Learning Japanese to Read VNs

Hey guys. I want to ask, what is the best/fastest way to learn japanese so that I can play Japanese VNs? I don't mind to open japanese dictionary everytime I play VN.

Sorry to ask this kind of thing. I really don't have time for extensive learning. :)
Any additional recommendation to some learning resources will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you! have a great day :D

Considering that native Japanese can have some difficulty reading the language. I highly doubt that you can just "breeze" through it. Not enough to be able to understand something like a game.

The type of fluency that you would need, would take a considerable amount of time to reach.

Uh... pssh... Kaimax... little help?

I guess to get started right away You could learn the basic consonants and their characters.

This site has the characters and their english sounds, I guess if you remember them then you'll be able to get through a lot of the text - of some of it. However, the process of translation is going to be tedious even if you do remember the characters, and some words still won't make sense.

But I guess it is an okay way to learn as you play...

LOL

Basically for self-study You need to get books.

in my case
Besides getting books and studying with a group.

I always force myself to play Japanese VNs with ATLAS, and keep on watching subbed animes.

the most important thing besides learning is actually "Exposing your daily life with Japanese language"

But after that you'll still need some proper learning, so better get into a Japanese Course if you have time.

I have my personal dilemma with my own method.
I get High listening vocabulary, making me able to watch/play something RAW That has "speech"
but in the end I lack Kanji knowledge, therefore I cannot "share" my knowledge much in fansubbing/scanlating/translating things.

But those 3 years made me able to play without any major help.

Ah. Well then do what Kaimax said since if it works for him it might work for you. But like I said, learn those characters, and you'll have elementary reading skills. Since you'll be using a dictionary, you'll be able to look up most or at least some of the words, but it is going to be a slow process.

If you don't mind that and are actually trying to learn and play, it might work for you.

You'll have to learn to at least read simple japanese sentences first. If you watched anime often it would be easier for you as you can catch those common expressions.

1. Hiragana + katakana (Please don't ask how to memorize these easier)
2. Grammer
3. Basic kanji
4. Japanese sentences (eroge) all day everyday forever
-Read comedy daily slice of life high school love story ones as a start with AGTH+INTERNET (online dictionary/google)
-Absorb those kanjis and expressions, if you read those kind of VNs, the things you would learn would probably be common.
-Your first japanese eroge will take you a long time.
5. Take it easy, no stress, as long as you get in contact with japanese sentences in a way or another often, you'll improve.

Easy modo: Get someone who knows japanese to ask questions to him and point out your mistakes in understanding.

Important thing is don't give up, but if your interest to learn is not good to begin with, it'll take a lot of effort.

I'm a bit different from kaimax, I never got any japanese textbook due to not willing to pay. I just kept learning by just reading japanese sentences non stop all by myself, search in online dictionary for expression/kanji I dont understand, search in google for more example sentences and where it's used.

Although this method made me able to read and understand some japanese sentences, I'm not good at making them, and I hardly ever wrote japanese words with a pencil. But that doesn't bother me.

What Kaimax said,Get professional help.A 6 month course and self study should cover the basics.

So I have this app name "Rosetta Stone 3.4.5", will this be helpful?

Finishing a vn while looking up everything would probably take longer than taking an actual 6 month course at 1h15min a day twice a week.

Eww my first post in this section...I feel so dirty.

Well, actually there is a hidden forum about learning Japanese in Fakku...

Here it is : https://www.fakku.net/viewforum.php?f=67 (Oshiete, Raze-sensei!)

Remember, This thread is about sharing learning methods for reading Japanese VNs, not about learning everyday Japanese, That's a whole other level.

It's about "understanding" (reading/listening) JApanese used in a VN, Grammar and all the hectic stuff are not needed.

Raze's thread is already outdated and You won't get far by using Raze's thread, and it's actually not hidden, Raze's thread is in the Trash bin Section, where removed unused threads go to.

You are not supposed to "bump" them.

How adorable. You were one of the first people to post in those threads.

SEE HOW DEDICATED KAIMAX IS!? YOU SHOULD ALL BE LIKE HIM!

Learning Japanese is the best way to understanding Japanese written text in a VN to full, I'm sure.

Anyways in the end this is just a How-to-learn-japanese thread to me even if the word "VN" is added in and placed in this section. So here are some useful resources.

-If you're poor and not willing to pay a cent like me, go Taekim's guide, it's one of the most recognized online japanese guides http://www.guidetojapanese.org/learn/complete.

-Also Ixrec from Amaterasu also made a Japanese guide http://amaterasu.is.moelicious.be/forums/index.php?topic=282.0




Depends how much time you spent reading the VN.

You wont be looking up everything if you had learn the basics. And if you go for simpler slice of life VNs rather then difficult ones for a start (avoid Nitro+, railsoft, fighting, plot heavy, Tanaka Romeo written ones). Also my way is more towards people who like reading VNs and not willing to pay any $.
If you want to learn japanese and don't have any particular interest in VNs, then you will probably not enjoy the VN thus increasing the stress and effort put into it. When I started, I read it everytime whenever I have free time at home, which is like everyday.

Yeah, that's the full road, but I never really used major grammars in reading though. and you don't need the knowledge to construct a proper sentence to just understand.

I'm saying that because not all people want to actually learn full-japanese, they just wanted to know enough. There's a couple of people that even with that advice still doesn't want to take on learning, and just waits for translations.


My grades for grammars in my Japanese course is just so-so, it's honestly harder than english. :D and playing like more than 300 titles, I've surely met many words.

In the end
This actually worked for me. It's my large Vocabulary library that helps the most. Don't think that I'm the best method though. So, you need to find your own best method.


@nekomimi and badguy
Yeah, the case of what kind of VN are you playing counts in too.

If I play something like To Heart 2, Amagami, all those light hearted ones, I can actually just breeze through with just some little problems with newly heard/read words.

But if you're playing something from Nitro+ and all the dark, technical ones... I go "woah- ATLAS/dictionary help me~~`"


THANK GOD,
New Nitro+ released (NOW playing Stein's;Gate) is actually FULL VOICED~~~
it's much easier to cross check.


Off topic
-I'm still looking for the time to continue my study group..., everyone is busy with college. So I'm basically stuck at Basic Kanji, that's no more than 5-7 strokes..

First of all, memorize the fukken Hiragana and Katakana

That's not even all of them.

yeah, that's just the super little tip of the iceberg... lol

There is actually a song to remember the top half of that chart... but after a while it all gets blurry and pointless.

♂¬AH EE OO Eh OH!♂¬

My favorite part is ♂¬MA ME MOO MEY MOE♂¬ because is sounds like Mommy moo may moe.

Nonetheless, I would think the chart full of hiragana and katakana would be a good way to start off and familiarise oneself with the Japanese language, even though it may not be everything. :)

You will need a lot of determination and patience to be able to read and understand Japanese. Learning it fast means nothing if you don't have those two factors. I also can't read it but I'm currently memorizing the Hiragana characters. I am just self-studying since I can't afford to hire any tutors.

You can use some programs to help you with your learning such as this one.

One more thing, I believe that the best way to learn Japanese is by having fun while learning it. Yeah, just like Kaimax said, you can use manga, anime, VN, and etc. as your study material to help you with it.