What I’ve done so far

Anki, though useful, is overwhelming. Lots of words, and lots of relearning old words from last year. Kanji study helps, when the custom deck includes the same words as the day’s Anki rotation. I think I’ll start doing Anki more frequently, and utilizing the review ahead feature in custom study. Hopefully these techniques will allow me to break out of the hell known as SRS debt.

Writing out kanji is so soothing. I’ve also found that breaking kanji into radicals makes them easier to recognize and write. Though I can remember a lot of Kanji, I struggle with writing even basic ones from memory. I think I’ll start doing what I used to do as a young kid, where I’d transcribe my favorite books. (The Carrot Seed comes to mind here). That way I get writing practice for common words and Kanji, without worrying about forming sentences from scratch.

Bunpo, though labor intensive, is quite helpful. Once I learn a piece of grammar, I can listen for it and recognize it in media. The current grammar point I’m working on is transitivity, 自動詞 and 他動詞 (intransitive and transitive verbs).

The concept of transitivity itself makes sense, but in a Bunpo lesson, the app forces you to immediately memorize the example verbs it gives you. I might make color coded physical flashcards for the transitivity pairs, just to get more experience with them.

Like most Japanese topics, fluent speakers recommend learning the verbs through context. Still, with my memory issues, I think I benefit from rote memorization much more than the average person.

What I’ll do later on today

I will attempt to study である in bunpo, and after that, my next active learning tasks will be Pimsleur and Tadoku.

Though I find Pimsleur it a bit boring, I think it will help me with thinking on my feet and speaking aloud, even if it’s only to answer questions. Maybe one day, with enough vocab under my belt, I’ll be able to speak my ideas in full complex sentences.

Tadoku I am looking forward to though. The graded readers are simple and interesting, with lots of pictures. They also cover various genres, fiction and nonfiction. I’ve encountered a lot of vocabulary that I wouldn’t have found otherwise. I’m also looking forward to the satisfaction that comes with finishing each level. Right now I’ve read 9/24 Level 1 books.

Later on, I think I’ll watch 男子高校生の日常, since it’s so random and hilarious. Even if I don’t understand most of the dialogue, It’s entertaining enough that I’m willing to watch it multiple times, and repetition is king for retention.

勉強する準備ができています。頑張ります！

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