How long did it take u to learn japanese?

[ﾂ×BEAﾂ⇒弋ﾂ×]

im just wondering how long it took ppl to learn japanese

what i meant by learn japanese i meant how long did it take you to learn enough japanese to hold a conversation and understand and be able to read at a pretty good level,
sorry for the bad description of the thread hehe..

 

[nice gaijin]

When do you consider someone to be "done" learning a language?

 

[Amathev]

I'm not OP but I'd say you've learnt it once you can have discussions with people.

 

[Haruspex]

I think we can draw a line, say, lets consider that you have finished learning when you finished studying. I mean, when you switched to practice instead of active learning.

 

[bakaKanadajin]

I think, as nice gaijin correctly pointed out, it's difficult to say when someone has actually finished learning a language. Some kind of benchmark must be present, as everyone will consider their own skill differently. One may consider another persons level to be 'where they want to be', where as those who are higher up the chain cannot imagine being satisfied with their current level since it still falls short of total fluency.

A better question may be.. I dunno.. how long have you been studying and whats your JLPT level? Or.. how long have you been studying and how deep a conversation can you hold? Something to that effect..

Me.. I've been studying 1.5 - 2 years and I have the reading comprehension of a kindergarten or early elementary school student (buahaah I need to study more kanji) but I can hold a reasonable conversation on most day to day topics.

 

[Saulo de Oliveira]

Well, I've been studing for around 7 years and I can say that I have an advanced level, but I'm not fluent. I can barelly read a newspaper without consulting a dictionary sometimes.

But I've some problems learning japanese, since I have to change schools 3 times. So, in each of them, they have a different teaching metodology that I have to adapt myself.

About fluency, besides Japanese being an easier language to understand than English (for a non-english speaker), we don't see/listen them frequently as we see/listen movies, advertising, expressions, musics in english.

But I really think you can have a good level of understanding in 5 years.

 

[nice gaijin]

I think that most people can attain a moderate level of conversational ability in 3-5 years, but it completely depends on the person and how much effort they put into their studies.

I studied for about 4 years, and the past year I have had no time to study. I'm probably somewhere around Junior High to High School student in terms of reading and listening comprehension, but I often run across common words or phrases that I have yet to hear that would be common knowledge for even a young native speaker; fortunately, I'm at a point where I can quickly pick up new things. My speaking ability is waning in light of the fact that I have very few opportunities to practice, but I've been trying to keep up my reading ability by reading novels, and making note of any new vocabulary to study later.

 

[ハダカ]

It is so embarrasing that I cannot be such Rubaka as you guys. I am just use MNN and Skype, which helps me great with providing live conversations. ^^'

 

[Glenski]

im just wondering how long it took ppl to learn japanese

To what level?

If you are talking being able to order coffee in Starbucks, that's one thing. If you are talking about being able to negotiate business terms with a Japanese client for the company you work, that's another.

"Learn Japanese" can also be limited to speaking ability only. What about writing and reading? This could be measured with the standard kanji exam or JLPT (4 levels).

Also, everyone studies differently. I learned hiragana and katakana in a week, but only because that was forced upon me by my university teacher (night classes I took ages ago). Learning kanji is a whole other story, of course. Some people study independently, too, while others have private tutors (or any combination of the above).

Help us out here, Beast.

 

[Chidoriashi]

I agree. This question needs to be defined a little better. In my opinion, you should never consider yourself "done" learning a language, cuz language is always changing, and the fact is... you can always be better. If you are asking how long it takes to be able to confidently have a conversation longer than 2 sentences, or tell the doctor what wrong with you etc.. I 'd say it took me about 2 years and 4 months to get to that point. And that last 4 months I was in Japan.

I heard somewhere though that in all aspects of a language (speaking, listening, reading, writing) it takes the average person about 5 years to become "fluent"... which i think is better defined as competent.

There is really no magic number, or amount of time anybody can say that you will achieved "this much by then". It all depends on things like motivation, and study environment, natural talent etc.

 

[Haruspex]

As it has been pointed out, it all depends on the effort and time one puts into it. And the main problem is that. A day's 24 hours, by saying that "I learnt xy language in 4 years." one could mean that he learnt it by spending an hour on studying a day, or even 8 hours a day.
Its quite a tricky question.
Besides, not only is there a difference between self-study and classes, but there's a huge difference between learning methods.
Someone who decides that he will learn Japanese the "fun way" (sticking Japanese words everywhere, doing loads of creative and time-consuming stuff not to lose interest) can claim to be learning Japanese, but obviously, someone who does it seriously will learn way faster, even though he spent the same amount of time on it.
Also, some people grind and grind everything until they know it by heart, others try to cover a wider range of learning materials. The latter might not be able to name all the kitchen tools whenever he wishes, but he might know more phrases, words, rules whatever in total. Even the JLPT test is just a barren attempt at measuring one's knowledge.

 

[Chidoriashi]

Derfel> well said. (I have to write at least 20 characters)

 

[Charles Barkley]

It also depends on what country you are living in when you are studying.

I have studied for a little over two years, and 80% of that time has been in Japan. I have been teaching English at a high school, so I haven't had any real lessons in Japanese, and my role is 'English speaker' but I have lots of free time to study at school. I have a girlfriend who is not Japanese, and most of my friends here are foreigners.

