Kana - Start learning(My way)
If you want an explanation of what Kana that is... Look here.
In this page I will Explain in details how I find learning Kana Effective! It's NOT super fast or super slow. I only focus on being effective in your tempo. Also note that this is just my experience and my thoughts. but I've tried to keep in mind that people are different, so I also ask you to keep that in mind.
I have a thing about misunderstandments :| So I explain everything so thoroughly that I think it can't be misunderstood. But some of you might feel I'm explaining the obvious. Hope You'll bare with me on that, and just remember that some might NOT think it's obvious. :P (I also have ADD read more about me)
So here goes... enjoy;)
I have a thing about misunderstandments :| So I explain everything so thoroughly that I think it can't be misunderstood. But some of you might feel I'm explaining the obvious. Hope You'll bare with me on that, and just remember that some might NOT think it's obvious. :P (I also have ADD read more about me)
So here goes... enjoy;)
The way I startet was with JA Sensei. (Android App).
First I would go to "Lessons" and read the first two. Try to say the sounds out loud till you think you've got them pretty well(if you're native language isn't the App language(english, french or spanish) then try to make your own examples, in your language. Here for Danish(My language).
When you're finished, go back to the menu and chose "Kana" and then "Learning". In the top you have the option to choose between "Hiragana" & "Katakana". I would definitely recommend to start with Hiragana!
When you choose a character, there will be quite a lot of information and options. But first off focus on writing(stroke order and shape) and the sound(Romaji).
From the top(a, i, u, e, o etc.).
Press the "add to a personal list" button. (I named the list "I can").
We'll get back to this later. But you will be happy about the habit of doing this first, with every new character.
Try to say the "sound" out loud(verify with the "sound" button), while looking at the "character" and try to make a connection in you head between those two(try your imagination) (or try use my suggestions below).
Important!: Focus on the handwritten character(it's not always the same as the typed character).
Last is writing or should I say drawing.(Fun part, I think:) )
Try keeping the "sound" in mind(In the back, if you will) while drawing.
Here's another good habit..
In my experience it's best to do the "schedule" this way:
1. Day: A, I, U, E, O
2. Day: Ka, Ki, Ku, Ke, Ko
3. Day: Sa, Shi, Su, Se, So
And so forth...
Last: Wa, Wo/O, N
This way you keep one consonant in mind at a time, and can easier connect the "Singles" together, the K's together, S's together etc. (so helps your memory). Of course if you are more hardcore, you can do more in a day, but keep consonants together. (don't cut in half) so if you start the K's then finish the K's.
After each day of learning take out paper(Ruled/Lined) and pen(preferably one without a ball-tip and as thin as possible). I use.. "Artline [Drawing system] 0.1" and just recently I found one with a 0.05 tip.
I found it an advantage to turn the paper so that the Lines become Vertical instead of Horizontal.
I then write from top to bottom and from right to left.. another good habit, as this is how the Japanese writes.
Here you write all you have learned till now... (do also this before each "Day" of learning)
Example:
Once you've learned all the hiragana it should look something like this: (when doing every stroke carefully)
First I would go to "Lessons" and read the first two. Try to say the sounds out loud till you think you've got them pretty well(if you're native language isn't the App language(english, french or spanish) then try to make your own examples, in your language. Here for Danish(My language).
When you're finished, go back to the menu and chose "Kana" and then "Learning". In the top you have the option to choose between "Hiragana" & "Katakana". I would definitely recommend to start with Hiragana!
When you choose a character, there will be quite a lot of information and options. But first off focus on writing(stroke order and shape) and the sound(Romaji).
From the top(a, i, u, e, o etc.).
- First:
Press the "add to a personal list" button. (I named the list "I can").
We'll get back to this later. But you will be happy about the habit of doing this first, with every new character.
- Second:
Try to say the "sound" out loud(verify with the "sound" button), while looking at the "character" and try to make a connection in you head between those two(try your imagination) (or try use my suggestions below).
Important!: Focus on the handwritten character(it's not always the same as the typed character).
- Third:
Last is writing or should I say drawing.(Fun part, I think:) )
Try keeping the "sound" in mind(In the back, if you will) while drawing.
Here's another good habit..
- Take a quick note(in mind) of the stroke order and stroke direction(small picture's).
- Press the "animate" button(top-right corner of paper).... and wait.
- Now carefully draw on top of that, to get the feeling of the character.
- Then draw it yourself(smaller) over and over till you get at least 60% two times in a row.(I prefer 100% as a perfectionist;) )
In my experience it's best to do the "schedule" this way:
1. Day: A, I, U, E, O
2. Day: Ka, Ki, Ku, Ke, Ko
3. Day: Sa, Shi, Su, Se, So
And so forth...
Last: Wa, Wo/O, N
This way you keep one consonant in mind at a time, and can easier connect the "Singles" together, the K's together, S's together etc. (so helps your memory). Of course if you are more hardcore, you can do more in a day, but keep consonants together. (don't cut in half) so if you start the K's then finish the K's.
