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はじめまして!Let’s learn a new language!

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  • Munkus BeaverMunkus Beaver You don't have to attend every argument you are invited to. Philosophy: Stoicism. Politics: Democratic SocialistRegistered User, ClubPA regular
    Like, some of those I won't use but I am probably gonna remember SHE (shi) し has long hair now

    Humor can be dissected as a frog can, but dies in the process.
  • ThisThis Registered User regular
    My new language project is to cover my walls with Chinese. I bought a stack of blank white business cards and I'm taking the vocabulary I've been learning from reading the Mandarin translation of Attack on Titan, writing the words as nicely as I can with a new calligraphy brush/pen, and then sticking them to the walls.

    Dual purpose of decoration and exposure. I want to see these things every day, not just when I open my book or have them pop up in my apps. Been thinking of doing something like this for a long time, excited to finally try it out.

  • NullzoneNullzone Registered User regular
    I started on Japanese in duolingo a week ago; is it better to try and delve into each level of a skill for better retention or to just progress down the tree as new skills unlock?

  • Munkus BeaverMunkus Beaver You don't have to attend every argument you are invited to. Philosophy: Stoicism. Politics: Democratic SocialistRegistered User, ClubPA regular
    Nullzone wrote: »
    I started on Japanese in duolingo a week ago; is it better to try and delve into each level of a skill for better retention or to just progress down the tree as new skills unlock?

    I dunno about other people but I keep working on the basic hiragana stuff to try and get a good understanding of it first. I also have been writing down the hiragana, what sounds they make, and the words from the first few lessons (there are like, 5 levels to each lesson too).

    And I bought some flash cards today so I am gonna make some of those for the hiragana as well.

    But also the way I remember some of the sounds for the hiragana is from knowing a word. Like say, こんにちわ is how I finally got the Ni and Wa characters. I still don't remember the Ko one all the time, though.

    Humor can be dissected as a frog can, but dies in the process.
  • kimekime Queen of Blades Registered User regular
    Does anyone here know why は is also used as "wa"? There's already a great hiragana character over there that means "wa" (わ), I've never really understood why it seems most of the time は is used instead.

    I can't remember, is は only used as "wa" when it's the particle? Can は ever sound like "ha" as a particle? Can わ ever be a particle?

    particle particle particle

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  • joshofalltradesjoshofalltrades Class Traitor Smoke-filled roomRegistered User regular
    edited January 2019
    If you have iPhone get the app called “Japanese!”

    It’s way better than Duolingo when you’re starting out and actually explains some things

    joshofalltrades on
  • joshofalltradesjoshofalltrades Class Traitor Smoke-filled roomRegistered User regular
    Also the Learn Japanese to Survive JRPGs on Steam are neat and a good way to keep your alphabets fresh!

  • metaghostmetaghost An intriguing odor A delicate touchRegistered User regular
    edited January 2019
    kime wrote: »
    Does anyone here know why は is also used as "wa"? There's already a great hiragana character over there that means "wa" (わ), I've never really understood why it seems most of the time は is used instead.

    I can't remember, is は only used as "wa" when it's the particle? Can は ever sound like "ha" as a particle? Can わ ever be a particle?

    particle particle particle

    This seems to explain it simply enough: Why are the particles not spelled phonetically?

    metaghost on
  • Munkus BeaverMunkus Beaver You don't have to attend every argument you are invited to. Philosophy: Stoicism. Politics: Democratic SocialistRegistered User, ClubPA regular
    If you have iPhone get the app called “Japanese!”

    It’s way better than Duolingo when you’re starting out and actually explains some things

    oh shit

    You should put that in the OP then!

    I will download this app now

    Humor can be dissected as a frog can, but dies in the process.
  • joshofalltradesjoshofalltrades Class Traitor Smoke-filled roomRegistered User regular
    If you have iPhone get the app called “Japanese!”

    It’s way better than Duolingo when you’re starting out and actually explains some things

    oh shit

    You should put that in the OP then!

    I will download this app now

    It will also teach you how to write the characters

    Super helpful

  • crwthcrwth THAT'S IT Registered User regular
    kime wrote: »
    Does anyone here know why は is also used as "wa"? There's already a great hiragana character over there that means "wa" (わ), I've never really understood why it seems most of the time は is used instead.

    I can't remember, is は only used as "wa" when it's the particle? Can は ever sound like "ha" as a particle? Can わ ever be a particle?

    particle particle particle

    i don’t know why, but yeah ha is only pronounced wa when it’s being used as a particle

    kinda like お and を are pronounced the same but the latter is specifically a particle

    EzUAYcn.png
  • crwthcrwth THAT'S IT Registered User regular
    actually...を is pronounced ‘wo’ sometimes? but i was always taught it was pronounced ‘o’

    but that could have been my japanese teacher making it easier for us to learn it? i dunno!

    EzUAYcn.png
  • GvzbgulGvzbgul Registered User regular
    Anyhoo. Sorry/not sorry for starting that discussion (it has been quite interesting!).

