Almost daily, I run into people asking me “How do you say [insert random phrase] in Japanese?”. Anyone that knows I’m studying Japanese seems to think I can immediately speak it, and seem disappointed when I cannot (yet). This is because of the way I’m learning sentences. You see, right now, I am focused on input vs. output. Before I get into my reasons why, let me first define each. Input is taking anything Japanese in. It’s listening, reading, seeing. Output is speaking and writing. Why Input Should Come First The reasons behind this are simple. Let’s get an example situation to work from. Say you’re lost, and need directions. You find a local, and ask something along the lines of “渋谷はどこですか。” (Where is Shibuya?). Great! He understood your question, and is now giving a response. Problem is, you […]
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