jean5429 - Japanese Quest

[dampingwire]

I had a subscription for Crunchyroll for a time last year, but I wasn't able to understand a word at that time, I am sure I could get more words now.

I've found that repeating a story again and again helps. Each episode contains 3 stories, each of which is about 8 minutes long. So it's a convenient length of material to study in depth.

I actually tried a few courses on Memrise, is this a good app?

I've never used the app, I've only accessed it via a web browser. I found that it was a fairly ordinary SRS. Planting the flowers was fun for a while but in the end I found it more convenient to use it as a ready source of N2 vocabulary which I could download and pump into Anki.

[jean5429]

I've never used the app, I've only accessed it via a web browser. I found that it was a fairly ordinary SRS. Planting the flowers was fun for a while but in the end I found it more convenient to use it as a ready source of N2 vocabulary which I could download and pump into Anki.

Thank you! I've never done this, I'll search about how it is done to try to use it on Anki. I was execited about Memrise, but the voices were annoying hehe.



-> For this week, I've been doing pretty good, except for the 1st and 2nd days of the year which were difficult to keep the studies.

English:
I have been reading Mists of Avalon book three, 30 min. a day, it has been a good week of reading, and I am 50% done with the book.
I've also been reading 'news in levels' on level 3 everyday, which is a website that provide daily news in English divided on 3 difficult levels.

Spanish:
Still with Duolingo, but I broke my streak of 11 days, haven't done it on days 1 and 2.

Japanese:

1. Reviewed ANKI every day, except days 1-2
2. Anki: Added 120 Kanjis 30/weekday, except Monday-Tuesday. Total: 450/1901
3. Anki: Added 120 new phrases-cards. Total: 507/1000
4. Still listened to the first episode of Sword Art Online anime.
5. JALUP NEXT: Added all kana reading practice cards per weekday. Total: 228/228 and 100 Kanji and 100 Phrases.
6. Anki Genki I and II Deck, added 120 cards Total: 360/1287

Goals for January in Japanese:
Finish 50% of Kanji Deck
Finish 1000 Phrases Deck
Finish 75% of Genki I and II Deck

Thanks for reading

[jean5429]

I can't believe it has been a month since I've started using this forum and it has been a pleasure.
I can also say that it is a motivation to my studies, since I want to study harder to keep updating my language log and it is really fun to see how much I've been progressing each week, I can see my progress easily, it is my 5th update already!
Keeping track of what I've been doing is a motivation to me it makes me keep going.

English:
Reading: Mists of Avalon book 3, 30 min. a day, 80% done
Reading 'news in levels' on level 3 everyday

Spanish:
Still with Duolingo, only to get started with the language

Japanese:

1. Reviewed ANKI every day for Kanji/Genki Phrases/Core 2k Phrases
2. Anki: Added 150 Kanjis 30/weekday Total: 600/1901
3. Anki: Added new phrases-cards. Total: 594/1000
4. Anki Genki , added 150 cards Total: 510/1287
5. Still listened to the first episode of Sword Art Online anime.
6. JALUP NEXT:Removed from daily reviews, going to start it on intermediary after finishing Genki
   

Goals for January in Japanese:
Finish 50% of Kanji Deck > I'm at 31%
Finish 1000 Phrases Deck > 59%
Finish 75% of Genki I and II Deck > 39%


Thanks for reading

[jean5429]

Not a good update now.

All of those numbers were overwhelming me, so I have just stopped them all together. But not forever, because soon after I started it over again, but haven't updated here. On that second attempt I can say that I was going pretty well, 48 days of non-stop studies, but them I've just got overwhelmed by it again.

So I am trying a different approach now. I am not sad to say that I won't be using Anki for a while, I've just undertand that maybe it isn't the right tool for me, or maybe that just wasn't the right time to use it.


Now I am more into reading than anything else. Making some small progress throught it, and using some online apps to chat with people.
Engage in a real conversation usually makes me look for the right words, so I can say that I am always learning new words, and after thousands of messages, it might work well on acquiring new vocabulary (just as it had been when I was learning English).
I am also trying to keep up with some book lessons, alongside some listening.

