Learning Vocabulary before finishing RTK

claudia Member

From: Peru Registered: 2010-02-15 Posts: 23

I need some advice.

I started with RTK about a year ago and I have learned 900 kanjis so far (with an 80% retention rate). Although, I learn the majority of that in the firsts months of study, and when I started college I just didn’t have the time to continue.

I have the books Japanese in Mangaland (I and II) and I have the basic understanding of grammar. And I also know some vocab from listening to anime. I’m somewhat, a little anxious to start speaking and reading in Japanese.

I have another book called 'Learn a Language in 7 days' (by Ramon Campoya). It’s about learning the basic vocab of a language (about 600 words) by linking the foreign word to a sound that its similar in your language and then to the real meaning. Its actually a type of mnemotechnic I read long ago in a website and it similar to what RTK is, so I thought to gave it a try.

But I’m afraid maybe this isn’t the best approach to learning the language. Maybe it’s better to just do the kanji and get over it as fast as possible.

I also have the problem that I don’t feel really good in making the stories, I just find it a little tiresome and just tough (and this apply to rtk and the linking system of learning vocabs)

It’s just that, I would like to have the basic vocab knowledge to start reading manga or playing videogames (and furigana would help with the kanji par). English is my second language, and I became fluent in it by doing that kind of stuff ( I did something like All english all the time without noticing).

So, what do you recommend? (sorry for the lenght of the post )

NoSleepTilFluent Member

From: The Dirty Jerz Registered: 2011-02-07 Posts: 358 Website

I would suggest you keep moving forward with RTK. Do 5-10 cards a day and you'll be done in 4-8 months if you say you don't have time.

1. Make time. Try to think of times of the day you can be more efficient do RTK on a bus or while waiting in line. If it's only 5-10 cards I'm sure you can do it while walking. However, Writing out the Kanji is always best. But better than nothing right?!

2. I think you can learn on the side I keep RTK and my class work in Japanese almost completely separate. Of course RTK will open more doors for you to be able to learn MORE vocab and actually be able to WRITE the vocab properly with Kanji. You'll be able to use sources with more Kanji than a Genki book. Downside of learning vocab is this takes time away from RTK that if you spent 30 more minutes doing RTK you could get through say 15 more cards a day. Reducing you remaining time with RTK to about 2 months. After RTK all your time ( outside of a quick review ) goes to studying Vocab.

3. Pick stories off this website in the study section. There are stories for all the RTK kanji so you don't need to be creative but most likely you'll develop a feel for what works for you and adjust accordingly.

Really it's all a balancing act do whatever keeps you interested and be aware of the affects of what you're doing. Eventually you'll need to learn to write the Kanji, what better day than today?

kainzero Member

From: Los Angeles Registered: 2009-08-31 Posts: 945

If you start learning vocabulary before finishing RTK, it becomes a lot less effective and you pretty much have to start over in both vocabulary and RTK.

Just kidding.

The goal of RTK is to be able to break up kanji into its requisite parts, recognize it and write it. Unfortunately, some of the more common kanji actually show up much later in the book.

One of the problems with early Japanese study is that you learn a lot of words in kana when they're 99.9% of the time written in kanji, so you end up having to go back and relearn the kanji form of it instead of learning it the first go around.

But one of the problems with RTK is that it's incredibly boring.

Pick your poison.

IMO if you want to read manga and play videogames just do it. I've been studying for a little over 1 and a half years, and depending on the subject matter they're still quite difficult, but I still learn something every time I do it... whether it is painstakingly looking everything up in each sentence or just speeding right through it. It may not be efficient, but if it keeps me going then it's worth it.

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ta12121 Member

From: Canada Registered: 2009-06-02 Posts: 3190

I'd say, go slow if you want to learn vocab on the side. Like 5-10 max. So you won't feel like your doing that much/you'll keep doing it daily

prink Member

From: Minneapolis Registered: 2010-11-02 Posts: 200

If you're wanting to be able to understand anime, it would also be a good idea to use something that has audio. I've found that listening to and repeating full sentences and short dialogues works better than just studying isolated vocab. I've had some amazing results with the Core 2k/6k deck. Some of the translations in that deck are odd, so I suggest definitely doing it in conjunction with a textbook. Japanese in Mangaland should be fine, but I haven't used it and can't comment on it. I'd suggest getting a grammar dictionary as well. Personally, I like the Japan Times' dictionaries of Japanese grammar.

ta12121 Member

From: Canada Registered: 2009-06-02 Posts: 3190

srsing anime related vocab(trust me, there's so much of the same words that pop it, that you'll understand so much of it in not time)

claudia Member

From: Peru Registered: 2010-02-15 Posts: 23

Thanks for all your advice!,

I think I'm going to make RTK my top priority by now and learn at least 15 cards a day.
I’m also going to use the core 2k deck to start learning vocab, but like ta121212 just about 5 a day.

I think it's just a matter of organizing my time to fit Japanese. And I think I need to go slow and steady, I tend to get over excited and just burn out quickly.

ta12121 Member

From: Canada Registered: 2009-06-02 Posts: 3190

claudia wrote:
Thanks for all your advice!,

I think I'm going to make RTK my top priority by now and learn at least 15 cards a day.
I’m also going to use the core 2k deck to start learning vocab, but like ta121212 just about 5 a day.

I think it's just a matter of organizing my time to fit Japanese. And I think I need to go slow and steady, I tend to get over excited and just burn out quickly.

yup, just like that. Slow and steady as she goes. Eventually once you become used to learning japanese. You'll slowly increase the amount you do. Trust me I used to think 5-10,10-20,20-30. Where so much. Now I regularly do 50 new cards per day now.

Kuma01 Member

From: The Netherlands Registered: 2011-02-07 Posts: 120

Well I'm one of those people that burned through RtK 1 like a crack user on speed, and I've only just now gotten to vocabulary and sentences. For vocabulary I got a book called "The Ultimate Word List: 2935 most commonly used kanji" that gives you the most used kanji arranged in order by frequency of use with the English meaning and on/kun readings. I strongly suggest finishting RtK first, it's a giant pain but it's an immense help, since it allows you to immediately jump into 'real' Japanese, kanji and all. It's much easier for me to remember vocab because I already know the general meaning of the Kanji, without that edge it would be so much more difficult and tiring.

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claudia wrote: