Learning: Japanese
5 things to start doing before you can read Japanese perfectly
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① Learn a greeting you can actually use
You can practise a short introduction while you are still learning hiragana. Start with はじめまして, meaning ‘Nice to meet you,’ and your name followed by です.
Listen to a recording before repeating it. Keep the written Japanese beside you, with a pronunciation guide if you need one. Gradually look at the Japanese more often so the guide does not become the only thing you can read.
② Learn what comes back
An introduction becomes more useful when you can recognise the reply. Practise hearing a name and a simple question instead of only repeating your own lines.
Ask a practice partner to change their name or country each time. Your job is to listen for that one detail. You do not need to understand every sentence to take part in a small exchange.
③ Keep one phrase for getting help
もう一度お願いします means ‘One more time, please.’ Learn it alongside the phrases you want to say, so you have something ready when you miss a reply.
Practise using it during a conversation rather than saving it as another vocabulary item. Ask for a repeat, listen again and answer the part you understood. Asking again is a useful conversation skill.
④ Read the phrases you already know aloud
Connect your reading practice to something you have heard. A familiar greeting gives the characters a sound and a situation you already recognise.
Choose one short line from your listening practice. Follow the characters while playing the audio, then try reading it without the recording. Check the parts you guessed rather than rushing to a new line.
⑤ Build both habits together
Give reading and speaking their own small place in your day. You can learn a few characters and still spend a little time answering a question aloud.
End today with one exchange you can repeat tomorrow. Keep it short enough that you will actually try it again. Your reading does not have to be finished before your first conversation can begin.