Native-level video/audio

Japanese Language
1

I was proud of myself because, slowly, my listening comprehension has been getting better and things that were inscrutable before are becoming more intelligible. BUT - in hindsight, the things that I’ve been making progress on are things like learner-oriented podcasts (the Teppei, Miku, etc. podcasts), Satori Reader or JLPT listening exercises…
… which I guess is fine, but those are still language learner-focused resources and then I’ve been trying to listen to real native-oriented content like TV series without titles or an NHK newsfeed (not the web easy, the real thing), and it’s been completely humbling. And I guess it makes sense, if I dial up my own Mexico City urban slang (my native dialect), most non-natives will not understand me, and not even people from other Spanish-speaking countries, so I don’t expect to understand everything but sheesh it’s hard!
My overall learning goal for this year is to try to balance out N2 prep with more native-level content, both reading and listening.
I was wondering what genres, media or programs people have used to crack into native-level-aimed-at-natives material?
thanks!

6 Likes
2

Do you like vtubers? If so, then vtubers.

Netflix is another option. There’s a noticeable difference between some normal speaking guys 雑談 and scripted lines spoken from a voice actor in an anime or drama, but it is still native content. How close it is to real life conversation will just depend on the series

2 Likes
3

Streamers,
There’s a lot of Japanese streamers on https://www.twitch.tv
(search for live channels and or content that interest you and filter the language to japanese)

1 Like
4

In my opinion, most of it has nothing to do with this. The reason native conversation is hard to understand is mainly three things:

  1. Native level speed is usually way more unpredictable than anime or drama. Sometimes people will suddenly talk real fast, slur their speech, won’t speak incomplete sentences…etc…also a lot of Japanese people will not pronounce certain words the same way your Japanese teacher does, they will pronounce it their own way…you do that in your own native language, I’m sure you do.

  2. Conversation topics. Real life conversations doesn’t follow a storyline like an anime or drama. And those learner-oriented podcasts definitely won’t emulate some real life conversation topics, they always talk about Japan, or Japanese, or travel or something safe like that. How often do you hear someone on those podcasts start ranting for 20 minutes about some guy cutting him off in traffic? Never right? Do you hear them complain about their in-laws? Nope, never. But people in real life do, all the time, and in real conversations they jump from one random topic to the next…which makes it hard to keep up if you are still learning the language

  3. Out of context conversations. Two Japanese people can be talking about some Japanese celebrity or politician, making fun of them about the dumb stuff they say on twitter. You have no idea who that celebrity is? If you haven’t been exposed to a lot of native level convos…you can be completely lost

1 Like
5

You might check this thread.

imo, some YouTuber might not be that much harder than YUYUの日本語のPodcast, for example. But it depends on the speaker. Some are just on fire. Some may mock some sounds and pronunciations.

I usually listen to Chinese teachers in JP, tech, and traveling, these days. But news is hard (but doesn’t stop me from trying)… Anime are harder than YouTubers, but you might find audio drama on YouTube too.

1 Like
6

Thanks!! I’m totally betraying my age - I didnt know what twitch exister :laughing:

2 Likes