| Let's be realistic. Learning Japanese isn't easy for | | | | to get you to think and respond in Japanese without |
| most people, and unless you're a language genius, it's | | | | translating from English first. This provides a valuable |
| going to take a while. But how long is "a while?" That | | | | framework for further language acquisition; |
| all depends on you -- your personality, the way you | | | | presumably, that will be when you actually go to |
| learn, your work habits, and how good you are at | | | | Japan. |
| retaining what you've learned. The time varies for | | | | These courses take from three months (Pimsleur) to |
| everyone, and comparing yourself to others will only | | | | a year (Rosetta Stone), and they all have different |
| bring you frustration. What you should be concerned | | | | strengths. You should read reviews and websites to |
| with is setting realistic expectations and maximizing | | | | find out the best match for you. If self-study is not |
| your own speed, regardless of what everyone else is | | | | for you, you can also take classes or hire tutors, |
| doing. | | | | either in person or online. Tutors have the advantage |
| One class or semester is not going to have you | | | | of being able to give you a personalized lesson plan |
| fluent in Japanese. If you take a college course, that | | | | depending on your needs and interests. |
| class time is probably going to be divided between | | | | With a combination of materials, it's very possible to |
| speaking, reading, and writing. Usually, it takes two | | | | get good conversational Japanese skills in six months |
| years of classroom study to have a basic | | | | to a year. Reading and writing usually come after |
| conversation. Don't worry -- classroom education is | | | | learning to speak, since the alphabet and characters |
| usually the slowest possible way to learn a new | | | | are so unfamiliar to English speakers. Depending on |
| language. | | | | your learning style, learning those logographic |
| There are much faster ways to learn Japanese, and | | | | languages can be a major stumbling block or a major |
| you'll probably be doing a combination of them. | | | | help. If you're the kind of person that needs to read |
| Fastest of all is being dropped in Japan with no choice | | | | and write to make sense of ideas and remember |
| but to learn and use the language. If a gun were | | | | things, then learning to read, write, and speak |
| pointed at your head, "Talk Japanese or else..." you | | | | Japanese at the same time might make your |
| would learn as quickly as you could! Practically, | | | | progress faster, even though it is more material. |
| though, this wouldn't happen; most Japanese people | | | | Whatever your method, whether you choose to |
| are too eager to practice their English. | | | | take a self-study course, lessons, or classes at a local |
| For adults, the closest to an immersion-style | | | | college or university, make sure the information is |
| Japanese learning experience is some of the home | | | | given to you in a way that suits your learning style. |
| study courses. These courses are based on the way | | | | There are many options to choose from, and a good |
| children learn language and don't focus on the logical | | | | match for your learning bias will make learning |
| aspects of the language, such as vocabulary, parts of | | | | Japanese much faster and easier. |
| speech, and conjugations. Instead, their main focus is | | | | |