How long did it take you to learn Japanese?
- Thread starter Live91
- Start date
- 8 Aug 2005
- 7,316
- 3,727
It all depends on your level of committment, and your opportunities to practice what you've learned.
well I've been learning for about 8 months now and I'm still not very good at it, I find the biggest problem for me is not been able to practice my Japanese, apart from the class, like others have said, I guess the only way to be really fluent is to spend some time in Japan, since it forces you to speak the language
- 8 Aug 2005
- 7,316
- 3,727
well, like I said, it's about your opportunities to practice; if your level of commitment is high enough, you should be able to find/create opportunities to practice; living in Japan can help speed along the process, but it is not necessary for, nor will it guarantee fluency in the language.
The7thSamurai
Master of the Universe
- 4 Feb 2005
- 765
- 27
I've lived in Japan for two years and been studying it for almost the same amount of time. At the moment I'm probably at the "low intermediate", been getting around 80% for the JLPT level 3 practice tests (if you want to use that as a guide). I'm a fairly slow learner, or rather, I like to take my time 
At the moment I can have decent conversations with people, as long as they don't go using words that I don't know, otherwise I'm thrown right off. I can write quite well too - basic stories using my limited vocabulary.
I can read most emails that my Japanese friends send me, as I've got a pretty good dictionary program for Firefox that shows you the meaning of words as soon as you put your mouse over the top of them (it's called Rikaichan for anyone who's interested).
The toughest thing you'll find is learning the vocabulary as, naturally, there's so much of it. Plus you have to be able to automatically decipher all the conjugated verbs. Sometimes someone will say the most basic thing to me but I won't understand it because I didn't recognise the verb in that particular form.
Don't get scared away from kanji, they're not that hard. In fact, I find them one of the easier parts of the language.
As far as your question, I'd estimate about five years of constant study until you'll reach a high level of fluency, but after three you'll be able to say pretty much anything you want, just in your own warped, limited way.
At the moment I can have decent conversations with people, as long as they don't go using words that I don't know, otherwise I'm thrown right off. I can write quite well too - basic stories using my limited vocabulary.
I can read most emails that my Japanese friends send me, as I've got a pretty good dictionary program for Firefox that shows you the meaning of words as soon as you put your mouse over the top of them (it's called Rikaichan for anyone who's interested).
The toughest thing you'll find is learning the vocabulary as, naturally, there's so much of it. Plus you have to be able to automatically decipher all the conjugated verbs. Sometimes someone will say the most basic thing to me but I won't understand it because I didn't recognise the verb in that particular form.
Don't get scared away from kanji, they're not that hard. In fact, I find them one of the easier parts of the language.
As far as your question, I'd estimate about five years of constant study until you'll reach a high level of fluency, but after three you'll be able to say pretty much anything you want, just in your own warped, limited way.
Alma
nature's sweet success
- 2 Apr 2005
- 728
- 13
good question, but don't get answers too serious, because it really depends...
for example... I'm learning Japanese a bit more then three years.. and still i am just a beginner
that is because of many many reasons - i have class once in a week, and have other, more important things to study (well, i have to finish university, and my faculty is really hard one)..well those are main reasons.. i could give you at least five more important as these...but.. i will, most probably, go to japan as postgraduate student.. in program witch include first 6 months of intensive japanese classes.. and it is expected to become almost fluent in this 6 months. but i believe it is possible.. all it take is strong will.
Niedy
猿が去る
- 11 Nov 2006
- 128
- 1
I'm now in my 3rd year of studying japanese at university so its pretty intensive... first year starts with 10 hours of japanese classes per week (5 theory (grammar, translating, kanji) 5 practice (dialogs, more kanji, actively using grammar))... and a lot of learning outside university... second year there are only 6 hours per week (3 theory, 3 practice (presentations are added)) and the need to write papers using japanese books to some extent... after those 2 years we should know all (1945) joyo-kanji, with 1 on, 1 kun-reading and 1 meaning... and in the 3rd year there are no compulsory language classes anymore, but you can take voluntary ones... (japanese) newspaper reading and discussion is new... theory and practice r just the same... ^^
As long as I know the vocabulary I'm able to read and understand most things... as this is the focus at university... my speaking skills do suck to some extent... as long as its a topic I know the vocabulary speaking is fine... I didn't have any problems in japan... but university is pretty different... the levels of the students are to far apart... some are pretty fluent because they lived for 1 to x years in Japan... and the teachers don't really care for the bad ones (though "we" are way more students )
my overall level is somewhere between level 3 and 2 of the JLPT... closer to 2 than to 3, but still inbetween... I guess...
As long as I know the vocabulary I'm able to read and understand most things... as this is the focus at university... my speaking skills do suck to some extent... as long as its a topic I know the vocabulary speaking is fine... I didn't have any problems in japan... but university is pretty different... the levels of the students are to far apart... some are pretty fluent because they lived for 1 to x years in Japan... and the teachers don't really care for the bad ones (though "we" are way more students
)my overall level is somewhere between level 3 and 2 of the JLPT... closer to 2 than to 3, but still inbetween... I guess...
Eddosan
後輩
- 28 Nov 2006
- 10
- 0
I've been learning Japanese for about 6 years... casually... by myself... when I make some time for it...
Usually I'll get excited about learning it for a couple of days, only to realize that nobody speaks it around my area and I can't read much kanji (which means most Japanese forums/chatrooms are inaccessible). If it wasn't for fighting games, anime, a game called "jrpg", and my several pocket-sized Japanese guides and dictionaries, I would prolly give up on it.
Luckily I found this forum, and hopefully I can practice written Japanese communication.
Usually I'll get excited about learning it for a couple of days, only to realize that nobody speaks it around my area and I can't read much kanji (which means most Japanese forums/chatrooms are inaccessible). If it wasn't for fighting games, anime, a game called "jrpg", and my several pocket-sized Japanese guides and dictionaries, I would prolly give up on it.
Luckily I found this forum, and hopefully I can practice written Japanese communication.
