I write a lot about how the brain is a pattern recognition machine. The more you see the same language construct over and over, the easier it will get to grasp what is going on. The grammar pattern becomes more clearly recognized over iterations.
For me, I “level up” my recognition in stages:
- Encounter grammar for the first time, and look it up.
- Encounter grammar again, but don’t recognize that I’ve ever seen it before. Look it up, only to realize I’ve already read about it before. (This step may repeat a few times!)
- Encounter grammar again, and I recognize that I’ve seen it before, but I have no idea what it is. Look it up and think “oh yeah, that’s right.” (This step may repeat a few times!)
- Encounter grammar again, and vaguely recall it. Look it up to confirm. (May repeat a few times!)
- Encounter grammar again, and sort of recall it. If I’m unsure, look it up to confirm. (May repeat a few times!)
- Encounter grammar again, and context helps me to understand it. (Definitely repeats a few times!)
- Encounter grammar again, and I understand it without thinking about it.
I listed 7+ iterations, but some things I get more quickly, and others take a lot longer. (I was completely stuck on って for the longest time until I realized I was only thinking of direct quotes while trying to understand instances of indirect quotes.)
This pattern recognition while reading is similar to SRS, except without optimal spacing between reviews.
Consider the following sentence:
“Did he tell you he asked her to give it to him?”
Questions:
- Who is “he”?
- Who is “she”?
- What is “it”?
- There are two “he” and one “him”. Does these refer to one, two, or three people?
When observed on its own, this sentence is leaving a lot out. But in context, it would makes complete sense.
Another English sentence that you may have encountered:
“Hungry?”
One its own, it doesn’t tell you much. But in context, it makes perfect sense.
You’ll find the same is true for Japanese. Anything that’s clear from context it fair game for being left unsaid. Subjects are often not spoken. Once a topic is establishes, it’s not stated again (unless the topic changes, and needs to be changed back again). There are whole constructs where it’s common to leave off the second half of a statement.
That last one is common in English as well:
“I wanted to help out, but…”
You’ll get used to it in time. Some things will remain difficult longer, but others you’ll get used to sooner. The key is to ensure you understand the grammar you’re looking at, and that you’re sure of what took place leading up to it.
Occasionally I’ll be reading a manga and find I’m suddenly lost. I try to keep reading, sometimes even for a few pages, just to see if I can figure it out. Often, I end up having to double back to a few pages before I got lost, and ensure I understand everything. The last time this happened, a single word in someone’s dialogue triggered a memory of the end of the prior chapter, which put everything into perspective for me, and I was able to re-read the pages with complete clarity.
Certain sets of very few words are very common, and may be contracted for brevity. It’s understandable that it takes a bit of time and effort to get to know them initially. Once you do, the most common grammar structures slowly become more accessible, one by one, and you find yourself about to read many bits and pieces. That makes way for focusing on the more difficult grammar!