I spend about an hour a day on anki, but I’ve been pretty inconsistent/lazy in other departments. I’ve been doing the occasional Bunpro cram to get my output up a little, but apart from the occasional anime my only consistent immersion is ~30min each of active/passive listening and scrolling my JP twitter account for a bit each day. I have been hard lacking on my immersion and grammar studies overall though, and I’m going to Japan soon. I also have a mining deck with a few dozen N5-1 grammar points, but nothing I’m too crazy comfortable with. All together I’d say my understanding is comfortably N5 with some more advanced concepts floating about but nothing too complex. Output is probably N5, but relatively slow with grammar errors. Since I’m going to be visiting Japan for a few weeks, what are some recommended ways to up my level of practical use Japanese other than just immersion, which is better suited for long term gains?
5 comments
Go online and find some places you plan to go to on google maps and get photos of the menus, go to their official websites, etc. and harvest vocabulary from there. Menu items, entrance fee charts, etc. then think about what you’re likely to want to say when you’re there and work it out. It’ll help you prepare for your trip and you’ll know vocabulary that you’re definitely going to need.
I know this is not something you’ve created.
But I find it funny people say “N* output,” mainly since JLPT doesn’t test output. Like what does that mean? You use N5 grammar in your sentences? So are N1 outputters not allowed to use words like 飲む because you learn them so early.
A tutor might be the only thing that will patch up the worst problems in time.
If “soon” is “next year”, maybe you could make a plan, but if you’re going within the next few months, what can you really do? Maybe prioritize finding some clips of people buying stuff in bakeries (like this [Akane clip](https://youtu.be/PTX58pli-kI)), or find some clips of people taking the trains. Get yourself acclimated to hearing the sounds you’re realistically going to need to hear to get around and eat.
Don’t place too many expectations upon yourself, and remember to enjoy your trip. Be fascinated and not discouraged.
Assuming your goal is conversation, you should aim for 30-60 minutes of input each day at a level you can more-or-less understand. Anything from N5/N4 grammar videos to Moomin. Rewatch things and try and grasp more of the details. Also practice speaking or writing, using various grammar points, for 30 mins/day.