When to use something like bunpro?

Hey all!
I know that Wanikani doesn’t teach Japanese grammar. When should I be starting to use something like Bunpro? I just started my Japanese studies and would like to progress, but I’m a bit afraid to take on too much too soon, or to be lost if I try something too advanced.

Right now.

BP is not something too advanced. There’s an option to turn on furigana for kanji you don’t know. I think it’s turned on by default, if I remember it correctly.

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Something like bunpro? As in something to study grammar?

Make that two votes for right now.

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Whenever you want, depending on your goals. One could easily argue that kanji learning does not need to be first stop priority while grammar is second (perhaps should be reversed depending on your needs). WK is not a complete vocab package either but it’s a good start.

If you are a beginner, I would recommend getting solid on verb/adjective conjugations as soon as you can because it is so common and allows attention to other grammar when this is second nature. BunPro does have them as lessons but the more exposure the better. Here is a fun site for anyone who want to practice verbs and check their work: http://www.japaneseverbconjugator.com/

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tenor

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Yup. Right now.

I started bp at around level 15 or so and regretted that I didn’t start sooner because it took a while to find a method to study grammar that didn’t overwhelm me while also studying wk. It will also make your transition to reading Japanese easier once you start looking at external material since you’ll have a starting foundation of grammar and kanji.

Start now and find a rhythm that is right for you on bp. Don’t be afraid to restart but don’t give up. Try 3 lessons per week (9 grammar points) and go up/down from there. bp is very different than just recalling information. You’ll be asked to conjugate properly and there are plenty of caveats such as emphasis,informal/formal, long/short version, tense, etc… of a grammar point that can really have you thinking there so you can’t gloss over a sentence too much. Also decide if the online reading resources they provide is enough for you or if you need to follow a book path.

But yeah, start now and figure out what method works for you in bp, because it’s not as clear cut and strait forward as wk.

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Think of it this way: the sooner you learn grammar the sooner you can start applying what WK teaches you to reading native material. Definitely don’t delay too long. Knowing kanji is important for reading, but there is much more to Japanese sentences beyond kanji. Knowing your particles, verb conjugation, etc. is going to be what allows you to read whole sentences not just individual words.

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I’ve been hearing about Bunpro a lot but didn’t get around to looking at it. It looks useful, so I just signed up. I have a grasp of the grammar already but getting an opportunity to practice it in a structured way will really help it stick.

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While I do think it’s a good idea to start learning grammar as soon as possible, for me personally Bunpro was not a good learning tool. The third party readings are too scattered and vary hugely in quality and clarity - some of them even seemed contradictory. I would recommend finding a good textbook like Genki or other organized learning resource and maybe using Bunpro to drill the grammar points learned there. I’m using Human Japanese myself, and while it’s not perfect, I’m finding the grammar explanations are well written and easy to understand with a minimum of linguistic techno-speak.

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Thank you all! I’ve started using Bunpro and I’ll be limiting myself to 3 lessons per week to see how it goes.
I’ll look into getting the Genki manuals a little later on as well.
I like that Bunpro looks very similar to Wanikani, it helped getting started, but I have a bit of trouble with the fact that it links to outside sources instead of building teaching aid inside the tool. I suspect I’ll get used to it nonetheless.
Thanks again! You guys are amazing, and so far it’s been a blast to start learning japanese with a community such as you all :slight_smile:

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It wasn’t primarily built this way but rather a path for individuals who already owned these sources and wanted extra SRS practice. Use the extra ‘reading’ section and grammar point message board to help out. The grammar dictionaries are extensive, not realistic on singular platform so it’s recommended to own as well.

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I just want to say thanks for the topic, it made me realize that I should have started this a while ago.

Good luck!

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Also if you want a list of free resources to supplement your grammar studies here’s a shamless link to a post of mine with some of my favorites and many other resources recommended around here:

This one is good too:

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