Study guides
Choose a guide for your current task, from selecting a textbook to reviewing a lesson.
Listening, vocabulary and speaking
Using Anki with lesson vocabulary: cards, audio, and backlogsUnderstand words in context, design focused recall cards, and handle sound recognition, multiple senses, overdue reviews, and missing lists.How to study textbook audio: four listening methodsDiagnose listening gaps, combine word and passage tracks, repeat manually, and check understanding with unfamiliar audio.Reading, listening, and retelling intermediate textbook passagesWork with Minna and Standard Japanese sections, preserve meaning and conditions, segment audio, and connect textbook study to unfamiliar material.Solo speaking practice with textbooks: substitution, dialogue, and personal responsesTurn understood patterns into speaking tasks, switch roles, record with a separate phone app, and identify questions needing feedback.
Grammar and expression
Beginning Japanese honorifics: inquiries, requests, and direction of respectIdentify actors, listeners, and group relationships, then practise polite, respectful, and humble expressions in concrete situations.Avoiding word-for-word translation from Chinese into JapaneseBuild meaning from situations, then check predicates, particles, recoverable information, and shared-character meanings.に or で for places: existence, activity, and eventsIdentify the role of a location, including destinations and event venues, instead of relying on a static-versus-dynamic rule.When to use plain and polite Japanese formsSeparate overall conversational style from embedded forms, and practice noun modifiers, opinions, and predicate changes.Review the Japanese te-form: groups, sound changes, and useCheck verb groups and the 行く exception, then practice requests, ongoing actions, and connected sentences.Reviewing Japanese tense and negation across four predicate typesSeparate verbs, i-adjectives, na-adjectives, and nouns with a comparison grid and contextual past-negative practice.How to choose は or が: topic, focus, and clause structurePractice identification, contrast, and noun modifiers without treating old versus new information as a universal rule.
Textbooks and study routines
From beginner to intermediate Japanese: a readiness checkAfter Minna Lesson 50 or Standard Japanese beginner study, check comprehension and retelling, then repair specific gaps while starting intermediate tasks.How to study one lesson and check what you learnedUse a 15-, 30-, or 60-minute study unit to understand, attempt, correct, and retrieve a specific task in Minna no Nihongo or Standard Japanese.A Minna no Nihongo roadmap from beginner to intermediateFind your current stage by lesson numbers and performance, estimate a workable pace, and check readiness before moving to the next volume.How to use Minna no Nihongo materials in the right orderBuild a lesson around the main text, use explanations when needed, and choose a starting point based on how much vocabulary blocks your understanding.Can you self-study Minna no Nihongo? Materials, practice, and feedbackYou can build an independent routine with matched explanations, audio, and checkable practice. Plan separately for feedback on open-ended speaking and writing.Minna no Nihongo, Standard Japanese, or GENKI?Choose a main course by explanation language, class requirements, and practical goals rather than an unsupported textbook ranking.How to study Standard Japanese independentlyStart with kana, distinguish basic and applied texts, and finish each lesson through listening, substitution, and a recall check.Check Japanese textbook editions, Taiwan volumes, and audioIdentify the full title and ISBN, match lesson sections rather than track numbers, and check publisher resources before combining editions.
Study plans and review
Before and after class: review textbook homework, audio, and questionsFollow your class lesson numbers, use explanations to resolve specific questions, and return to Japanese practice without rereading every resource.Restart Japanese textbook study without automatically starting overUse familiar tasks to locate lost vocabulary, forms, and listening skills, repair the specific gap, and choose where to resume after a break.A 30-minute Japanese textbook routine with review and commute practiceSplit a lesson into clear daily tasks, retain old material, and adjust the number of weekly lessons to your listening and recall rather than a fixed promise.From Japanese textbooks to JLPT: check gaps for N5, N4, and N3Check textbook learning against official skill descriptions and questions, diagnose exam-specific gaps, and keep speaking practice separate from pass predictions.