Why You Should Learn Japanese

[@maxhenault1480]

I'm currently learning Japanese during my lunch breaks at work and considered quitting because of all of the points you brought up in the video. Thank you, I'll keep going!

[@SwitchXP8]

I can only put in like 30-60 mins a day myself. It's taken me like 3 years to get even slightly competent but you do get there eventually!

[@YachtyBurner]

you considered quitting because of the points he brought up?

[@alex.g7317]

@@YachtyBurner I think he means the ones here: 4:37

[@a_soulspark]

yo, it's been a year, how did the Japanese learning go? I know it's hard to keep it up for one year, so I'm curious how it went for you ^^

[@user-ti8tv6lo3z]

That's unfortunate

[@Livakivi]

I can very much relate to this video - I've had a very similar experience with learning Japanese, especially the "am I wasting my time" part, due to the lack of realistic practical value learning Japanese initially had for me. I wasn't even that into anime or anything like that either, which made me question it very often, but I'm glad I kept going, as now, over 3 years in, I don't regret a single day of learning. The value I've gotten out of learning Japanese is very much unquantifiable, yet so prominent. It has certainly changed my view on the world as a whole, due to being able to see so many things from a different cultural perspective, and it has given me so much motivation and interest towards things I had no clue I would ever be interested in, which also adds more flavor to the world as a whole. Also, the tax fraud joke was great lmao.

[@genmaicha_]

i binge watched all ur vids and then i find you here, poggers

[@MyLittleMagneton]

@@genmaicha_ same

[@DanielMemeSmith]

Hi Liva!! Came from your videos too

[@ankitbhandiwad]

no way it's Livakivi

[@giannilyanicks1718]

proud to be masochistic.

[@kjl3080]

I really like how this video reframes language learning not as something you do, but something you experience… really opened my eyes!

[@yagomizuma2275]

hello there

[@ceshorty]

I decided to learn japanese because my friend started learning it, but it kinda became a game to me. Remembering all those kanji and writing them in the correct stroke order is a nice time sink. In the past I would just play video games and be done with it but growing old made me more aware of time itself and how it's better to spend it at something that'll make me grow as a person is more useful. Maybe I just grew out of video games because I depleted most of the meta knowledge that they could provide me. As for the japanese language, it was something so different and alien that novelty was always around the corner once I climbed out of the kana. I barely have use for it though. Barely any friends and no japanese friends at all and there's no way I'll go to japan anytime soon. I have nothing to my name besides some drawings and two notebooks halfway full of written kanjis. At least I have something. Maybe I'll be homeless, but I'll be a self taught japanese homeless. なぜ俺がこの文書を書いて。。。なぜだろう。。。

[@misterfox7210]

You can use it to be a translator, those types of jobs pay well

[@gonzalo6890]

you should listen to japanese music. I find the trap scene from Japan to be very interesting

[@konstiyo]

please stop being relatable .

[@tansy2279]

@@gonzalo6890 got any artist recommendations?

[@権兵衛-e8u]

I can be your Japanese Friend!

[@anotherwea6692]

Around four years ago, I started learning english because everyone I talked about learning something told me it would be beneficial. As of today, 70% of my identity, likings, and ideals are thanks to what I was able to experience and learn due to being able to speak to so many different kinds of persons. I'm forever gratefull for learning english, in fact, I am learning yet another language, and it's paying off too!

[@Josuh]

mano yo no me imagino como sería mi vida sin el inglés, esa wea te cambia mano

[@sanjeev.rao3791]

@@MrSnrubMX Indeed! For what it's worth your english is very good; keep reading, writing, listening and speaking and you'll be amazed at how far you'll have come after a few years!

[@malokeytheallaround]

Learning a language is pretty much finding the place where it “clicks” like, that eureka moment where it all makes sense. I achieved this by cutting all ties to English, pretended I didn’t even know it anymore. I dropped the Romaji as quickly as I could and forced myself to directly associate things with the Japanese words. Because, what beginners normally do is this: word in target language (月) -> word in own language (moon)-> the thing the word refers to ( 🌙) When really it should be: 月 -> 🌙 It’s too much work to translate Japanese to English to what you actually mean. Instead, associate the object with the Japanese word directly. It’s not enough to know how to translate a language, you have to literally think in that language too. Especially with a language where it’s cultural mindset is very prominent like Japanese. I can look at 水 and spell it like “みず” instead of “mizu” and know that it means “water” without having to do the manual translation in my head. It’s hard to rewire your brain like that, but trust me, it works. And once you get it, you’re jaw is going to drop for days.

[@ChristianWS.]

I've been trying to find a resource that properly explained the logic of the language. English is my second language, and I learned quickly it's better to translate literally word by word to the concept, rather than trying to translate what you would use in a given situation. But all I've found is "translation by context", like, rather acknowledge and explain how the phrase works in Japanese, it instead just translated to the phrase you would use in English, which is useful if you are a tourist, but not useful if you are trying to really learn the language.

[@absent612]

Learning viosa, a conpidgin where the whole point is that you're supposed to learn from observation and not translation, actually taught me a lot about this

[@krm.073]

it helps with grammar too. my native language is turkish but the grammar is totally different from english. if i would translate a turkish sentence word by word in my mind it would be gibberish.