    Dulonigo calling Mandarin "Chinese" bugs me in the same way that it would if they had called their Navajo course "Native American".

  • kimekime Queen of Blades Registered User regular
    metaghost wrote: »
    kime wrote: »
    Does anyone here know why は is also used as "wa"? There's already a great hiragana character over there that means "wa" (わ), I've never really understood why it seems most of the time は is used instead.

    I can't remember, is は only used as "wa" when it's the particle? Can は ever sound like "ha" as a particle? Can わ ever be a particle?

    particle particle particle

    This seems to explain it simply enough: Why are the particles not spelled phonetically?

    This was great, thanks! Learning how languages have changed over time is fun.

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  • Theodore FlooseveltTheodore Floosevelt proud parent of eight beautiful girls and shalmelo dorne (which is currently being ruled by a woman (awesome role model for my daughters)) #dornedadRegistered User regular
    Vann Diras wrote: »
    My wife has pretty comfortably made learning Spanish via Duolingo a part of her daily routine now, while I’ve fallen sooooooo far behind

    So I guess thanks to this thread for giving me a kick in the butt, gotta play some catch up

    mi esposa estudió en españa por universidad, pero ella nunca quiere hablar conmigo.........

    f2ojmwh3geue.png
  • EddyEddy Gengar the Bittersweet Registered User regular
    Anyone here specifically trying to learn Korean or French? I'm trying to brush up on those in the new year, but if people seem to be chugging along with Spanish I could try and jump on that instead

    "and the morning stars I have seen
    and the gengars who are guiding me" -- W.S. Merwin
  • Theodore FlooseveltTheodore Floosevelt proud parent of eight beautiful girls and shalmelo dorne (which is currently being ruled by a woman (awesome role model for my daughters)) #dornedadRegistered User regular
    Eddy wrote: »
    Anyone here specifically trying to learn Korean or French? I'm trying to brush up on those in the new year, but if people seem to be chugging along with Spanish I could try and jump on that instead

    as bad as i am at Spanish still, i’d be down to make efforts at French if forumers were wantin to. I went into it for a bit around this time last year for a trip to paris, but that’s about the sum total of my exposure there

    f2ojmwh3geue.png
  • Munkus BeaverMunkus Beaver You don't have to attend every argument you are invited to. Philosophy: Stoicism. Politics: Democratic SocialistRegistered User, ClubPA regular
    One thing that has been kinda annoying is how many people so far have responded with an incredulous "Why??" whenever I say that I am going to try and learn Japanese this year.

    And then I say "Because I've always wanted to do it" they say

    "But what are you going to use it for"


    Ugggggggh

    Humor can be dissected as a frog can, but dies in the process.
  • kimekime Queen of Blades Registered User regular
    One thing that has been kinda annoying is how many people so far have responded with an incredulous "Why??" whenever I say that I am going to try and learn Japanese this year.

    And then I say "Because I've always wanted to do it" they say

    "But what are you going to use it for"


    Ugggggggh

    "Calling you names you don't understand" :P

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  • UrielUriel Registered User regular
    I just popped into duolingo again for the first time in a while and I remember way more german than I thought I would.

    It's fun too, I should get back into it.

    I should also maybe try their irish lessons.

  • Vann DirasVann Diras Registered User regular
    Vann Diras wrote: »
    My wife has pretty comfortably made learning Spanish via Duolingo a part of her daily routine now, while I’ve fallen sooooooo far behind

    So I guess thanks to this thread for giving me a kick in the butt, gotta play some catch up

    mi esposa estudió en españa por universidad, pero ella nunca quiere hablar conmigo.........

    Puedo leer esto!
    responding is, uh, much more difficult

  • ouzaruouzaru RIESLING OCEANRegistered User regular
    This wrote: »
    I think I get where you're coming from, but... yeah I think it's pretty fair to say the idea that Cantonese is a kind of Chinese is very much "the default".

    In a lot of places it's the dominant Chinese. It's what Chinese people I grew up with speak. I would be pretty curious to see their reaction if they were to be told they don't speak Chinese.

    It's true though that using English to talk about it adds confusion. I think a big part of the reason why the word "Chinese" is used to mean "Mandarin" in China and Taiwan is just that a lot of people haven't learned the word "Mandarin".

    The default in China maybe.

    You’re pushing my buttons, man, I suggest we drop it.

  • ouzaruouzaru RIESLING OCEANRegistered User regular
    crwth wrote: »
    actually...を is pronounced ‘wo’ sometimes? but i was always taught it was pronounced ‘o’

    but that could have been my japanese teacher making it easier for us to learn it? i dunno!

    を is wo but doesn’t come up in the language often, a majority of the time it’s used as a particle, where it’s “o”.

    There may be some dialects that don’t make that distinction, but if there are I’m not familiar with them.

  • PlatyPlaty Registered User regular
    I'm still working on my English

  • joshofalltradesjoshofalltrades Class Traitor Smoke-filled roomRegistered User regular
    Platy wrote: »
    I'm still working on my English

    Me too, and I’m a native speaker.

