I’ve started about a month ago, and really been having a blast!
I’ve learned hiragana and katakana, and went straight for wanikani, where i’m about halfway through level 3. I was wondering if I should continue full time on wanikani for now, to gain more vocabulary, or learn common vocabulary in a different place? I guess i’ll start learning some grammer once I have a foundation of words to use…
I saw lots of recommendations for materials from Genki 1 to Tae Kim’s guide… but none of them teach the same way wanikani do, which is absolutely amazing! while trying to learn just a few vocabulary words from those places (by trying to memorize it), I had a really hard time remembering anything, where in wanikani, i can learn words straight away and can recall them pretty good after about a day…
Are there any places that teach with similar ways, like wanikani? if not, which place would you recommend the most? Genki 1?
You can start earlier if you want. Most things teaching grammar will give you the readings and meanings for any words they use.
Then maybe you want to use Bunpro which is an SRS for grammar? You will want to supplement the Bunpro lessons with the additional readings, etc. that they provide for each of the grammar items. They even have learning paths based on whether you are using Minna no Nihongo, Genki, Tobira, Tae Kim, etc.
For a list of resources in general, this is fairly exhaustive:
Another thing that is helpful, is writing the answers. I’ve tried Bunpo for example, but you choose the correct answer, and I feel typing it helps in remembering it…
Also, bunpro is for grammer, I’m currently looking for a way to learn vocabulary
I’m taking a Japanese night course that uses Genki, and the Anki app has been hugely helpful for me for vocab. It’s an SRS system, but one where the user rates each flashcard in terms of how well they know it (which then of course affects when you see it next).
Anki is a general purpose SRS flashcard app, but there are lots of publicly available card decks. I grabbed one for my Genki text I found posted online, but I am sure there are many others you could use.
I think people are confused because you keep mentioning things like Genki and Tae Kim…
Both of those primarily teach grammar, not vocabulary. I’m not sure what you mean by memorizing it with the help of WK because Genki doesn’t really teach that much kanji either.
For a SRS flashcard system for vocabulary, you could check out Kitsun.io (paid) or Kamesame.com (free).
Genki has vocabulary, but mostly as a way to reinforce the grammar that it teaches. Genki vocab is also very focused on college life, so a lot of things like different college majors that may or may not be useful or interesting to you as you begin to learn.
I’m going to give an obligatory shout out to supplament whatever you go with for grammar with the Japanese Dictionary of Grammar series.
I’ll also recommend against Tae Kim’s guide, as it gets a ton of things wrong and will make it difficult to transition to other resources because some for things it gets wrong (like が vs は), the topics are super essential. I honestly think the guide is more of a holdover of the internet or the mid 2000’s which didn’t have many resources. Nowadays there is a ton of stuff out there.
I personally recommend Bunpro, though the earlier parts may be rough. Wasabi into Bunpro is also fine I think it you struggle with Bunpro while you are a beginner.
I like the textbook, but I’m locked into it because of the course, and there are a lot of others to choose from. It’s used for so many Japanese courses that you should be able to pick up a cheap used copy. Plus it is a path on bunpro, which I just signed up for (bunpro path means the SRS grammar sections are synced with the Genki chapters, which is nice).
Get the workbook as well, and google for the workbook answers, there are pdfs posted online. Or just ping me.
