Genki AND Wanikani at the same time?

WaniKani
#11

Yes, I’d love for her to put out a more robust program with an actual work book, because that makes such a huge difference. She also seems to mostly focus on making the most crucial skeleton of the language understood - the elements and concepts that keep affecting all of grammar. It’s not like you can follow her channel and then sit the N1, but for me, I could follow her video course and pick up Japanese reading. :+1:

She has two or three episodes where she added some homework sheets, but either stopped doing that, or restricted the homework assignments to be only for her Patreon supporters. I keep not getting around to joining Patreon to contribute, though, so I’m not sure.

By and large, yes, I agree. But apart from setting up for some potential unlearning like you mentioned, I feel like people sometimes walk away with weak spots in their most important fundamentals. Or, at least, I did when using the more “conventional” sources, like Tae Kim.

I feel like the whole が and は issue is a bit unclear at times, for example.

But this could just be my overall grammar ineptitude talking. :joy: Seriously… English grammar as well as grammar in my native language - I can use it, but I’d fail elementary school tests where you’re supposed to " dissect" a sentence and name all the grammar constructs at work there.

That’s why I can’t ever seem to shut up about CureDolly. I find grammar intensely boring, that snowballed to me having poor knowledge of grammar terms, which in turn snowballed again into me being quite lost at even exceedingly basic explanations like “が marks the subject.” Ah, yes… of course… the subject. I see. :eyes: I barely know this stuff in my native language, let alone English.

So if you’re like me, and grammar tends to beat you up behind the bike shed and take your lunch money; try CureDolly. :smiley:

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#12

I have a similar issue with grammar, I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve read about が and は in the last month. I’m still not 100% sure of how they work but have just started watching CureDolly’s videos and she does break things down in a way that makes it all seem much easier to take in.

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#13

I feel like the take away here is to study in a way that you feel you are progressing and roll with it.

A huge problem with learning seems to be over analyzing and getting caught up with the most efficient way of studying, when in reality this can totally differ for everyone. Learning is such a personal journey and your process will evolve as you continue studying.

At the end of the day you could spend hours researching how to study and what other people are doing, when in reality that time is probably better spent just actually studying.

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#14

Interesting, I want to check that channel later

but I usually forget to do things I plan on impulse so instead I ask a question instead for discussion and my own reminder

The thing about explaining Japanese grammar onto a western grammar framework is also discussed in a grammar guide that I read, which is Tae Kim’s Grammar Guide. Do you (or anyone else) know of it and the differences between that and CureDolly’s method? Should I just consult to both? All I know that Tae Kim’s guide is incomplete and still only cover the basics and eventually I’ll need another source, but I am still early in my grammar journey and this is just out of my curiousity (and reminder).

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#15

I also did both Genki and wani kani at the same time and a about level 10 you’ll know most of the kanji from Genki 1, so you can basically just leave the kanji learning to wanikani.

At first it will be hard because it will use stuff like 勉強する, 金曜日, 宿題 which uses kanji that takes a while for wanikani to teach. But just hang in there :high_touch:

But if you want to learn how to write the kanji too, then I wouldn’t skip that part, it’s good pratice!

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#16

Very nicely said. It reminds me of the concept of the “preparation loop” which was explained in a Tofugu article, a process where some learners can be trapped. I think I might be one of them as I spent way too much time at the beginning of my journey, trying to find all possible resources and wanting to compare them all.

I’m also using Genki alongside WaniKani and it is working pretty well for me and making me more confident.
I would recommend this review on Tofugu if you want to know more about the content: https://www.tofugu.com/reviews/genki-textbook/

Also, A Dictionnary of Basic Japanese Grammar is a more comprehensive resource which might be very useful later on:

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#17

Thank you for this info!! Really appreciate it.

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#18

Dang it, you say English isn’t your native language and then waggle your proper semi-colon usage in our faces in the next sentence, you monster.

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#19

Using Genki for grammar and ignoring the kanji in favor of WaniKani is of course pretty common here.