[@dizikiwitar6209]

but how do you that exactly ? i'm familiar with the concept as that's how i learned english but i can't replicate it for german. i'm always trying to find a connection with english or my own language and i can't stop it even tho i know it hinders my learning process.

[@malokeytheallaround]

@Diziki Wiktar it’s really hard to explain, but you basically just pretend you don’t know your native language anymore, and you’re starting from scratch with a new one. Learn the sounds, feel out what it’s like to talk in that language, and embrace it like it’s all you’ve known. Because words don’t mean OTHER words, they mean exactly what they mean... think of them as representatives of the information you’re trying to convey. When you hear “moon” what do you think of? The moon... do the same for your target language instead of manually translating it for you to understand it in your own language. That’s too much work and kind of ruins the point of what a language is. If you still don’t understand what the heck I just said, I don’t blame you 😂 this is really difficult to put it into words, but I hope it’ll click eventually for you. All you need is time.

[@tybt]

Your videos are always a treat. No matter the subject, they're very thought provoking.

[@ashleyhamman]

I started learning Japanese a couple months ago just as a casual sideproject through an app a few hours a week, and while I'm not very far along, I've been enjoying it far more than learning German in school. With German, I kept trying to couple it with workings of English in a way which simply isn't right, due to the letters being almost all identical. Learning the Japanese kanas and starter words has been able to separate my idea of language, and I've found myself in a distinctly different mindset when I am thinking about the language, much as people report having a different personality between languages, and that's a very refreshing experience. I don't expect to gain much utility out of Japanese, I barely touch Japanese media, and only expect to go to Japan a handful of times in my life unless an unforseen opportunity arises. However I can now read some of the labels at the local stores that specialize in Asian foods, and am slowly being able to understand portions of Japanese websites that contain stuff related to my other interests. More importantly to me, when my mind just won't quiet down, I can idly do some learning that will be productive!

[@Eliamaniac]

which app are you using out of curiosity?

[@ashleyhamman]

@@Eliamaniac Renshuu

[@Eliamaniac]

@@ashleyhamman thank you

[@Sumerian-life]

I am glad you are learning Japanese with so much enthusiasm. I'll do my best to learn English too.

[@2ms2]

I studied japanese for 3 years. Sadly I had to quit this year. University took more of my time, the language got more complex, and I stopped enjoying learning it. BUT I did have fun it while it lasted, and I do not regret all that time I spent on it. The feeling when you start to see those thing that seemed alien to you as normal is quite an experience.

[@sanjeev.rao3791]

Same with me for French. Hit that intermediate wall, looked around and realized I wasn't going to get what I needed to keep going. It's possible to break past it, but it requires quite a bit of effort. Who knows, maybe in the future...

[@plue5068]

I learnt Japanese when I was around 15, I never really get to use the language outside of Japan but the friends I made at uni from knowing the language made it all worth it! :D (I also get to translate stuff online as a side-gig which is a cool bonus haha)

[@nijumi3400]

Everything you said is true! You even explained things I couldn’t explain why I do them. I just love Japanese! I’ve been studying Japanese for probably over 10 years now. Every time someone asks me “why Japanese?”, I not only have to find a reason for my self, why learning this language is worth my time, but also I feel like I have to convince the other person I’m doing this for some amazingly rewarding reason (which I should be able to sum up in one sentence, so the other person can be like “woooow, that’s so amazing of you! I could never do that.”, because otherwise they would just directly label you as the one with the weird hobby and this is the only feature they see in you… they’ll do that anyway). It always has to seem useful and it always has to make money for most people. To me it’s very rewarding, but I can not explain why because it’s mostly on an emotional level. The feeling of being able to connect two dots and seeing a pattern in a seemingly completely unrelated place. It probably means nothing, but at the same time you’ll feel like the smartest person on the planet. I love this “OH THIS IST WHY […]!!”-feeling. I’m pretty sure such a connection won’t leave you anymore. I believe this works for almost anything, it could be gardening, crafting, science, sport probably… but for me, I guess learning Japanese was the thing that started all that. And I love it.

[@sirreginaldfishingtonxvii6149]

There's a quote from a (multilingual) teacher of mine that I like about kids being better at learning languages than adults. "It takes 5 years for an five year old to learn a language... On the level of a five year old. ´" And that's when they're completely surrounded by and immersed in the language, at that. There's no need to worry fellas, just because you're not 2 anymore doesn't mean you can't learn a language.

[@MarkyTeriyakiShorts]

This video really speaks to me tbh. I moved from Norway to Japan because I wanted something different in life. I didn't move there for the anime or any of that shit like most other foreigners I met, but more just to experience something completely different from what I considered normal. Where it got creepy is when you mentioned tokidoki, I would use this word in every single sentence until my assisstant asked me to chill out with the tokidokis. To this day it is still my favorite word. Looking back at where I started with Japanese two years ago it feels super nice to be in a position where I can use the language freely and truly understand a culture that is completely different from my own.

