My Worst Mistakes Learning Japanese (7 Years to JLPT N1)

The way I WOULD learn Japanese, if I could start over, is to use NativShark 1-2 hours per day, then supplement with Japanese media and whatnot I enjoy:

FULL DISCLOSURE: I'm one of NativShark's founders, and I personally wrote all of the 700+ lessons (and counting) on the platform (always alongside a native speaker).

If you end up using NativShark, get $60 off with code JAPANESE-WITH-NIKO

More details on mistakes mentioned:

1. No Flashcards.
I think you actually could learn Japanese with no flashcards, if you have a good pipeline of level-appropriate content to study. This is just very hard to find when you're an absolute beginner, especially way back in 2008.

2. Paper Flashcards.
Fun, but not very efficient. You can have a deck of 100 cards, and you have to go through all 100 just to find the 1 or 2 cards you actually need to review.

3. One-word Flashcards.
Even learning them in a collocation or short phrase is better than this. But ideally you want them in sentences in specific contexts (mistakes 6 and 7).

4. Learning w/out kanji.
Ultimately, you read to learn Japanese by developing a great sight vocabulary (i.e. being able to 'read' a word written with kanji as a whole the moment you see it). But studying words without kanji delays the acquisition of sight vocabulary. Also, you're not really learning to read natural Japanese but instead a dumbed-down version of it.

5. E→J Flashcards.
People often argue with me when I say this. Putting the target language on the back of a flashcard makes the flashcard more difficult. More difficult flashcards take longer to do. So you learn new words more slowly. Knowing 1000 words really well is not as useful as "sort of" knowing 2000 words. You need to "sort of" know A LOT of words if you want to interact with native materials (e.g. TV shows), and being able to do so speeds up your learning even more (so that you no longer just "sort of" know all those words). If you want to really "make a word stick", study it in multiple sentences/contexts, not an E→J flashcard. If you want to get better at writing or speaking, try to convert the thoughts in your brain specific to you into Japanese, then have a native speaker give you feedback on the attempt, if possible.

6. Words w/out Sentences.
Yeah, learning words in phrases or common collocations is better than learning them in isolation, but learning them in full sentences (which can be 1-word sentences, depending on the context) is better.

7. Sentences w/out Contexts.
It's so hard to learn natural Japanese if you don't know the exact context in which a sentence is being used. I should have been wary of learning materials (textbooks!) that pretend including the context for target sentences is optional.

8. Overemphasizing SRS.
Unless you are studying flashcards that have specific contexts for all the sentences you're studying, your flashcards are probably too light on context. Also, they weight repetition over variety of contexts, which is a less efficient way to learn. I think SRS can be good for when it's hard to get a steady pipeline of high-quality, level-appropriate, context-rich study content. But SRS shouldn't be prioritized over that if access to such a pipeline exists.

9. Focusing Primarily on Kanji.
It's easier to learn kanji in words in sentences in specific contexts. This can be done faster without ever setting aside separate "kanji studies".

10. Kanji by Rote.
This really did not work well for me. I'm astounded people say they learned (to read!) kanji this way — including native speakers.

11. Quitting Completely.
Man, if only I'd kept studying those 2 years (between 2010-2012)!

12. Constant Doubt.
This made learning Japanese so much more painful. And it's the main reason I quit for 2 years.

13. J→J Flashcards.
This isn't a terrible "mistake", as there are some benefits. But I could have learned more words faster by leaning on my native-level knowledge of English. Learning more words faster is always preferred because it raises comprehension, which in turn makes learning more things faster and easier. Also, I wanted to translate, and this made that very hard initially.

Other Notes:
I didn't address much related to speaking or writing (i.e. production). Not everyone is interested in this, and I don't want to give people who aren't the false impression that they need to be. In other words, if you just want to consume Japanese media and don't care about talking (just yet), that's totally fine. If you want to speak, though, that needs to be incorporated into your studies sooner than later (another mistake of mine).

Good luck with your studies! You can do it! Don't give up!

Code: CTVPDSXPQTNYT2DT

[dennisreynolds]

Finally, a channel that's not another person who's learned N5-N1 in a year.

[Uatemydoodle]

Amateur. I've studied Japanese for over 10 years and don't even have N5 yet. Get on my level.

[rrr...]

Guys you're not alone. My mother language is Japanese and I've been studying English for 10+ years and still can't speak properly. The structures of English and Japanese are freaking different. Not only you struggling with it but Japanese doing too.

[metalsabatico]

In a world where everyone claims that if you don't reach N1 in two years you are dumb, this s such a relief to hear. I've been studying on my own for about 20 months and sometimes the voice is very loud. Thanks for this.