After each day of learning take out paper(Ruled/Lined) and pen(preferably one without a ball-tip and as thin as possible). I use.. "Artline [Drawing system] 0.1" and just recently I found one with a 0.05 tip.
I found it an advantage to turn the paper so that the Lines become Vertical instead of Horizontal.
I then write from top to bottom and from right to left.. another good habit, as this is how the Japanese writes.
Here you write all you have learned till now... (do also this before each "Day" of learning)
Example:
Once you've learned all the hiragana it should look something like this: (when doing every stroke carefully)
If one day you feel remembering the last ones to difficult, then repeat those instead and wait with the new ones till next day.
Should you have a day where you have no time/energy to practice.. you should at least scribble down what have learned. Nothing fancy, just a fast scribble just to keep from forgetting. It doesn't even have to take 5 min. and then you can do it properly once you get the time/energy back:)
It's ok if it looks this ugly: ;P............. actually quite difficult to do it this ugly if you ask me;D
Should you have a day where you have no time/energy to practice.. you should at least scribble down what have learned. Nothing fancy, just a fast scribble just to keep from forgetting. It doesn't even have to take 5 min. and then you can do it properly once you get the time/energy back:)
It's ok if it looks this ugly: ;P............. actually quite difficult to do it this ugly if you ask me;D
Now I will give you one last task for your daily practice. Remember I asked you to add the characters to your list("I can")? If you go back in JA Sensei and choose "Quiz" instead of "Learning", you will find a "Kana Quiz Setup".
In the first drop down menu, you can choose a list too practice. Now you already have a list of what you have learned, so choose that one.
Second you have the option to improve Recognition(multiple options) and Writing(drawing). I do mostly Recognition, as I already train drawing on the real paper.(I sometimes go back to the "Learning" section to practice drawing)
Third you choose which you want to practice recognizing
Fourth choose how you want answer(if you change this one it will change the "Third" one^^. It can only be one thing after choosing the "Third"^^). So jump this step.
Fifth Difficulty...
In the first drop down menu, you can choose a list too practice. Now you already have a list of what you have learned, so choose that one.
Second you have the option to improve Recognition(multiple options) and Writing(drawing). I do mostly Recognition, as I already train drawing on the real paper.(I sometimes go back to the "Learning" section to practice drawing)
Third you choose which you want to practice recognizing
- Kana - Recognize the Kana in the list you chose earlier (Hiragana/Katakana)
- Romaji - Remember the Kana from Romaji(Roman letters) - (I don't recommend using this to much, I learned later on that it's best to keep away from Romaji soon as possible, then you will automatically lean more onto the Kana Characters.
- Audio - This is an excellent alternative to Romaji. You will come to connect the sounds to the Kana.(Just like the sound pop's automatically in your head when you see the letter "a". So should the sound come in your head when you see あ).
- Kana Equivalence - This option is great once you've learned all Kana(incl. Katakana) It will show you for example あ(Hiragana for A), and you should choose ア(Katakana for A). It will shift automatically both ways(so Hiragana>Katakana and Katakana>Hiragana)
Fourth choose how you want answer(if you change this one it will change the "Third" one^^. It can only be one thing after choosing the "Third"^^). So jump this step.
Fifth Difficulty...
- Easy - Endless Time - In the beginning you don't want to rush. Take your time and get it right in first try.
- Medium - About 7 sec.(I Think) for every question. So every time you get it right, you get 7 sec. more on top of the time you had left before. - When you fly through the "Easy" one, this is great to see how well you remember them under pressure just like real life. You don't have time to look at every Kana for 10 sec. actually not even for seven sec.
- Hard - So here you get about 5 sec. and you do NOT keep the time. It reset's to 5 sec. with every Kana. See if you really have what it takes to start reading Japanese childrens books(only has Kana and not Kanji(Chinese Characters))
That was Hiragana, but maybe you realized in these photo's that there are more Hiragana in the App.
That's correct but here I will say that this was how to learn Kana overall. And then then I will send you to a separate page for how to learn to remember the rest(the "variation's" and "combination's" as I will call them.
But use this method here ^^^above^^^ when moving on to Katakana but those will be slightly more difficult to remember. So will probably add more tips to this for the Katakana later...
Now move on to "Variation's" and "Combination's". But before you go please give a comment -v-v-below-v-v- on what you think of this guide so far:)
That's correct but here I will say that this was how to learn Kana overall. And then then I will send you to a separate page for how to learn to remember the rest(the "variation's" and "combination's" as I will call them.
But use this method here ^^^above^^^ when moving on to Katakana but those will be slightly more difficult to remember. So will probably add more tips to this for the Katakana later...
Now move on to "Variation's" and "Combination's". But before you go please give a comment -v-v-below-v-v- on what you think of this guide so far:)
Suggestions if your imagination fails...
coming up..... ^^Subscribe^^ to get an email when this is updated.
Comment Box is loading comments...