Tackling both is great, WK alone won’t teach you how to read Japanese.

For that matter, it won’t teach you nearly all the vocab you need to know, even early on. Genki I alone has some 400 common words not in WaniKani, kanji words and kana.

As for reading, well … one of the first words I learned reading よつば was 粗品 or small present (or inferior goods depending on context). You won’t learn that on WK, you will learn the kanji but 粗 is level 55.

Just to give you the vaguest idea of what the scope of WK will and will not do for you …

edit: kanji typo

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#20

My Genki Annihilation Anki decks that I am using have Furigana so I guess I won’t go too in depth using Genki as a kanji learner. Instead I will use it to basically familiarise myself but focus more on Wanikani for kanji.

My plan for after finishing the Genki series and Wanikani is to start reading basic native materials such as NHK Easy so that I can pick up on more vocabulary. I hope both Genki and WK will be enough to start at least. I also plan to do Core2k Anki decks afterwards as well!

1 Like
#21

I started genki when I was about lvl 12 on wanikani. I know most of the kanji and I can understand most of the dialogue in the book.

My pace is chapter / week. And after four chapters I review the latest four chapters at week five.

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#22

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#23

I used Wanikani in my Japanese 102 and 201 (both of which used the Genki 1 textbook) classes this past year and I only had to do minor studying to cover the difference between what was included in Genki that I hadn’t yet reached in Wanikani.

The big difference for me was that there is no practice of how to write the kanji (which is very important) included with Wanikani. But if you’re just trying to learn how to read, it’s a much better solution than trying to memorize kanji from a textbook.

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#24

Just want to tell you that even as a lvl 60 who went through Genki 1+2 I’m really enjoying her videos.

She makes learning seem so fun and natural and not something to be slogged through like Wanikani Reviews for example.

Might just be that I find it easy because I’ve already learned it once, but I still feel like those Videos are helping me so thanks :slight_smile:

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#25

thanks that sounds like that worked for you

#26

Okay, I decided to give this a try. Not that I have a hard time understanding some of the grammar I’ve been reading about, but I’m always down to hearing multiple sources to see which is best for my brain, and I am really digging this Organic Series that KawaJapa CureDolly is doing. Thanks so much for the share, she’s already clarified something that a whole bunch of textbooks just kinda think you’ll get in your own head I suppose after a while (though Japanese the Manga Way helps a lot with those moments too). Specifically the infamous が・は particle.

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#27

Usually I don’t like videos cause I learn far better from reading than listening, but those videos are really good!! (once you get over the weird voice)

The one on ‘japanese conjugation made easy’ was one of those ‘why did I never see that’ moments. I know all those ‘conjugations’ but I learnt them through rote memorization, I never realized it was shifting the column and adding a verb/adj.

I will definitely be watching the rest of the vids! Once again the WaniKani community proves invaluable for pointing out wonderful resources! :smiley:

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#28

Is it worth getting her book, Unlocking Japanese? Or should I watch her videos? I prefer reading to listening.

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#29

I’ve heard that the book is pretty brief, and it being older, it may not cover as much as her channel does at this point. :thinking:

In this thread @Jul3 and @banira talk about how the book is a bit sparse.

I wish she’d post articles that are at least a summary of the points made in her video on her website, but it’s often more an article to lead in the video, rather than an accompanying piece. That would definitely help those that prefer to read. :confused:

#30

Doing both at once works really well. I’ve also supplemented with Nihongonomori videos on YouTube (grammar) and hinekidori’s G-Anki deck (a Genki deck for Anki, divided by chapters, colour coded and styled like WK!).

The thing is, you have to decide how you want to balance your studies, and how much time you spend on it yourself. Only you know how you learn best.

If you’ve got both, go for it! But be sure to give yourself (and your brain) some breaks from time to time. : )

EDIT: I’ve also recently noticed that Imabi.net has been revamped, and I find it easier to understand and well laid out (whereas previously it was incredibly dense. Good information, but waaay too much on the screen at once for me to take in, seemed really advanced and wordy, even for simple grammar points).