[@helloiamaduck9203]

tokidoki is my favorite word to! it sounds so good. (sometimes)

[@iamjustjoshing]

I appreciate that you addressed the worry about learning Japanese (or any language) being a waste of time. I have been learning Japanese as a hobby for about two years, working on learning the radicals and kanji, dipping my toe into N5 grammar, but at a very slow pace. Sometimes I get so discouraged. I know being fluent takes so much more time than I'm putting in, so I'm often led to wonder if I would do better to give up Japanese altogether to invest that time into something else. But you know what? Your video made me think of the times where I saw a kanji and actually recognized it, instead of seeing just a jumble of lines. It reminded me of going through my pictures of my Japan trip from 2018, where I had absolutely zero Japanese knowledge, and being able to retrospectively read some of the signs / storefronts / etc. It made me think of the fun of speaking a Japanese sentence, just appreciating it for its sound and flow, even if I haven't mastered every vocabulary word or grammatical structure. In short, you made me think of all the times learning Japanese made me happy, not because I was becoming the best in the world, but because I was learning and experiencing something new that I was interested in. I love the message that doing things just for the pure interest is a good enough reason to do something. There doesn't have to be a grand goal. Because even if I never reach fluency, the broadening of my horizons by stepping into another culture is something that won't go away.

[@SwitchXP8]

Amen! I've been doing this for like 3 and a half years on and off and I'm probably what most would call an "advanced beginner" at best. But it still feels like one of the most fulfilling things I can use my time for.

[@sreyas2386]

Bro this was very beautifully said. so inspiring.

[@felipecferreiraa]

Loved the drawing! Cheers

[@_b_9954]

I really enjoy learning Japanese and I love learning various languages but recently I’ve had to slow down my progress so that I can perfect my German in order to pass my college of choice’s language placement test so I can skip required classes. I’m so terrified that I’m losing my Japanese but this vid has helped me remember how much I love German as well and how I’m still comfortable with devoting my time to German instead! Thanks so much!

[@zaneberry]

I started learning Korean on duolingo at the beginning of last year My time investment went down fast and I still am only on the beginner side and don’t have a great habit But all these part 1 benefits you described I can already agree with I feel confident I’ll get back to it and figure it out and I’ve always wanted to learn a dramatically different language It’s cool

[@bionicdragon5]

2:28 This part resonates with me the most. Not because I've learned another language (I only know English because my high school was a joke), but because of my dad. He's a cartoonist, in his 60s, and he's been "trying" to change from traditional (pen, pencil, and paint) art to digital art, because of his arthritis. Problem is, his digital art looks like crap, because he refuses to try anything but the default pen tool, bucket fill, and basic gradients. Whenever I try to encourage him to learn more about the programs he uses and improve his technique, he just gives the "I'm too old to learn things" excuse so he doesn't have to actually try. Now, this, in itself, wouldn't be a problem if not for the fact that our household's entire livelihood hinges on the Patreon page I set up for him, but no one's interested in supporting an artist whose work looks like it was done by a toddler in MS Paint. We very nearly ended up homeless last month, and we're still struggling financially. And all because of an old man who is so terrified of making mistakes that he's convinced himself that he's incapable of learning any more than he already has. I think he should see this video, or at least the part I mentioned. Maybe it'll help him realize something. Thank you for reading my wall of text. And thank you Mattias, for the video.

[@nomorebrine9248]

a few years ago i decided on a whim to learn swedish, mostly due things I liked that came from sweden like minecraft. it's been a ride, i quit several times, but I've recently got back into it and it's been a surprisingly significant experience for me. i don't know if I'll ever have the opportunity to visit sweden, but i can always talk to some swedish friends online and just being able to dip my toes into another culture has been an wildly eye opening experience for me. love your videos man

[@ooln7240]

"Adults are poo-poo stupid." Thank you, I really needed that today.

[@NOZH777]

I like the way you explain things and the humoristic visuals

[@Lalovoe]

Hey, this is actually the EXACT sets of Reasons why I'm learning it

[@Lalovoe]

@Вероника Заглотова But but but... I was 2/3rds into the video and already knew what I wanted to comment

[@taylor9683]

Im currently learning Japanese and I absolutely adore it. It’s the one class im actually excited to attend even though it’s part of my hardest classes that I have. You are completely right about the comparison of learning foreign things and things that were so normal feels weird. Why the hell did we decide to name months?? When I found out the names of the month in Japanese are just literally the number of the month and ended with “Gatsu” and it made me go “why the hell did we not do this???” I remember how long it took me to learn the names of the month in English when I grew up. I remember being so afraid to take up Japanese classes at my new school im attending because I thought “this’ll be too hard for me” “this will take too much time for me to learn” “I’ll still be at elementary level even after 2 years of learning” but I did it anyways because I always was interested in Japanese culture cuz I grew up with anime because of my brother showing it to me at a young age. My school counselor encouraged me to learn it as it would help with my career choice ( which I will not disclose publicly oopsie ) so I kinda went “yeah ok I guess” It was so nerve-wracking to be in class and I messed up so much and I started doubting myself. But once I kept trying and trying even though I made million mistakes. I began to learn more and more. I begun to LOVE learning this language. I loved it to the point I became part of the smart students in the class. Which was rare for me. I’m still at baby level of Japanese but my teacher is extremely good at her job and I’m excited to take my second year soon. I’ve gotten so much confidence while learning Japanese. The challenge of the language is kinda what made it fun for me. But part of what made it fun was the fact that I allowed myself to make mistakes. Even though I’m part of the smart students, there’s so many times I messed up my grammar or forgotten a word. I patted myself on the back and just kept doing it and I eventually remembered correctly. And just like you said at the end of the video, even though there’s still MILLIONS of things I still need to learn, I feel like there was so much more opportunities and experiences I got just from learning Japanese. I would definitely recommend other people to learn Japanese as well. Though, I’d probably recommend it for people who /are/ interested in the languag or culture, even if it’s a tiny bit, and yes that even includes just learning it for anime. I nearly was convinced into learning Spanish but I knew I was just not interested in the language at all. And I feel like what empowered me to keep learning Japanese and how I learned Japanese was because of my interest in the culture and language. SO YEAH. Def recommend those who are even the slightly interested in the culture and/or language to learn it. Such an incredible experience that I never felt with any other class.

