Anyone here with advanced to native level of Japanese? Can I ask your tips of mastering it? I’ve studied Japanese for 8+ years (not continuously, tho. There was like a 3yr gap), got N1 in my third year but I got to say, even at that time my speaking skill was somewhere below N3. It’s all theory and barely any practices, basically. I have Japanese friends too and we do talk, but they’re all daily topics and they rarely point out mistakes I make in my speech. I asked them to do so a few times but I think they still hesitate for fear of appearing rude (very cute, very Japanese). Also, when I have too many things on my hands and don’t have time to speak with them, my Japanese conversations are limited to those at workplace, which are plainly basic, repeated sentences and orders, which will then lead to my speaking skill becoming even worse. It’s on and off all the time and even my Japanese friends notice it. They will hear me phrasing long sentences with correct grammar and nice vocabs; but when they meet me after a while, it’s not that smooth anymore.
How can I level up from here? I know there are ppl who only need a few years to be ペラペラ, so I might classify myself into the group of slow learners. My reading and writing are actually better than speaking, so I would say more focus on the latter.
4 comments
Quantity, you need to make opportunities to use the language and be exposed to the language. You’ll build a sense of what’s correct in what context by continual exposure to those contexts, and you’ll refine that sense by using language in context and paying attention.
Your friends not correcting your mistakes isn’t the problem. How do they phrase things? Do that. There’s no shortcut. Expose yourself to the language, pay attention, use the language, pay attention to your interlocutor.
Start thinking in Japanese. Force yourself to do so until it becomes second nature. Your grocery list, chores, grievances with coworkers etc. Any thought you have, try to have it in Japanese.
Language is very complex. It literally changes the way you form thoughts. I’m sarcastic and nihilistic in English, a happy go lucky jokester when I switch to Turkish and a 礼儀正しいなイメージのに実はアホ in Japanese. Your personality changes along with the language you’re speaking. It’s quite weird. And tiring, to be honest.
Don’t fret that much. I feel the same wave of proficiency too. Sometimes people I’ve had phone conversations with don’t realise that I’m a foreigner until we’ve met in person. On the other hand, sometimes I can’t express a simple thought whilst talking to friends.
Shadowing might help you out here. Find a piece of media or speaker you want to be able to mimic and then literally repeat what they say ad naseum. You won’t be formulating superb sentences immediately but eventually your brain will have so many combinations that it’ll be able to mix and match for new output.
Mind you, the best real method would be constantly speaking with a native and having them correct you, and letting you mimic them. That’s not really practical unless you’re willing to pay someone for that kind of thing though.
If you don’t practice speaking, then your speaking won’t improve. It’s that simple.
Your friends likely don’t want to spend time or energy being your teacher. It’s on you to notice and mend the holes in your own language imperfections.
Step outside of your comfort zones and create your own environments where your ability can improve. As you said, your workplace is a limiting environment, so step outside of it.