I can read a book or magazine article on most most topics without a dictionary, although of course there will be words and sentences I don't know. But its not difficult or stressful anymore. The speed...maybe about 1/4 of my English reading speed, if I have to use a dictionary, obviously slower but I understand more.

I am past the point where, by rephrasing and changing what I want to say, I can express almost anything when speaking, so that's good. But my ability to hold a conversation is affected by many variables, such as topic and who I am talking to. I am sure I make lots of mistakes and say unnatural things, but that's what learning a language is like.

Can understand and enjoy watching TV/radio programs etc. Struggle with variety programs that use lots of slang, or newsprograms because they use dense and unfamiliar words. However, as long as the program has subtitles in japanese, I am ok (reading is better than listening by a lot at this poitn).

Writing--with a pen, I am losing that ability very quickly. And it doesn't bother me at all, since typing kanji on the computer is easy as pie.

Anyway, if you really dedicate yourself, even if you come to japan to work as an English teacher and had not studied the language before, I would say after two years you could reach this level. All my reading has been Japanese since I came and I only watch Japanese TV (not internet at home and can't use utube at school), so those skills have improved the most. If you are more sociable, make japanese friends, or make a japanese girlfriend/boyfriend who you only talk to in Japanese, obviously your speaking and listening skills will be better than this.

 

[DarkSharingan]

It also depends on what country you are living in when you are studying.
I have studied for a little over two years, and 80% of that time has been in Japan. I have been teaching English at a high school, so I haven't had any real lessons in Japanese, and my role is 'English speaker' but I have lots of free time to study at school. I have a girlfriend who is not Japanese, and most of my friends here are foreigners.
I can read a book or magazine article on most most topics without a dictionary, although of course there will be words and sentences I don't know. But its not difficult or stressful anymore. The speed...maybe about 1/4 of my English reading speed, if I have to use a dictionary, obviously slower but I understand more.
I am past the point where, by rephrasing and changing what I want to say, I can express almost anything when speaking, so that's good. But my ability to hold a conversation is affected by many variables, such as topic and who I am talking to. I am sure I make lots of mistakes and say unnatural things, but that's what learning a language is like.
Can understand and enjoy watching TV/radio programs etc. Struggle with variety programs that use lots of slang, or newsprograms because they use dense and unfamiliar words. However, as long as the program has subtitles in japanese, I am ok (reading is better than listening by a lot at this poitn).
Writing--with a pen, I am losing that ability very quickly. And it doesn't bother me at all, since typing kanji on the computer is easy as pie.
Anyway, if you really dedicate yourself, even if you come to japan to work as an English teacher and had not studied the language before, I would say after two years you could reach this level. All my reading has been Japanese since I came and I only watch Japanese TV (not internet at home and can't use utube at school), so those skills have improved the most. If you are more sociable, make japanese friends, or make a japanese girlfriend/boyfriend who you only talk to in Japanese, obviously your speaking and listening skills will be better than this.

Thanks for the info, I'm sure it will be very handy in the future

 

[akita]

It ,s all up to you. It might be more difficult for you to learn in your country then in Japan. But is not realy a rule. I left my country with someone that speaks amasingly well japanese and will study japanese lingvistics. She needed 4 years to reach this level and she can keep a presentation in japanese for graduate school. It,s all about your will to do something. I come in Japan almost incapable of saying the most elementary things even if I knew some words , writhing in hiragana etc. Mostly because I had never speaked with a Japanese before and I was all the time afraid of saying something strange.

Anyway in 2 weeks my class knows hiragana, katakana, about 20 kangi and to have basic conversation in the most important places of your daily life. The rytm is very fast because most of us have exams in october. Anyway we are learning 7 hours a day and then homeworks. We learn after the good old way repet repet repet till you fill that you want to kill somebody but it works.

The other way to learn is going around and speak with japanese if offcourse you are in Japan. I do that even if sometime I say the most funny things like I eat ciggarets instead of eggs. just me changing letters.

I,m a fan of this old system that ask you to repet all the time. I don,t need some new teaching methods not to get bored because it was my choice. My teacher said that in 6 months usully students have a good grasp of japanese both speaking and writing. That doesn, t mean you can say you know the language and don t need to learn anymore. It,s just that most know hiragana katakana , a minimum of 500 kangi and can speak in most situations fluently.

 

[Oregon_Chris]

There is definitely a lot to learn, but I think there's a point you reach where you become comfortable communicating under normal circumstances, without worrying about being misunderstood. In my case, I studied Japanese casually for 3 years in high school, but I didn't get serious until I took it up again during my Sophomore year of college after not studying for 2 years. After 3 more years of college Japanese I became pretty comfortable with it, and I'm able to converse with Japanese who don't speak English pretty easily. I actually get phone calls from Japanese head hunters every other week and they always want to test my Japanese. I can usually hold my own ok, although I do make mistakes from time to time. Listening can be a challenge, which can make for an awkwared silence with the headhunter. Also, Kanji is definitely tough, but lately I've been studying with "Kanji in Context" and I've found it pretty handy.

Its a tough climb, but I think its just a matter of reaching the point where you feel confidence in your ability to communicate. The best way without a doubt is to go to Japan (or even Korea, etc.) and be forced to use Japanese on a daily basis. I was recently in Seoul studying at a Korean language institute, and I found myself speaking Japanese everywhere (even as I tried to learn Korean).