Frustrations of Learning Japanese

Learning Japanese has its frustrations. I’m sure any language learner can relate to the frustration of learning new vocabulary, grammar, and even writing systems. Throw in a dozen different ways to say the same thing and you’ve got Japanese. For example, the words “Watashi,” “Boku,” and “Watakushi” all mean “I.” What distinguishes these words is their respective nuances, such as “casual I,” “I for males,” and “formal I,” respectively. This is a rather basic example, and any Japanese learner should use the polite and gender-neutral word “Watashi.” Problem solved. But what about the stuff they don’t teach you?

My Current Method for Japanese Learning

At the time of writing, I currently use a combination of Memrise, WaniKani, and Genki to master the Japanese language. Each learning material has a purpose, and all three work well together. I use Memrise to learn how to speak Japanese in practical settings, such as at work. The spaced-repetition software features courses which use short videos of native speakers to teach the language. It also shows phrases written in proper script while playing audio. The program has helped me, but it has also misled me.

WaniKani, on the other hand, focuses on teaching users how to read kanji. It also teaches new vocabulary. This program also uses spaced repetition and it has taught me thousands of words and characters. I’ve noticed tremendous improvement in my ability to read Japanese because of this software, which has accelerated my progress in the language.

Lastly, I’ve returned to using my Genki textbooks for studying Japanese vocabulary and grammar. In my opinion, there is no better resource than these two textbooks, published by The Japan Times. I also started a new Japanese class as I aim to achieve N4 level proficiency.

My Frustrations with Japanese Learning: Pt. 1

There have been two notable frustrations which were related to my current Japanese studies, all of which were self-study. For example, I needed to retrieve something from my desk, so I informed my kyoto-sensei (headmaster) by saying 少々お待ちください (sho-sho omachi kudasai), which roughly translates to “Please wait a moment.” According to my Memrise course, this phrase is the respectful way of saying “Please wait a moment.” WRONG! It turns out it was a rather rude way of making my request. Sure, the phrase may translate to “Please wait a moment,” but the missing nuance was “I am doing you a service, so wait here.” There we go, now you see that I was rather rude to my bosses’ boss.

I recall the gasps in the room as my fellow teachers looked in horror. How could this filthy gaijin speak so rudely to the headmaster? Okay, it wasn’t that bad, but there were lots of gasps of horror. According to my co-ALT, everyone understood that I was trying to be polite, as my demeanor and tone of voice were rather friendly. As a result, there were no hard feelings. In fact, I would regularly make small-talk to my kyoto-sensei whenever we bumped into each other on our morning commute.

In summary, the correct way to say “Please wait a moment” is actually ちょっと待ってください (chotto matte kudasai), which also means “Please wait a moment.” When in doubt, default to this phrase. You won’t embarass yourself in front of your coworkers.

Frustrations Pt. 2

Recently, I made another mistake. This one happens frequently with Japanese language learners as it’s simply not taught in textbooks. Ironically enough, WaniKani exposed me to this concept, even though it doesn’t explain context well.

There are many different words for “boy” and “girl” in Japanese. Examples include 男 (otoko)、少年 (shonen)、男子 (danshi)、男の子 (otokonoko)、and 男性 (dansei) for “Boy,” and 女 (onna)、女子 (joshi)、女の子 (onnnanoko)、and 女性 (josei) for “Girl.” Each word has an appropriate context, so you must be careful you use the correct word!

Most textbooks, including Genki I, will teach you the words “otoko” and “onna” for “Boy” and “Girl,” respectively. One day, I was practicing my Japanese with one of my English teachers when I referred to a student by saying この女 (this girl). While I thought I was saying “This Girl,” I actually used vulgar Japanese. I was immediately scolded because I referred to my student as a bitch. Yes, “this girl” means “bitch” in Japanese. I learned from this embarrassing blunder that I should have used the word “josei,” which is the polite way to refer to a girl. I did not learn this word from my studies over the years, it took making a fool of myself to learn this.

More Frustrations: They Don’t Teach Nuance

Nuance needs to be practiced, especially in Japanese. The rich and beautiful language has dozens of different ways to say the same thing. There are dozens of Kanji which mean “Rice.” In fact, the traditional Japanese name for America, 米国 (beikoku), literally means “Rice Country.” The nearby town of Iizuka, written as 飯塚, means “Cooked Rice Mound.” Isn’t Japanese fun?

Japanese also features different levels of formal language, known as “keigo.” You speak differently when being polite, when humbling yourself, when elevating others, and when you suck up to your boss. This makes English rather direct by comparison, which has fewer ways of saying the same thing compared to Japanese.

Therefore, you must practice Japanese by speaking with others. You’re going to make mistakes, and you’re going to embarrass yourself. It’s about how you conduct yourself that will set you apart. Since I continually make an effort to be polite and arrive early every day, my coworkers know I am trying. Since I try to bring omiyage for my coworkers, they know I am thinking of them.

Conclusion

If you’re serious about learning Japanese, you need to power through it. You’re going to fail, but your success is dependent on how you carry yourself. You’ll get knocked down, but get up again, because only you can bring yourself down.