How do you Actually Find Comprehensible Input?

13 comments

1. What kind of podcasts did you try so far? There are some great one even for beginners like Japanese with Shun or Nihongo with Ako.

   For even easier listening comprehension you could try mykikitori for listening quizzes similar to textbook situations.

2. Try [Comprehensible Japanese](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRSmd2sXpVQ&list=PLPdNX2arS9Mb1iiA0xHkxj3KVwssHQxYP) – Start at the beginning and work your way up. Turn on the Japanese subtitles. You can access (copy/paste) the Japanese text for the subtitles via the ‘Show transcript’ function (click on the 3 little dots at the bottom of the video – on a desktop/laptop browser. Not sure how to do this from a smartphone).

   Some [other stuff](https://www.reddit.com/r/LearnJapanese/comments/s5mtva/comment/ht1lo0x/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) that may help.

3. Do you mean listening or reading?

   For listening, funny enough, there is actually a channel called “Comprehensible Japanese.” Also there is Nihongo Con Teppei and some other similar channels where people just talk about nearly anything.

   For reading you can start with graded readers (search for that here on this sub you will get some legal/free ones). You can buy books after you mastered the graded readers. Well, maybe not adult-level novels but you can by easier books.

4. At the true beginner level, it’s hard. At Chapter 7 of Genki, you’re actually pretty set to start.

   Try graded readers or children’s books. Look for things with pictures. Also look for things you’re familiar with. Snow White might be easier to understand then Kaguya-hime. Satori Reader is a good source and you can make the Japanese as simple or as complex as you’d like.

   For listening, it seems like some people listed some podcasts. FluentU is similar to Satori Reader, but it’s based on YouTube videos. You’ll be exposed to a variety of material with visual aids at various levels.

5. i think you should not even worry about comprehensible just find something you find entertaining

6. I use [JPDB](https://jpdb.io/) as my SRS so it can be easy to find comprehensible things to read/watch from there. Like if I’m going to watch a new live action, I’m wanting to first see what my highest coverage of stuff is on the site and try that out first. Same thing with choosing a new novel. I’ve been using it for over a year now and have been studying Japanese for awhile, so I’ve got 26k+ words in JPDB so it’s easier to find comprehensible input now, but it’s definitely a tool I wish I had years ago.
   I’ll also second the Comprehensible Japanese youtube channel, which incidentally has deck lists on JPDB as well! Another incredible resource that I wish I had starting out!

7. Hey for comprehensible input early on I always suggest a channel called しのせんせい on YouTube. It has a ton of beginner N5 level folk stories, text on screen, difficult or not n5 words have a short definition on screen, it’s voice acted but isn’t over the top, has furigana, obviously can pause and read and then listen along and go back and what not. I just really like it specially for beginner stuff. And I love learning stories referenced in all Japanese media like the inch high samurai, momotaro, and other stories kind of like ones we know speaking english, little red riding hood-esque stories. They also have a few western ones like sleeping beauty. They have some mythology ones too. Oh they have some n5 news too. Overall super beginner friendly.

8. If you guys aren’t offended by adult humor.

   Coco Kiryu’s Reddit Shitpost Meme Reviews.

   She’s retired the character now, but all the reviews are on Youtube.

   I have so much fun watching them roast memes. During the videos Coco and her co-host mainly speak japanese but will often do asides in English. And it’s simple enough that you can understand most of whats being said after a few listens.

   You will laugh I promise.

   https://youtu.be/jvzIQJRhIb0

9. There’s these graded readers on Amazon that have a cute little frog on them from NPO Tadoku Supporters, they’re pretty great.

10. The Benjiro videos on YouTube are pretty good for beginner level.

    Keep it up, though — a lot more content will open up to you after you get through Genki 2!

11. Don’t laugh, but Peppa Pig was a great resource for me when I was starting out. Words are spoken slowly and clearly, sentences are pretty short, and there’s a ton of episodes in Japanese on youtube. At least there were when I first started studying the language a couple of years ago.

12. May I ask how you’re doing with the listening section of Genki?

13. I’d say go on twitter and use Yomichan to look up and save words you don’t understand (to review later in anki). You get to see what lots of Japanese people are talking about, and find you can find people with your interests too. You can also follow 漫画家 and other Japanese artists and creators. Many of them have twitters. You should also do the same thing for Netflix using the Language Learning with Netflix addon so you can scan definitions with Yomichan on those as well. A really good video that shows how it’s done (you don’t have to do your card setup this detailed btw, if you do choose to do cards.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBvWxCA7p5k