Fluent in japanese by self-study?

[IsaacDavid]

If I study by my own japanese without going to a course can I be fluent in both speaking and writing?

 

[Buntaro]

I think it would be impossible.

 

[IsaacDavid]

Why?

 

[Buntaro]

Please describe what you mean by 'studying on your own.'

 

[IsaacDavid]

To do self-study only(without go to college..etc)

 

[Buntaro]

You are not giving enough details. I have decided to withdraw from this discussion. Take care.

 

[IsaacDavid]

To never go to a college to learn the language but only learn by oneself.I hope now it be clear.

 

[Grandpa Frank]

In my younger days I studied Japanese , Russian , German and some French & Spanish. I found that unless I could use them in everyday life , retention and ability were lost very quickly. I lived in Japan for two years , using the language daily and took a remote college course and found the language and Kanji without a lot of help made learning difficult. Didn't have the internet back then 1971 so maybe it's possible today but I would read some of the info here on JREF in past posts for helpful suggestions .

 

[Majestic]

I am self-taught*, and I have some degree fluency.

*In my case, I had a friend who tutored me on pronunciation and pitch for a couple of months, which was a great help. Then, I had a girlfriend here in Japan, a side-effect of which was a rapid expansion of vocabulary. Then, I got a proper job in Japan, and another girlfriend (Mrs. Majestic) and those things really propelled my Japanese knowledge. Then, finally, I became a manager at work, and I had some direct reports who constantly helped me to expand my understanding of the language. Now I'm mostly self-study (purely by myself). I couldn't have become anything close to fluent had I been in complete isolation.

Self-taught in my case means no formal Japanese language classes, but there sure were a lot of people around me who supported me.

 

[mdchachi]

If I study by my own japanese without going to a course can I be fluent in both speaking and writing?

Highly unlikely but possible assuming you have natural ability, high degree of diligence and you aren't learning in a complete vacuum.
That is, without some level of immersion I think it would be almost impossible for the conversational part.
For the reading/writing part I think it's possible but you'd have to be almost OCD level in terms of the time and diligence you'd put into it.
Of course if you're a polyglot then yes, maybe no problem.

 

[IsaacDavid]

Is possible to pass jlpt n1 by self-study?

 

[Majestic]

If your "self-study" is like mine, yes.

 

[mdchachi]

Keep in mind the JLPT N1 doesn't test your Japanese abilities as much as it tests your ability to pass this test.
At least that is what Paul says.

The exam demands that you:

• remember a lot of grammar patterns, kanji, and vocabulary that are used infrequently in everyday Japanese
• speed-read excerpts from novels and articles and be able to interpret and answer nuanced questions about them
• keep a mental track of the results of multiple weaving threads of conversations (which feel like they are deliberately engineered to trick you) before finding out which one is related to the question

It is a high-stress artificial environment requiring deep focus, where there is no time to waste when considering questions: you have to instinctively know answers immediately, or take your best guess and move on. This is not Japanese in a real life context.

 

[nice gaijin]

If I study by my own japanese without going to a course can I be fluent in both speaking and writing?

There are a few people on Youtube (like Matt vs. Japan) who claim to have gotten proficient mostly through self-study, but unless you have an unhealthy obsession or a really intense systematic approach, I wouldn't expect you to have much success, especially if you live outside of Japan and have no means of practicing what you learn.

 

[Glton]

I am self-taught*, and I have some degree fluency.

*In my case, I had a friend who tutored me on pronunciation and pitch for a couple of months, which was a great help. Then, I had a girlfriend here in Japan, a side-effect of which was a rapid expansion of vocabulary. Then, I got a proper job in Japan, and another girlfriend (Mrs. Majestic) and those things really propelled my Japanese knowledge. Then, finally, I became a manager at work, and I had some direct reports who constantly helped me to expand my understanding of the language. Now I'm mostly self-study (purely by myself). I couldn't have become anything close to fluent had I been in complete isolation. That's an amazing journey to fluency! It's inspiring how many supportive people you had along the way. I've found that self-study, combined with insights from various sources, can make a huge difference. Sometimes sites like https://personalstatementhelper.com/ post helpful articles on structure or writing tips—though I see them more as an extra tool than a main resource. In the end, your motivation and real-life practice will always be the biggest factors in your progress. Keep exploring and trying new methods, and your language skills will keep growing!

Self-taught in my case means no formal Japanese language classes, but there sure were a lot of people around me who supported me.

I'm also learning Japanese on my own—mostly by reading manga and watching dramas for immersion.

 

[Buntaro]

Hi Gilton and welcome to the forum.

Can you read and write hiragana?

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

I think it's possible, but very difficult. Ultimately, language is a tool, and unless you use it, it is as useless as a lightbulb without electricity.

 

[Grandpa Frank]

After using Japanese for 2 years in Fukuoka , I'd say I forgot 90% of it within 2 years of returning to Maine. Not being able to use it everyday made it fade fast. Books & videos are helpful , but talking with Japanese people everyday makes learning it much easier. Just my personal opinion and feeling on it. It might not be the same for others. Anyone taking the time to learn Japanese has my admiration.