can you learn japanese by watching anime

by Ernesto White IV 3 min read
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How the vast majority of people use anime to learn Japanese is like this:

  • Watch anime in Japanese with English subtitles
  • Read the subtitles and try to match it with what they hear
  • Repeat for hours and hours

Watching Anime can certainly be a useful tool to learn Japanese language. Yes, people can learn at least a bit watching anime! Although it may be tricky at times, it is possible to enjoy and learn Japanese at the same time.Jun 5, 2019

Full Answer

Is anime more enjoyable after learning Japanese?

Yes. Well, no. Or... probably rather "neither": * "Yes" because as soon as you are no longer slavishly dependent on the subtitles, your eyes can spend a lot more time on the characters faces, enjoying the art and action more fully, spotting add...

Is it possible to learn Japanese through anime?

Yes, it is possible. But let’s not be too quick to confuse “possible” with “easy.” Rather than try to convince you of whether or not you are actually capable of learning Japanese through anime, I’ll just lay out the detailed process of doing so, and you can decide for yourself whether you’re down for some anime study goodness or not.

How to actually learn Japanese from Anime?

You’re aiming for a sweet spot between a few different factors:

  • Entertainment value
  • Content topic (if you want to get good at conversation, watch conversational shows. If you want to learn medical terms, watch a medical drama)
  • Accessibility

How long would it take to learn Japanese for anime?

Some estimate that it takes English-language students (or non-Asian, without prior kanji knowledge) about 4800 hours to reach true Japanese fluency and pass the JLPT N1 exam. On a Reddit thread about how long it take to learn Japanese, users shared that it took about 800 hours of study time to be able to watch anime with full comprehension.

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Can watching anime improve your Japanese?

Even though you could not be actively involved in the pronunciation practice, watching the anime gives you an opportunity to familiarize yourself with the speech melody. This will in turn help improve your Japanese language.

How long will it take to learn Japanese from anime?

On a Reddit thread about how long it take to learn Japanese, users shared that it took about 800 hours of study time to be able to watch anime with full comprehension. Others said it takes 2-5 years of effort to reach mastery, adding that you could survive in the language after one year.

Does watching Japanese shows help you learn Japanese?

You'll learn practical Japanese by simply watching Japanese TV shows. Although there aren't English subtitles for most Japanese TV shows, you'll get used to the sound of Japanese, learn how Japanese people speak, and what vocabularies are used.

Do you have to watch anime to learn Japanese?

The myth of learning by only watching Anime The “watch anime and learn Japanese” concept is just a myth. A lot of high school students improve their English level by reading books and comics, or watching dramas and movies in English with subtitles in their own language.

How much Japanese should I study a day?

Study Japanese every day Grab a few recommended textbooks and knuckle down for at least twenty minutes a day (ideally an hour or two, but twenty minutes is better than nothing). This will give you the basics and the “correct” forms of grammar, situationally appropriate language, clear examples and practice exercises.

What anime is good for learning Japanese?

Shirokuma Cafe (しろくまカフェ), a.k.a. Polar Bear Cafe, is one of the best anime for Japanese learners. The comedy anime, which was originally made as a manga, was made into an anime adaption with 50 episodes in 2012-2013. It consists of random topics conversations with animals including Polar Bear, Panda and Penguin.

Can I learn Japanese with movies?

If movies are going to be used for teaching in a Japanese class, language teacher can provide learners with key vocabularies for the movie to reduce learner's burden of comprehension. Watching Japanese movies can enhance learners' is not only good for vocabulary gain, it also has other benefits.

How can I learn Japanese on Netflix?

You can also download an extension for Chrome called Language Learning with Netflix. It allows you to watch shows on Netflix with two subtitles on at the same time. Rather than watch passively, make sure you're listening to how words and phrases are used.

Can you learn Japanese on YouTube?

YouTube is a goldmine of Japanese language lessons and listening practice. Whether you're looking for grammar breakdowns, non-textbook language, beginner vocabulary, or advanced-level Japanese debates on current affairs, you'll find it here – and for free.

Can I learn Japanese by myself?

Yes, you can learn a lot of Japanese on your own. You can learn Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji. You can learn to read. You can improve your listening comprehension by watching Netflix and YouTube.

What language is demon slayer in?

JapaneseDemon Slayer-Kimetsu no Yaiba-The Movie: Mugen Train / LanguageJapanese is an East Asian language spoken natively by about 128 million people, primarily by Japanese people and primarily in Japan, the only country where it is the national language. Japanese belongs to the Japonic language family, and its classification with other language families is unclear. Wikipedia

What's the best way to learn Japanese?

The Best Way to Learn Japanese: 11 Proven Study Methods That WorkTake a Class or Computer Course. ... Listen to Language Podcasts. ... Watch Japanese TV With English Subtitles. ... Learn Hiragana and Katakana. ... Read Manga or Children's Books. ... Get a Workbook. ... Use Flashcards. ... Sing Japanese Karaoke Songs.More items...•

Is Japanese a casual language?

Japanese language is very contextual. Simplifying a bit: you speak in a casual way to your friends and family, but in a polite way to strangers and people older or more senior than you. If you confuse these types of speech, you come across either as too formal (distant) or basically rude.

Is language self-monitoring useful?

According to the hypothesis, the later usage of the language we learned through conscious studying (like vocabulary and grammar drilling) is actually limited. Mostly to language self-monitoring and self-correcting, which is obviously useful when writing, but not very useful for spontaneous speech.

Do anime characters speak the same way?

However, it’s not really true that anime characters don’t speak the same way real people do. They do, but it’s all about the context. In everyday life, you don’t often pick fights with ninjas or join yakuza…. Japanese language is very contextual.

Is anime slang?

Anime and manga definitely use a lot of impolite speech and slang, so this is probably where this misconception came from. This is especially true for anime like Naruto, Dragon Ball or Bleach, which are targeted to younger male audience. However, language you hear in your favourite anime shows is still Japanese.

Does speaking alone improve your language skills?

According to Krashen, speaking (output) alone doesn’t improve your language competence at all. You wouldn’t learn anything new just by speaking to yourself. On the other hand, talking with other people would actually work, as you are listening to their responses.

Is watching anime for learning Japanese useful?

There are many voices in Japanese language learning and anime online communities saying that watching anime for learning Japanese is not useful. Main reason being that the language spoken in those shows is not real, everyday Japanese.

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The (Wrong) Way That People Use Anime to Learn Japanese

The Two Things That Hold You Back

  • Now that you know how most people go about it and the general reasons why it doesn’t work, let’s take a look at the “behind the scenes science” of why it doesn’t work. Afterwords we will get to some ways of approaching it that actually do work! First off, you have to understand two things about the human brain: (1) – Babies can hear every sound, but adults can’t. (2) –You brain is des…
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How to (Actually) Learn Japanese Using Anime

  • Make certain Japanese words importantto your brain. How do you do that? You first study them in isolation, that is, not while watching anime. And then you watch the anime afterwords to hear the words that you studied in action. Here are the steps: (1) Get a listof the most common words used in the specific anime that you watch to watch. This part may be a challenge if you want the word…
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Anime Makes Learning Japanese Fun

  • Perhaps the best part about using anime to learn Japanese is that it makes it a lot of fun! You get to learn a language and be entertained at the same time. Watching a fun show and then recognizing certain words that the characters say is a very rewarding experience that keeps you coming back for more. And when you see learning Japanese as a fun ga...
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