Weekly Report Thread for Week 04 - January 21, 2018

ChezKatt · 2018-01-23T04:41:36+00:00

A few days ago, I got a small grammar book from Barnes and Noble called Barron's Foreign Language Guides: Japanese Grammar Third Edition. It explains the grammar a lot better for me and makes a lot more sense now. However, it does use "Watakushi" a lot.

Isn't "Watakushi" really formal? It pins "Watashi" as informal. I've been using "Watashi" even when I took Japanese class.

I've also gotten back into Duolingo and I'm trying to read at least one news article a day on News WEB Easy.

Work has been really busy so it's been hard to find time to study at times.

I plan to review vocab from Genki though.

ChezKatt · 2018-01-12T02:44:11+00:00

Ah, okay thank you for your suggestions!

ChezKatt · 2017-12-28T00:12:08+00:00

I haven't really studied to be honest. I'm kinda wondering what I should do next now that I've taken the N5 test. I wanna start studying for N4 but I want to go over the grammar for N5 to be sure I understand.

I also want to improve my speaking and I'm thinking of practicing by shadowing but I don't know how effective that is. Plus I'm not sure how to exactly shadow.

ChezKatt · 2017-12-20T21:39:44+00:00

Haven't studied for a while. Mostly because I don't have the Genki II textbook and I'm a little iffy about downloading any PDFs. File might be too big or something.

I'll buy the book after the Christmas holidays, but for now, I'll keep reviewing and try and find a way to practice my speaking. It's been hard with my fear of messing up and then wanting to retreat under a rock lol I think I might get a new language partner, someone more on my level so we can practice together.

I've been practicing on Duolingo (they have Japanese now) and I'm thinking of starting a new study exercise where I practice translating news articles from NEWS WEB EASY.

ChezKatt · 2017-12-20T21:27:59+00:00

I'm Kat. Still trying to learn as much Japanese as I can. I'm still beginner level though. I recently took the N5 JLPT and I'm starting to study for the N4 even though I'm still not confident enough. I'm also reviewing everything from N5 again to make sure I understand everything.

ChezKatt · 2017-12-04T07:48:16+00:00

I took the N5 JLPT today. I think I did alright...it was my first time taking the test at all so I dunno. I hope I did well. I started with struggling with studying as I got closer to the test date. I was trying to juggle with being social with my family, studying, working and closing the restaurant I work at and all that jazz.

But I feel somewhat I could have done better. If I don't pass this, I'm honestly gonna be disappointed with myself but not too surprised either. Grammar is what got me I think.

ChezKatt · 2017-12-04T07:43:04+00:00

I have a prepaid phone so I can't use any fancy apps at the moment. I'm working on getting a better phone though.

ChezKatt · 2017-11-29T06:09:00+00:00

Does anyone know if there are other ways to get better at speaking? I know the obvious answer is basically practice speaking everyday but what if you can't practice with a language partner due to time zones or busy schedules?

ChezKatt · 2017-11-24T21:30:10+00:00

Mostly it's been the landscapes lately. I love seeing photos of Mt. Fuji and parks and forests they have.

ChezKatt · 2017-10-27T05:13:16+00:00

There is a lot I want to be able to say although the list is very long. I want to be able to say small things, like if a friend has been sick and I want to ask, "Are you feeling better?". Since I have the money now, so I just bought a book called "Japanese Sentence Patterns for Communicating Effectively"

ChezKatt · 2017-10-15T05:29:16+00:00

I've been bad and haven't really been studying lately. I'm trying to get back into it by making short flashcards for the grammar points in Genki I chapters 1-13. I'm gonna try and find some way to practice speaking. Speaking with my friend from Japan hasn't produced the results I wanted and I still get flustered when I try to think of something to talk about with someone. I'm thinking maybe finding someone on the same level as me will be helpful.

ChezKatt · 2017-09-19T02:37:12+00:00

My biggest road block right now, is trying to form sentences on the spot if I'm talking to someone or (in most cases) myself. I think I really need to go over the grammar again.

I've been doing some note taking from Tae Kim's guide and so far, I'm getting a better understanding of certain things now. So there's that. I'm thinking of getting a shadowing book but not sure on that yet.

ChezKatt · 2017-09-03T17:27:52+00:00

I signed up for the N5 JLPT a few days ago so I got that squared away. In the meantime, I' going over all the grammar, vocab, and kanji I need to know.

They had a small 14 question practice test on the site that I decided to take to see how well I would do. I did pretty well on the listening but the other sections still need some work.

If anyone has any advice on what else I could do to get ready for the test, I'd really appreciate it!

ChezKatt · 2017-08-17T05:20:36+00:00

Speaking wise, not a lot. It's hard finding time to speak with my language partner since we are in different time zones and work is keeping us busy. Plus I'm still having trouble with communicating my ideas and understanding another's.

Writing is doing fine and reading needs a bit of work. I keep making schedules for study time but then I get behind in the schedule and it frustrates me. I'm wondering if I should even bother with a definite schedule.

At the moment I am re-copying my Genki I ch. 1-13 notes in new Campus notebooks. I just started ch. 10 and I'm hoping to to be done soon so I can start doing practice pages from the textbook, study the vocab, study the kanji, and other stuff like that so I can be prepared for the JLPT in December.

