What You Should Know Before Learning Japanese

So many people list learning Japanese as something they'd love to do in the future, or something they wish they could do but don't feel like they ever really could.

Somewhere along the way, we were taught that Japanese is an impossible language to learn, and it feels intimidating to beginners.

The truth is that while Japanese has its quirks (just like any other language), it is absolutely possible to become fluent in the language and even pass as a native speaker. To do that, you'll need to learn the ins and outs of the language, practice consistently, and mirror native speakers.

Why do I say this so confidently? Because I was completely new to the language at 15, and I speak it fluently now. I often get asked if I was born in Japan or if I'm actually a native speaker. I don't say that to brag, but to show you that it's possible for anyone with determination to learn and speak Japanese really, really well.

If you want to learn Japanese, here are a few things I think you should know to help you along your journey of mastering the language.

1. The Japanese language is highly influenced by Japanese culture, so you'll need to learn both

You can't speak Japanese in a vacuum, because it's very dependent on Japanese culture and society. If you want to learn how to speak the language well, you'll also need to learn about the people and culture of Japan.

2. Japanese pronunciation is very robotic-sounding, so it's best to imitate a robot voice when you are starting out

The absolute best way to master Japanese pronunciation is to imitate native speakers, but until you can get a good feel for the intonation and pronunciation of words and phrases, your best bet is just to imitate a robotic voice. Each syllable in a word should be the same length, and you won't raise or lower the tone of your voice like you do in English. 

Of course this won't be 100% accurate when you're just starting out, but the biggest mistake I see with Japanese learners is that they add too much stress or raise or lower the pitch of their voice too much when speaking Japanese. If you practice being robotic from the beginning, it should be much easier to pick up the natural pronunciation of native speakers.

3. Don't be afraid of making mistakes

You might feel intimidated knowing that Japan has a lot of rules and prescribed manners in society. You might hesitate to speak up in Japanese to a native speaker in fear that you might sound rude. But in most cases, Japanese people will overlook any mistakes that a foreigner makes, because they understand that you're still learning the ropes.

Instead, you'll be better off speaking as much as you can and taking every opportunity you can to practice your language skills. The mistakes you make will teach you faster than any other lesson, and you'll quickly get a feel for the language in a way that you couldn't if you only studied by yourself.

I've made many mistakes speaking Japanese, some really embarrassing, but I've never made those mistakes since. I'm glad that I took all the opportunities to speak and have conversations, even though I probably sounded really weird at the beginning.

4. The best way is to keep learning every day

Even if you learn at a slow pace, keep learning and reviewing what you know every day. You can't expect to master Japanese if you do a burst of learning here and there but leave long breaks in between. 

It's best to find a manageable pace for yourself and commit to exposing yourself to the language every day. Even if you don't want to study, you can watch a Japanese TV show or YouTube video and get listening practice. Just don't stop! :)

There are so many things to learn while studying Japanese, and I believe the experience will really stretch you. It's a great challenge and it's so satisfying to finally understand what people are saying around you in your daily life in Japan. These four tips will help you jumpstart your journey to fluency in Japanese.

Now it's your turn! Let me know in the comments: what's the reason you decided to learn Japanese?