MY *ADVANCED* JAPANESE VOCAB STUDY ROUTINE 🇯🇵

Summary

In this video, Ali shares his strategies for enhancing his Japanese vocabulary after achieving N1 proficiency. Despite his advanced level, he acknowledges areas for improvement, particularly in vocabulary range and retrieval. Ali outlines his three main study routines: active studying with textbooks and resources for both JLPT and native speakers, immersion practice through extensive reading and media consumption, and output practice by speaking and writing in Japanese. He emphasizes the importance of natural acquisition over systematic methods like flashcards and discusses his current resources, including the Yiwa app and various study books.

Takeaways

• 📚 Ali has achieved an advanced level in Japanese after passing the N1 level of the Japanese Proficiency Test (JPT), but acknowledges there is still room for improvement, particularly in vocabulary output.
• 📈 Ali is focusing on expanding vocabulary by addressing two main issues: limited vocabulary range and lack of vocabulary retrieval practice.
• 🚫 Ali does not use flashcards or spaced repetition systems (SRS) for vocabulary learning, preferring a more natural acquisition method.
• 📖 Ali's active studying routine involves using both JPT-specific and native-level Japanese resources, including textbooks and exercise books, to bridge the gap in vocabulary knowledge.
• 🔍 Ali uses the Yiwa app for looking up words and kanji, but does not utilize its flashcard functionality, instead preferring to consult saved lists occasionally.
• 📚 Ali is currently using resources such as Shinken Master for N1, Poweru for N1, and Shin Kanzen Master for N1 to cover JPT vocabulary.
• 📚 For native-level resources, Ali is using exercise books like 'Minna no Nihongo' and vocabulary books like 'Shaaku' to expand vocabulary range and knowledge.
• 🌐 Ali practices immersion by reading extensively in Japanese, including manga, novels, and non-fiction, as well as watching Japanese dramas, films, and TV programs.
• 🔍 During intensive immersion, Ali actively looks up unknown words and practices finding advanced, specialized vocabulary, especially in the field of science.
• 🗣️ Ali emphasizes the importance of output practice, including speaking and writing, to improve language production skills and feels this is a key area for improvement.
• 📝 Ali practices oral expression by speaking to themselves on specific topics and recording it for self-correction, and plans to write essays in Japanese to improve written expression.

Q & A

What is Ali's current level in Japanese after passing the N1 level of the JLPT?

Ali considers their current level in Japanese to be Advanced, but they acknowledge that there is still room for improvement, particularly in their output level, which they feel is lower than their input level.

What are the two specific problems Ali identifies with their vocabulary in Japanese?

Ali has two main issues with their vocabulary: a lack of vocabulary range, meaning they often use the same words and lack specialized words, and a lack of vocabulary retrieval practice, where they know many words but struggle to recall them in certain situations.

Why does Ali choose not to use flashcards or the SRS method for vocabulary learning?

Ali does not use flashcards or the SRS method because they prefer a more natural acquisition approach to language learning. They find systematic study methods distracting and unengaging, losing focus quickly.

What is Ali's approach to studying vocabulary from textbooks and other resources?

Ali goes through textbooks and study resources once, aiming to retain as much information as possible from the first read. If there are still unknown words after the first read, they review the resource at least once until they feel comfortable enough to discard it.

What are the resources Ali is currently using for active studying of their Japanese vocabulary?

Ali is using resources designed for the JLPT exam, such as Shinken Master for N1, Poweru for N1, and Shin Kanzen Master for N1, as well as resources meant for Japanese natives like an exercise book for Japanese adults and the vocab book Shaaku.

How does Ali practice immersion in Japanese?

Ali practices immersion by reading extensively in Japanese, watching dramas, films, and TV programs, and by surrounding themselves with the language as much as possible. They alternate between passive immersion, where they do not need to understand everything, and active immersion, where they look up unknown words.

What is Ali's strategy for finding and learning specialized vocabulary in Japanese?

Ali looks for specialized vocabulary in the fields of science and other areas of interest, especially words found in journal and news articles. They use a variety of resources, including books, comics, YouTube channels, and Netflix shows, to find and learn these words.

Why is Ali focusing on improving their output skills in Japanese?

Ali is focusing on output skills because they believe that active studying and immersion practice are not enough. They want to be able to use the language effectively in both speaking and writing, and they feel that practicing output is crucial for this.

How does Ali practice their oral expression in Japanese without a tutor?

