Don't try to learn Japanese here.

[MMM]

Originally Posted by Danierux

yeah i agree with you MMM, i would never use this forum to learn japanese, merely get some pointers or advice. Nothing beats real teaching! I am lucky enough to have a japanese learning college in my city. If you are really dedicated to learning japanese you should think strongly about doing the same. If not even going to the country to learn. Learning by yourself is strenuous and needs vast amounts of motivation. Once starting lessons its helped me keep motivated and also lets me test out my japanese reguarly. !

And even if you don't have ateacher nearby, there are online sites with audio and video...

I agree. Learning on your own requires a LOT of motivation. I don't know if I would have survived.

[Kasomi]

I totally agree with your former post, MMM, as I wrote in the other thread.
But I'll add something to the beginners (well, more than I am): Watch the web site you are using... some of them seem of good use, but if you're not careful, you end up learning things the bad way... Yeah, I know it seems obvious, but be careful with this.

[MMM]

I think that is a good point. Some claim to have a new technique that will just confuse you.

I just heard an ad for "Rosetta Stone" that promises to teach you foreign languages without any "boring memorization". How do you learn a new language without memorization "fast and easy"?

[Kasomi]

Good question. I don't think it's possible without memorization. Whatever you learn, you memorize it, don't you? It is part of learning. If you don't memorize, then you haven't learned anything after a lesson... well, that's my opinion, and the definition of a dictionary for 'memorization'. Maybe she wanted to say that she had fun methods for learning languages without being bored?

[Ito]

i think is wierd to try to learn japanise on a forum.. i have learned words by watching anime but i think is best to studie or work on books and go to japan. or move there.. hugs ito

[NakamuraYumi]

I can see what you mean..
But I think you can meet people here, and then do video chats or something like that on msn, or somewhere else to learn.

[Nattybumppo]

I wholeheartedly agree, MMM. I joined japanforum.com to try to help people with Japanese questions, but I feel like I've been unable to help people nearly as much as I wanted. Too many of the posts are "teach me Japanese!" or "translate this anime!" posts, and it seems like many of the people who are actually interested in learning Japanese are doing so through a combination of anime and conversations with people who don't actually know the language. It's sad, but I realize that many people don't know about the other resources available to them, or don't want to make the effort to seriously study the language.

Are there any forums out there that are chock full of intermediate learners- people who've already made some headway into the language but are now trying to fill in their knowledge? I feel like I could do more to help those people.

[MMM]

Originally Posted by Nattybumppo

I wholeheartedly agree, MMM. I joined japanforum.com to try to help people with Japanese questions, but I feel like I've been unable to help people nearly as much as I wanted. Too many of the posts are "teach me Japanese!" or "translate this anime!" posts, and it seems like many of the people who are actually interested in learning Japanese are doing so through a combination of anime and conversations with people who don't actually know the language. It's sad, but I realize that many people don't know about the other resources available to them, or don't want to make the effort to seriously study the language.

Are there any forums out there that are chock full of intermediate learners- people who've already made some headway into the language but are now trying to fill in their knowledge? I feel like I could do more to help those people.

I am kind of in the same boat. I joined hoping to help some people with Japanese study and adjusting to life in Japan. I don't mind helping people just getting started, but I do feel like there are a lot of "teach ME Japanese" threads...and the reality is that you get what you pay for. My Japanese education wasn't free...

[samokan]

Originally Posted by Nattybumppo

I wholeheartedly agree, MMM. I joined japanforum.com to try to help people with Japanese questions, but I feel like I've been unable to help people nearly as much as I wanted. Too many of the posts are "teach me Japanese!" or "translate this anime!" posts, and it seems like many of the people who are actually interested in learning Japanese are doing so through a combination of anime and conversations with people who don't actually know the language. It's sad, but I realize that many people don't know about the other resources available to them, or don't want to make the effort to seriously study the language.

Are there any forums out there that are chock full of intermediate learners- people who've already made some headway into the language but are now trying to fill in their knowledge? I feel like I could do more to help those people.

yeah, same here. Im not sure, i think they we are their own private translators. And some are just really for showing off.. just so that they could say it in Japanese. oh well.. it can always be ignore

[chachava]

Originally Posted by MMM

I feel sorry for those that can't get a Japanese tutor in Sweden or Norway or more out-of-the-way-places, but you have the Internet, and you can oreder books and CDs..

A lot of Japanese teachers offer skype lessons as well so there is no excuse really...