My Current Japanese Level as of Spring 2020

I’m thinking it’d be a good idea to sum up where I’m currently at in each of the languages I’m learning.

This way, not only can readers of my blog better understand where I’m coming from with respect to these languages, but it’ll also be a good way to gauge my own progress if I make these once in a while.

Let’s start with Japanese, since it’s the one I’ve been at the longest.

As I wrote here, I started learning Japanese at the end of 2015, which means I’ve been learning it for four and a half years now.

“Japanese flag” by BWJones is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Where Am I Now?

Let’s split language skill up into three parts, reading, listening and speaking and see how I think each is coming along as of right now:

Reading

This is definitely the one that’s closest to where I want it to be. Thanks to Wanikani I can read most of the kanji I run into. However, in the two and a half years since I finished Wanikani, I notice I’m having to look up ones I should know more and more often, so I’m thinking that maybe I should start actually studying them again.

I’m currently able to at least get through any of the fiction books I pick up even without looking words up (though I do allow myself to look up words when I don’t know or have forgotten the kanji). I don’t understand every word or even every sentence, but I can enjoy reading and don’t really feel a need to actively study that part.

That said, as of writing this I’m currently at the end of the first book in the Windup Bird Chronicle where lieutenant Mamiya is describing his time in the war, and man is the military lingo making that a slow read for me!

Listening

This is my weakest skill.

I can get through audio books using the method I described here to split them up into repeatable chunks. And I have recently started listening to the third book in the Harry Potter audiobook series at natural speed, but for most books this would still be too difficult.

I can watch movies and shows where the dialog consists mostly of everyday language, but anything too jargon-heavy is still out of my league since I understand too little to enjoy it.

I’m currently playing the Final Fantasy 7 Remake however, and find myself understanding enough to be able to enjoy it in its original language. (The Japanese subtitles do help a lot though)

When I watch let’s play videos I find that I understand most of it, though it does depend on the person speaking.

Speaking

I’ve been taking weekly italki lessons for about three years and I’m at a point where I can typically make myself understood without too much effort.

My grammar is still often wrong though and I speak with a very noticeable Swedish accent. There are also still situations where I struggle to find the proper way to express myself, but these are the exception rather than the norm nowadays.

During my second trip to Japan I was able to handle almost every situation while only speaking Japanese.

Where Do I Wish to Be and How Am I Working to Get There?

I would really like my ability to watch shows and movies or listen to audio books to be at the same level as my reading. i.e. I want to be able to watch or listen to and anything and be able to reliably understand enough to enjoy it.

To this end I am currently listening to 15 minutes of the Harry Potter audio book at natural speed, and watching one episode without subtitles of a show that I’ve already seen (currently Space Brothers).

It’s still a bit too early to tell for sure if this increased focus on listening to native content at normal speed has improved my listening ability, but with time I’m sure this will be the case.

I think I’m understanding a bit more of the Harry Potter book than I did when I started but that varies greatly and sometimes I’m still just able to pick out one or a few words per sentence.