[@NikkiLayne]

What a wonderfully uplifting video!

[@BelleColonD]

I'll be honest, I'm only learning Japanese so I can understand anime better. I regret nothing.

[@なにいってんの-s5e]

that's great I hope you can make good progress!

[@thenermer]

if that's your reason don't do it. you will be subject to the cringe

[@janisen07]

same here and I too have no regrets

[@なにいってんの-s5e]

@@janisen07 good luck!

[@LavaSaver]

@@thenermer Bad bait, didn't take.

[@FemMushroom]

I am "learning" Japanese and Spanish right now. That means I open duolingo like once every couple months.

[@okgoodgame]

classic

[@hotpocketbagel]

duolingo cringe use renshuu

[@datpotatoes4005]

​@@hotpocketbagel Renshuu is 👌

[@hotpocketbagel]

@@datpotatoes4005 fr

[@蠽]

​@@hotpocketbagelim a duolingo user and i tend to forget my renshu until... i havent opened it for 2 months n only used it to learn some kana 💀.. now w my anki i have to do duolingo shortcuts often bc anki puts me way ahead of the stuff i do in duolingo, like learning some kanji you dont learn in duolingo yet, some grammar, and more n more reasons and thats why. THOUGH i dont regret using duolingo it rly helps me but i only have to skip units with shortcuts bc i dont rly need them (PLUS I REVIEW THEM ONCE IN FEW DAYS 😭)

[@ironicfa1389]

Thank you, Mattias. You expertly communicated the topic. I'll share this with my family in the hopes, that they use it for their own needs.

[@user666crazyman]

I just love that when giving an example of Portuguese he got the Brasilian flag. This guy knows the best country for it!

[@SmileytheSmile]

I was learning, if you can call it that, Japanese on Duolingo a while back, but either got bored or lazy and stopped. But the stuff I did learn did make seeing Japanese comments and hearing anime voices more fun.

[@disasteriz3766]

That different perspectives thing can actually become a nightmare after the language starts becoming a part of your thought system. You start thinking with different languages and the more languages you learn the harder it becomes for you to actually express your thought in a single one.

[@mikaoliveri]

Thank you so much for this! First day of Japanese class today and I needed some hyping! Talking about being okay with making mistakes and just not overthink helped a lot.

[@sourdrop]

I've been learning polish for about a year now in an attempt to feel closer to my father's side of the family, which is kinda dumb since all my grandpa and great-grandpa who spoke polish are both dead. I'm not good...like at all...but I'm still learning it because these were the same words my ancestors spoke and that is what makes me feel closer to them.

[@irmalucilaiglesiasmolina1674]

I still remember when began to read in hiragana and it was an amazing feeling! I don't remember how i felt when learning to read in my mother tongue but maybe it was comparable to that excitement I felt with japanese ✨

[@carsont1635]

The way I solved the problem of time commitment is by learning (in process!) toki pona. It's a constructed language that only has 130 ish words, but you can absolutely still express complex topics. It's relatively much quicker to learn and even about 11 days in I'm able to work through the vast majority of sentences. While it doesn't have the complexity of natural languages or the cultural/historical ties, It still gives access to an international community. Plus, one can experience what it feels like to think and formulate thoughts in a different language. Even 11 days in, I'm gaining insight that my thoughts are independent from language.

[@kulupu_ijo]

toki pona li pona mute tawa mi

[@carsont1635]

@@kulupu_ijo mi pilin sama. tenpo awen la mi kama sona mute e toki pona. jan pi toki pona li pona mute tawa mi. tenpo pini la mi wile e kulupu pona. tenpo ni la mi jo e ni!

[@captainmeadows6307]

I really enjoy everything you make

[@MadameLacrymosa]

I started studying Korean just over 4 years ago at the age of 30. I have no Korean friends and will most likely never even visit Korea. But learning the language to the extent I have has been one of the greatest accomplishments of my life and I'm so proud of myself. Yes, it has given me a new perspective and taught me a lot about a different culture, but more than our differences, it has taught me about how universal the human experience is despite being from different places and cultures.

[@lizavelgun]

I like so much this doodle style animation! It's great! Very witty, funny, and illustrates the story telling well.

[@martinthomas2520]

Answer is simple, because I’m a weeb. If you love watching anime, like reading manga, and want to travel to Japan then it’s best you get a head start and learn Japanese. Trust me, it isn’t simple or easy to do, especially at the beginning but once you get the basics down, stay motivated and keep going at it, it will get easier and surprisingly a lot more fun as you go. Hope this helped!

