I’ve been considering myself to be a lower intermediate level Japanese learner for a while, and I’ve decided it’s time to start trying to read manga. So I grabbed my copy of よつばと! vol 1 and started… and it’s REALLY HARD. Primarily I’m thinking about when the adults are speaking to each other using …

I am enjoying the story, and I am actually enjoying learning stuff. It’s just hard! :slight_smile: As for the book club thread, I can no longer ask questions in there since it’s so old, right? Though I suppose there’s probably other people asking questions about stuff I’m stumbling on. I’m still m…

[image] InternetsTad: As for the book club thread, I can no longer ask questions in there since it’s so old, right? Though I suppose there’s probably other people asking questions about stuff I’m stumbling on. Uh, you are right, the first volume thread just closed. The book club was old enoug…

[image] InternetsTad: What are some good strategies for tackling this sort of casual language? Watch LOTS of TV shows and keep trying to read. Besides the Japanese stuff, you can also watch lots of US or European series with Japanese audio on Netflix.

Yeah, if it’s traditional to keep them open, maybe it’s a good idea to request that. I’m not sure how to go about doing that, though.

Yotsuba was the first thing I tried to read in Japanese, after hearing how easy and perfect for beginners it was, and I was so sad when I picked it up for the first time and really struggled with the first page! I ended up leaving it, and going away and coming back to it a few months later with the…

Thanks for the link! And I suspected that the slang and more casual stuff may just have to be acquired via osmosis.

I gave Yotsuba a whirl a month or so back and stopped pretty quickly, though that was due to a lack of vocabulary on my part. I think the book clubs on here rate that one as N4, so you might be better off trying something ranked N5 instead if it’s your first time? I’m personally trying out Wadanoha…

For now, I’m going to persist in attempting to get through Yotsubato. The vocabulary isn’t tripping me up nearly as bad as these slangy casual grammar forms. If I can’t make it through the first chapter, then I’ll definitely try to find something easier!!

[image] InternetsTad: Yeah, if it’s traditional to keep them open, maybe it’s a good idea to request that. I’m not sure how to go about doing that, though. Other than pinging Mods in another topic, reopening can also be done by flagging (for other reasons).

Attempting to read よつばと has been a humbling experience

Japanese Language Reading

downtimes January 3, 2023, 5:52pm 8

@Mods Sorry to ping you but apparently the Yotsuba thread 1 just closed right before there’s renewed interest in it. Could you please kindly reopen it for our new learner?

Thanks

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Attempting to read よつばと has been a humbling experience

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