Study Japanese?

I am finally making a conscious decision to start formally learning Japanese...

Any native speakers or others interested in the pursuit around?

Duolingo has launched the app based course for Android (and probably iOS too), but is still ironing out their web-based course. If there is enough interest in tackling the monster of new writing systems together, I could start a little group in Duolingo where we can sort of challenge/encourage each other to keep to it.

Supplemental work will probably be necessary...for example, I have found the Pimsleur language CDs at my local library (retail cost for a full 3 stage audio program can easily top $600...library=free)...each lesson is just under 30 minutes...which makes for a nice companion when driving 30-40 minutes to work and back each way.

Going solo now...but wouldn't mind an occaisional bump from others as a nudge to make sure I keep on track...share some info, resources, etc., and generally have a good time learning the language.

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By way of introduction to why I am interested, its easier to say that I have no excuse and have really just been avoiding it for years. I was stationed on mainland Japan (outside of Hiroshima) for about 3 1/2 years in the early 2000s. After returning to the states I met and subsequently married a Japanese woman (whom I met in Texas of all places), and we have an almost 8 year old daughter. Daddy has just always been lazy and never bothered putting in the work to get up to speed formally, so the kid has surpassed me in her language skills and I can't live in a house of two women who talk behind my back. :dry:

I've also recently begun some entry level sessions in Aikido, studied Asian Cultures as part of my undergrad degree, and have generally found myself drawn more towards Japanese Buddhist traditions than not.

TRICK IS...I wanna keep this on the D.L., so as not to tip off the lady that I finally picked it up...until time is appropriate...

ADMIN NOTE: Duolingo is free...just create a profile and go: https://www.duolingo.com/

They also have a companion site with all sorts of flashcards at: https://tinycards.duolingo.com/

Use the same login for both and it has all sorts of ways to pester you into remembering to take 20-30 minutes each day to take a crack at some Hiragana or Katakana...etc...

I have personally been studying Japanese for a couple of months now, I can recommend some resources aside from Duolingo which I have used longer:

Memrise.
A good app with great audio recordings and different levels of difficulty. It has a pro feature, but it doesn't make much difference to the free version

Tengu Go Kanji and Tengu Go Kana
Two great apps for learning Kanji and Kana (Hiragana and Katakana), Tengu Go Kanji isn't free though, but it is worth purchasing if you are looking for a good resource for learning Kanji, Tengu Go Kana is completely free though

Human Japanese
Exists as both a lite and a full version (full version isn't free), very detailed and great texts about grammar and Japanese in general

Tae Kim's Guide To Learning Japanese
Very good grammar guide, but not as "interactive" as other apps, still a great resource though

Some people also find it helpful to purchase the Genki textbooks, but I personally find that for the combined price for all the Genki textbooks you can buy better resources, online and more interactive, but that's just me.

Good luck in your learning

Thanks Yugen!

I toyed around with Memrise a bit a while back...but it seemed to just kinda start throwing stuff at you with little building blocks or otherwise organized concept...maybe I just started off wrong on it though...

I'll check out some of those other resources you named though...

Have you had any luck in gaining proficiency or at least elementary reading/writing knowledge yet?

I've been poking around Duolingo 's Japanese with one of my apprentices since it released. To be honest, I don't think I'd be this far if I hadn't taken college classes years ago lol. I find it a little strange how its structured. I needed more practice to relearn Hiragana and before I got it, they started tossing in Kanji and then Katakana hahaha. I've discovered I listen better than I can read but I'm slowly getting a grasp on it again. I do it about 10 minutes every day or so, whatever I can sneak in. I'm looking forward to their web-based stuff so I can practice at work too.

My Duolingo user name is Kit_Foxfire

I took it for 3 years while I was in High school. I can read the hiragana and katakana but can't translate it unless I already know the word. All I remember is "watashi no namae was Rosa desu. Watashi was herushingu daisuki desu."

which losely and probably means "my name is Rosa and I love Hellsing" LOLOLOLOL

All joking aside though, it was a hard language to learn but I still try to retain as much as I can. Since I have no one to study it with, I've forgotten much of it but that's ok since I really have no plans on visiting Japan soon, haha.

I can read rather well now, at least the Kana

Whenever I encounter a word I don't know, I just check it up and try to memorise it

Also most Kanji I encounter (in books and manga) are also clarified in Kana on the side of it if I don't know it, if it isn't I try to check it up

Checking up different words and Kanji that I don't know always helps and is a great way of learning more

I recommend trying to read Japanese news or different websites, and also to listen to Japanese music or youtube videos to practice your Japanese listening proficiency by listening to native speakers

vladucard wrote: I took it for 3 years while I was in High school. I can read the hiragana and katakana but can't translate it unless I already know the word. All I remember is "watashi no namae was Rosa desu. Watashi was herushingu daisuki desu."

which losely and probably means "my name is Rosa and I love Hellsing" LOLOLOLOL.

Hahahaha the only thing I remember from my two semesters in college is "My name is ____", "What's your name?", "I'm a student" and "I don't like coffee" hahahahaha

Oh and if you are looking for discussion places and forums I can recommend the Learn Japanese Reddit , the "HiNative" app, the "FluentU" website

Well, if any of you are interested enough to get into Duolingo, you can find the little "club" I made: TOTJO Japanese, by using the code RWDG4B

I've never tried out any of the Duolingo clubs...but could be a kinda fun way to prod each other along?