Speaking Japanese?

Question

I asked this question before but didn't give enough info. :-/ I am 14 and I live in South-Africa. I am getting Japanese lessons twice a week. Studying writing, vocab and grammar is easy, but I have a problem with conversation. What should I do to be able to speak without first thinking of how to say something. There's no one I can have a conversation with, and I can't afford to go on exchange programs or such at the moment. I really want to live and study in Japan as soon as I finish school, but CONVERSATION is my biggest problem! Any tips??

Answer 1

Why don't you go to Jfan radio and get a free Japanese pen pal for the purpose of language exchange(there is great music too which will also help you improve your Japanese listening skills). Then, you will also have a friend there when you go. There are also online Japanese schools were you can email or phone a Japanese speaking person that will help you with your conversation skills.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

akiramenaidekudasai.
Please don't give up!

Conversation tends to be the biggest problem for those who study a second or non-native language. I lived in Japan for three years after studying Japanese for 8 years and it was amazing how poor my conversational ability was at first.

First off it takes total immersion into the Japanese society or speaking only Japanese a majority of the day to be able to think in Japanese while speaking it. That will come only when you live there for some time.

To keep up with my Japanese I listen to my cd's and watch dvd's. Find a group or band that you like from Japan and listen to and translate their music. This will give you a more natural flow and help you to think more quickly in Japanese.

Ganbattene! mainichi, mainichi benkyoushitara, jouzuninarun desuyo!

Good luck. If you study everyday you will become very good at it!

Answer 4

if you can borrow videos like movies or comedy or children's program from Japan where you can practice listening, then look for language exchange students that are willing to exchange letters or e-mails, you are very young , if you reach Japan and study or live you would speak more faster than any adult.
Don't worry about the conversation now, it would only makes you desperate because it is impossible when you live in area that no one speaks Japanese, just keep in mind what you have learned and if you know karaoke, try learning Japanese songs.
goodluck.

Answer 5

I face that same problem with regards to speaking French, my foreign language of choice. The key is confidence. We often hesitate to speak because we are insecure, it's not our native language and we know that we'll probably make embarassing mistakes. You just have to trust yourself and jump out there. Talk to yourself out loud as much as possible, and talk to yourself (in Japanese) in your head. You also have to realize that until you are immersed in a Japanese environment, where you constantly hear and see Japanese spoken and Japanese is everywhere you turn, on buildings, street signs, advertisements, etc., YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO "THINK" IN JAPANESE! Until then, you just have to build yourself up. This is what works for me: I think of what I want to say in my own language and then I dumb it down to something that I can translate accurately and efficiently. It's not always exact but it's close enough to where I feel like I've gotten my point across. I also try to stay away from using idioms because 9 times out of 10, they don't translate the same.

Jade

Answer 6

Hi there :) Konnichi wa :)
Don't give up, ok. Akiramenaide, ne.

Studying japanese without practising conversation will make you only able in writing but not in a listening and speaking :(

You have to drill each lesson you got by practising in conversation
If you have no drilling partner it's not a big deal. Just practise by your self alone.
Trying to make 5 sentences everyday then say it repeatedly. it will help your toungue get use to speak japanese.
If you like japanese songs, it s really good way for drilling your listening and speaking capability.

Juyou-na koto! Most important thing!
" Don't be shy , Don't worry if you make any mistake, drill your tounge until it get used to say words in Japanese."
Ganbatte kudasai, God bless you.

Answer 7

first, this is not a direct answer.

to learn another language is to hear radio programs and watch TV especially movies.

try all the radio stations in all bands, on your set.

this will solve your problem.

Answer 8

i take japaneese and conversation is my weakness too the only thing im doing to improve it is... going through tapes and trying to respond to them...you know the ones that are like... konichi wa watashi wa kaisa des(u). anata wa (o)namae des(u) ka? and stuff like that...

give it some time pretty soon it will be alot easier

Answer 9

you must get a teacher who is japanese and know how to speak japanese.

Answer 10

i would check out some voice-chatrooms in japanese..,alot of training there,and good oppertunity to make some new freinds too..:-).