As of recent, I’ve noticed my skills with Japanese develop, even if it has been slow. But my main issue is being more cohesive. I have a grip on the basics, but past that, I struggle.
For example, I can’t help but use basic grammar, and everything is split into simple sentences. ‘i talk like a robot. I don’t like it. It is difficult. Because I’m not smooth enough.’
A bit like this.
I write and talk like this, and it’s so frustrating! My teacher has noticed, but she’s done nothing to actually help me get past this, she only points it out. I don’t know how to properly and smoothly join sentences, unless it’s with から. I don’t know what you call them, ‘sentence linkers’ maybe? But I don’t know any of them.
With Spanish for example, I can speak the basics confidently, and with speed. I’m only A1 still, but I’ve stayed on the basics for such a long time (nearly 4 years), it comes easily. But with Japanese, I struggle so much to be cohesive and smooth, even with the basics. And I’ve been studying it for 8 years!
Normally I’d accept that this would be a natural process, that I’d understand and develop eventually. But unfortunately it’s taking a toll on my marks, and I really want to do something about it. Only just, I don’t know what to do.
Any help would be amazing, suggestions, tips, anything
3 comments
You’ve been studying for 8 years, but how much of that have you actually spent speaking, listening and writing? I mean outside of class and homework, talking to Japanese people, listening to native Japanese content?
Firstly use conjunctions (sentence linkers) It’s the easiest way to sound smooth and more natural.
Sentence starters:
まず、はじめに… First, to start…
次は… Next…
それから… And then…
でも… But…
そして… And…
それに… In addition…
つまり… In other words…
それで… So/ therefore…
最後に… Finally
In the middle:
AけどB – A but B
AがB – A but B
AからB – Because A, B
AのでB – Because A, B
AてB – A and then B (actions)
Secondly, put your skills to work. Even better if you hire a tutor.
N5 observation here – I find that a lot of native speakers heavily rely on a variety of “ums” when trying to string together an idea. I mostly converse with family so probably not going to fly in the work place, but all day I near “nanka, sa, eh to, nandake, etc” with what are short phrases that follow.
Their advice to me is to read as much as I can stand and the grammar will come.
I feel like English/Spanish/French doesn’t put as much pressure to shorten/omit words and sounds, so you have more time and opportunity to think of the next thing and link.
As George Michael once said, “Nosotros nos danyamos con las cosas que queremos decir” or “Iitai koto o akiramemasu fml”