I’ve done the first 26 radicals and am eager to learn more but cannot get more lessons?? I have to wait to “review” these same 26 I already know again… (100% both reviews, they’re not difficult to remember) and then will probably have to wait again and do another review after that.
I have the time to learn NOW not in 8 friggin hours or tomorrow or whenever this thing decides I’m allowed to review again.
Just let me learn at my own damn pace and on my own damn time. I set aside an hour or so to get some solid learning/practice done today (while I actually have the time) and sit down and find I can do less then 2 mins and even that’s just reviewing what I already know…
I like the idea of this site but this BS isn’t encouraging, its just incredibly off putting
Wanikani is set up in such a way so that each element you learn will enter your long-term memory. It’s called a Space Repetition System (SRS) and is an extremely effective method for remembering things. You might easily remember the radicals now, but what about in a month? The SRS ensures that they stay in your mind.
The first few levels of Wanikani are definitely slow, but the pace definitely quickens as you learn new items.
Give it a few levels and you’ll have enough work that you don’t even want to go at full speed anymore. The first few levels are a bit slow, but those 4 or 5 days of slow startup time are nothing compared to the years it takes to learn the language anyway. You’ll get overwhelmed soon enough
I want to go as fast as possible but the site is basically saying “f–k off, no learning now, come back tomorrow and do a 2 min review and then f–k off again”
You will feel that on the first 5 levels. Then you will be like “Please stop… I can’t take these reviews anymore”
Trust me I think everyone feel the same on the first 5 levels.
If you don’t know what to do probably you could study the non-kanji vocab. Or if your Japanese level is actually far ahead your kanji knowledge just study something else and come back later?
This site is incredibly long term, and as others have said after a few levels the workload becomes much more reasonable and even overwhelming to many. Consider dedicating the next ~2 weeks to some grammar study? e.g. start watching Cure Dolly’s playlist
Read the FAQ. Also, it starts slow but give it a few levels and you’ll find you need to spend more and more time to keep pace.
You say you want to go as fast as possible, but learning is a marathon, not a sprint. And there are plenty of other systems that will let you go as fast as you want
Your workload on this site will increase until you start burning items (provided you progress as you can), which isn’t until 6 months after you start at best. I am three and a half months in and will likely have ~200 reviews a day, so the workload will definitely increase.
At this stage, I would make sure you have hiragana down pat and learn katakana by level 3. Then you can look at some of the grammar stuff if you want.
No one can say you shouldn’t feel that way, but that’s not the intention of the site’s creators to make people feel that way.
The site is designed to build up slowly because their system of mnemonics is unique. Additionally, as others have said, it’s very common for users to become overwhelmed just a few levels into the paid levels, so the free levels are pretty gently paced.
If it doesn’t work well with your goals, then another resource might be better for you.
Honestly, on my first 3 days on Wanikani. I thought the pacing is too slow it might not worth my goal.
However, what kept me from quiting was they promise to teach me 2000 Kanji and 6000 vocab in a year. That’s more than anyone could ask for. A lot of my friends have studied Japanese more than 5 years but still can’t achieve that Kanji goal.
I’m glad I was being patient and didn’t quit Wanikani.
This site is a marathon and not a sprint. It will take you at least a year, and probably two, to get through all of the items. Once you’re further in the workload becomes quite brutal.
When you have extra learning time, I would recommend spending it studying grammar or doing listening/reading practice.
Well all its done is encourage me to go find an alternative and I came across Kanji.garden which offers a similar SRS system but lets you set a “learning speed” and has the option to “learn ahead” so I’m not just being told to “bugger off” after finishing a lesson.
Well it might suits your need then. Wanikani might not be the tool that you are looking for in your case.
However, in my case it’s perfect for me. I need something to hold my hand to force me to study Kanji with a well designed pacing. After I’ve been here for around half year. I feel like Wanikani pacing is perfect for my brain, and I have plenty of times to learn something else outside Kanji.
Your brain might function differently from me. Probably your brain could learn Kanji faster with your own pace. All the best
Kanji Garden might be better for you then, personally I think the first 3-4 levels are slow so that you can get acquainted with the language during the time you have.
You could always focus on other things during that time, such as Misa’s Absolute Beginner grammar playlist might be interesting or if you already have some experience you can go to NHK web news easy. There are many options and as you progress through the levels you will have bigger number of reviews and lessons.
The complaint sounds too immature though. This is why there are FAQs. Please do take time to read before venting on something that is explicitly stated on FAQs.
Yeah I know my brain is a little messed up lol I don’t have the greatest mental health and inspiration to actually do things comes and goes, which is why I was so frustrated when I got a “learning inspiration buzz” and then got immediately shut down by the learning tools telling me to come back in 8 or 24 hours when that “learning buzz” would be all but gone.
Sorry if my initial post was a tad aggressive/whiny but thanks to those who offered advice and encouragement regardless
If you’re grabbing popcorn it clearly entertains you, so you’re welcome I guess?
Usually those who complain about the speed land up looking really stupid if they stick with the program (it gets overwhelming really quickly if you go full speed) or they go elsewhere and I’d bet don’t learn at anywhere near the pace they thought they would learn at when they set their own pace and end up finishing after they would have on WK, if they finish at all.
The point of the SRS is to make you wait. Trust the system. Yes, waiting can be frustrating, but as everyone else has pointed out, there’s plenty of other stuff to do in the mean time. The trifecta is Wanikni + Bunpro + Kitsun (10k deck, happy to help you set it up if you need assistance), so jump on them and study other aspects of the language at the same time.