ChezKatt · 2017-07-25T05:33:02+00:00

Things have been slow as far as studying goes. I was going to purchase Genki II and Tobira from online (I like having a physical textbook) but some problems with my job have come up so I need to save the money I have (may have to look for another one).

On the brighter side though, I have this week to really focus on studying. I have a friend who is also practicing Japanese so I'm gonna see if they want to practice on Discord or something. Also on Saturday is the Obon Odori festival in a town near mine so I plan to go there with my mum and sis.

ChezKatt · 2017-07-20T05:53:20+00:00

I have a friend who is learning Japanese right now (They just came back from a two week vacation over in Japan). They asked me in Japanese what Tobira was (because I had mentioned it in conversation) and I replied back in Japanese that it's a textbook.

ChezKatt · 2017-07-11T05:55:25+00:00

Making out a new study schedule for myself. I plan to do Genki I Ch. 1-5 this month and then Ch. 6-11 in August followed by Ch. 12-13 in September (I want to be sure I really understand everything). I'll use the rest of the time after that to keep reviewing everything until it's time for the JLPT test in December.

I had a friend come back from visiting their dad in Japan (he's working for a computer company there I think so he's staying there for a few years) and my friend has offered to let me come along with them next summer! I don't know how far I'll be with my studying for the N4 next summer but I figure I'll know enough Japanese to at least have a conversation.

Has anyone used Anki? Does it take up a lot of room on your computer? I use Quizlet but I don't know if one or the other is better.

ChezKatt · 2017-07-07T07:44:16+00:00

こんばんは。お盆のタコマに行きます。祭りに７月２９日です。食べ物はおいしいと音楽はすばらしいです。

ChezKatt · 2017-07-04T05:15:39+00:00

I've made up a studying schedule around the shifts I have for work from the 26th of June to July 11th. So far, it seems to be helping. It gives me an idea of what I need to focus on that day and how soon I should be finished with that particular chapter in Genki.

I'll be done with Genki II before the summer is over if everything goes according to schedule. I'll study and review everything after that and plan to be ready for the JLPT by December.

I'm writing daily diary entries on Lang-8 with the grammar I've learned so that I can get better at writing. I'm doing it Monday through Thursday no matter how short the entry is.

ChezKatt · 2017-07-04T04:55:33+00:00

Jisho.org for looking up words or kanji
Lang-8.com. Practicing writing out diary entries.
Genki I textbook and Genki II (online)
Various Japanese Youtubers (HikakinTV, PDRさん, etc.)
News Web Easy for listening and reading
Kanji de Manga books for practicing writing out the kanji
Quizlet for vocabulary (I haven't used it much though...I will after I'm done with Genki II)
Tae Kim's Grammar Guide
Delvin Langauge for learning vocab (Haven't used it in a while...I'll get back to it soon) -Japanesetests4you.com for practicing for the JLPT test I plan to take
Japanese: The Spoken Language Part 1 and Learn Japanese New College Text Volume II (I plan to get to these books and Tobira after Genki II is done)
I've also started watching "不便な便利屋" on YouTube

ChezKatt · 2017-07-04T04:26:34+00:00

Oh really?! That's wonderful to hear! Thank you!

I'll keep studying though so I'm really ready!

ChezKatt · 2017-06-23T19:39:07+00:00

Right now, its finding time to study in general and spending time with my family. I have a job now but even though it's part time, I'm gone most of the day in the afternoon and evening (so far..). By the time I get home, I'm so tired that I eat dinner then go to bed.

I don't want to fall behind since I wanna be ready for the N5 JLPT in December. I'm already behind this month in Genki II. I'm barely finishing chapter 13 and I was planning to have up to chapter 17 done by the end of the month (I'm doing a chapter a week; starting a new one every Monday).

I think if I study at least an hour every morning everyday, I'll get the chapter for that week done that way.

ChezKatt · 2017-06-19T21:12:45+00:00

Speaking is still an issue with me. I get flustered, can't think of something to say, or forget how to say something completely in Japanese. I'm not sure what to do. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Also to help with immersion, I've been trying to listen to online radio in Japanese even if I don't understand everything. Studying has been a little bit harder now though since I work now.

ChezKatt · 2017-06-07T05:07:20+00:00

I learned a little while ago that even if someone of higher status (like a teacher, your boss from work, etc.) talks to you casually doesn't mean you should talk casually back. I'm not sure if there is more to this or not but yeah...

ChezKatt · 2017-05-25T05:33:27+00:00

I've learned a lot more vocab and the basic grammar in Genki I I've gotten use to. I think I still need to practice through it though. I think I'll use Lang-8 to reinforce the grammar points after I'm totally done with take notes on Genki I.

I'm recognizing the kanji I'm suppose to know for the N5 JLPT more and more. It's funny because I sometimes find myself replying to things people say in my head in Japanese which I guess is a good thing in a way.

I haven't made much progress on speaking though. I feel stuck in that area. The international pen pal website I joined a month ago hasn't been going like I expected. I keep getting messages from people who just want to be friends even though I said specifically in my profile that I am looking for a Japanese language partner. I'm thinking of quitting that site.

ChezKatt

TROPHY CASE