Ali practices speaking to themselves on specific topics for 10 to 15 minutes, recording or dictating their speech to correct themselves afterward and ensure they are using correct expressions and vocabulary.

What is Ali's approach to practicing written expression in Japanese?

Ali practices writing small essays in Japanese every week, focusing on creating, correcting, and developing their written expression skills. They plan to make a video detailing this process and the resources they use for this practice.

What is the significance of using resources meant for Japanese natives in Ali's study routine?

Using resources meant for Japanese natives helps Ali to bridge the gap between JLPT level vocabulary and native speaker vocabulary. It also allows them to understand the differences and expand their vocabulary to a level expected of native speakers.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Advanced Japanese Learning Journey

Ali introduces his video on improving Japanese vocabulary, despite having achieved N1 level. He acknowledges his advanced proficiency but recognizes the need to enhance his output skills. Ali discusses his strategy to expand vocabulary by addressing two main issues: limited vocabulary range and poor word retrieval practice. He mentions not using flashcards or spaced repetition systems, preferring natural acquisition through various study routines and resources, particularly the Yiwa app for dictionary functions.

05:01

📘 Bridging the Gap with Active Studying

Ali elaborates on his active studying routine, which involves using resources for the JLPT N1 exam and those for native Japanese speakers. He explains the importance of understanding the differences between resources for non-natives and natives to bridge the vocabulary gap. Ali details his method of going through textbooks and study materials, intending to retain information and review unknown words until comfortable. He lists specific resources he plans to use, including 'Shinzen Master for N1 Ki', 'Poweru for N1 vocab', and 'Shinkan Master for N1 vocab' for JLPT, and 'Mei for Japanese adults' and 'Shaaku' for native resources.

10:03

🌐 Immersion Practice for Vocabulary Enhancement

The third paragraph focuses on Ali's immersion practice routine, which includes both passive and active immersion. Passive immersion involves extensive reading and watching Japanese content without the need for complete understanding, while active immersion involves intensive study of unknown words, especially in specialized fields like science. Ali emphasizes the importance of this practice for challenging himself with new vocabulary and sentence structures, aiming to achieve comfort in understanding any context and discussing any topic.

15:04

🗣️ & ✍️ Output Practice for Language Mastery

In the final paragraph, Ali discusses the importance of output practice to complement his input studies. He admits a lack of practice in oral and written expression and outlines his plan to improve. For oral practice, Ali speaks to himself on various topics, recording his speech for self-correction. For written expression, he writes essays in Japanese weekly, with plans to detail his process in a future video. He mentions not using specific resources at the moment but has some lined up for future use, particularly for written expression skills.

Keywords

💡Japanese Vocabulary

The term 'Japanese Vocabulary' refers to the collection of words and phrases in the Japanese language. In the video, Ali discusses his efforts to expand his Japanese vocabulary, which is central to his language learning journey. This is evident when he talks about the challenges he faces with vocabulary range and retrieval, and the strategies he employs to overcome them.

💡JPT N1

The 'JPT N1' refers to the highest level of the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test, which is an international standardized test for non-native speakers of Japanese. Ali mentions having achieved this level, indicating his advanced proficiency in Japanese. However, he also points out that his language skills are not perfect and that he still needs to improve his output level.

💡Input Level

The 'input level' in language learning refers to the ability to understand the language when exposed to it, such as through reading or listening. Ali states that his input level in Japanese is very high, meaning he can comprehend a lot of Japanese content, which is a significant aspect of his language proficiency.

💡Output Level

'Output level' pertains to the ability to produce language, such as speaking or writing. Ali acknowledges that his output level in Japanese is lower compared to his input level, indicating that while he understands the language well, he finds it more challenging to express himself in it.

💡Vocabulary Range

The term 'vocabulary range' refers to the variety of words a person knows and can use. Ali identifies a lack of vocabulary range as one of his main issues, as he tends to use the same words repeatedly and lacks knowledge of specialized words, which he aims to improve.

💡Specialized Words

'Specialized words' are terms specific to a particular field or subject. Ali mentions that he lacks knowledge of specialized words in Japanese, particularly in the field of science, which is an area he is interested in and wants to expand his vocabulary in.

💡Vocabulary Retrieval Practice

This concept refers to the ability to recall and use words in appropriate contexts. Ali points out that he knows many words but struggles to recall them when needed, making vocabulary retrieval practice a focus for his language improvement.

