Hello World!

[Need4Power]

Hello everyone

I've just registered a user here to ask a question in the Japanese study forum; though it seems like all moderators there are long retired, so probably my thread there will never get approved ;_;

Anyway, I figured I might do an introduction.

I've been visiting animelyrics.com for like... 16 years maybe? I've also visited this forum from time to time but never made a user, until now.

So, here I am!

I love many genres, from horror to action to romantic shoujo. I watch a lot of retro-anime mainly because I prefer the traditional cel-animation.

My top favorite anime are Dragon Ball / Cardcaptor Sakura + Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle which I grew up with.

As for video games, I currently play Elden Ring / S.T.A.L.K.E.R GAMMA / Dead Or Alive 5. I also played the Infinity Nikki closed beta recently and really liked it.

I also started studying Japanese this year and my JLPT N5 Test is coming soon.

Ahh, I'm making it too long! Anyway, nice to meet you all! ^_^

[PictureGuy]

I look forward to your postings.

[Digimon_Sommelier]

WELCOME!! To Anime Forum Dot Com!!

Read the rules, make lots of new friends, and have a need for power but don't lust for it. It's good advice, no?

Have a great week!!

[Need4Power]

Thank you both for your warm greetings ^_^

[NateVoyage]

I'm also new here on the forum, so it's great to see another fresh face around. Sounds like you've got a solid mix of classic and modern tastes! My favorite anime includes Cowboy Bebop and Neon Genesis Evangelion, and lately, I've been diving into Final Fantasy and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

It's awesome that you're studying Japanese and planning to take the JLPT N5 soon! Any advice you'd recommend for learning kanji or building vocabulary? Looking forward to hearing more from you!

[Need4Power]

I'm also new here on the forum, so it's great to see another fresh face around. Sounds like you've got a solid mix of classic and modern tastes! My favorite anime includes Cowboy Bebop and Neon Genesis Evangelion, and lately, I've been diving into Final Fantasy and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

It's awesome that you're studying Japanese and planning to take the JLPT N5 soon! Any advice you'd recommend for learning kanji or building vocabulary? Looking forward to hearing more from you!

Hi!

Welcome to this forum as well, NateVoyage!

Cowboy Bebop is definitely on my list. I do plan to watch it too at some point.
Here, you can see my AnimeList if you'd like

Unfortunately, I never got into Final Fantasy or Zelda games, but I may try one of the older Final Fantasy games at some point too. I still have my PS2 lying around somewhere.

And I'm very much a beginner, so please take my advice as such!

Outside of my regular studies which consists of frontal classes with text books and other organized JLPT N5 focused study programs, I expand my vocabulary by immersing myself in the language. What I do, is essentially trying to re-create my English learning journey from when I was younger.

I try to think of it as such - I study as I go by taking effort to invest myself in my interests and understand my favorite hobbies! I want to be able to read those books, to understand songs, to play those video games, or maybe see what is the latest big thing everyone are talking about!

Studying a new language is also a fun process in itself. It creates a new form of perspective in your mind.

When I was little, I used to browse online about anime and video games and translate everything that I didn't understand by constantly referring to my big old dictionary that sat on my desk, haha!

I was reading a LOT of books, I participated in all kinds of online forums over the years, watched many long YouTube videos, at some point started watching anime and movies in general with English subtitles and made many English-speaking pen-pals. If I didn't understand something, I researched it tirelessly until I did.

I now understand not only a great amount of vocabulary compared to most of my peers (and my country generally speaks English quite well) but also a lot of slang, culture references and obscure netspeak, lol.

So what I would recommend the most in order to build a Japanese vocabulary... is curiosity. Take the extra effort to translate and research everything you come across, don't wait for later when you see something that you don't understand, do it now!

Do you have any favorite Japanese songs? Then you'll want to learn the vocabulary they use by heart - Right? Look around your room, your house, when you walk out on the street and try to name all that you see. Be okay with watching or reading something, and not completely understanding it. You may at least learn a new word or two out of it, and that's good enough. Don't be frustrated when you see a lot of words you don't understand, each new word is a good thing!

As for Kanji it's definitely a unique effort for me with this language. In English you learn the ABC and it's done, you can read everything, even if not correctly. With Kanji you will constantly come across words that you have no idea how to even start reading at first glance, probably for quite a long while.

I find that it helps to print out sheets of Kanji of interest and practice writing them down. You will remember them way more easily next time by tracing and re-creating them about 10 times, and making some simple sentences.

Also creating flashcards with programs such as Anki seems to be quite effective.

Do you happen to know any other methods you can share?

I hope I can pass the JLPT N5; It may be a bit too early. I think I have a good chance though, at least so I conclude from the mock exams I did so far. Grammar may be my downfall though ;_;

Ah, sorry about the sudden text wall!