Thread: How hard is it to learn Japanese

Originally Posted by blakjapaneseangl

it's not hard at all really. just have someone talk it with you. you'll get in no time.

うそ～　じゃあぁこれを呼んで下さい。　訳すのは出来ないと信じる理由がない。

unless you can read that, you need to be quiet -_-;

And English is a miserably hard language to master phonetics, spelling and grammar for (we have so many exceptions to every rule that is seems almost confusing to bother making rules at all). Japanese is painless in comparison (pronunciation, spelling and grammar-wise). It's the writing system and heirarchical speech that will kick your ass.

Originally Posted by tsurara

うそ～　じゃあぁこれを呼んで下さい。　訳すのは出来ないと信じる理由がない。

unless you can read that, you need to be quiet -_-;

And English is a miserably hard language to master phonetics, spelling and grammar for (we have so many exceptions to every rule that is seems almost confusing to bother making rules at all). Japanese is painless in comparison (pronunciation, spelling and grammar-wise). It's the writing system and heirarchical speech that will kick your ass.

As a non-native English speaker who primarily learned the language from TV, films and games I have to say it's not hard at all. Many languages are MUCH harder on the student with their endless lists of exceptions.
The fact that you can see and hear it everywhere certainly helps eliminate many of the phonetic and spelling problems.


Redragon495 if you're interested, to pass the prestigious level 1 (highest) level of the official Kanji aptitude test you'll need to know a whopping 6000 (!!) kanji.
That's pretty freaking insane.

Originally Posted by Hassun

As a non-native English speaker who primarily learned the language from TV, films and games I have to say it's not hard at all. Many languages are MUCH harder on the student with their endless lists of exceptions.
The fact that you can see and hear it everywhere certainly helps eliminate many of the phonetic and spelling problems.

Good for you. I wish my own students were as quick on the uptake... but I do have a great deal of sympathy for their difficulties with the language. And now that I'm in a position where people come to me to explain why certain things in English work the way they do: I'm more convinced than ever that parts of our grammatical "system" weren't so much "designed" as accidentally aquired.

Though I think a lot depends on what you're comparing it to.

I've only ever attempted to learn three other languages:

Mandarin Chinese
Japanese
and Spanish

Grammatically speaking, Chinese seems (to me) to be the simplest. Then Spanish. Then Japanese. All three are significantly more sensical/structured in their grammar than English (though Japanese is complicated by heirachical and gender-specific speech patterns in the later stages of learning).

Pronunciation-wise: Japanese and Spanish are more or less identical with certain phonetic patterns ~always~ (without exception) applying to the same spelling patterns. Even loanwords are forced into the existing phonetic alphabet. English lacks a perfectly structured phonetic alphabet, making it a hell of a lot more difficult to grasp than either Spanish or Japanese.

You can learn Japanese pronunciation in an afternoon and it will never change. I'm still slave to the pronunciation key in the English dictionary when coming across or attempting to use unfamiliar words.

That said: most foreign-born speakers of Japanese never even approach native Japanese accents (though why, I have no idea!) I'm thinking it's lack of effort (and classroom time devoted to pronunciation).

Chinese pronunciation, on the other hand, is impossible. I gave up Chinese after four weeks because I couldn't wrap my tongue around it. Never could hear the difference in pitch either ~_~;

Japanese is a b!tch to learn, i only got through the first semester course of it in college... ^_^;; and i think that's cuz the teacher liked me~... oh well!

but yes, in my opinion, you have to have change your way of thinking almost completely when you have to learn Japanese. it is completely different from English, cuz there seems to be a lot of spirituality in the language that Western minds cannot even begin to grasp. it was in this way that i could not comprehend the language...

and when i really thought about it, i don't really have aspirations to go to Japan, or watch anime without subtitles (i was being honest with myself here, i wouldn't use it many places besides Little Tokyo)... so, it was of no real benifit for me to learn Japanese... Spanish, on the other hand, is something i really need/want to learn becuz (1. half my family speaks it and (2. i live in Southern California, so it's getting more necessary by the day...

^_^

Originally Posted by tsurara

Chinese pronunciation, on the other hand, is impossible. I gave up Chinese after four weeks because I couldn't wrap my tongue around it. Never could hear the difference in pitch either ~_~;

True, speaking Chinese is pure terror to learn. I'm very thankful standard Japanese isn't a tonal language.

As for Japanese having a lot of difficulties with English (and it's pretty obvious that they do.) I think it's because they don't hear it enough in their youth. (Which isn't helped by the fact a lot of the katakana loan words aren't even correct English.)
It's another reason why I strongly oppose dubbing except for kids that can't read yet. By being exposed to English from a young age I think you will have a lot less trouble with pronunciation. Something in which English is indeed not very structured.

This applies to many other languages as well of course. Exposing kids to foreign languages from a young age usually results in sizable benefits later on.

how about living in japan for a few years ?
i dont but if your going to learn the language should you
live in a certain culture and pick up a few words that
you can relate to in english or what ever country your
from wouldnt that make it eaiser? i know hassaun and tsurara
have lived in areas arounf there so does lving there make it any easier?

Originally Posted by HolderOfTheDarkChalice

how about living in japan for a few years ?
i dont but if your going to learn the language should you
live in a certain culture and pick up a few words that
you can relate to in english or what ever country your
from wouldnt that make it eaiser? i know hassun and tsurara
have lived in areas arounf there so does lving there make it any easier?

Of course living in Japan makes it easier. It's not enough to learn the language fully of course but combine it with attending classes over there and you're well on your way.