Hello, it’s been a long time since I’ve posted anything. I’m not new to learning, I’ve been at it for 5 years or so now. Been hanging around N2 for awhile and have definitely hit the dreaded “intermediate plateau”. I’ve been a bit bored of my study routines lately, but I do NEED formal study. People always say that immersion and reading is best to cement grammar in and while I agree to some extent, that just doesn’t work as efficiently for me as it does for some people. If I don’t also see things in isolation my brain will try to gloss over them when I read for some reason. (please tell me if this happens to you too )
So I was thinking- Why not try some apps again? I haven’t thought about using an app on my phone/tablet in a long time. I always hear they’re not that good. But- Are they fun? Maybe. If you’ve got any japanese learning apps to recommend, paid or free, that you find still find relatively helpful (especially with N3+ grammar) let me know. I’m interested in what’s actually out there now. A lot of threads about apps that I’ve seen around on sites are older and I think we’ve probably progressed in the realm of learning apps over the years.
Satori reader is a combination of reading and grammar practice. You can click on any word to get the definition, and every chapter has in depth discussions on various grammar elements. I don’t know if it’s the right level for you, but I’ve found it useful to cement in grammar by seeing it used in practice, and having additional discussion for the elements I wasn’t sure about.
I really enjoy using Bunpro for grammar. They provide a ton of example sentences in SRS format like WK. You can also jump straight to the N2 deck if you prefer. WK still stays my winner for kanji (and vocab). I really love bottom to top structure they have when teaching kanji and vocab.
The reason I really like Bunpro as a supplement for immersion is because every question in Bunpro is essentially a reading exercise, and forces you to comprehend the question since you need to provide an answer.
If you ever decide to try it out, I recommend setting the review style to this, since the default setting is way too vague for grammar.
They function more like actual flashcards instead of the recall required from WK.
Outside of these, unfortunately you kinda just have to get used to seeing these things in the wild, of course, you can’t recognize what you don’t know, so isolated study is vital as well as a primer to the idea, then just seeing it often in use in the wild will cement it. But I feel you, whenever it’s a less familiar grammar point to me my brain tends to go “I have no idea what any of that means” then when I read an English translation, suddenly I realize I know all the grammar points and I actually could have comprehended that sentence.
I feel like this is why I really find Bunpro to be useful, because it gives me that “exposure therapy” to sentences I “think” I won’t be able to comprehend, and thus gloss over it. It is essentially training my brain by providing proof that I can actually comprehend that complex looking sentence with “unfamiliar” grammar. I’ve gotten way better a not glossing over sentences because of this.
Yes, I’ve been using Bunpro for years myself. I noticed as I got into late N2 and early N1 though that there are grammar points that can have a lot more nuance to them. Like a grammar point you’ve previously seen may have an additional meaning taught later. It’s those in particular that I think I don’t pick up correctly when reading. My brain wants to go to the first meaning I learned, which may still create a “correct” sentence, but not the intended meaning of the sentence. If that makes sense.
This is an interesting one that I hadn’t heard of before. It’s one of those situations where I don’t think it would be more useful than using yomitan with a native book. At least not for me at the level I’m at now.
I’m currently using https://jpdb.io/ for targeted SRS (has premade decks for anime, LNs, and other stuff), and Bunpro for a Kansai dialect deck I found
Ah yes, I think I understand what you mean. Unfortunately the current solution I’ve found for myself is just more reading, as eventually I should get a feel for which to “choose” through familiarity. I find that the problem is not in my understanding of different nuances and when to use them, but rather being able to catch which is being used in that current context. Currently however, I still have to prove that method works for me in Japanese, I know that that’s how it worked for me in Korean however (still not 100% accuracy either).
This is why I actually prefer reading manga or whatever side by side with an English copy. I’ll read a chapter in Japanese then again in English to see what I caught and what I missed. It’s kinda like checking my answers, but at the same time it’s also an opportunity to see how another person might have translated that sentence/idea. Since translation is never 1 to 1, this allows me to check whether that specific nuance that was bothering me was even important at all in the idea that was being expressed. More than that though, it also gives me a larger sample size on how to possibly comprehend/understand that grammar point. Essentially broadening my “understanding” of that sentence.
Install Yomitan. It can be installed in mobile devices, like smartphones and tablets too.
Add grammar dictionaries. Even N1-N2 grammar points can be looked up (though conjugations and forms can make obstacles). (And also N0 ones.)
Reduce barrier to looking up. That may include using OCR and split screen / floating window.
Be diligent in looking up. You may have to choose reading materials, and study/play occasions.
As a matter of fact, without having Yomitan everywhere, some grammar points may appear in JMdict entries as well, so copious lookup with any dictionary app works to some extent.
I think Satori Reader have advanced level materials. I haven’t checked it for long while, but it might be promising. I’ve got a feeling that it should have good grammar explanations, and in context.
An opposite side is probably constrained writing, to include N2 and upper grammar points. Then, let natives (or AI) check.
WK (Tsurukame, or whatever the android equivalent is)
Kanji only focus
NativShark (website, not an app)
Grammar, Kanji, Vocab - Sentence based learning and all with native audio at native-level speeds. Aiming to go all the way up to N1 content, and currently the content is around high N2.
JapanesePod101 (app is called Innovative, though I don’t use the app much anymore as I use the website version more).
Listening dialogues, so they cover grammar, vocab, and kanji (transcript). Content covers up to N2.
Never pay full price for this, use the good coupons
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