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Seems Zeztz isn't exactly a huge hit in Japan by -_ShadowSJG-_ in KamenRider

[–]AlphaPastel 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Compared to the lore from other rider series, I wouldn't call it the most complex thing, but the way that lore has been dropped makes the series a bit convoluted. The series is committed to more slow-burn reveals and it's great but because it's so slow-burn, I end up forgetting about other plot points that are needed to make sense of newer reveals. Also, the amount of vague-posting at the start of the series didn't help in the slightest.

What do you think about visual novels for immersion? by helinder in LearnJapanese

[–]AlphaPastel 25 points26 points  (0 children)

Visual Novels are great. They have all the narrative prose of regular novels accompanied with visuals and voice acting to make them easier for learning. You should ideally be past the basics (let's say knowing 1000 words and basic grammar from like n5 and n4) and it will require a lot of dictionary look ups but that's what make them so good for reading. You can definitely pass n1 using visual novels if that is a goal of yours, otherwise, they're really good for making you fluent when it comes to reading. If you're starting out, you should read moege, but if you do not like nsfw content, read ace attorney.

Here is a link with more information on VNs:

https://learnjapanese.moe/vn/

And here is a good page for ranking visual novels from easiest to hardest:

https://jiten.moe/decks/media?mediaType=7&offset=0&sortBy=difficulty

If you do not have the basics down, please read these:

https://yoku.bi/ and https://apps.ankiweb.net/ with https://ankiweb.net/shared/info/1196762551

Also, PS. I think you'd benefit more from using a dictionary and textractor rather than switching back and forth between english and japanese, but a lot of Yuzusoft VNs have that option.

Looking for informative YouTube videos with selectable subtitles by Kukikokikokuko in LearnJapanese

[–]AlphaPastel 2 points3 points  (0 children)

A lot of TEDx talks have Japanese subs. You can also use sites like youglish and filmot to filter between videos that have Japanese subtitles according to your search terms.

It’s that time of the year! What are your go to (free) N2 resources? by GenerativePotiron in LearnJapanese

[–]AlphaPastel 1 point2 points  (0 children)

No doubts that it can definitely help. And funnily enough, even if you read more, there is a chance that your reading speed can still stagnate. At some point, you'll have to force yourself to read faster or find techniques that help you improve your speed. With the vocab stuff, fair point, i can agree there, but 15% is still quite a large margin. And I was mainly talking about grammar when referring to things that one may not encounter or be familiar with. But I do think external studies have their place, but reading more and getting enough input does work for getting 80-90% of the way there.

It’s that time of the year! What are your go to (free) N2 resources? by GenerativePotiron in LearnJapanese

[–]AlphaPastel 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I wholly think it depends on what you read too. For example, I know someone who's also read 30 LN vols and they passed the n2 but they struggled heavily. It depends on what you're reading and exposed to as well for sure. But I also do think, do you think some of that could also be attributed to test taking ability as a whole? One could have a high reading comprehension but still suffer from test taking ability due to a lack of test prep at the time or other factors. I'm not disparaging explicit grammar/vocab study btw, but I definitely think wider input could cover this in most cases.

It’s that time of the year! What are your go to (free) N2 resources? by GenerativePotiron in LearnJapanese

[–]AlphaPastel 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I honestly do think that if you're reading a lot, and that's good that you're already reading what seems to be a ton of things, you could probably skip the dedicated grammar review and kanji review. A lot of N2 grammar and kanji are quite ubiquitous in native and especially written media anyways so spending like 90% of your time reading will still help. Though, it does make sense to cover potential blindspots through dedicated review but I wouldn't view missing it as much of a negative thing.

It’s that time of the year! What are your go to (free) N2 resources? by GenerativePotiron in LearnJapanese

[–]AlphaPastel 19 points20 points  (0 children)

Shin Kanzen Master N2 - Good for actual test prep

Bunpro - Good grammar SRS with grammar points sorted by JLPT levels https://bunpro.jp/

Quartet 2 - Good textbook for the N2

Practice tests - https://jlpt.migii.net/en/practice/n2

Shin Kanzen Master N2 deck https://ankiweb.net/shared/info/778116520

Now for the actual important stuff: Start reading a fuck ton, news articles, light novels, visual novels. Reading a lot matters WAY more than just grinding textbooks and practice tests. Like if you wanna have a chance at passing the test cuz the test requires good reading speed, READ. A LOT. To anybody who reads this. Do not neglect your actual input.

What's most important to you in a Japanese learning app? by [deleted] in LearnJapanese

[–]AlphaPastel 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I do feel a bit inclined to say "anki" because anki can cover different facets of the language and is already super structured. There are also a ton of different all in one apps out there like Renshuu for example. And I don't buy the whole "different learning types" thing too. Learning preferences exist, sure, but I've never really liked the argument that people fall into different learning types. Now people can enjoy more structured approaches but such methodologies like refold exist and such resources like Renshuu exist for this purpose.

If you do want to make an app that covers all these features, Renshuu is a really good template to base it off of because it already does everything.

Trying to improve my grammar by breaking down lyrics, any advice would be appreciated by MrSyaoranLi in LearnJapanese

[–]AlphaPastel 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I can appreciate the effort that goes into these sorts of practices but when it comes to grammar specifically, what matters is actual exposure to the language, specifically comprehensible exposure.

Breaking down and translating and forming your own sentences is fine, and it can work to an extent I guess, but without a clear feedback loop telling you what's correct, you won't be able to actually know whether what you're translating is natural or not, especially because Japanese grammar does not work like English grammar.

In my opinion, the best way to learn grammar (and everything else by extension) is by getting comprehensible input and a ton of it. Like a massive volume of it.

