The Japanese language has two alphabets: hiragana and katakana. Hiragana's used for words originally from Japan. And katakana is used for words of foreign origin. Building a good Japanese vocabulary doesn’t mean memorizing a long list of difficult Japanese words, or spending long hours reading a Japanese dictionary.
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- This post is a quick and dirty exploration of an aspect of my Japanese learning. The gist behind it is the following: I use a flashcard software called Anki to guide my learning. I use two decks for learning Japanese: one contains my vocabulary and is recognition only, while the other contains my kanji cards and forces me to write the Japanese.
Howto build your Japanese Vocabulary
Vocabularyis one of thebuilding blocks of any language learning.
I remember when I first started out, I would print outsheets upon sheets of vocabulary lists and memorise each word.
But good vocabulary is more than just learning random wordsand cramming everything in at once. It’s about being smart in your studysessions and choosing which words to learn and how.
Vocabulary can range from pronouns (I, they, he, she),to adjectives (describing words), to everyday words such as items of clothing,colours, household items, transportation, numbers, months etc.
Whether you want to learn as much vocabulary aspossible, or enough to suit your needs, below is a list of helpful tips.
Make a list of Japanese Vocabulary Topicsyou wish to learn.
I always believe in having some kind of structure inplace when studying Japanese, and learning Japanese vocabulary is no exception.
The first thing to think about is knowing whatJapanese vocabulary to learn, or what to focus on first. There is no point inlearning Japanese vocabulary in gardening if you haven’t learnt the basics yet!
Some essential Japanese Vocabulary includes the following:
- Pronouns (I, he, she, you)
- Colours
- Essential Adjectives
- Essential Verbs
- Parts of the Body
- Feelings
- Weather
- Animals
- Numbers
- Days of the weeks, months,
- Transportation
- Clothing
- Household items
- Food
- Money
Learning words that belong to the above will take youa long way.
Within each topic, make a list of common words orsearch them up online to learn.
Collecting words to build up your JapaneseVocabulary
This is one of my favourite things to do.
Once you have got to grips with the basic Japanesevocabulary, you can begin to pick up words.
Keep a journal or a small notepad and use it tocollect Japanese words to build your vocabulary.
If you don’t want to carry a journal around with you everywhere, then you can opt to use your phone and save words in your notes section or in-app such as Evernote.
Whenever you come across a Japanese word you want tomemorise, jot it down on your list and make a goal to use it.
The more you use words in conversation or writing, thehigher the chance you will remember it for next time.
It’s good practice to organise your words so that youcan go back to refer to them when required. How you organise is up to you. Youmay decide to sort by nouns, verbs, adjectives, or by topic such as colours,animals, clothing types.
Pick up Japanese words from differentsources
Again, you may choose to do this once you have masteredthe basics of Japanese vocabulary.
If you choose a course or study textbooks, you willhave access to vocabulary lists that will lay a good foundation – but don’t juststop there.
Pick out words from when you read manga or watch aJapanese movie and add it to your Japanese word collection.
Collect words that you like the sound of, or know thatyou will use in the future.
If you are speaking to a native or fluent Japanese speaker, pay attention to what they are saying and make a note of words or phrases that can be later used in conversation later.
Finally, use a wide range of sources and materials.You can listen to Japanese songs or read newspapers -anything that you can grabyour hands on!
Japanese Vocabulary List Pdf
Some of the Japanese vocabulary rich sources you canuse are:
- Japanese study Textbooks
- Children Books
- Songs
- Movies
- J-dramas
- Conversations
- Newspapers
- Video Games
Japanese Vocabulary Builder
There is a high chance if you are studying Japanese, that you have an interest in some specific element in Japanese culture. Engage in your interests, read and watch videos about it in Japanese, and over time you will pick up plenty of Japanese words.
Engagein Active Learning
Reading and listening is an essential part of the learning process, however, you must engage in active learning to allow what you’ve learnt to sink in.
Japanese Flashcards
Using flashcards is a great way to remember words andvocabulary.
You can buy flashcards online or create your own. Buysome blank flashcards and write down the HIaragana/Katakana characters on oneside, and their pronunciation on the other.
Learn Japanese Vocabulary
Having pocket-sized flashcards will allow you to learn Japanese on the go, whether you’re waiting at the bus stop or at the dentist’s office.
By using these pockets of time, you’ll embed what youalready know so it will become harder to forget what you’ve learnt.
The more you familiarize yourself with words, thefaster you will be able to recall them when necessary
Focus when studying
In the day and age of the internet, it is easy to become distracted.
You may think that you don’t have time for yourJapanese studies but remember, it’s not just how long you study but what you dowhen you study.
Turn off distractions such as the tv, put your phoneaway in another room and dedicate some time to focused study
Japanese Vocabulary Drills
You may understand a piece when you are reading, butthe brain will easily forget what you’ve just read unless you make an activeeffort to learn.
When you look at items in everyday life, think aboutthe Japanese word equivalent.
When looking through your flashcards, cover them upand see if you can replicate the characters or words.
Try using the vocabulary and sentences you have used and come up with different variations.
True fluency will come not when you know how to saysomething in Japanese in the Japanese way.
Doing Japanese Vocabulary Drills is a great way tointernalise what you’ve learnt. Do the drills at a time when you are at yourmost alert.
Chinese Vocabulary Builder
Conclusion
Learning any language is a lifelong process. Get to grips with the basics first or learning the essential Japanese vocabulary and doing drills.
Once you have learnt these basics you can move on to expanding your Japanese vocabulary. Always remember to have fun, incorporate what you’ve learnt into activities and celebrate your milestones. Show off to friends, family and other students as this will motivate you to keep on going.