Japanese Language

It’s no secret that learning Japanese is difficult. Learning any language is no easy feat, but Japanese is particularly challenging — it can even seem impossible when you’re a complete beginner. However, by taking the right first steps, you’ll build a strong foundation upon which to progress and reach your desired level of proficiency. Step 0: Be Realistic Japanese can most definitely feel intimidating – After all, the United States has a language ranking provided by its Foreign Service Institute on the hardest languages to learn with Japanese right down at the bottom as “exceptionally difficult.” But the truth here is that while you will most certainly struggle with the language, it is by no means impossible. It is just significantly time-consuming. If you are here for just a year or so, consider just learning enough to not trouble those around you – Learn your hiragana, katakana and enough kanji to, say, read a calendar or understand basic things like where a toilet or the subway entrances and exits are. (More on what those are below) These are low-hanging fruit as most cities have adopted bilingual signs to significantly aid your understanding. If you plan to be here for several years,…