  • UrielUriel Registered User regular
    I am already bilingual

    I speak English and bad English

  • godmodegodmode Southeast JapanRegistered User regular
    Another Japanese resource for learning the syllabaries if you have a Switch is Hiragana Pixel Party.
    I try to use games whenever possible.

  • TaminTamin Registered User regular
    I remember playing Slime Forest Adventure a long (long) time ago, and thinking it was pretty solid. At one point I feel like there were a half-dozen versions being sold, but now it seems to just have the demo and the registered version. I'm not sure how it would stack up against the others mentioned, but figured it's worth mentioning.

  • joshofalltradesjoshofalltrades Class Traitor Smoke-filled roomRegistered User regular
    godmode wrote: »
    Another Japanese resource for learning the syllabaries if you have a Switch is Hiragana Pixel Party.
    I try to use games whenever possible.

    I have this too but something about it is very lacking

    I shouldn’t have to be checking which button is which hiragana all the time when I’m playing a rhythm game

    It’s like randomizing the inputs between attempts in Rock Band or something

  • kimekime Queen of Blades Registered User regular
    Most of these games seem to be specifically for learning hiragana. Are there more generic "learn Japanese" games?

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  • Theodore FlooseveltTheodore Floosevelt proud parent of eight beautiful girls and shalmelo dorne (which is currently being ruled by a woman (awesome role model for my daughters)) #dornedadRegistered User regular
    Vann Diras wrote: »
    Vann Diras wrote: »
    My wife has pretty comfortably made learning Spanish via Duolingo a part of her daily routine now, while I’ve fallen sooooooo far behind

    So I guess thanks to this thread for giving me a kick in the butt, gotta play some catch up

    mi esposa estudió en españa por universidad, pero ella nunca quiere hablar conmigo.........

    Puedo leer esto!
    responding is, uh, much more difficult

    ¡Puedo hablar sobre muchas temas diferentes! Podemos tener un conversación sobre los colores o las animales te gustan o....... la comida...... o........uh.... comprando cosas........

    f2ojmwh3geue.png
  • godmodegodmode Southeast JapanRegistered User regular
    edited January 2019
    kime wrote: »
    Most of these games seem to be specifically for learning hiragana. Are there more generic "learn Japanese" games?

    Hiragana Pixel Party does Katakana too at least. In fact almost all the apps I mentioned previously teach Katakana as well.

    If there's a gamified way to learn Kanji I haven't heard it yet. Some of my fellow foreigners friends here in Japan use wanikani.com, but that's more like a digital flashcard kind of deal.

    godmode on
  • ouzaruouzaru RIESLING OCEANRegistered User regular
    Best “game” related to practicing kanji recognition i’ve Played is probably just karuta.

  • joshofalltradesjoshofalltrades Class Traitor Smoke-filled roomRegistered User regular
    godmode wrote: »
    kime wrote: »
    Most of these games seem to be specifically for learning hiragana. Are there more generic "learn Japanese" games?

    Hiragana Pixel Party does Katakana too at least. In fact almost all the apps I mentioned previously teach Katakana as well.

    If there's a gamified way to learn Kanji I haven't heard it yet. Some of my fellow foreigners friends here in Japan use wanikani.com, but that's more like a digital flashcard kind of deal.

    Learn Japanese to Survive! on Steam has a Kanji version out.

  • kimekime Queen of Blades Registered User regular
    It's possible I'm misunderstanding, and I probably wasn't super clear. I'm more or less fine with hiragana and katakana. Not looking for anything to help memorize Kanji specifically. It sounds like the suggestions here are games to like... learn the alphabet, essentially?

    I was looking more for learning the language, vocab and grammar and everything else. Any games like that people know about?

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  • joshofalltradesjoshofalltrades Class Traitor Smoke-filled roomRegistered User regular
    The Learn Japanese to Survive games do teach some grammar and vocabulary too. In fact later levels have you reading words and translating them.

  • M-TeeM-Tee Registered User regular
    Recently learned that the Korean word for onesie (as in a baby's outfit) is 우주복, aka spacesuit.

    A search for 우주복 on Google shows actual spacesuits, but on the Korean search engine, Naver, shows onesies. On Google, you can search 아기우주복 (baby spacesuit) to see onesies.

    My suspicion is that traditional Korean babywear is different and exposure to a Western-style onesie would've occurred during or after the space race.

  • ouzaruouzaru RIESLING OCEANRegistered User regular
    That seems like a super plausible price of anthro-linguistic deduction!

  • M-TeeM-Tee Registered User regular
    Another fun one is 맥가이버칼, or "MacGyver knife", which is a commonly used name for Swiss army knives, still in use long after the general populace knows who MacGyver is.

  • joshofalltradesjoshofalltrades Class Traitor Smoke-filled roomRegistered User regular
    Is MacGuyver an obscure reference now?

    God I feel old.

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