I already know hiragana an katana, so what’s the next thing I should focus on? Should I start learning kanji? Or go to vocabulary? And where can i find good vocabulary resources (one that is sequencial)
Thanks slight_smile:
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If you only know Hiragana/Katakana and nothing else, I would actually recommend start from conversations and practice as much as possible, expand your vocabulary slowly in topics such as body parts, food, sports, music, etc. and continue from there. Start with kanji is good, but only when you have a decent base knowledge of the language.
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Free, language use case based, and starting from the start:
https://www.irodori-online.jpf.go.jp/
I think it’s a great introductory (and a bit beyond) resource!
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You can’t put vocab to work without grammar, and you can’t put grammar to work without vocab. I would suggest trying to develop a sustainable workload that covers both those things.
For grammar, CureDolly videos worked for me after trying a bunch of other grammar sources. There are free and paid vocab sources that do things like cover the core 2.000, 5.000, or 10.000.
I personally think WK is insanely useful to help you start to really read (since native material veers into kanji quite quickly), but they start off with easy, low-stroke, clear concept kanji, not based on usage frequency. So focussing on some basic vocab acquisition before starting it isn’t a bad idea at all.
My main advice for sustainability is to be flexible with your workload so that you don’t burn out. Drop and add things as needed. Good luck with your studies!
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As much as I would love to promote apps and things that seem easily done with your smartphone, I recommend getting a beginner textbook like Genki 1 or Minna no Nihongo 1 + English Translation book.
WK can wait once you get your feet wet.
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Start with grammar. and learn vocab just as needed alongside, until you feel you can’t hold vocab memorable.
Not necessarily the fastest and the most efficient way to learn, but you should be aware of what a language really is.
To fear that you would not remember, and wouldn’t start, is just absurd. Try and fail somewhere, is the way.
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I for one think starting WK alongside the rest isn’t a bad idea, at least the first 3 free levels.
For the next part…
What are your shorts (a few weeks) / intermediate (a few months) / long (a few years) goals ?
Do you want to focus in a particular area (speaking, reading, etc.) ?
How much time can you dedicate to learning ?
Are you an experienced learner, or is it your first foreign language etc ?
Does the academic approach work for you or do you hate formal learning ?
The more we know about you the best advice we’ll give.
But the most important thing: Welcome, have fun, keep at it, and ask for help when stuck 
!
In the meantime I personally found this to be nice to help define my early early stages: Learn Japanese: A Ridiculously Detailed Guide
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Talking about guides, there is sakubi, and the rearranged yokubi, which both seem simplier than https://imabi.org. (All of these are wrong readings of the Kanji.)
I have used Tae Kim’s guide in the past.
Cure Dolly might work as yet another guide, but I haven’t used this one myself.
You might take a look at Japanese Language > Resources
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Hello and welcome.
There are a lot of ways in. They can all work. What are your reasons, goals and your priorities? What are your timescales? How much effort will you expend: a couple of hours a week, a couple of hours a day, full time?
If we knew a little more about you, we might give different advice.
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After I’ve learned Hiragana and Katakana with Duolingo, I did Lvl. 1.1 and 1 of JapanesePod 101, WaniKani, and Japanese from Zero (Textbook + Videos). When I couldn’t take in more Grammar I read my First book (= I translated every Sentence). Now I’m learning with Genki 1&2.
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Why are you studying Japanese? What are your objectives?
If you really want to be able to read Japanese first and foremost, then focusing on kanji initially can be effective. On the other hand if you mainly want to be able to chat with Japanese people, then focusing on speaking and listening practice for basic Japanese may be a better approach.
There are a million ways to learn Japanese and only one way to not learn it. Just don’t pick that one.
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You’re facing the bootstrapping problem: you don’t know enough grammar nor vocab to do anything, and you need to develop both at the same time to be able to do anything. If you want, you can do WaniKani, but I would recommend trying out some textbook series like Nakama or Genki (or one of their great alternatives, which @YandrosTheSane and @polv already touched on). I think they solve a problem that is not often addressed by diving in with immersion or flashcard-grinding your way through the beginner phase, which is that they teach you how to learn Japanese and give you enough linguistics background to be able to Google things you’re confused by.
If you do them completely, they’ll give you enough skill in all areas to where you can decide what parts of Japanese you like studying and how you like to study them. Finish one of them first, and then you’ll be well on your way to being better no matter what your goals ultimately are.
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Hey guys, thank you so much for all the tips and advices! I’ll start working on them!! Thank you so much for taking your time to answer a new learner 
I really want to learn japanese mostly because i would love to read manga/books in Japanese and maybe even work as a translator!
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It’s never too early to start grammar. Good luck with your studies.
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