Review and Get Ready for 2018

~ eddaddy03 ~ Leave a comment
While I learned the meanings for around 90 kanji for the JLPT N5 test, I don’t have a good grasp on the (on yomi, kun yomi) readings.  Before the test, mainly in November I was studying on average of 3 hours a day.  With the holidays it’s probably been about 30 minutes since I’ve been watching 1-2 hours of Japanese dramas and random Youtube videos.
I’ve binged through all of Erased and Million Yen Women.  I’ve also went back to the first season of Terrace house to listen to the dialogue that I don’t completely understand yet but an piece some of it together.  Unfortunately, there are no english subtitles for the earlier seasons.
Things to do:
  • I’ve started to study again, and man, I really need to review informal (short) form.
  • I also need to start planning out my trip to Japan in April.  It’ll be during the Cherry blossom season.
  • Review grammar.

 

I’ll be starting the Genki II book next week and my next (in-person) class will start in three weeks.

Christmas time

~ eddaddy03 ~ Leave a comment

Christmas is just about over.  I’ve been pretty much been in holiday mode all week.  Watching youtube videos and Japanese dramas on Netflix.  I’ve subscribed to wanikani as I kept on reading more and more great reviews.  I’ve also taken a couple of my kanji books off the shelf to start reviewing them as well.

Review

~ eddaddy03 ~ Leave a comment

So I just booked my flight to Japan for next year.  I’m excited.

I realized there were a couple things I need to review like informal short form grammar.  Maybe I’ll look at documenting some kind of stats like how many kanji and vocab words I learned and/or know.  We’ll see.

Catching up

~ eddaddy03 ~ Leave a comment
(Written earlier)
It’s been a week since I’ve taken the JLPT N5 exam.  After a couple months of intense studying and cramming I’ve only had maybe 3 classes since.  I also just returned from a short vacation in Hawaii.  There’s definitely some topics I feel like I just crammed in and didn’t fully master so I’ll have to go back and review all of those.  I finished the Genki I book but not the workbook.  I’ve also purchased the Genki II and Genki II workbook in preparation for the next few months of studying.
I’m a bit scatter brained with Japanese when I’m not studying by the book.  I jump from topic to topic, reading and watching videos.  So when studying from a book, in a sense there’s some kind of structure but that is defined by the authors of the book.  I’m not sure if there’s an official text book that will teach in order of JLPT objectives or grade level objectives.  Two different guidelines, for kanji anyway, referenced here:  http://tangorin.com/common_kanji
During “free study” I’m kind of all over the place – looking up different topics and resources.  I’ll create a page with links that I’ve personally found as great resources and then the ones that are probably best suited for learning the culture.  In addition, there are a few things I’ve come across online that are probably more entertainment than anything.
At what point of learning Japanese, are you past the beginner stage? Is it after 2 years of studying? After passing the JLPT N5 and N4 tests? Each book series, starts and ends at different subjects, grammar points, etc. That’s one thing I”ll need to research. .