[@plebisMaximus]

I got started on it a few years back because of a friend I had in Miyazaki who helped me get started. Taught me some kanji, some fun ways to remember a few specific characters and telling me how he learned the writing system. Now we don't talk anymore and while I'd like to keep going, I just don't really have the drive to learn a language. I don't have the drive for anything really, but a monumental task like learning another language is definitely way off. Maybe some day I'll pick it back up and get to a conversational level, but for now I'll just stick to procrastinating my prime years away doing nothing of any value at all.

[@Bankosek]

An interesting take, one i've never met before, thanks for making this video, will keep it in mind if i ever think of learning 4th language.

[@nissethepear4743]

Tack så hemskt mycket för den här videon. Hade själv liknande känslor och jobbiha tankar med att försöka lära mig att rita och måla. Jag ritar ju trots allt för det passar mina intressen och för att det är något jag tycker är kul, och inte för att det skulle göra mig mer intressant eller spännande som person eller livet automatiskt bättre. Sjukt bra kanal du har, hälsningar från Göteborg 👌

[@SuperShadowP1ay]

It's probably silly saying this, but I really needed to hear this. I've been studying Japanese for about 4 years with little progress (I'm an excellent procrastinator) but I've been trying to get back on the trail. Watching this video actually has given me that motivation!

[@なにいってんの-s5e]

I encourage you! go for it!

[@joshykaizo]

okay, i'll do it! was just thinking about deciding between learning korean and japanese and this settles it! i have korean heritage, but i'm more interested in going to japan someday...i do feel bad about that, but i try to think about how i wouldn't feel so if i had no korean blood...well, since i'm going to be super motivated for the next half day, i hope i can take the right steps to get started early on so i can develop obligations to learning japanese before the charm of it wears off. thanks mp.

[@Marina-kb9hi]

Wow so I started studying japanese a few months ago. I basically learned all of the Jōyō kanji through RTK by Heisig and I am now trying to learn the basic grammar. Kinda crazy that before commiting to learn Japanese I basically had the exact same thought process you talked about in the video, like "maybe I should learn something like french instead because that's a place I'd actually go to for job opportunities or just to live there because I would never want to live in Japan"

[@Jdjwjdjzbsjwbb]

Learning all kanji before grammar what a fucking waste of time 😂😂😂😂

[@Floof_Factory]

The best way to learn a language is to take after what the Mormons do. Missionaries go under highly specialized boot camps that deprive them of all outside leisures and force them to learn any language, but usually only one depending on what they are expected to learn for their mission. But they base their learning off their mission, which is to talk to and convert other people in other countries to Christianity/Mormonism. It's easier to learn the rest of the language if you are good at talking about one subject in that language

[@beanbagburrito]

That's basically what babies do too

[@Antifearn]

_Colonialism_

[@pax4432]

Pretty much the french foreign legion if you ask me

[@emjots]

kind of beside the point of the video, but yeah as with other learning methods, immersion can be immensely helpful as long as you don't do it to the point of burning yourself out. the takeaway here is that learning a language should always be fun and if it's not you need to change something up

[@Klay_Dubya]

Learning new things is good for your brain

[@asoukes]

Bruh, just saw the fable vid on my homepage, watched that, then the tea one, and now this. Absolutely fantastic stuff! Definitely earned a new sub.

[@ihave500hats]

I've had the opportunity to study my high school years in japan, and work there. With 4 years of studying (during school), I still am terrible at it, but I am able to talk to people using broken Japanese and sentences. I've been dedicating a lot of time to trying to translate manga i buy locally to boost my reading skills, and I can say that even if I don't end up using it everyday or at all, it's a fun hobby that enhances your life, and makes grocery shopping easier for me.

[@mightymaster8752]

Learning Hebrew. And this video has inspired me to continue. Thanks!

[@danawat968]

כל הכבוד! בהצלחה.

[@AAaaaAaaAaAAAAAAaAAAaAa2137]

Thank you for making this video, I've came back to learning Japanese again as an adult and I've never had this much interest in it as before. It truly isn't just about if its worth it if I like it.

[@kiddmode]

Exactly what I needed. The perfect video for me at this time. I am going thru the same experience you just described, but instead of French it was Spanish cuz I’m in America. Been at it on and, very much, off for a while now. I think I’m going to go back to Japanese since this is the language I’ve fallen in love with. Thank you for this video, again it came at the right time and I think this is the push I needed. I appreciate you and your effort in creating this video.

[@MiScusi69]

Here in Italy a big part of high school students goes to schools where they need to study Latin (and some even Ancient Greek) for five years. I'm one of them, and I can confidently say that no language is useless, because each one has got its beauty, its great literature, and a culture to represent. If you want to learn a language, do it, there are more important things than what's concretely useful.

[@eshwarprasad9218]

i will never be able to communicate exactly what mattias's charm is, but its so unique. i could listen to you explain anything for hours or tell me a silly story for days!

[@clay2889]

As student who is majoring in linguistics with an emphasis on Japanese translation, I can say this was indeed a good video with great advice. :D

[@Megan-vb9ze]

I'm quite impressed/proud of myself that I don't know what the language on the left is at 1:30 (something germanic), but from my knowledge of Norwegian which I've recently started learning I can tell what it says anyway. It feels like I'm learning about several languages at once just by learning one. I never got to learn a language in school, so this feeling is a new one for me and I find it awesome!

