Winter Study Log

[TobyOne]

This is just a personal study log, do not expect anything interesting. If you have any feedback or input, it will be greatly appreciated!

I just reached level 50 on WaniKani, finished my first semester of Japanese at my University, got my reviews down to 0 at KaniWani, have all the N5 grammar and over half the N4 grammar activated at BunPro, and started reading my first Japanese book.

Mid autumn semester, I had to give up KaniWani since I was overloaded with work. At the beginning of my Christmas vacation, I had a whopping 1800+ review que. I did 100-200 each day, and finally got it to 0 today. Since I have much work, I wont do new vocab at KaniWani any soon, but will try to keep up with my reviews.

I have spent much time on BunPro lately (if you have not heard about it, it is a Japanese grammar application with great similarities to WaniKani, check it out BunPro.jp). I learn new grammar more regulary, and wish to finish all the N4 grammar before the summer. I want to do all the N3 grammar before the summer 2022.

WaniKani is going pretty good, I plan on spending about 12 days on the remaining 10 levels, so I should reach it before the summer. That makes about 1 year and 9 months total, which is on line with my initial goals.

I just joined my first bookclub, the help there is amazing, check it out at 10 Minute Biographies Home Thread (Absolute Beginner Book Club) - Finished!
It is a bit motivating to understand some sentences, but there are still so much unknown grammar and vocab for a second-year Japanese book that it is easy to be overwhelmed.

I am starting my second Japanese course in a week. I just skimmed through the contenst, and it seems pretty straight forward. The kanji is SUPER easy, thanks to WaniKani, and I already know most of the grammar.

In general, I begin to really understand a bit if written Japanese, which is very motivating. However, oral is still really bad. I REALLY should get my courage up and find some Japanese people to talk to. I kind of know about at least one, but I have not dared to ask yet. I am so bad at talking Japanese it is difficult to begin. Additionally, I have asked my Japanese Teachers for a setting to actually practice talking Japanese, but I have not really found anything yet. Most people in my class are not that interested in additional work, and they know way less vocabulary and grammar than me (sorry for the bragging) so it is difficult to make conversation. I really need to take the step and start talking to someone this semester, do you guys have any recommendation to get started?

Thank you and happy studying!

[sundayRoast]

Hey mate, thanks for sharing your study log, and it’s been great seeing you in the beginner book club!

Do you find that bunpro helps you remember grammar when you are reading or do you feel that most of the time you only remember the grammar points within bunpro itself? I’m interested in trying it agian but fear that another SRS might be a bit overkill…

cheers!

[TobyOne]

I wanted to make this post because even though everything is still very difficult and there are much work left, I wanted to look back on what I already have accomplished. I have literally done my reviews on WaniKani every single day since August 5th 2019, and have learnt quite a bit. Here are some screenshots.

[TobyOne]

Thanks for reading! I feel like BunPro helps tremendously, I would recommend it as much as WaniKani. The hard part is that while reading the beginner book, I still see a lot of unknown grammar. Even with 200+ grammar points, the Japanese 7 year olds still knows a lot more grammar, and much of it is N3-N1. However, the grammar I do know is from BunPro.
Another view on the grammar points is in my University Japanese classes. 95% of the grammar I learnt in the first course, and probably just as much for the second, is stuff that I have already seen on BunPro. Therefore, the classes are way easier for me than most other students. However, the grammar is a bit more difficult there than on BunPro. When you have to construct a whole sentence, there are a couple more considerations than on BunPro. However, BunPro is the natural first step.

[sundayRoast]

答えのことは本当ありがとう!

Thanks for the reply, I will give bunpro another go then

[Micki]

Thanks for sharing your progress. Glad to hear you are enjoying some reading. Don’t hold back in asking any questions on the threads, it’s intended to be an absolute beginners club. If you have a question there are usually several other people with the same question who just haven’t got up the courage to ask!

[TobyOne]

Thanks for the help in the book club! I am really not holding back any questions, although there are a lot I do not understand. The reading is really difficult, so in order to finish the pages I have to look up the translations and accept that there are much I can not understand. However, I still try to regularly ask about the parts where I still have hope on understanding, and there is a bit I understand on my own too.