💡Spaced Repetition Method (SRS)

The 'Spaced Repetition Method' is a learning technique that involves reviewing information at increasing intervals over time, which is often used with flashcards. Ali clarifies that he does not use this method in his study routine, preferring a more natural acquisition approach.

💡Active Studying Routine

An 'active studying routine' involves deliberate and focused learning activities. Ali describes his active studying routine for vocabulary acquisition, which includes using textbooks and other resources to learn new words and concepts.

💡Immersion Practice

Immersion practice refers to the act of surrounding oneself with the language one is learning, often through reading, watching, or listening to content in that language. Ali discusses his immersion practice in Japanese, which includes both passive and active immersion to improve his language skills.

💡Output Practice Routine

An 'output practice routine' is the process of practicing using the language actively, through speaking or writing. Ali emphasizes the importance of output practice, as he believes it is crucial to be able to use the language effectively, not just understand it.

Highlights

Ali has achieved an advanced level in Japanese after passing the N1 level of the Japanese Proficiency Test (JPT).

Ali acknowledges the need for improvement in language output despite a high level of input understanding.

The focus for Ali in 2024 is on expanding vocabulary knowledge to overcome limitations in sentence creation.

Ali identifies two main issues with vocabulary: limited range and lack of retrieval practice.

Ali does not use flashcards or spaced repetition systems (SRS) as part of the study routine.

Ali prefers natural acquisition methods over systematic study methods for language learning.

The Yiwa app is Ali's go-to dictionary app for looking up Japanese words and kanji.

Ali uses both JPT and native-level resources for vocabulary acquisition.

Ali plans to bridge the gap between JPT vocabulary and native vocabulary through study resources.

Ali discusses the importance of using resources meant for Japanese natives to understand vocabulary differences.

Ali alternates between passive and active immersion practices to improve Japanese vocabulary.

Active immersion involves looking up unknown words and practicing with specialized vocabulary.

Ali emphasizes the importance of output practice to complement input and immersion practices.

Oral expression practice involves speaking to oneself on specific topics and recording for self-correction.

Written expression is practiced by writing essays in Japanese and planning to use specific resources for improvement.

Ali plans to make a separate video detailing the process of writing essays for written expression practice.

The video concludes with a summary of Ali's study routines and resources for improving Japanese vocabulary in 2024.

Transcripts

mines hi everyone my name is Ali welcome

or welcome back to the channel and today

we're discussing how I am currently

improving my Japanese vocabulary in

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2024 after getting the jpt N1 last year