[@morriskaller3549]

Its Swedish, Swedish and Norwegian are two very very similar languages. If you learn one you can understand the other. Except for a few different words

[@aerosma5021]

Thank you for making this video. I feel like I've used the whole "younger people learn languages faster" as an excuse to delay learning new languages..

[@gacusan73647]

as someone whos learning czech (and used to learn japanese) I needed to hear this after having not much motivation to learn both. great video as usual!

[@jUslwbc7287hwiowuxibw]

I’ve been trying to study Japanese on and off for the past 6-7 years I finally finished N5 last year. It’s truly one of my proudest moments 😂. I had to pause continuing to N4 because this year has been very tumultuous for me and now I’m contemplating quitting for the same reasons you listed. I love the language, but I only ever got into it because of my weeb teen self. I’m disillusioned to that mindset now and I’m thinking a lot more critically. It’s not going to be practically useful for me and it’ll require a lot of time that I already don’t have. It’s unfortunate, but if I do quit at least I’ll keep the good memories of my N5 courses. ❤️

[@solascriptura7837]

This was a fantastic video just for learning languages in general. If you're learning a language, you're going to go through each of these things he discusses in the video to some extent. As he mentioned, unless you have a passion for it, you won't learn the language to fluency. You might learn some helpful phrases, but learning a language is like hiking a mountain carrying a 40 pound bag. If you aren't enjoying the hike or you don't have to do it, you won't do it.

[@davidm7623]

I'm right now at the same point that you mention "Could I learn another (more useful) language instead?'' and Chinese pops into my head cos is the right answer on this timeline and how the economy is working. But I cannot lie to myself, I've been consuming japanese culture consciously since I'm 9 or 10. I went there a couple of times and where my 2 life-changing moments. I know is impossible for me to live there ( cos I just like the culture but not the society or rules), and I'm 32 and have a stable social circle around that want to keep. But hell, I think you got a point in this video and I'll probably reconsider again cos Japan gave me too much without the language, is probably worth to give a try :)

[@FullHouse421]

I started learning about 3 months ago and I went HARD into it, I stopped because I had some issues that took up my study block, but this video has motivated me to make it work and continue. It's so hard to explain, but its so interesting to slowly start learning that a word like Ringo doesn't mean Apple, it's meant to be what represents an apple. It's like I had this sense of English superiority as if every language stemmed from English.

[@kanjifreak420]

Hmm i try to imagine in my head like if i see ringo an apple pops up in my head before i can associate that ringo to english word apple an image comes and boom no need for english translation.

[@feduckil9238]

There are two rather funny things about this video for me. First is that the video isn’t really about Japanese - all the arguments are applicable to learning anything new. Learning things is very rewarding, highly recommend just picking up anything even remotely of interest to you and going with it. Feed your curiosity! It’s a wonderful thing. And second, I started learning Japanese on a whim a few months before I saw this video, and I really don’t know a thing about Japan (not a fan of anime or manga, and never had a dream of going to Japan either), but it is still a very rewarding experience. The fascinating thing is, it is rewarding not in spite of being unfamiliar with the culture but because of it. Learning a language of a county you don’t know anything about is a fascinating window into its cultural worldview and mindset and helps understand the world so much better! So don’t be afraid of delving into something utterly alien to you, it can be so much more worthwhile than you could ever imagine.

[@StylerGear]

Great Video, and good luck with your french studies!

[@smallmailman3992]

My problem with learning japanese? I have trouble committing to something over time. Hell, I've been trying to learn drawing for the past 3 years and haven't even gotten a 1 week practice streak. Its an honest fear of mine that I will genuinely never manage to do anything over long periods of time. I have started learning though. I started before spring break, and I haven't even learned all of the kana yet. The easiest part that I wanted to practice daily and get it done in like a week has taken me 4 or so and I am not done yet. I have no other problems with learning the language actually, I do want to be able to understand Japanese and even being able to read some minor stuff here and there has felt great, even though i never understood it and was only 3 syllables. I would just sum it up as: I can do anything I set my mind to, I just can't set my mind to anything. I know the source is ADHD, actually. It just sucks because right now I am not sure if I will every accomplish any of my goals.

[@konstiyo]

I invested a lot of time into learning to draw and playing an instrument. The thing is i never invested time learning something fundamentally from zero, thats why i had to give up on those things. Japanese was something i had a great interest in but hadnt yet put much effort in it. The insecurity and the realization of the state of my older skills in music and drawing pushed me to start something totally different from the base up. I wanted to show myself that i can learn the skill of learning. I'd suggest you try ignoring your ADHD and learn to live with it. I know i have a bunch of retardations that if i had let someone confirmed them i might wouldnt have the confidence to try learning anything that requires effort.

[@aphreyy]

Even if you don't have a 1 week practice streak, you're still practicing so it's progress. Don't be too harsh on yourself

[@metametodo]

That "Bye!! Bye!!!" by the end really caught me out of guard, I'd never expect that from you, haha. Thanks.

[@wareya]

why you should learn japanese: japanese art resources are like 100x better than english art resources

[@BethAnn-ti2pk]

Why did you need to put down english to get your point across ?

