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What Japanese Writing System Should I Learn?

The answer to this question will depend on a variety of factors, but there is one thing we can be sure of: you will never learn to write well if you don’t put in the practice. This article will discuss some of the elements that you need to incorporate in your writing system in order to become a master Japanese writer. We will cover topics such as:

Japanese Grammar

If you want to write in the Japanese language effectively, you should first familiarize yourself with its grammar. For those of you who are looking for a quick overview of the language, here is a link to the quick reference guide by Rika Matsumoto. This guide will help you understand how to conjugate verbs, which ending to use when ending a sentence, and a lot more!

Kanji

Kanji are the syllable blocks that make up the Japanese vocabulary. If you want to become a master of the language, you should learn to use and recognize kanji correctly. This can be a daunting task if you don’t know where to start. Fortunately, there are many tools online that can help you memorize kanji. For instance, kanji-rich environments such as Duolingo can help improve your vocabulary automatically as you use the app. Another useful tool is Memrise. With this tool you can add kanji and memory related words to create personalized study lists. Studies have shown that people who use this tool outperform those who simply review words and kanji in a book. If you want an extra boost, you can take a kanji quiz to see which of the 4000 most useful kanji you should learn first.

Japanese Pronunciation

If you are looking to improve your Japanese pronunciation, you should first try to learn how to read and write Japanese with the correct tones. There are 6 tones (lows, highs, meds, med lows, lows, and highs) that you need to master in order to do so. Luckily for you, we are educators and have collected all the necessary information about Japanese pronunciation for you to learn and practice regularly. You will find many useful tips, tricks, and tools to ensure you nail those difficult tones. Take a look and see for yourself:

  • Japanese Pronunciation Course: This is a comprehensive course that will help you learn how to speak Japanese correctly. The course comes with 11.5 hours of audio content and 66 pages of PDF materials. To get started, simply sign up for a free account on this website and download the course to your phone.
  • Learn Japanese Vocabulary Through Storybooks: This is a great way to learn Japanese words and their meanings. Storybooks are books with traditional tales from Japanese folklore. By reading storybooks in the original Japanese and looking up the words you don’t know, you will familiarize yourself with a huge vocabulary. These books are ideal for language learners because they are easy to understand but also have a lot of obscure words. Some of the language learners who have benefited from this technique include Kevin Richardson and John La Bellamy.
  • Learn Japanese From Scratch: One of the best things about Japanese is how accessible its grammar is and how straightforward it is to learn. For those of you who want to learn the language fast, you can follow our handy guide and learn how to write sentences, read and understand manga, and pronounce Japanese words correctly. This guide will also introduce you to the Japanese language through easy-to-follow lessons so that even those of you who have no previous knowledge can still enjoy the benefits of speaking the native tongue.
  • Elements of Japanese Grammar: This is the definitive resource for anyone who wants to learn how to write in the Japanese language effectively. It teaches you the necessary elements of Japanese grammar including the parts of speech, how to conjugate verbs, and how to use particles. More than a handy guide, this book will teach you the theoretical foundations of the Japanese language so that you can become a productive member of society even if you decide not to pursue a master’s degree in Japanese studies.
  • Grammar in Use: An essential tool for anyone who wants to learn how to speak Japanese effectively. This is a reference book that will teach you the same principles as Elements of Japanese Grammar, but in a much more practical manner. You will start to see the use of Japanese grammar as you progress through the book, making it much more useful as a reference.

Japanese Vocabulary

If you are looking to improve your vocabulary, you should first try to learn the meaning of the words and how to use them correctly. A good place to start is Collins Cobuild Dictionary. This is a very popular English-Japanese dictionary that will teach you the meaning of words through example sentences. Additionally, this is a resource you can come back to time and time again to help you understand new words and their meanings. As you learn new words, you should also be adding them to your vocabulary. Remember, repetition is the key to improving your vocabulary.

Writing

Last but not least, we would be remiss if we didn’t mention the importance of writing in the Japanese language. Even if you decide not to pursue a master’s degree in Japanese studies, you will still need to know how to write in the language correctly. For those of you who are interested in learning how to write, here is a link to the Japanese Writing System that will teach you the correct way. This system will help you organize your ideas and remember how to write in a Japanese-style manuscript. If you follow this guide, you will become a well-rounded individual who can speak, read, and write in the Japanese language effectively. What more could anyone ask for?

Hopefully, this article gave you a good idea of what Japanese writing system should you learn. Learning a new writing system can be difficult, but with some practice, it can all become very natural. With this in mind, now is the perfect time to start practicing your writing skills and becoming the skilled Japanese writer you were born to be.