Honestly, the only (or main) reason I want to actually learn japanese is to sing the songs I like, particulary being an utaite, so singing vocaloid stuff.
But unfortunately, japanese isn’t my first language, and i want to do music primarily (singing, song wiritng, music making, etc) in japanese, NOT english.
Problem is, for the love of god, unless it’s from listening to music that I sing along to, I HATE learning the language so much.
If I could only learn japanese from music, that’d be great.
Nope, nope, nope, can’t do that since the music is very casual, and is not a good tool to learn the way japanese actually speak (other than slang and such).
There’s literally no other way I can learn though that doesn’t feel like misery.
Seriously, how am I able to do an hour of schoolwork, but not 5 minutes of a genki book?
It just takes too much time and effort, and I always feel miserable when having to do actual work.
Other than listening to music, no other tool is going to work. Everything feels like misery unless I sing along to songs that I like.
I don’t care if I’m only 14 and have a big future ahead of me, for two years I’ve been waiting for motivation to kick in, and it never lasts (when it does come, it’s rare, and lasts only a few days).
It’s ruining my life, I swear. If I can’t learn the language I love, how am I supposed to use my future? I ONLY want to work in japanese, and that doesn’t motivate me.
4 years left until I’m in college, and I’ve been stuck in the same position since I was 11.
Oh and I hate using romaji because my eyes can’t keep up with the fast lyrics, plus it’s amateur. I could only sing the song if it’s slow enough and is entirely in hirigana.
What the hell do I do if I’m just going to live a miserable life in the end?
10 comments
If all you want to do is sing you don’t need to learn the language. Learn the pronunciation of hiragana and off you go. That’s how all the artists that sing in more than one language do it. It’s just rote memorization.
If you want to write your own songs or understand the text tho, that’s another story.
You’re young, this isnt a problem as big as youre making it out. Learning a language, especially one completely different to your native, is a huge undertaking which you’ll never keep up the motivation for with a weak incentive.
Give up Japanese and focus on things more important. Learn the lyrics in romaji, you dont need knowledge of the meaning or foreign writing system.
All that talk of “love” seems pointless when in fact you hated so many things about it.
Why dont you ask your parents to enroll you in a japanese course? Having someone to organize your lessons and the learning pace for you can be really helpful.
Studying japanese on your own requires you to be organized, constant, and actively use different tools to back up your studies plus immersion and such.
Other than that, if studying is such a hassle for you, just stick to singing the lyrics, you dont need to know japanese for that.
Do not take this the wrong way – but incremental progress into the language is normal and the drop out rate is high because it is difficult to learn. Even if you stick to just songs, your refusal to do it in Romaji means you have to learn hiragana, but soon you will realize Kanji makes it easier and you will start to learn Kanji. You will come to a point when you will realize how most songs you like are actually fairly inaccurate translations.
It may sound rude, but learning Japanese in even a few years is a daunting task that not even Japanese students your own age have mastered. Japanese is difficult, but the rewards are immeasurable.
I’m gonna get downvoted for this, but it should be said.
If you’re struggling this much and have so much that you hate about it, then you don’t actually want to learn. You kind of said so yourself when you said that the only reason is to sing in that language. You don’t seem to care about communicating with other musicians, producers, writers, engineers, music publishing companies, bookers, managers, or Japanese music lovers. You basically just want to karaoke. And if that’s the case, then that’s perfectly acceptable; but you’re stressing yourself out because you’re trying to force yourself to do something that you actually have no passion or desire for.
Learning a language is an incredibly difficult undertaking. Despite the classic “be fluent in 3 months” advertisements, it actually takes people many years of effort and continued practice to actually use the language with confidence.
It should also be said that motivation doesn’t fall into your lap. It’s not a miraculous thing that comes from thin air. Motivation is built, brick by brick, and you have to be the one to build it. Motivation is the forming of habits over a long period of time, and practicing the willpower to keep going even when you feel like you no longer want to do it.
“What the hell do I do if I’m just going to live a miserable life in the end?”
Not being Japanese language skill is not going to give you a miserable life. Not even less of a life. You’re going to have to stop punishing yourself with such cynicism and shame filled lies. You have lots of time, infinite opportunity, and the ability to change your mind at any given time. You’re so incredibly young, still at the very very beginning of your life. Figure out what it really is that you want, and accept that for most humans this can take their entire lives and instead of trying to force yourself to learn Japanese, embrace the things that you naturally feel passionate about.
P.S. As a former musician, I want to tell you that any career in music is not based in love or desire for the outcome. You have to love the process of the work. If you hate every step of the rejection, the learning, the struggle of writing, etc… then you’re going to be deeply unhappy. The career is the work, not the release.
It sounds less like you hate attempting to learn, and more like you need some kind of kick in the rear that’s equivalent to your schoolwork. Some people function that way where they need to be told it’s mandatory with strict deadlines and due-dates. On top of it, it may help to have someone to bounce off of.
Either way, you are young; don’t be too harsh on yourself or the language learning process. The negativity you currently have associated with it will only come to make it worse. Try asking your counselor for an independent study course at your school if that’s an available option to you, as well. Be sure to pester them about it since they tend to forget easily with many other students to look out for.
Otherwise, I would recommend taking a break if it is frustrating you this much; including taking a break from listening to the songs you like. You may need to re-evaluate what you’re looking for from this knowledge and experience. Revisit them when you come to your answer, whether it’s coming to terms with something or finding new passion.
I hate to say it, but give up. You don’t want to learn Japanese and I don’t think you really understand what it takes too.
> ONLY want to work in japanese, and that doesn’t motivate me.
Ask yourself again if that’s REALLY what you want.
It’s possible you only like the *idea* of making music in Japanese. Nothing wrong with that, but you seem to dislike a lot of the things that makes the music unique in the first place.
Not trying to diss you due to your age, but as you get older you start to realize that in order to do the things you want to do, you might have to make sacrifices/compromises to get there. If you really want to make a career of Japanese music, then you have to tough it out with learning the language. A professional athlete probably doesn’t enjoy doing sprints but if they need to build the speed/stamina to excel in their sport, they are going to do it.