Comments on: How To Be Perapera- Tips On Speaking Conversational Japanese More Fluently

By: Yuume

Yuume — Tue, 01 Oct 2013 18:50:00 +0000

I am lucky because I live only a couple hours away from Dallas, TX, and they have a big Asian population, and one of my favorite suburbs to go to is mainly Korean and Japanese. I always make a point to go to the events held by the Dallas Japan Association and the other Japanese associations there, and I always am excited to go because I get to talk to people in Japanese! I might not be the greatest (and I’ve been studying for YEARS), but they are always kind and understanding, and I think they are just more lenient because, holy crap, someone is actually TRYING to speak their native language, not just assuming that they speak English and it’s all cool. Last year, I really went out of my comfort zone and attended a large book/garage sale held by one of the schools, but it was COMPLETELY Japanese. Going in, almost everyone there (I mean like…98% of the people) were speaking only in Japanese, and I knew it would be that way. I was really shy at first and just picked through the books and magazines looking for stuff I could study with/ actually read, and listened. After a little bit though I started talking to people. When I checked out, I spoke Japanese to the two ladies ringing my stuff up, and they were speaking English at first, but I asked them if we could speak in Japanese. The one lady bagging my books looked really surprised but they both were very excited that I asked. We talked for a few minutes. One of them made an off the side comment that it was nice that I tried and that I did very well and my speed was good when speaking. When I walked away they were laughing/giggling at me, but I didn’t mind. I realized it was because of my plushie Totoro backpack ^^;

I also love going to Epcot at Disney World because everyone that works in a specific country is from that country. My mom knows that I love visiting Japan when we go, and I literally have to fight the urge not to take off running across the park right away. Gotta give the other countries some love too, plus the restraint makes it all the more exciting once we actually get to that side of the park. But when I get there, back off guys, no more English until we leave! XD The workers there are always really excited to talk to someone who knows Japanese, as is the same for people in the other countries (I know a bit of German and French so I try to speak those as well), so if you go to Epcot everyone, practice your skills there! The workers love talking in their native language to someone they don’t see everyday at work, and most of the time they will help you out if you don’t know the correct word or phrasing. They might chuckle at your mistake, but that’s not the worst case scenario, plus it might become a humorous situation which will help you remember the correct phrasing later!

By: Chris Taran

Chris Taran — Sun, 29 Sep 2013 22:27:00 +0000

Ahh, one day I hope to move out of this horrific place in Pennsylvania and find one where there is even a single person that speaks Japanese… 絶望した!

By: Lava Yuki

Lava Yuki — Sun, 29 Sep 2013 16:11:00 +0000

Not really verbs, more like kanji compounds. Like 確率and　確立, or　全身, 前進 and 善心. I also find it hard when there are many words where the meaning is so close that the dictionary gives the same definition, but their different in some way. That always happens when I try to look up a word in English and then get tons of translations, and i dont know which one to use:( oh well.

By: Mami

Mami — Thu, 26 Sep 2013 19:16:00 +0000

めっちゃおもしろかった〜:Dあと、レイチェルの新しい髪型好きだよ〜〜めっちゃかわいい〜〜❤

By: Miamiron

Miamiron — Thu, 26 Sep 2013 11:19:00 +0000

>I noticed that Japanese has a large number of words than sound the same but have different meanings and kanji respectively, which makes it harder.

Just be sure to look for context. I havent had any instances living in Japan where I wasnt sure about the word they were using. 斬る切る着る…hmmm, either I they like the clothes im wearing, or they are going to behead me like its Benghazi and Im an infidel waging an illegal war.

By: Lava Yuki

Lava Yuki — Wed, 25 Sep 2013 16:47:00 +0000

Ive been learning Japanese in my home country with a private teacher for 3 years, and went as a language student to Japan twice for 2 months in my summer holidays. I’m not ‘fluent’, as in there were things i wanted to express but couldnt, but I could have a normal conversation with Japanese friends. But there’s no way I could survive the Japanese business world or anything with all that keigo. Unfortunately, I’m one of those people who’s better and writing than speaking. I can read lots of Japanese books, but the same can’t be said for movies without Japanese subs, or drama CDs. I guess that’s just my lack of listening to purely spoken and casual Japanese. I noticed that Japanese has a large number of words than sound the same but have different meanings and kanji respectively, which makes it harder.