Hello,

I read this forum for several months and I found good advices for my japanese self study. That's why I would like to have your opinion/advices about my learning plan. Until now (for almost 2 years, since I've started japanese), I studied grammar and vocabulary until the JLPT N3 (and a bit a N2 grammar). I also learned vocabulary from blogs, NHK easy and one drama (I recently started listening practice).

For the tools I use, there is Anki (for reviewing sentences I read, vocab + grammar points). I usually do 30 mins of Anki per day (~50 sentences because I write the kanji, I'm far from other members here haha).

Each day, I do Anki, 30 mins of drama (with japanese subs + add vocab I don't know to Anki), and around 30 mins or more of blogs reading (music/idol blogs).

Until now, I didn't practice output, but I will soon start using Lang8. For speaking, I am not confident enough for doing Skype session.

Aside from output, I think I should focus on vocab. I came across Core 2k/6k Optimized Japanese Vocabulary. Do you think it is a good way to continue ?
I have also another question : when I read something where there are words I don't know, I used to add all unknown words to Anki (except specific words such as lake names and things like that). Am I doing it wrong ?

I guess there are also people who are learning japanese by self study but I will take advices from everybody.

hey I'm learning by self study only and learning vocab is one of the best things you can do.
I can really recommend this deck: https://ankiweb.net/shared/info/702754122
It's basically core 6k and a bit more. Don't be hesitant to delete words that seem weird or uncommon.

And at the start I would not add too much vocab, just hover over it with rikaisama and at first only add the oneｓ that appear more often/ have a higher frequency.

Core6k used to be the best pre-made vocab deck around, but now there's a new kid on the block: Nayr's Core5000. Some of the advantages: updated vocab selection (the most popular 5000 words TODAY, rather than decades ago), the example sentences have a more modern subject matter, a single voice doing all the audio rather than several voices (small thing, but it makes a difference).

The example sentences tend to also be a little more complex than in Cor6k, so it will probably fit your level better.

https://ankiweb.net/shared/info/1269450669

Rather than tell you what I think you should or should not do with Core, I'll provide you with my story and let you draw your own conclusions from there! If you want. It's kind of long. A lot of people here use Core and love it- and I can see why. Especially that newish one floating around with high quality audio and this that and the other.

But what you're doing sounds very much like how I started Japanese study (no idea what level I was at JLPT-wise but I studied in school for a while before slowly breaking into self-study) and.. yeah. You may not need a structured deck like Core if you've already got the discipline to continue doing all the things you're doing (and add your own cards for the rest of forever).

My Story

Thank you for your replies.

@z1bbo
I have the feeling that my vocab is growing slowly. When I worked on the N3 vocab book, I was adding maybe 10 new words (with sentences) in Anki. Anki automatically adds 2 cards for one entry, I didn't make any change in the setting, so I don't know if I use it correctly.
Now, I add maybe 3-4 words per day, I think it's very slow. The drama vocab is getting easier since I learned most of it in the first episodes ("Ohitorisama", school/romance drama). But I sometimes need to listen 2-3 times the sentences to hear it well.

@Stansfield123
the deck seems really interesting, I will take a look at it. I hope this time the sound will work. I tried the Core 6k deck just to see some examples, but sounds never worked (I changed the deck name to be the same as the sentences deck name).

@drdunlap
By using a deck, I thought that I would learn common words that I didn't think about (or because the blogs I read don't talk about).
Your japanese journey is really impressive ! Plus you did it fast, IMO. When you were reading novels, did you just learned the more useful unknown words or all of them (example : 1 page > study unknown vocab)?

darksider Wrote:Hello,

...
Until now (for almost 2 years, since I've started japanese), I studied grammar and vocabulary until the JLPT N3 (and a bit a N2 grammar).
...
Until now, I didn't practice output, but I will soon start using Lang8. For speaking, I am not confident enough for doing Skype session.
...
I guess there are also people who are learning japanese by self study but I will take advices from everybody.

Of the 4 language skills (reading, writing, speaking, listening) it sounds like you are weakest in speaking and writing. I would focus there.

If you don't have access to native speakers who you can speak with and write to, I recommend taking online lessons with Japanese Online Institute (JOI).

[RawToast]

ariariari Wrote:If you don't have access to native speakers who you can speak with and write to, I recommend taking online lessons with Japanese Online Institute (JOI).

I'd +1 this, as darksider is hesitant to try Skype lessons. With Japonin (JOI) you can see what is going to be taught in the lesson, which should relieve your anxiety (somewhat). The lessons start very easy, so you can build some confidence with the language -- if you say anything not found in Minna 1 in a beginner lesson the tutors will be very impressed. Take the compliment at face value, as only a fraction of people complete their first textbook in any language.

during last summer, I tried to chat with natives on a penpal website. It was nice, but I didn't really find someone with the same hobbies, so, the discussions were often the same. I used Skype but only text because my computer isn't in a quiet room (not the living room but often brother or sister are here as well).

For writing, I will use Lang-8. Plus being able to help other people who are learning my native language is a good idea. I think that if I write sentences, I will be able to say them more in a real conversation. Create my own content not just repeat a drama sentence is better.
I will bookmark Japonin, it looks interesting, if I have no other options (new penpal, ...), I will go for that.

darksider Wrote:@drdunlap
By using a deck, I thought that I would learn common words that I didn't think about (or because the blogs I read don't talk about).
Your japanese journey is really impressive ! Plus you did it fast, IMO. When you were reading novels, did you just learned the more useful unknown words or all of them (example : 1 page > study unknown vocab)?

You may get more common words that you wouldn't otherwise run into for sure. But reading a modern novel or two is pretty incredibly comprehensive. I didn't learn ALL the words-- I just kind of picked and chose. Although, certainly, in the beginning I was adding a TON of words per page. It was very slow. I was very stupid. BUT EVERYTHING WORKED OUT IN THE END!

"Oh, this word looks useful."
"Oh, I don't know this super important, common word yet. Let's add that to Anki."
That kind of mentality.

I also usually picked up any word with a kanji I couldn't read. Unless I looked it up and it was something not particularly useful to me in everyday life like "Astrophysics" (which I accidentally learned anyway because my ex-roommate was a Japanese Astrophysics PhD :x).

I have nearly the same mentality. I also think "oh, I know this word in english so I should know it in japanese too". Few days ago, I tried to read an NHK news about military base in Okinawa. Many words I didn't know of course, that confused me about the general meaning (I have a problem with sentence understanding sometimes, when I don't know words), but I keep the article for later because I know that the vocab is not useful for daily conversations.