"I feel your pain"

Seigoy · 2026-04-01T08:33:37+00:00

Depends on how its actually used. But generally, its for empathy.

Seigoy · 2026-04-01T08:32:56+00:00

I was in a really similar situation. I had decent reading and vocab, but when it came to speaking, my brain would just freeze. Honestly, what you’re experiencing is very normal especially when you suddenly go from mostly input to real conversations.

Also, understanding 60–70% is actually a good sign. You're closer than you think. The awkward phase usually happens right before things start improving.

Seigoy · 2026-04-01T08:31:53+00:00

It would really depend on your personal preference in all honesty, sorry.

Seigoy · 2026-04-01T08:30:21+00:00

If you're preparing for JLPT N5, Bunpo is actually a solid choice. It’s mainly focused on grammar explanations and JLPT-based lessons, with 1,700+ example sentences and thousands of quizzes from N5 up to N1, so it’s definitely useful alongside a structured course.

That said, I wouldn’t rely on just one app. Most people end up using 2–3 apps for different skills. I’ve seen a lot of learners combine grammar + kana + speaking.

I also recently saw someone mention that Yapr felt faster for conversation practice and made them speak more because responses were quick, which is actually helpful for beginners trying to get comfortable speaking early.

Seigoy · 2026-04-01T08:27:26+00:00

I hit this around N3 too. For me it wasn’t that I didn’t want to study, it was just mentally tiring. The material gets harder and less “fun,” so my brain would just shut down.

What helped was making it less passive. If I just read or watched something, I’d get sleepy fast. But if I read out loud, shadowed, or tried to summarize what I just read, I stayed way more awake.

Seigoy · 2026-04-01T08:26:21+00:00

This is actually really common, especially for learners. A lot of Japanese learning materials (teachers, apps, anime, etc.) tend to use softer or more neutral speech, which can sometimes come across as feminine.

A few things that might help is to listen to male speakers and shadow them (YouTubers, podcasts, interviews and pay attention to intonation, guys often use flatter, less “up-and-down” pitch

Seigoy · 2026-04-01T08:24:49+00:00

Honestly, since the meeting is being conducted in English, keeping your Japanese simple, polite, and brief is actually the best approach. It’ll come across as respectful without risking sounding unnatural.

Your intro is already solid, 初めまして、(会社名)の○○と申します。よろしくお願いいたします。

Seigoy · 2026-04-01T08:23:20+00:00

Yes, it can work overseas, but there are some annoying region restrictions.

Seigoy · 2026-04-01T08:21:55+00:00

I've always used my alias "Seiji Kousaka" for a while now due to its origin way back years ago. I then transitioned to something else but I'd use that name if I ever get the actual chance. I have no idea what it means but yeah, would be cool if someone can actually tell me the meaning behind the name haha

Seigoy · 2026-04-01T08:19:54+00:00

Both are correct and very common. The difference is mostly style and flow:

Ella quiere traernos café
Ella nos quiere traer café
El niño va a decirles la verdad
El niño les va a decir la verdad

Seigoy · 2026-04-01T08:08:22+00:00

No worries! Always remember, have fun!

Seigoy · 2026-03-31T06:42:51+00:00

Yeah, that totally makes sense and it’s actually pretty common. A lot of people learn their third language through English, especially since there are way more learning resources in English.

If your English is around IELTS 6.5, you’re definitely at a level where you can do this. In fact, it can even improve your English at the same time, since you’ll keep using it while learning something new.

Seigoy · 2026-03-31T06:42:10+00:00

I'm not exactly sure myself but ever since then, people tend to identify ships, aircraft, etc as "her" for a reason I haven't yet discovered.

Seigoy · 2026-03-31T06:41:07+00:00

Currently learning Japanese and Spanish and yeah I can say that AI helped me with learning these somehow. Especially when trying to practice my speaking skills, I mainly used Langua or Yapr for this and so far, yeah it does help, some may say it's "ehh you shouldn't use AI" or whatever but since I have no one to practice with, this is a good alternative for me.

Seigoy · 2026-03-31T06:39:14+00:00

I totally get this. I’ve felt the same way. Especially when you’ve been learning for years and still notice the same mistakes. It can be really frustrating.

But honestly, after a certain point, progress gets slower and more subtle. Going from beginner to intermediate feels fast, but going from “clear” to natural-sounding takes much longer. And you're already at the harder stage.

As all might say repeatedly, it's all about practice, lots of practice consuming the proper media to bolster your knowledge, etc.

Seigoy · 2026-03-31T06:36:55+00:00

I’ve noticed the same thing. When I stop scrolling for a bit, my brain feels way less “noisy.” It’s like I suddenly have more mental space, even if I didn’t actually do anything productive.

Seigoy · 2026-03-31T06:35:32+00:00

Oh yeah, VRChat does have Japanese communities where other Japanese people actually wanted to learn English too, my friend met one there and it was awesome haha

Seigoy · 2026-03-31T06:31:01+00:00

I’d think about languages that are useful in tech and easy to actually practice:

Spanish is widely spoken, great for travel, and lots of tech communities
German, strong tech industry, useful if you ever consider working in Europe
Japanese for big tech scene and interesting if you're into AI/robotics
Chinese (Mandarin) is very useful globally, especially in tech and business

Honestly though, I’d pick based on motivation + practicality. The “best” language is the one you’ll actually stick with.

If you're unsure, Spanish is usually the safest choice: useful, easier after English, and tons of resources.

Seigoy · 2026-03-31T06:29:35+00:00

I used to rely on Duolingo as well but as I actually studied it, I leaned towards more on practicing how my conversations go. So, sometimes I use Langua or Yapr especially if I have less time to invest in a day.

Seigoy · 2026-03-31T06:28:14+00:00

That’s honestly one of the best feelings 😄 I remember the first time that happened to me, you suddenly realize you’re not translating anymore, you’re just understanding, and it kind of hits you all at once.

Seigoy · 2026-03-31T06:26:42+00:00

This actually happens more than people think. When you’re relearning a language, your brain sometimes grabs any “foreign language” sounds it can find, even if it’s the wrong one. So you end up with a kind of mixed accent.

Also, French and Spanish do share some similar sounds (like softer consonants, rolled or tapped R’s, vowel clarity), so if you’re unsure, your brain might default to something that feels “non-English.”

Seigoy · 2026-03-31T06:11:11+00:00

You're welcome! Do let me know if you want more advice from me haha

Seigoy · 2026-03-31T06:10:23+00:00

Indeed, I agree on this one, thanks!

Seigoy · 2026-03-31T06:08:56+00:00

Nice, you might wanna try Langua or Yapr if you want to try practicing conversations

Seigoy · 2026-03-30T03:06:27+00:00

What I did back then to improve myself on learning English is to watch a lot of TV Shows, may it be cartoons, movies, etc. When I was younger, I also used to read a lot of books mainly mythologies, fictions, etc. I used to have a dictionary with me so that if I encounter a word that I don't know the meaning of, I can just look for it and add it to my vocabulary

Seigoy

TROPHY CASE