock / Faîtes glisser votre doigt sur l’écran pour déverrouiller.

機内(きない)モード : Airplane mode / Mode hors-ligne

省電力(しょうでんりょく) : Power saving / Eco. énergie

縦画面(たてがめん) : Portrait / Portrait 

自動回転(じどうかいてん) : Auto rotate / Rotation auto. 

位置情報(いちじょうほう) : Location / Position

全(すべ)て消去(しょうきょ) : Clear all / Effac. tout

通知設定(つうちせってい) : Notification setting / Param. notif. 

電卓 (でんたく) : Calculator / Calculatrice

翻訳 (ほんやく) Translate / Traduction 

連絡先 (れんらくさき) Contacts / Contacts

時計 (とけい) Clock / Horloge

電話 (でんわ) Phone / Téléphone

予約 (よやく) Schedule (a message) / Programmer (un message)

削除 (さくじょ) Delete / Supprimer 

画像 (がぞう) Pictures / Photos 

検索 (けんさく) Search / Rechercher 

編集(へんしゅう) Edit / Modifier 

全てを朗読(ろうどく)にする Mark all as read / Tout marquer comme lu 

保護(ほご)メッセージ Locked messages / Messages verrouillés 

お問(と)い合(あ)わせ Contact us / Nous contacter 

履歴(りれき) Recents / Récents

作成(さくせい) Compose / Rédiger 

番号 (ばんごう) Number / Numéro

入力 (にゅうりょく) Enter (a text) / Rédiger 

共有 (きゅうゆう) Share / Partager 

追加 (ついか) Add / Ajouter 

非表示 (ひひょうじ) Hide / Masquer 

貼(は)り付(つ)け Paste / Coller 

作 (さく) Notes / Notes (Tumblr, Instagram…)  

保存 (ほぞん) Save / Enregistrer

my favourite thing about the ancient egyptian numerals is that once you get to a certain point really high up in numbers you just have this little guy holding out his arms saying “a whole fuckin lot of numbers”

some compounds of one of my favourite kanji, 火

60 Japanese words for household objects

LIVING ROOM (リビング ribingu or 居間 ima)

１。 アーマチェア [āmuchea] ~ arm chair

２。電気スタンド [denki-sutando] ~ desk lamp; floor lamp

３。絵 [e] ~ painting

４。エアコン [eakon] ~ air conditioner

５。エンドテーブル [endo tēburu] ~ end table

６。電話 [denwa] ~ phone

７。ヒーター [hītā] ~ space heater

８。本棚 [hondana] ~ bookshelf; bookcase

９。コーヒーテールブ [kōhī tēburu] ~ coffee table

10。ソファー [sofā] ~ sofa

11。テレビ [terebi] ~ TV

BEDROOM (寝室 shinshitsu）

12。ベッド [beddo] ~ bed

13。ふとん [futon] ~ futon

14。カーテン [kāten] ~ curtains

15。枕 [makura] ~ pillow

16。目覚まし時計 [mezamashi-dokei] ~ alarm clock

17。毛布 [mōfu] ~ blanket

18。ナイトスタンド [naitosutando] ~ nightstand

19。シーツ [shītsu] ~ sheet

20。たんす [tansu] ~ chest of drawers

BATHROOM (バスルーム or 風呂場）

21。バスタオル [basu-taoru] ~ bath towel

22。ブラシ [burashi] ~ brush

23。ドライヤー [doraiyā] ~ hair dryer

24。歯ブラシ [ha-burashi] ~ toothbrush

25。鏡 [kagami] ~ mirror

26。シャワー [shawā] ~ shower

27。石鹸 [sekken] ~ soap

28。トイレットペーパー [toiretto pēpā] ~ toilet paper

DINING ROOM (ダイニング or 食堂）

29。フォーク [fōku] ~ fork

30。コップ [koppu] ~ glass; cup

31。ナイフ [naifu] ~ table knife

32。紙ナプキン [kami-napukin] ~ napkin

33。皿 [sara] ~ plate

34。スパチュラ [supachura] ~ spatula

35。スプーン [supūn] ~ spoon

36。テーブルクロス [tēburu-kurosu] ~ table cloth

37。器 [utsuwa] ~ bowl

KITCHEN (キツチン or 台所)

38。電子レンジ [denshi-renji] ~ mircrowave oven

39。冷凍庫 [reitōko] or フリーザー [furīzā] ~ freezer

40。椅子 [isu] ~ chair

41。コンロ [konro] ~ stove

42。キャビネット[kyabinetto] ~ cabinet

43。オーブン [ōbun] ~ oven

44。冷蔵庫 [reizōko] ~ refrigerator

45。食器洗い機 [shokki-arai-ki] ~ dishwasher

46。流し台 [nagashidai] or シンク [shinku] ~ sink

47。テーブル [tēburu] ~ table

48。ボール [bōru] ~ mixing bowl

49。フードプロセッサー [fūdo purosessā] ~ food processor

50。フライパン [furaipan] ~ frying pan

51。包丁 [hōchō] ~ chef’s knife

52。泡立て器 [awatateki] ~ whisk

53。計量カップ [keiryō kappu] ~ measuring cup

54。計量スプーン [keiryō supūn] ~ measuring spoon

55。コーヒーメーカー [kōhīmēkā] ~ coffee maker

56。まな板 [manaita] ~ cutting board

57。ミキサー [mikisā] ~ blender

58。鍋 [nabe] ~ pot

59。トースター [tōsutā] ~ toaster

60。ざる [zaru] ~ colander

A small list of verbs! Tomorrow I will post a note sheet for conjugating verbs. For now, just remember that ます is present tense when dealing with verbs. 

Hakone Japan - 2017

Shot by Sony α6300

More images on www.instagram.com/valiantjapanese

lifehack: whenever someone asks me to say something in a language I'm learning, I literally just translate the phrase "I don't know what you want me to say so I hope this is enough"