[@wareya]

@@BethAnn-ti2pk why wouldn't i post in english under an english video

[@BethAnn-ti2pk]

@wareya never said there was something wrong with writing in English. I said Why did you have to put down English to make Japanese look better? The meaning of 'putting down ' something is when you somewhat belittle another thing as to make something else look more appealing 'Japenese art resources are like 100x better than English art resources ' There was no need to say something like that

[@wareya]

@@BethAnn-ti2pk i mean it's true. english art community resources are stuck like 10 years in the past compared to the japanese art community

[@ChrisBadges]

​@@BethAnn-ti2pkand, all patriotism aside, English is a global language, so resources are not only by native speakers. English is quite something to compare "minor" languages to. Surpassing resources in English in any area is amazing, considering the importance of English, which is indisputable. I don't think that English can be put down for that matter, but I am happy that Japanese floats people's boat. If they are watching this video, chances are they'll use English language learning resources to learn Japanese😅

[@ariverbythesea]

Seriously speaking, my Japanese is rusty but I don't know if I can fully dedicate my time to it. I believe you can only learn something passionately if you LOVE it.

[@yoavsigler4457]

What makes learning japanese such an amazing experience is that it's not about learning a new language. It has a lot more to do with unlearning language.

[@SlamJamdotcom]

Criminally underrated channel

[@delve_]

I just want you to know I love your handwriting and have for as long as I remember watching your channel. Something about your TALL letters is just so nice. I love it

[@sanjanagirish4563]

Thank you so so much for this video. You have no idea how much this has helped me. Every single point you mentioned in this video has specifically touched upon things that I worry about on a daily basis. Thank you for helping me get back to believing in myself.

[@devinj1424]

I just finished Japanese IV in college. I constantly feel like I'm not good enough at it, or that I suck at it and shouldn't try to become bilingual. However I have to remind myself how far I've come. And that two and a half years ago I wasn't able to ready any katakana or hiragana. As you improve new challenges will always come. It doesn't mean you haven't gotten better, it means you have.

[@0Enigmatic0]

Learning Japanese, and living there, really made me reflect a ton on my own culture. I had a coworker ask me "what makes Japanese students the best. Aren't they just better than American kids?" It was gross, and really flashed me back to all the times as a kid I heard America was so great, just so much better than those folks across the border. It really changed my perspective, and made me radically empathetic. Anyone who says "if you want to live X then speak Y" has never learned a second language. Its not a switch you flip, its a life long process. Also seeing how I always got longer residence extentions in Japan than my friend, based purely on the countries we were from. They always had to travel to the immigration office more often and pay more to stay and work the same job I did, based on where they were born. It's hard to deny the existence of systemic racism when youre the one dealing with the system. It also changes the way you think about language in general, you begin to think more abstractly about it. It's not just "this word is this," often times there will be a few words in one language but only one in another that represents a concept that ties those things together in the other language, and you never even realized until now. For example, in English you wear a shirt, you wear a hat, and you wear shoes. In Japanese that's 3 words: 着る、被る、履く. There are tons of examples the other way as well. I'm just rambling, but it really can transform you. It feels like you gain an extra dimension to the way you think.

[@dontmindme8709]

A few years ago I began learning mandarin, for little more reason than that it was something that seemed difficult to do and would be cool if I could succeed with it. Even now I'm still not sure just how useful it will be, but it doesn't matter since that's not why I began learning it anyways. I've enjoyed the journey so far for what it is :^)

[@pisidora1998]

Last year I learn English jus for watching videos, now I'm trying to learn esperanto just for knowing how languages work, maybe if next year I'm still animated to learn languages German it's on my list, not because I live on Germany but because it's an expressive language, I wanna think like a German

[@mittelego1098]

Learning a new language is so rewarding when you eventually start to understand everything. It was at least the case with English for me. Starting to understand videos, books, movies, ... opened a whole new world to me.

[@kiwina-b2x]

I like this perspective! I'm currently trying to learn a bit of Japanese because I watch anime sometimes and I thought "hey, why not?", so it's been my main focus this summer. And I love it! However, it's not the only language I'd like to focus on. My father's family is Swedish, so I want to be able to communicate with them, too!

[@Tufukins]

Feels good to hear the real stuff

[@pixet4432]

This resonates with me so much.

[@pikateg2703]

This was a great video, and I relate to a lot of the points you made. The problem is, where do I start? I have been wanting to learn Japanese for quite some time, but I have no clue where to take the first step.

[@MattiasPilhede]

There are a lot of resources available, but I definitely recommend Tae Kim's guide to Japanese guidetojapanese.org/learn/

[@pikateg2703]

@@MattiasPilhede Thank you so much! I'm definitely going to have to check out everything this site has to offer.