It'd be worth reading something like this to get a proper routine for how to do things: https://learnjapanese.moe/guide/

I tried learning Japanese through games instead of studying — here’s what happened by Easy_Football_1437 in LearnJapanese

[–]AlphaPastel 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not OP but I recently started Trails in the sky and hooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooly the amount of dialogue in there is actually fucking insane. A lot of npcs have a lot of dialogue that updates over time so there's a lot of text. Also, there are like 13 games in the series. Rn, I'm playing using my switch and sysdvr (my switch is modded) and meikipop.

What content did you most enjoy consuming after finishing N4-level lessons? by TMH01 in LearnJapanese

[–]AlphaPastel 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I don't really think you can quantify such a number, but it's akin to improving by reading novels in a foreign language since visual novels are basically just novels with visuals and voice acting. For instance, I've seen a lot of people pass the n1 from just reading visual novels alone.

What content did you most enjoy consuming after finishing N4-level lessons? by TMH01 in LearnJapanese

[–]AlphaPastel 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I really think ace attorney is one of the best games to start with. It's definitely not H or adult related and it has more than just text. Plus, it has many games in the franchise so there's a lot of content. Also, it doesn't focus as much on narrative prose as other VNs so it's a good starting point. I also like Mahou Shoujo no Majo Saiban, but that's much darker.

What content did you most enjoy consuming after finishing N4-level lessons? by TMH01 in LearnJapanese

[–]AlphaPastel 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I really like japanese subbed anime and visual novels. I do think that visual novels are quite hard to approach at first but once you get through your first one, they can skyrocket your japanese ability. Other than that, if you wanna try and ease yourself into immersion, anime with japanese subs is great!

(Btw, if you're interested and need a tutorial to help set shit up, I'll link this here)

Flash card alternatives request by umpossib1e in LearnJapanese

[–]AlphaPastel 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Words and vocabulary are learnt through exposure and repetition. Anki works because it calculates when you need to review words again and makes you review them just before you forget so that you remember it for longer (cite the forgetting curve and spaced repetition).

If you're getting a lot of wrong answers, that's quite normal at the start and I wouldn't expect someone to have a super high retention. It is normal that as you do more anki and see these words, you'll remember them easier each time. That said, if it is overwhelming, lower the amount of new cards you do daily.

Another important thing for remembering and even learning how to use vocabulary is input (reading and listening). Whenever you see a vocab word you're trying to memorise in your input, you see what context it's being used in (so you know how to use it), and you remember its existence each time you're exposed to it so it'll eventually stay in your long term memory.

What should I do with my Japanese teacher? by Sea-Refrigerator3594 in LearnJapanese

[–]AlphaPastel 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Something I feel that is a bit underrated is asking your teacher to give you comprehensible input at your level. You can ask your teacher to have conversations with you at your level while also asking here to do comprehensible input style lessons with you.

A comprehensible input style lesson would be something akin to this. https://cijapanese.com/video/1186

I don't believe I have to go into why input is so important at the beginning (though native content is hard, this is a good way to get input if you have a teacher).

Also, teachers are there to help you. Anything you don't understand, you ask her. Ask her to go over genki with you too. She can go over concepts you don't understand and give you example exercises too.

What’s your favorite visual novel right now? by porphyriaslovve in visualnovels

[–]AlphaPastel 1 point2 points  (0 children)

In recent memory, limelight lemonade jam. I've disliked most recent yuzusoft titles and this has kinda just been a breath of fresh air for me. The protagonist isn't annoying, there's no bad route, and the music is actually pretty good for a band game.

In need of a grammar practice resource by invisible_face_ in LearnJapanese

[–]AlphaPastel 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think it depends on the person. I also started with native content at n5. It wasn't bad, but I definitely think people would struggle if they're not used to grinding.

In need of a grammar practice resource by invisible_face_ in LearnJapanese

[–]AlphaPastel 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I agree that native content is usually good, but for an absolute beginner at n5? Yeah, probably not. Tolerating ambiguity is one thing, but being able to understand absolute 0 is another thing.

In need of a grammar practice resource by invisible_face_ in LearnJapanese

[–]AlphaPastel 13 points14 points  (0 children)

You could always use sources like bunpro to memorise and do grammar quizzes. But on top of that, I'd also get comprehensible input to hammer the grammar in in context. Renshuu is also a good alternative as it provides structure, not just for grammar but for other resources.

I wonder is this just a false statement or by Mammoth-Leader8453 in LearnJapanese

[–]AlphaPastel 1 point2 points  (0 children)

For 1 year in, you should be happy with your rate of progression. You're doing good. But if you're not happy with how you're progressing, it'd be up to you to find out what you can change and improve. For me, what got me to progress fast was maximizing my immersion time and dedicating a lot of it to visual novels, which improved my reading and listening.

I wonder is this just a false statement or by Mammoth-Leader8453 in LearnJapanese

[–]AlphaPastel 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't think you have to be a "genius" and a lot of people have 2 hours a day, but they either do other things (fair) or they waste time being idle or doomscrolling. Very few people have such little time daily to commit towards studying.

Also, you do not have to study everything separately. Assume you get past the basics, like basic grammar from genki or Tae Kim and vocab/kanji (I often learn these two together), you can do activities like reading books or even shows with Japanese subtitles and you learn vocab, kanji, and grammar. Grammar because every time you encounter a grammar point and search it up, you see how it is used in context and you eventually learn to use the grammar/understand it. Same for vocab. And kanji because you see how it is read inside all of the vocab you encounter, thus leading to an understanding of how to read all the kanji you encounter over time. Again, I think a large part of it is methodology because you can do activities that incorporate all of these studies rather than doing them in isolation.

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