I can say that my current level in

Japanese is Advanced however it doesn't

mean that I think it is perfect far from

it I still have to improve on a lot of

aspects in the L anguage while my

current input level in Japanese is very

high my output level is still quite low

at least in my opinion so essentially I

can understand the language much more

than I can produce it myself one way I

am tackling this issue this year is by

expanding my vocabulary knowledge since

the lack of vocabulary is usually what I

find is the most significant obstacle

when I go about making my own sentences

in the language in detail I would say

that I have two specific problems with

my vocab in Japanese today the first one

is that I lack vocab range so I'm always

using the same words and I lack

knowledge of specialized words but the

second problem I have is lack of vocab

retrieval practice I know a lot of words

and especially I've learned a lot of new

words during the past year but I rarely

use them because I'm not used to

recalling them in certain circumstances

so these two areas are the ones that I'm

focusing on this year a quick note

before we start you will notice that in

this video I am not mentioning anything

about flash cards or tools like eny

using the SRS method the spaced

repetition method and this is only

because I am not using those in my study

routine and they have almost never been

a part of my study routines in the first

place for language learning however I

just wanted to tell you that beforehand

so that you guys are not surprised by

the lack of mention of these tools

especially if you are using them

yourself because I know they are quite

popular however this kind of systematic

study method is not one for me I much

prefer something that resembles natural

acquisition I find that those are not

really adapted to my study method and

that I get distracted quite quickly I

lose my focus and I don't find them

engaging at all this is why during this

video I will will not talk about any

reviewing method of the vocab words I

encounter during each of my study

routines because I much prefer natural

repetition occurring while I encounter

the same words over and over again

through my different study routines and

using my different study resources and

immersion resources so instead today

we'll cover the three study routines I

currently have in place for my vocab

acquisition in Japanese specifically I

am not giving giving you advice on how

to improve your vocabulary I'm simply in

today's video telling you what I'm doing

to improve my Japanese vocabulary and we

will cover them one by one in this video

my active studying routine my imagion

practice routine and finally my output

practice routine during these study

routines I am using a unique Dictionary

app I've been using the yiwa app for

years now and I've been recommending it

to you guys for years as well it helps

me look up any word I want any kanji I

want in Japanese the app actually has a

way to save words onto study lists which

can then transform into flash cards

however I almost never use this

functionality and I only end up

Consulting my lists once in a while just

to remind myself of what's in them and

discard the words that I already know

and don't need

saved in there anymore so now that

that's cleared out let me tell you guys

what each routine is about all right so

let's start with my Japanese vocab

active study routine what I call active

studying is studying that uses specific

study resources for the particular area

of the language that we are talking

about in this case vocab acquisition so

I will be talking about vocab textbooks

and in general vocab study resources I

used two types of resources here I use

resources that are designed for the GPT

exam and I use resources that are meant

for Japanese natives so why am I still

using resources that are meant for the

GPT even though I'm actually done with

the jbt technically well this is because

even though I passed the jbtn one last

year so the last level of the exam I

actually still own resources study

resources for vocab that I still haven't

gone through yet and which I want to go

through before discarding them so

essentially that's what I'm doing this

year and that's not the only reason why

I'm doing it is also because I

definitely have not covered all of the

vocab required for the gpn1 before

sitting the exam last year so this year

in 2024 I'm essentially Bridging the Gap

here and the last reason why I'm using

the resources I still own for jpt is

because I see those resources as the

last stepping stone the last step before

moving on fully to resources meant for

Japanese natives so how am I covering

those resources I'm essentially going

through textbooks or other type of study

resources once from cover to cover with

the intention of retaining as much

information as possible from my first

read of the resource and then if I have

anything left after this first read that

I still don't know I go over the

resource again and review it at at least

once until I feel comfortable enough

with the resource to discard it when it

comes to which resources I'm using so

the vocab related GPT resources I still

own are my shinen master for N1 Ki which

I just finished so this one I will be

reviewing once and then discarding then

I have my poweru for N1 vocab so this is

a prep book for the exam and I'm

actually going through it a second time

before discarding it I'm doing it at the

moment and then lastly I have the shin

kazm Master for N1 vocab this one I have

not touched at all and I will go through

it before the end of this year so that's

it for my gel PT resources let's move on

to the npt resources I'm using for

active studying of my Japanese vocab

first why is it crucial for me to use

vocab resources meant for Japanese

natives is essentially to get an idea of

first of all the differences between the

GPT resources and the non-pt resources

to see the gaps there because the

knowledge especially the vocab required

of non-native speakers is not at all the

same as the knowledge expected of native

speakers of the language so I'm

comparing the two by using resources in

both categories and in the future this

is a gap that I hope to bridge myself

and I hope to get closer to a native a

NE native vocabulary range and knowledge

instead of you know keeping my vocab

close to the GPT level how am I going

through those resources well essentially

I use the same method as the one I use

for my GPT resources however the only

difference is that I will not be

discarding those resources for the

foreseeable future because I want to

keep them as reference materials so

after I go through them and even when I

get comfortable with the contents of

those resources I will not be discarding

them so I will be keeping them for the

foreseeable future which resources am I

talking about so essentially I have two

resources that I own at the moment one

resource which is an exercise

book this is me for Japanese adults and

then I have another resource which is

s haaku this one is really a vocab book

and I have covered about 70% of this

book and I will cover the last 30%