[@dr.livesey6120]

Im learning japanese for about a year now and it's tought me a lot about their culture and how they talk from us, its not really about what ive learned but its just fun for me to learn it

[@nibbletrinnal2289]

Related to the first point but on the opposite side of the spectrum, learning a language like Toki Pona is also great for forcing you to view the world differently. With only ~120 words, it only takes less than a week to learn, and almost everything you say will actually be phrased as you describing that thing, since there'll rarely ever be a single word in Toki Pona that matches with a single English word

[@kabu4585]

I started learning Japanese because I had a crush on a Japanese actor. But I thought it is of no use. But this video gave me motivation to learn Japanese again. I hope I'll go tp Japan one day :)

[@eranjin]

as somebody whos studying japanese for approx 7 months consistently this just made me more motivated

[@aizuni]

I only know the basics of Japanese, but I'll be learning more in the future. Right now I'm learning Mandarin and I want to focus on that first before heading to another complicated language. Personally I love learning languages no matter the difficulty, because understanding something in that language gives me a sense of accomplishment and the need to seek for more. My goals after knowing a good amount of Mandarin are to read Chinese books and go to China. For Japanese - reading books too, maybe translating them to my native language. Also watching anime/jdrama and reading manga. Though I don't want to go to Japan. I find both of these language extremely beautiful... I think it would be worth it even if the goals weren't too specific, because it gives you a wider view on the world and its cultures. But language learning should be appreciated just for doing it: you're learning a new EXOTIC language, it is already a big accomplishment as it is because you're open to the world...

[@wakatpr6583]

Hi I am French and I had that exact same experience but with learning English. Basically 3/4rth of my life on the internet is now in English, I can’t stretch how much this made me the person I am today. My favorite creators are English speakers. So yeah learning a language is great because it opens new opportunities, just gives access to more content, different content. I wanna learn Japanese for the same reason though I feel like nothing opens more doors than English

[@wakatpr6583]

@@camelopardalis84 I don't know tell me what you are interested in and I can recommend some. One of my favourite would be Simon puech but I am really not sure that is your type of content

[@rickyp3996]

I've been learning japanese for a few months and have started getting frustrated by kanji and started doubting the practicality of learning it over something easier. This was just what I needed to hear to stay motivated.

[@kanjifreak420]

Bro kanji is not that hard trust me, if dumb me can do it you sure as hell can too.

[@aldecotan]

I've used to think that learning English is like a boring routine back then at school. Everyone, except our teacher, didn't know English well, and I'd say she did not know it too, and because of all of that - I didn't like it. But time passes by and after a few years, after finishing university, I've stumble upon one problem, which requires knowing English to solve it. It's... communication in multiplayer videogames. Nothing special, just a bunch of phrases like "He's behind you!" or "Let's chase him". And I've tried. Firstly it was Google Translate (just like now, I'm checking my own words to see if I did any mistakes), then urban dictionary and a few videos about pronunciation (it's really hard to pronounce this word :D) And the more I've learn, the more I can understand, but more interesting for me - the more I can express. Right now I'm still learning. It's still hard to speak without a dictionary or write something without checking how it will be translated. But it's interesting! Being a part of a multilingual party and being able to speak with guys from Germany and Finland is awesome :D And hearing their accents or some words from their native language is fun as well. In the end, knowledge of English helped me to watch this video :D

[@dudewithachannel1163]

I'm an artist and have consumed most iconic English media and I'd like to open myself to a new world of content, but I can't constantly stop to read while I work. That and knowing Japanese would help my ability a lot at making art I don't plan to be fluent, but if I ever reach my goal I might take the extra step. I'll cross that bridge when I get there

[@134darklight]

Bwaaagh! I needed this reminder - thankyouthankyoooou

[@fakeorchestra4260]

It's valid to learn a language for any reason, even if that reason is simply "I want to watch anime in Japanese" or books, games, movies

[@shecklesmack9563]

I started learning Japanese and got far enough where I still didn't realize how long and hard it would be, but far enough that it would be dumb to not just stay the course and keep going. I'm glad I was ignorant because if I had any idea how much time and effort it would actually take I wouldn't have done it lol. I just defiantly stayed the course to prove I could do it, because quitting is the expected outcome. Now I feel like a lot of the truly hard and laborious part is largely behind me and I can build upon the foundation I already have. I have spent way too many untold hours brute-forcing this language into my brain, stopping would be really stupid.

[@yuriben8132]

i am in love with your videos

[@Antoniomarcelo069]

I passed basically my whole childhood being forced to learn english, i did learn but, it took years for me to took interest in the language and really use it, recently I decided to learn another one and its japanese, im learning way quicker than english because I reallu want to learn it and this really make a diference!

[@korncobb8808]

My listening comprehension is pretty good for Japanese, but I lack in Everything Else. Trying to study more writing and reading! It's hard but oh well

[@foxhyde7743]

Learning a new language is rewarding

[@whiteraven90]

I agree with your points! I have been wanting to learn a third language for ages. :') I'd like Finnish for it. It might be comparable to an English person learning French, because i'm Hungarian, but... Finnish is just so damn nice and interesting.

[@kallie_wg1432]

For me it started out on Duolingo at home for fun bc I watched a Ghibli movie, it’s been 5 years and I just finished my application to a Japanese university and I’m still not that much better! With such a considerable amount of time and still only getting Bs on my JLPT N4 (pre intermediate level) I feel pretty shit about it. All this time and others would have learnt way more than me. But how long have I actually been trying for a purpose? Only 2 years! As a full time student! With GCSEs and Alevels and they require all my time. So, I’m not doing too bad. And neither is anyone else doing the same. We got this がんばってくださいね

[@latexcupcake]

Thanks needed that

[@nicoleduret]

This cheered me up big time, even got me to laugh out loud. Thank you, I'm gonna go learn Japanese now.