Hey, I'm doing at the moment Genki 2 and am in chapter 19 I think.
But the problem is, that every time I start an new chapter and start reading the text I feel like it is super hard. I don't know, but did this happen to you also?

Its like I open the chapter, start reading and understand here and there the easy sentences and then there are a few where I feel lost.
And this is in every chapter I start..

Any tips?

I used Genki I and II. You probably want to leave the reading at the beginning of the chapter for last. It contains the grammar introduced in the chapter. So read it after you go through the lesson. If you are having trouble with the lessons, have you taken notes from the previous lessons and studied them? They tend to buildupon each other. I used to take notes on each grammar point and review them back then. You could even add them to Anki and use that but I didn't find it necessary at that point.

He4rtl3ss Wrote:Hey, I'm doing at the moment Genki 2 and am in chapter 19 I think.
But the problem is, that every time I start an new chapter and start reading the text I feel like it is super hard. I don't know, but did this happen to you also?

Its like I open the chapter, start reading and understand here and there the easy sentences and then there are a few where I feel lost.
And this is in every chapter I start..

Any tips?

I generally get the vocab. memorized first, then learn the grammar points and learn the kanji for the chapter alongside of them. (Well, that's more or less how it gets done in class since we use this textbook during class). Readings generally come after I've gotten the chapter's building blocks out of the way.

Thanks, I'll try it this way with the next chapters and hope it will work better.
I also never took notes or something, I think I should start to.

Google the grammar point (like "だとしたら grammar").

Then there are great sites out there, like tatoeba.org or alc.co.jp for examples. You'll get a feel for it that way.

Tae Kim and IMABI also have lessons with example sentences, you can use that to look up what you don't get.

Sometimes an explanation just doesn't work, in that case another approach might be helpful.

You're just reading new material for the very first time, full of new vocabulary and grammar. Of course it's going to be hard, nothing wrong with you or your study methods.

andikaze Wrote:Then there are great sites out there, like tatoeba.org or alc.co.jp for examples. You'll get a feel for it that way.

Tae Kim and IMABI also have lessons with example sentences, you can use that to look up what you don't get.

Sometimes an explanation just doesn't work, in that case another approach might be helpful.

Seconded, especially tatoeba.org; if it's really not working, the Dictionaries of Japanese Grammar have example sentences that are really clear about showing what you can and can't do with any particular point, and what others it might be related to. You really do just have to come at the grammar points from several directions until it sticks. Are you using the workbook? I remember there were a few times where I had to write sentences with the grammar on those, and it helped (especially when you use that chapter's vocabulary to answer the questions).

Start with reading over the vocabulary, then dialogue, then grammar points, and do the reading passage last.

Also, like PotbellyPig said, take notes. Start a whole notebook (like one of those composition books you can't easily tear the pages out of) just for grammar points, and put in there the explanations and examples you find useful; use different colors for each grammar point too! (I don't know if you're using it with a class or not, but doing this makes reviewing for a chapter test/midterm/final REALLY easy.)

Yeah, I'd agree with keeping a notebook. However, I'd advocate using an electronic one instead, since paper ones are hard to add to. What I did is make an alphabetical listing of grammar points I encountered (especially useful if you end up using the Dictionaries of Japanese Grammar like I did). When you need to look up something in the future, you can just "Ctrl + f" it, and voila!

I'm in the same level (finishing Genki 2) I have ordered "Dictionaries of Basic Japanese Grammar" due to the massive positive review here everywhere else, So I'm planning to continue with AIAIJ with a constantly look up into this dictionary. I may even take into account to read like a book...

From what I have red this dictionary is the best grammar source for a beginner to intermediate

vebaev Wrote:I'm in the same level (finishing Genki 2) I have ordered "Dictionaries of Basic Japanese Grammar" due to the massive positive review here everywhere else, So I'm planning to continue with AIAIJ with a constantly look up into this dictionary. I may even take into account to read like a book...

From what I have red this dictionary is the best grammar source for a beginner to intermediate

Yes it is, good choice!
It's also far more reliable than Tae Kim for reference, although Tae Kim is ordered so you can study it systematically.

Good advises in the previous posts, you can add "Handbook of Japanese grammar" by Harold G. Henderson to your source of examples, maybe you will find it useful.

Here is a preview from google books
http://books.google.com.mx/books?id=Me7t9o-LLroC

I forgot.....second from Dictionaries of Basic Japanese Grammar is also very positive reviewed for self-learning grammar book (which I bought but did not started yet) is

Japanese Sentence Patterns for Effective Communication: A Self-Study Course and Reference
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Japanese-Sentenc...568364202/