What are good ways to learn Japanese on the internet?
Japanese is an East Asian language spoken by about 128 million people, primarily in Japan, where it is the national language. It is a member of the Japonic (or Japanese-Ryukyuan) language family, and its ultimate derivation and relation to other languages is unclear. Japonic languages have been grouped with other language families such as Ainu, Austroasiatic, Korean, and the now-discredited Altaic, but none of these proposals has gained widespread acceptance. It is also recognised minority language of Angaur, a state of Palau and Singapore.
In the present scenario, people are mostly relying on the internet. Work from Home is going on through the internet, online meetings, online classes, etc, everything is dependent on the internet. So why not learning Japanese? Yes, you can learn any language including Japanese on the internet. Internet is the best resource for you. The Internet can be your best friend for learning Japanese. Hundreds of different Japanese courses and textbooks are out there on the internet and something or the other is present for every budget.
Here in this blog, I will give you some good ways so you can learn Japanese on the internet. This will not only help you to learn efficiently but also will help you to learn faster:
Good ways to learn Japanese on the internet
1.Instructional Audio CDs
Audio CD courses sound too good to be true: pop in the CD on your drive home from work, and you’ll be speaking Japanese fluently in less time than it takes a Game of Thrones season to end. The truth is that audio courses actually work, but not in the passive manner the marketing material might lead you to believe.
Learning any language requires active involvement in a regulated process (no matter how simplified that process might be). Even with audio CDs, you will eventually have to put in some serious leg work, especially with a language as linguistically diverse as Japanese.
2.Websites and online dictionaries
Many online dictionaries provide not only the definition of a word but also samples of phrases in which the word is employed in various circumstances. With practice, these can be quite useful in enhancing your Chinese communication abilities.
3.Software Applications
Interactivity, large peer communities, and relatively low cost have made software applications one of the most popular ways to learn Japanese. Different applications emphasize different learning methods. Supplemented with regular interaction with an actual native speaker, these software programs can be powerful learning tools because of the following reasons:
- Interactive Lessons: Interactivity increases engagement with the lesson and keeps students interested in the process. Some programs incorporate games, puzzles and stories to ensure faster learning.
- Learn at Your Own Pace: Lessons can be stopped, paused and repeated until you are comfortable – an obvious plus. Be warned though: this also enables unmotivated students to shelve the software when encountering difficult passages.
- Mobile Apps: Prominent software programs are also available on mobile and smartphones as dedicated apps. This means you no longer have to be tied to your desktop and can learn on the go.
4. Online Resources
A number of websites dedicated to the study of Japanese have emerged in the past few years. These sites offer the dynamic learning environment of private lessons along with the interactivity of software programs. Most are free, some cost as little as $0.90 for dedicated mobile apps. A few popular online resources are:
- Multibhashi.com: Multibhashi is an ed-tech platform that facilitates online learning in an effective and innovative manner through the medium of audio-visual training sessions and app-based learning. It is a leader in providing learning solutions in various spheres.
- Livemocha.com: Livemocha takes a unique approach to learning languages. For every language that you want to learn (say, Japanese), you will have to teach someone a language you know in return (say, English). This ‘crowdsourced’ learning is very effective as you get paired up with a number of different ‘teachers’
5.YouTube:
YouTube is an application that is available on smartphones. With YouTube there are so many videos or channels available which you can refer to improve your listening, reading, writing and speaking part in Japanese.
6. Other Methods
Besides the following, there are a bunch of other ways to learn Japanese as well, such as:
- Local Language Groups: Websites like Meetup.com facilitate meetings between like-minded people. It is easy to find Japanese language groups in your neighbourhood that can help you practice and learn the language.
- Learn from Native Speakers: Programs such as Amerispan.com help English language speakers learn Japanese by staying with native speakers. This is an excellent way to not just learn Japanese, but experience Latin American culture as well.
Finally,
Learning Japanese is a lifelong process that requires a long-term commitment. Complete mastery requires that you not only learn Japanese in a classroom setting but understand its cultural contexts as well. Watching Japanese movies with subtitles, making Japanese-speaking friends, and even living in a Japanese-speaking country for some time are some ways to keep up with the language.
You can utilise any one or a combination of all of these online options to study or improve your Japanese, depending on what works best for you.
All the best!!!