Background:
I remember the end of 7th grade in 2004. I remember getting a D in that Spanish class. I knew some people had a knack for languages, but I wasn’t one of them.
The next decade I decided to learn German. I discovered this magical app called Duolingo. Things are much easier when you actually have a desire to do something compared to being forced to learn. I got pretty far (I’d say B2). Towards the end of the decade I decided to learn French after a trip to Paris.
I’ve always had a love affair with Japan. The sushi, the samurais, the counterculture (anime, karaoke) - what’s not to love? My dad lived in Tokyo briefly in the 80s and went back many times over the years. He said Japanese is basically an impossible language, and he knew one foreigner who could read the paper after living there for over 20 years.
My first stab at Japanese was in late 2021. At the time I didn’t know how the Japanese writing system worked. I was able to remember a few Hiragana and thought to myself “this isn’t so bad.” Then I discovered Kanji. I always thought Chinese and Japanese looked indistinguishable and finally found out why. Eventually I lost the desire to learn.
Fast forward to September 2023. My dad and I took a trip to Japan. I thought my Japanese was so proficient (apparently knowing Watashi wa Sushi ga dai sukidesu makes you an expert), but I couldn’t read anything. I knew from my studies back in 2021 that reading was going to be a major challenge. I looked up if it’s possible to learn Japanese without being able to read. The gist I got was that it’s ill-advised.
On the way back to the US I discovered this YouTuber ToKini Andy. He quasi recommended an app called WaniKani. I did some further research and found that while it’s effective, it would eat up too much of my time.
After the trip, I continued learning Japanese right away using Duolingo (I know, blasphemous). I was spending hours a day learning and even understanding some Kanji. I was getting better, so I thought why not give WaniKani a shot. I finally took the plunge in late January 2024.
One of the first emails I received from the WK team epitomizes it perfectly. WK is so simple - you will learn almost every single relevant Kanji, but simple does not mean easy. I made mistake after mistake. Did I mention I got a D in my 7th grade Spanish class? I got by far the lowest percentages of anyone who’s reached level 60. Nonetheless - I persisted!
People always tell me I have a knack for languages. That’s hogwash, there’s no knack, only persistence. If I can do it - you absolutely can too. To celebrate, I went with my mom to a michelin star sushi restaurant.
Other Apps Used:
Bunpro - Currently on the N1 Grammar Course.
MochiKanji - Another good app but highly skeptical you can learn 1,000 kanji in a month like they claim.
Anki - used it for a N3 deck, need to get back to into it.
Migaku - rarely used, need to start using it more.
How Good is my Japanese?
I haven’t taken any of the JLPT exams. I would guess I could score highly on the N3 but probably couldn’t pass the N2 just yet. Hoping to pass the N1 in 2027 or 2028. I can understand the gist while listening to the news and reading articles on familiar topics. I have a Japanese tutor and had a conversation with a Japanese colleague a few weeks ago that went pretty well.
Overall, it’s not hyperbole to say WK changed my life. Sorry for such a long message!
