Road Block

I'm still here, and still studying the Japanese every day.  However, since completing Rosetta Stone, and Michel Thomas, Ive been trying to find something to help further my studies.  Mirai Japanese was a copy of Michel Thomas.  While I have a better understanding of the usage of Particles.  Ive been trying to come to grips with understanding verbs and their various conjugations.

On a second front, I am also trying to increase my vocabulary.  I picked up something which will I review when finished;  to help me learn all of the N5 kanji as well as the vocabulary required for the N5 level of Japanese.  Once or twice a week, I get the opportunity to actually speak the language with a group of like minded folk, and if time permits, speak with native Japanese.  Which is great.  Two things hamper the speaking progress:  Vocabulary and Grammar, most specifically conjugations.

Ive also been using the My Japanese Coach which is out for the Nintendo DS.  Awesome program, but there is often too much going on.  Lessons aren't taught in a very good way.  And since I am quite anal about teaching myself and making sure I learn the concepts, My Japanese Coach does an extremely POOR job of this.  I was doing well, and then all of a sudden the lessons had me conjugating verbs I had no idea how to conjugate.  So I stopped using the game.

In the circle of people I know studying the language, everyone seems to recommend those Genki Japanese Textbooks/Workbooks used in College.  I picked them up at the local Half Price books for a decent price.  But I have completed maybe two pages.  I HATE learning from a book.  It's just, not the way I like to learn.  Sure I read books in College, and plenty more post college, but I just hate to learn from a textbook.

So for now, I am just doing the Anki flashcards each day.  I tried something a little different yesterday, to try and understand verbs and their conjugations.  I'll need to flesh it out a bit more in the coming week to see if this helps.  It would be great to get most of the conjugations down.  And then perhaps I can continue with My Japanese Coach and MAYBE bust open a couple of more Pages of the Genki Textbook.

On a third front, when I first started studying Japanese my initial intention was simply to learn how to read the language.  I then became frustrated with not being able to speak to a 3 year old several months later.  And I have now tried to take up writing the kana.  I'll probably compile a post on that when I feel like Ive mastered the kana.  Its nice since I've hit such a roadblock with the conjugations, I used the time to practice writing.  I still need alot more practice.  So To be continued...