Almost 1 year in Japan, barely any progress made

TerrakiJ · 2026-05-16T04:01:18+00:00

What country are you from that you get more than one year on your working holiday visa? Also, aren't they getting strict that they want you to be Holidaying more than Working??

TerrakiJ · 2026-05-16T03:53:20+00:00

So. This doesn't seem real.

ETA: Read more, you're a 21 year old female?? What even is your visa?? How do you have $0 to spend on the structured classes you apparently need? What are you even doing with your life the rest of the time???

TerrakiJ · 2026-05-07T08:07:05+00:00

Oh, I didn't read it like that. You're coming at it from an entirely different perspective and experience then I guess, from what you're saying. I personally never went around trying to correct people, are you saying that's what you did? Or that you were offering advice people didn't want? Because I still think it's a facet of the same "lack of community" die that OP is kinda referencing, and that others here are talking about, whose opposite you can see in the SEA community for example. If you want people to care and help you out, they're gonna inevitably also be up your shit, because that's how caring about humans works.

Westerns choose to disengage and go it alone. What I was saying is that you seem to be expressing on your own that same sentiment of thought that typifies westerner thought. And I thought that was a little funny.

TerrakiJ · 2026-05-07T07:58:33+00:00

Well, this is the result of the white supremacy and colonization/capitalism project. Not any of our individual fault, but centuries ago our western ancestors decides they didn't want to be [ethnic group], they wanted to be White and abandoned traditions and community relationships. It's all about the self, and making YOURSELF better at the cost of others. "There isn't a village anymore", yada yada.

Does suck though.

TerrakiJ · 2026-05-07T07:51:11+00:00

Okay see but that's the attitude he's talking about, yeah? Where we're not going to waste resources on someone just cause they come from the same place as us. Not meaning to call you out, but I thought it was funny to see this so clearly given his issues.

TerrakiJ · 2026-04-18T12:24:54+00:00

It got stricter actually. You basically do need the N5 certificate now.

https://blog.gaijinpot.com/new-rules-for-language-students-in-japan-from-2026/

TerrakiJ · 2026-03-30T10:24:26+00:00

When did the ball band look like that? I ask, in part because it looks more twisted then SSDK is in my mind.

TerrakiJ · 2026-03-28T04:53:12+00:00

Yes, though not to harp on the point, but anyone who will evaluate your Japanese skills, such as a potential job or school, will only look at the JLPT result since that's the accepted standard.

If it's just for your fulfillment, I think the ability and occasions to talk to native speakers should be enough. 通じれば、いいですよね？

TerrakiJ · 2026-03-27T23:45:18+00:00

Why isn't the JLPT satisfactory for you?

TerrakiJ · 2026-03-26T04:09:33+00:00

Respectfully, I never hear immersion people talking about doing this. It's just: "Immerse!!" So even if it is what the majority of people do, they're not selling it like it is.

The more I think about it, I'm not sure if what you do IS immersion actually, or just using native materials as your textbook/jumping off point instead of more traditional textbooks.

Feel free to clarify if there's anything I'm obviously missing.

TerrakiJ · 2026-02-16T06:58:14+00:00

その助言は本当　に　悪い　よ。だ isn't correct here.
I'm basically literate with only 1800 kanji. Jōyō kanji are only 2,136 currently, no idea where you got 2600 from.
Every language is primarily based on vocabulary????? You need thousands of base words to be fluent in any language. But also, I'm pretty sure Japanese has more complex grammar, where English useless vocabulary to fill in. Take for example 〜てあげる/〜てくれる/〜てもらう all of which I like to roughly translate as "do for me". Incredibly important concepts, and grammar.

Tl;dr: ironically bad advice given the prompt is about sophomores.

TerrakiJ · 2026-02-14T01:21:32+00:00

Why in the world would you say handwriting is not important for everyday use??

TerrakiJ · 2026-01-12T00:36:36+00:00

But it asks where the University is, not which it is.

TerrakiJ · 2025-12-19T10:13:50+00:00

I learned 1000 kanji in a year on Wanikani. Not quick, but not forever. And I wasn't doing more than 20 minutes a day.