If you guys could give me any advice in learning Japanese in a slow (but more enjoable way) I would definitely appreciate it

Thanks to stop by my log, and sorry for the long story, I had to get it off my chest. It was hard to admit that one of the most useful and interesting tools of learning a new language isn't the best for me.

[AndyMeg]

If you guys could give me any advice in learning Japanese in a slow (but more enjoable way) I would definitely appreciate it

Some of the resources I've enjoyed the most:

Japanese The Manga Way
Mangajin 1
Mangajin 2
Nihongo Notes
Pera Pera Penguin
Kanji Study Android app
Shadowing/Role-Playing Anime and Drama transcripts (it is more enjoyable with at least two people, but you can do it alone)
Lots of interaction with native media/material (anime, dramas, songs, mangas, etc. With and without subs/transcripts/translations)

I also would like to use FLTR in the future.

Another thing I would like to do in the future is to replay some video games in their japanese language version.

Thanks to stop by my log, and sorry for the long story, I had to get it off my chest. It was hard to admit that one of the most useful and interesting tools of learning a new language isn't the best for me.

You are not alone on this. I hate how Anki accumulates lots a lots of items to review. That's why on the few occasions I use it, I always choose the "easy" option regardless how good or bad a I remember said item.

[jean5429]

Reading and looking up every word you don't know. Listening to see if you can catch words you heard before. Writing to people and looking up words as you go along. So basically everything you are already doing. Welcome to the dark side (of not using Anki)

Thank you for the kind words, hehe. I was really worried about not using it, since in the beggining I found it so good, and I spread the word about anki for dozens of people near me. They all use it and thank me for showing them this tool. I will keep up with the way I am now, slow but steady.

[jean5429]

Some of the resources I've enjoyed the most:
Japanese The Manga Way
Mangajin 1
Mangajin 2
Nihongo Notes
Pera Pera Penguin
Kanji Study Android app
Shadowing/Role-Playing Anime and Drama transcripts (it is more enjoyable with at least two people, but you can do it alone)
Lots of interaction with native media/material (anime, dramas, songs, mangas, etc. With and without subs/transcripts/translations)

Thank you so much. That's a lot of resources to think about. I am going to take a while to go through all of them, but seems very interesting

[dampingwire]

You do need to find ways to keep anki as a servant and not a master.

I've found various things that work for me. Sometimes I just cap my reviewing time at 15 minutes (or whatever). Or I just stop when I've had enough. I may then come back later in the day and try another short session. I also find it best to try to do anki early in the day rather than late at night: obviously people differ in when they perform best at that sort of task.

I also find that moving some material to a "holding deck" so that it doesn't show up lightens the load. Then as the review time drops I can move some of it back in dribs and drabs.

Or you can just drop anki for a bit too

[dampingwire]

Please explain why Jean 'needs' to keep using Anki, a tool they have grown tired of and would like to move on to other tools that might be more enjoyable?

I didn't mean that he (or anyone) should keep using it, just that if you do choose use it, you rather than anki should be in control.

[jean5429]

You do need to find ways to keep anki as a servant and not a master.

I've found various things that work for me. Sometimes I just cap my reviewing time at 15 minutes (or whatever). Or I just stop when I've had enough. I may then come back later in the day and try another short session. I also find it best to try to do anki early in the day rather than late at night: obviously people differ in when they perform best at that sort of task.

I also find that moving some material to a "holding deck" so that it doesn't show up lightens the load. Then as the review time drops I can move some of it back in dribs and drabs.

Or you can just drop anki for a bit too

Thank you for the info!
I have tryed to lock the reviewing time, but I have some problems with 'finishing' things, and I can't live without finishing Anki decks, lol. I might just work this around, and have a deck with small amount of phrases, with reasonable amount of things to do.

I also find it easier to do in the morning, as the first thing of the day. Do you use any other method for vocabulary/kanji other than anki?