I’m currently at a point where I can read the most common kanji and know the most basic grammar but can’t understand a thing because I lack vocab. I plan to take a break from lessons around lvl 20 and then invest that time in some basic kana vocab srs like memrise, iknow or kitsun.
So: make sure to diversify your study material, if you only have time for one thing make sure to switch every now and then or else you’ll probably get frustrated by a lot of knowledge without any change in ability ^^".
There’s an app called Torii which has various decks, and one of them is very important and I’m currently doing it. It’s a Kana-only deck and it will give you a list of around 1200 words usually or exclusively written in Hiragana & Katanana.
Right after I started doing WK I worried about this. I knew that Kanji were not the only thing that you’d encounter when you read, so I was really happy to find this deck.
I also recommend the app if you want to do other decks (It has the 10K deck, plus all decks from N5 through N1).
Yes, the SRS system clearly ramps up, but in the end, it really depends on your progression speed, so the number of new lessons you do each day.
I think that 10 lessons a day should not lead to something overwhelming. Should it be too much though, just reduce the number of new lessons.
I think it is important to take the time you need when you are doing a new lesson to properly memorize the item, and visualize mentally the mnemonics (if you use it). So your accuracy is fairly high at the beginning.
Concerning expectations, others have replied already
Sir: I have not yet retired, but I think of it as my retirement gift to myself. You too, maybe. Others who have the suitable person. The person will have a useful and so striking involvement, endlessly faceted, hundreds of correspondents through Wiki. Don’t for get to add a child’s magic slate to, to the bemusement of strap hangers over his shoulders, so he can practice writing the little pictures. You, someone, can work through, e.g. the vocabulary lists reading the model sentences for persuasive fluency. Write the kanji and dissolve them into radicals. Be faithful to your reviews and try to recall the various alternative meanings. So many things to try to bolster your strength in the language. At some point begin to reply in the campfire and follow some small number of commentators who strike you as companionable to help you with the issues that your growing number of texts raises. If they are a person of faith, get them a Bible in Japanese or a copy of Jesus Calling and as they can begin to read, in Japanese, texts familiar to them and garner rewarding insights and perspectives. There are some standard texts of believers beginning to speak in tongues and these are sometimes done in small choral groups. It is power to listen to, particularly when you know the texts in Japanese yourself, or may even be the reader speaking in Japanese to the congregation. Just imagine the way Japanese study can go forward in retirement. S/ RunningInPlace
Two books by Naoko Chino: All About Particles: A Handbook of Japanese Function Words (ISBN 4-7700-2781-8) and her How to Tell the Difference Between Japanese Particles (ISBN 978-4-7700-2200-4. Many SS alternatively presented in characters, romaji, English. To use the word, there is a GLUT of information here. I believe she has a third work on particles but it is in Japanese–but, again, it is possible to work through parts with great satisfaction. S/RunninginPlace
Yeah, I feel like WaniKani has a lot of mnemonics that get ridiculously strained because Koichi neglects to mention that the kanji has another meaning.
Im a slow learner, level 17 for 1 year and 10 months… Considering that i have a job and took vacation mode like 3 times so 5 levels took over 40 or even 100 days. Yes, i feel it got really too many reviews around level 15. My rate of correct answers pretty low compare to others (~80% recently) and i connect it with overwhelming number of reviews because i get tired when do reviews of like 70-90 items (or over 100).
Imagine, morning, you are on the way to work open the app and see there like 90 reviews from last night… And then by time I get to office i still have like half or third reviews left.
So, my advice (which i also should follow) - focus on good remembering new items and on answering correctly, not fast.
Does WK helps me? Yes, for me its the only way to remember kanji, stroke method doesnt work for me. It does a bit helps in daily life (i live in Chinese country), when i was in Japan it also helped to feel a bit more confident when you can recognize some key words. When i studied in language school in Japan (beginner level, book Minna no Nihongo 1) i was one of the best students in terms of kanji and vocabulary!
Please balance WK with systematic work on text book and try to get to Japanese speaking environment.
And yes, its a long term project!
the one thing i’d add is that, while WaniKani does not teach particles or other grammar, they do provide three “context sentences” for each new piece of vocabulary you learn. obviously, you’re free to skip past these context sentences – you’re not tested on them. but i find it’s really worth spending a few minutes as you learn each new vocabulary word to see how those words work in practice; and doing so will necessarily expose you to particles and grammar.
at your current level, those context sentences will largely be difficult to read, since they’re full of other kanji you haven’t learned yet. but if you come back at around level 10 or 11 (which is where i’m at), you’ll find yourself being able to recognize more and more. this isn’t meant as a replacement for separate grammar study, of course; but it can help you to see these kanji and vocabulary items in their grammatical context.
I can also attest (as someone who’d mostly focused on WK) that level 60 doesn’t = being able to read if you don’t also do grammar. And while the vocab in WK is an excellent base, you really do need an additional source like the Core 6K which has kana-only words. And it’s not just learning new words, it’s learning the multiple possible definitions (just look up 掛ける!) and the contexts in which they’re used.
But this is all made so much easier if you’ve had exposure to the kanji before. WK doesn’t have every one you’ll come across, but it does have the great majority. I say exposure because burning does not mean it’s ingrained to longterm memory unfortunately, but it won’t be foreign at least. I don’t regret going full speed but it’s definitely not necessary - consistency is key though and helps with the SRS. So make sure to keep up with the reviews, and find the interval for new lessons that you’re reasonably comfortable with.
Looking back, I was too lenient with the amount of time it took to recall the answer. If I was doing it again, I’d type something wrong if I couldn’t remember right away and move on even if it cost me my levelling up in time. So I guess that much I do regret.
Yeah. I always read the context sentences. It definitely helps to bed in the information. It’s a shame they are not a bit better geared towards the lvl of the kanji that they are demonstrating. Total crapshoot whether I will be able to read it or not… but its a nice warm feeling when I can!
That’s a really good point. I never really thought of it like that. You certainly don’t want to be taking an item to burned after a five minute recall! No way the synapses are functioning properly for that one.
More reviews, alas, but you would probably get the time back anyway by the time you save for not staring into space for five minutes trying to think of a tacos mnemonic or something!
Eventually you’ll reach a point where you recognize the grammar and the particles well but are overwhelmed by new vocabulary constantly. at least that’s what happened to me.
As far as reaching level 60 for me i recognize probably 95% of kanji i see(5 out of 100 i’ve never seen before, therefore 1 every couple pages) but just because i know the kanji doesn’t mean i know the words that i see them being used in. but its certainly been a great help and knowing the meanings of the kanji helps you already get a gist of the meaning of new words so its kinda like cheating.
Ico was my jam as a kid.