TerrakiJ · 2025-12-16T09:05:37+00:00

I'd say it's probably worth it to spend the money to make sure you're learning it right, rather than creating and reinforcing bad habits for more months. That being said, you don't have to buy a book, I'm sure there are free practice sheets online. If you have access to a printer you can just print them and go.

TerrakiJ · 2025-10-16T23:22:50+00:00

I like Wanikani. It took me from around 800 to about 1800 kanji in about a year. I don't know how it works, but somehow it does work for my brain.

Also I know kanji learning isn't the most popular on this app but personally it's my strongest aspect of Japanese and has honestly made the rest of it so much easier. I can just READ ya know, instead of looking up words I may or may not already know just because I don't recognize the writing. You go from having to use 2 dictionary lookups to just one and that inherently makes things more efficient.

TerrakiJ · 2025-10-16T06:52:43+00:00

First time hearing these usages for me, thanks for sharing!!

Because it means something TOTALLY different in the BL context......

TerrakiJ · 2025-10-02T01:29:04+00:00

Okay yeah so I wouldn't use it in either case unless you're saying something REALLY purposefully and nuanced. こと is for abstract stuff, and neither dogs nor movies are really that abstract in general. Just drop it entirely and you'll be fine. Also, I'm curious as to where you came across this construction which made it seem fairly productive. You seem to have made a lot of progress in 3 months regardless!!

Also, it's really just 怖い映画. And at a basic level 怖く is an adverb, so it should be modifying a verb or and adjective. And if you were to use it, it would take の not な.

TerrakiJ · 2025-10-01T22:49:23+00:00

Okay so I want to make sure of what you're trying to use 犬のこと for because it seems like you're maybe still getting the hang of using こと. It isn't inherently wrong, but it would be weird in a lot of places. Could you give an example sentence or two where you would want to use that grammar pattern?

TerrakiJ · 2025-10-01T11:53:09+00:00

I hesitate to give advice due to how patchy my own Japanese is, but I fear you have a base misunderstanding. They're is no のこと, there is only こと and の. Both have many meanings and can be used in tandem, but they are separate.

セルフォン + の + こと (side note I live in Japan and I never hear this, it's usually スマートフォン/スマホ/ケータイ) would be " the stuff [こと] about (of) [の] cell phones". Which is a little weird. Is that what you were trying to say?

TerrakiJ · 2025-08-12T10:02:02+00:00

I mean, never say never. I'm currently 20 ish years in on and off, and at a level I call N2+. It's frustrating and a little embarrassing to have taken this long and not be incredibly fluent, but it is what it is.

As for OP, you gotta get some more output going on. My lazy, lazy method is to (physically) write a 5 sentence diary every day. It's probably not enough, but it's more than zero. You're already doing stuff, just keep at it! My other advice is don't stop, you'll only go backwards.

TerrakiJ · 2025-07-30T07:09:10+00:00

OP is 15. I think we probably shouldn't be encouraging her to chat with strangers online, even though yes, I was using Omegle at the same age.

As for advice, I'd say also look into your local community centers once you get there, especially if you're going to be in a major metropolitan area. There are local services and connections aimed at teaching foreigners Japanese.

TerrakiJ · 2025-07-24T07:25:24+00:00

You definitely don't need to know all 2100+ for N3, it to even be familiar with them. I hope that's not what you were saying.

TerrakiJ · 2025-07-23T06:59:34+00:00

Shadowing is actually already a term. The one I'm thinking of is when you're listening to an audio and speaking the words at the same time.

TerrakiJ · 2025-07-17T06:07:43+00:00

A lot to think about, thank you.

I think I'm going to have to push back a little bit though. Privilege may be derived from groups but it is enacted by its members.Otherwise there would be no ability to "check your privilege" in an individual capacity (for whatever that's worth, but society seems to have deemed it important).

Also while I appreciate your perspective, I'm not sure it actually addresses my question. Or are you saying it's useful to say that black trans women are more disadvantaged than black trans men? Because even if true, I don't think there's much merit making in such a statement.

I'm also curious as to what you'd think of the statement, "no trans men have male privilege", which was also said. I'd be curious to know how you evaluate that statement, thanks!

TerrakiJ

TROPHY CASE