15 comments

1. https://preview.redd.it/w2unrpt5qt2f1.png?width=533&format=png&auto=webp&s=b436ff4e661e817b8aa30ac38e9aaa72d0648bf6

   Any ideas what letter might replace 〇 in n〇xk?

2. When adding new cards while mining, is it worth it to have 2 cards? 1 with the kanji in front and a second with the audio in front. The back of both would have everything. I am currently only doing the first card, but I was wondering if it’d help my listening to have the second.

3. What is the most detailed resource that’s still in English for learning every aspect of a grammar point? Like a grammar dictionary or a website where I can just search through a bank of grammar points, rather than just googling “everything about (grammar point)”.

   I’m currently going through n3 level material, but my teacher recommended the donna toki dou tsukau workbook to “fill in some gaps” of n5 and n4 level knowledge. There’s a bunch of stuff that she explained to me regarding even basic grammar going through that book that just wasn’t taught in genki or any other beginner level resource I’ve used. It mostly came down to choosing which of 2 similar grammar points sounded more natural in a sentence, and it was either I completely didn’t know or I knew and couldn’t explain/had never heard explained why (going off feel basically). For instance, not using ので in a sentence that ends in imperative form words like しろ.

4. What does this sentence mean? ラーメンに拘りありますか?

   Context: I was going for lunch with my colleagues, and we decided on a ramen store. On the way, one of my colleagues asked me the above question. I didn’t know what 拘り meant, so I just assumed it meant 好き and I was like はい日本料理は好きです.

   After searching it online later, apparently it means do you have preferences/are you picky about it? So was he actually asking me “how do you like your ramen/do you have any preferences in your ramen”?

   Whatever the meaning is, I would also appreciate if someone could tell me how to reply to that question. Thank you!

5. I read the quartet 1 chapter 4 dialogue 2 today. Confused/dont understand some sentences, and theres a bunch of new words for me. (will ask more questions tomorrow, dont wanna write a wall of text here)

   1. せっかく日本に来たので、私はアルバイトをしてみたいと思っていた。

   Does the たいと思う mean “i want to do…”? I understand this as:
   Since it was a rare opportunity to have come to japan, I wanted to（たいと思う?） try getting a part time job.

   2. ホテルで働くことに憧れていたし、敬語の練習になると思ったからだ。

   First time seeing 憧れる and a little confused with the から at the end. Understand this as:
   I longed(really wanted?) to（憧れる） work at the restaurant, and i also（から at end?）thought id get Keigo practice

   3.初日は、一日中トレーニングを受けた。お辞儀や「いらっしゃいませ」「畏まりました」などの挨拶がきちんと出来るようになるまで、何度も練習させられた。「アルバイトなのにどうして？」と思ったが、その理由はすぐに分かった。それは、アルバイトも社員と同じように、ホテルを代表するスタッフの一人としてお客様に接する必要があるからだ。

   Is my understanding of など in 2nd sentence fine? Understand this as:

   The first day（初日）i got training all day. Until i could properly（きちんと）be able to do greetings like（などの挨拶?）Bowing（お辞儀）, “Welcome”,”Certainly”, etc i was forced/made to practice countless times.

   Confused with last(4th) sentence, theres lots of new words in this one, and 同じよう isnt in quartet vocab list so not sure if im understanding this well. I understand this as:
   The reason is because even part time workers（アルバイトも?） need to attend to・to come in contact with（接する?）customers as one of（一人として？） the hotel representative staffs（代表する?）, just like（と同じように ?）company employees（社員）

6. I want to say, “I’m learning Japanese”. Or ask someone why they are learning a language but I’ve found a few words that mean “learn”. I’ve also seen benkyou but I thought that meant studying.

7. From Kokoro ch. 36

   「何つちが先へ死ぬだらう」私は其晩先生と奧さんの間に起つた疑問をひとり口の内で繰り返して見た。さうして此疑問には誰も自信をもつて答へる事が出來ないのだと思つた。然し何方が先へ死ぬと判然分つてゐたならば、先生は何うするだらう。奧さんは何うするだらう。先生も奧さんも、今のやうな態度でゐるより外に仕方がないだらうと思つた。（死に近づきつゝある父を國元に控えながら、此私が何うする事も出來ないやうに。）私は人間を果敢ないものに觀じた。人間の何うする事も出來ない持つて生れた輕薄を、果敢ないものに觀じた。

   1. I am not sure what 輕薄 means. I believe it refers to the fact that when faced with someone’s death, humans can’t help but to worry, feel depressed, etc.?
   2. 果敢ない is read as かかんない not はかない, right? It refers to the fact that humans are generally helpless when confronted with someone’s death?

8. How do you plan your roadmap for learning? Are there any tools you use for planning that already have learning materials integrated or allow for integration? I’m just using my notes app and it really helps to know what the next steps are and what resources I can consider once I’m at a certain point, I was just wondering if there are other options (especially some that already have integration of learning materials that fit my level)

9. https://i.imgur.com/ZREgkKS.png

   Is

   > 最近、子どもがピアノを習いたいと言いだした。わたしは、子どもがやりたいと思うことはやらせてしたいと思っている。

   also acceptable?

10. I’m starting the Core 2.3k Anki deck, but I’m not sure how to approach it effectively. I’ve already finished the Genki 1 deck, which included both kanji and hiragana readings on the front of each card, and learnt basic grammer. That helped a lot, but it’s not enough for the immersion I’m doing now (mainly watching anime without subtitles).

    The Core 2.3k deck only shows kanji on the front, and I’m struggling to recall both the reading and the meaning from just that. Should I go through the RTK deck first? What would you recommend?

    Thanks in advance!

11. Thank you to everyone for all the great resources posted here. I’ve seen general recommendations for finding a teacher on iTalki, etc., but I’m wondering if anyone has a specific teacher you love? I’ve taken exactly one Japanese class online, with a young YouTuber whose videos I had found helpful, but the class was a DISASTER. He laughed right in my face, made fun of me, said he would send me a PDF of the mistakes I had made and he never did, and I cried for half an hour after we hung up. Totally humiliating and, needless to say, unproductive. So now I’ve spent a few more months studying on my own, but I’d like to find a teacher who won’t make me weep! Thanks, all.

12. I’ve been doing the busuu a1 course and am Close to finishing it. I could then continue with the a2 course but I feel I would benefit more from a book Like Genki 1. However that seems to be only available in english and while I am pretty confident in understanding english, I would prefer a German book.

    I am also doing daily Anki Sessions with 1.5k Kaishi and Kanji radicals for Kaishi but I have a hard time recognizing Kanji and using the correct readings.

    I feel like I took some steps to cover some of the basics but I am lost and don’t know how to continue.

13. What to Do After Genki

    Hello everyone,
    I am not done with Genki, but I have heard that it can place you at the N4 level after book 2, and for some, even 3.

    Now, I know that you can read books and gain more Kanji, but I am wondering what are the ACTUAL next steps in studying?

    Is there a book you should be going through? OR is Genki the most extensive grammar you can get (for daily conversation and reading most things) and now you are onto reading and conversating?

    TLDR; What are the next steps after finishing GENKI 1 AND 2?

14. Here in Poland, we have those traditional calendars where each day is one sheet of paper which you tear off each day.
    Each card has basic info like dawn and dusk time, phase of moon, name day but also random quotes and trivia.

    Is there something like this in Japan? If yes, what it’s called? 切り取りカレンダー?

15. Is there a difference between 果物 and 果実?