before the end of the year and there are

probably more resources that I will get

and in the future the amount of

resources for natives I own will

probably increase until I feel

comfortable enough to not use them

anymore for active studying but right

now I only have two mainly and in terms

of priority I want to prioritize my gel

resources just to get you know

comfortable with those and then get rid

of them just to make space Also on my

bookshelf and then move on to fullon

Native resources for Japanese vocab

range expansion the second study routine

I have for my vocab Improvement in

Japanese is of course my immersion

practice you guys see me do that pretty

much every single week and especially

when you see me do that during Vlogs I

read a lot in Japanese and I also so

watch a lot of things and listen to a

lot of things I keep myself surrounded

with the language as much as I can to

keep myself in this bubble of Japanese

and especially at my level now I feel

like this is absolutely crucial for me

to keep challenging myself and to keep

hearing new things new words and

hopefully through that Exposition get

more and more comfortable with more and

more sentence structures but also vocab

words of course so the goal here is to

feel so comfortable with the language

that I will be able to understand

anything that anyone tells me in any

context and uh not only that but I will

also be able with time to discuss any

topic with the correct language level

and with the correct words so how am I

doing this immersion each week I really

have two types of immersion that I'm

doing passive immersion and active

immersion my passive immersion is really

me reading extensively any type of thing

can be non-fiction books it can be manga

it can be other types of comics it can

be novels anything really and it's also

me watching Drama episodes or films or

TV programs anything that I don't feel

the need to listen to watch or read

intensively to understand 100% of those

so I alternate between this kind of

imersion practice ice and more intense

immersion practice in all forms so again

reading but also watching and listening

and when I do intensive imersion

practice I do look up all the words that

I don't know and the words that I'm not

sure about the words that I can't read

or the words that I kind of remember but

don't really remember so I really

alternate between those two practices

this works well for me when we dive

deeper into what I do exactly when I'm

listening to something intensively or

I'm reading something more intensively

essentially I take this opportunity to

look for more advanced Specialized or

rare vocab in my case you guys know that

I'm always looking for specialized

vocabulary in the fields of science just

because I am interested in knowing those

words any specialized word that you

generally come across in journal

articles in news articles I would be

interested in knowing because those

words are known by the whole population

so those are words that I would want to

know myself right when it comes to the

resources I'm using here essentially I'm

using anything I can find whether it is

books Comics whether it is YouTube

channels Netflix shows TV shows anything

I can find really and finally the last

routine I have in place is my output

practice routine why do I make a

specific points about outputs is because

active studying combined with immersion

practice is great it's already very good

however I believe it is not enough

anything I input I must also learn to

Output myself so essentially all the

vocab words I know all the vocab words

I'm learning through all of this input

study practice I must also learn to

reuse myself using output methods so all

of that to say that I must practice my

speaking more and I must also practice

my written expression more that's

essentially it in general it's fair to

say that I lack a lot of practice there

whether in oral form or written form

especially written form and you know I

was very painfully aware of this for the

past few years however I was really

focusing on prioritizing the GPT

examination and getting to an N1 level

after it became clear that I would move

here to Japan and I really wanted to get

to that level almost before I actually

came here and so since the GPT exam is

not focused at all on output skills and

only focused on input skills and testing

your general comprehension levels of the

language I find now that I must you know

from this year I absolutely must bridge

the gap here in my use of the language

and that I must get as comfortable as

possible with my output my production of

the language that's why I'm focusing on

this part this year so how am I doing

this currently for my oral expression

practice apart from my day-to-day use of

the language and you know making sure

that I am speaking as best as I can in

any setting when I'm talking to my

husband or when I'm talking to my

friends my dentist or the workers at the

immigration office or the workers at the

supermarket I try to use use the most

correct Expressions the most correct

words and I just in general pay

attention to how I'm using the language

so apart from my day-to-day use of the

language I practice my speaking skills

actually On My Own by myself because I'm

not using any tutor at the moment I will

probably go back to using a tutor

towards the end of the year or the

beginning of next year but currently I'm

doing everything on my own so each week

when I get the time I spend speak to

myself for 10 to 15 minutes about a

specific topic so for example I choose a

topic about politics and I see whether I

can talk about this for 10 minutes you

know what I mean and then I record this

or I dictate it on the document so that

I can correct myself afterwards to see

if I've made any mistakes there so

that's one way I'm doing it for my oral

speech and then finally for my written

expression skills I'm am actually

practicing them by writing a small essay

in Japanese every week or more essays if

I can during the week and for this

specific practice I will actually make a

whole video about it so you guys will

know everything I am doing to create my

little essays how I write them how I

correct them how I find the topics and

how it's helping me develop my written

expression skills in general you guys

will know exactly how I'm doing it about

the resources I'm using I'm actually not

using any specific resources at the

moment for either my oral expression

practice or my written expression

practice however I have them lined up

especially for my written expression

skills so about my written expression

skills I will definitely start using

resources for that specifically and that

will be covered in a future

video but that will be it for today's

video I hope it was insightful and that

you got a good idea of how I am in

improving my Japanese vocabulary this

year using which study routines why and

what kind of resources and on that note

thank you for watching and I will see

you guys in my next video bye-bye mat

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[Applause]

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