[yasuragi]

learning japanese has been an interesting process to me. As a native portuguese speaker and having no idea about how I even got to a level of english where I can understand things effortlessly, I had 0 background on how to approach language study. I basically had to figure out what worked and what didn't for me all by myself. A year later now I'm really glad I picked up on JP. It's not like I've reached fluency but hey, we're always learning

[Jensonolp]

I really appreciate how you focus on the mistakes and challenges you've faced while learning Japanese. Showcasing errors and pitfalls is equally, if not more, important than showcasing how a skill can be acquired quickly. Thanks for being real about it all and sharing your insights with the Japanese learning community! Keep up the great work.

[ScholarfLanguage]

your voice was so soothing bro but im glad to hear any time put into studying counts

[s.k.bradford]

I've been in Japan for 2 years. I've been learning Japanese for 7. I show up and study everyday and it feels like things don't stick. I still struggle with some fundamental basics and that voice tends to get pretty loud sometimes. But I usually wait for it to pass and it does. But this past weekend, that voice got the loudest it's ever been "You'll never learn it" and tbh, I really wasn't sure. I love Japanese but it doesn't love me back sometimes haha Then I stumble upon your video by chance, and in a very calm and kind voice, I hear "I have that voice too. don't let it get to you. don't be too hard on yourself and enjoy it." and I have been in tears for the last 10 minutes. This made me feel incredibly better. Thank you.... so much. 

Please let me know where to send the therapy bill.

[rafhamine]

I've had about 10 years of japanese classes twice a week during elementary and middle school, and I graduated without being to hold even a basic conversation and failed JLPT N5. I was so frustated that after all this time I hadn't been able to learn japanese, but after I started studying by myself, that's when I really began to learn, and it's been only a couple of months now. So, it's really encouraging watching someone that it's not claiming to have learnt N1 level in a couple of months. Great video!

[liamcorreia]

Thank you so much for assuring me that it's okay, no matter where you are. I've been self studying Japanese for about 6 months now, and I've loved almost every moment of it, but it's been very hard for me to really gauge how well I'm actually doing. Like if I tell people I'm studying Japanese, they ask me to tell them something in Japanese and I'm like 'uHhHHh...　僕のなめは。。。’, and they're always like 'wow, 6 months for that???' or something like that. Sorry, I'm ranting, but I just wanted to thank you so much for this video. It really did make my day better, and I hope my experience was shared by everyone else who watched this.

[seigoed]

I’ve been studying for 15+ years off and on. Finally passed N2 on the third attempt last December.

As long as you don’t give up we’re all gonna make it

[EliSprague]

Hey man, this is my first video of yours to see and all I want to say is I sincerely appreciate your energy and attitude. Thanks for posting this out for everyone.

[Stellaaahmanella]

This is so encouraging!
I think it is also important to remember, as someone, like myself, who struggles with perfectionism, that actually just approaching learning more loosely is better than planning everything out to be the most efficient and being stuck in that phase, and ending up learning nothing at all.

[pwcraddock]

I'm SO happy to find this video and channel, thank you! Flashcards with full Japanese sentences is a great tip.

[baturaykumbaroglu]

Lemme talk about working out for a minute. In my first year or two I was obsessed with researching in-depth the most efficient, science-backed exercises and debates around the perfect form for this lift and that lift etc.. The research is worthwhile, it will give you a strong foundation to build on and set you on the right path.
But at a certain point you get more value out of just... doing. Just showing up. Day after day, months on end. And for that, you need to make it a habit you enjoy.
Maybe it's not the most perfectly engineered workout out there, but if you're consistently putting in some meaningful work, and you look forward to it after a long day, then that's what makes a difference long term.

Now a bit over two years into studying Japanese, I feel the same way about constantly overthinking how you study. I really related to the bit about the paper flashcards there :)

[ivangg]

Thank you man...Im here in japan and im fighting for my life to just put the word, and I constantly doubt my methods and everything. Its cool to see that lots of people understand.

[kyleclark]

Not being too hard on yourself is the best advice. And have a good time. I hit a wall for a while and just adjusted my expectations and came at it fresh and felt a lot better. Learning a language is a lot like lifting weights. You work it enough you are going to get better no matter what method you use.

[AntonDev]

Very happy I got recommended this video. Thank you for sharing!

[purpltm]

I loved this! I'm leaning heavily on wanikani now and it's helped with so many other resources (and finally being able to read things and understand the 'why' of words). It really makes them easier to remember, even though it's more to remember. I know I need to branch out again, so I'll give Nativshark a go. Thank you for sharing your story - it's always great to hear something so sincere and humble!

[popcorn]

It's interesting to see how everyone has their problems and optimal learning methods, and priorities when studying! Great video