How to become fluent in Japanese in 2026

I am Malena I am Spanish Currently I am a Japanese language student in the ICU Um while doing interviews with Japanese people I'm kind of studying Japanese I watch videos too There are a lot of people doing interviews with older folks and elderly people you know That's right But weren't you afraid at first reaching out to talk Well I was a little nervous at first but you get used to it quickly How much did your Japanese improve after interviewing someone for a year That's right I'm also studying English Are you watching your own videos Yes I'm always practicing Really I've lived in Korea before but it's not my first time living abroad—still Korea is completely different from Japan Indeed But living in America being abroad is another story Really fascinating I think that's the best way to live in Japan Are you living in Osaka now Yes I'm living in Osaka I'm studying the Osaka dialect Where is Mr Sun Nagoya Have you ever been to Nagoya Yes I have Maybe twice How was it It was amazing Wait what's there exactly Nothing much really What's kind of interesting What's famous there Like the Ghibli Museum The Ghibli Museum Seriously Do you speak a dialect Nagoya Just a moment just a moment But I don't anymore since I've been living in Tokyo for a long time I lost it but only when I'm back in the city yeah I see How did you study Japanese First I started studying on my own and then I studied with a tutor for quite a long time In Russia Yes in Russia And along the way I even attended language school about twice I see After that I've been living in Japan for the longest period so far It's been two years already So how long in total have you been studying Japanese Over 12 years now quite a while Maybe even 15 years That's impressive To some extent yes But even with that Japanese is generally manageable so is there still anything difficult about living in Japan Or is it mostly not an issue anymore Yeah normal everyday conversation isn't a problem at all and chatting with new acquaintances isn't an issue either Since today's college students are doing this you really need quite a bit of academic Japanese—plus you have to write a thesis and all Phrases like those used in special academic contexts along with reading and writing complex texts are quite challenging and relatively new I see What was the most difficult part of learning Japanese Speaking reading writing or listening I studied Japanese as a hobby so I never thought it was particularly difficult—I found it enjoyable interesting and fascinating though I did inevitably spend a lot of time on kanji It's such a huge amount that I couldn't remember it without studying every single day I'm not sure I'd even bother learning kanji if I were a foreigner Do you think studying Chinese characters is important or does it depend on the purpose It really depends on the purpose Definitely it depends on the purpose If you're simply hoping to visit Japan as a regular tourist I think it's perfectly fine if you can manage basic conversation at a beginner or intermediate level of Japanese Being able to read around 500 basic kanji might make it easier to understand menus and such but I think it's perfectly fine to just get to a point where you can grasp what kind of place you're in If you really want to live here longer or study or work here I think it's better to study kanji if you plan to stay for an extended period Life becomes much easier Before ending this video there's one thing I'd like to share with you If you enjoy traveling to or living in Japan start learning Japanese first Because it's meant to make your time in Japan enjoyable and meaningful To truly understand a culture you must embrace its language In Japan many people don't speak English but if you're unsure how to begin all beginner -level courses are available A course to speak basic Japanese in 15 days including a 200-page textbook There are approximately four hours of video lessons covering language grammar and useful phrases for everyday life Sensory patterns including real-life examples and practical exercises Video lessons focus on pronunciation and intonation Learning with text alone can be challenging You can learn and practice actually speaking Japanese This course won't make you sound unnatural By building a strong foundation with simple communication you can enjoy Japan even more If you've studied Japanese before this course is highly recommended to get started Check the links and QR codes in the summary section Today let's study Japanese Can you speak Japanese Yes I can How did you study Japanese I think it'll take about six months to start speaking Japanese It took me around six months Yes that's right You can manage conversation skills in about six months Have you gotten much better at Japanese since coming to Japan I work in a hotel so I get to talk with guests every day I think my Japanese has improved If I couldn't speak Japanese I wouldn't be able to communicate at work but thanks to studying Japanese for about one and a half years There was no language barrier Was Japan's work culture also something to learn from Getting used to the work culture gradually Japanese hospitality is famously renowned and we diligently uphold the spirit of omotenashi in every interaction Thanks to this we've received heartfelt letters from our customers Received praise in online reviews I was really touched and grateful to receive so much from my own service Back when I was in high school I had a Japanese teacher who Mr Kurokawa And I studied Japanese for three years and in third grade I came to Japan on a school trip On my trips to Tokyo Kanagawa Kyoto and Osaka I kept thinking how nice Japan is—wishing I could live here—and figured I'd register for the ALT program around ten years from now Since I've been living in Niigata for four years now I talk with teachers and students every day at school and listen to Japanese constantly Canadian-born and has lived in Japan for four years Four years While some say learning Japanese is difficult If you study English your work hours will become English too right I'm not studying much right now but I've been reviewing a few kanji and studying with Wanikani though lately I've been taking it easy How's Niigata Isn't it rural It is rural yes It's super fun but winters are tough I'm currently fleeing from a heavy snowstorm I am from Uruguay There is a place in Uruguay where Japanese residents gather It is the Uruguay Japanese Association There are also classes on the Japanese language and Japanese culture Did you hear that people who speak Spanish find it easier to learn Japanese Recently more and more people have been studying Japanese There weren’t that many people at first but now it’s crowded there just like last year when the JLPT was held I just started dating a Japanese boyfriend It's recommended How do you study Japanese Were you speaking Japanese with your Japanese boyfriend The whole time Not the whole time 30% Japanese 70% English Okay okay Back in Canada Yeah Is there anything you wish for when studying Japanese I didn't think Chinese characters were that important I haven't studied kanji before but now I'm studying for the N3 and N2 levels of the JLPT It's truly necessary Studying kanji when learning Japanese helps you understand and remember words more effectively The weight of kanji you'll study later will lighten Especially if you're not living in Japan nor just visiting It can also store government documents and similar materials Understanding Chinese characters used for characters is easy Are you struggling now I always use Google Translate About important matters I don't want to make mistakes How fluent are you in Japanese Just a little bit Did you start learning Japanese when you moved to Japan a month ago Are you speaking a bit of Japanese now That's amazing Thank you Please introduce yourself in Japanese Nice to meet you I'm Malena I'm currently a Japanese language student at ICU I enjoy studying Japanese Japanese is a language that fills the ears I love learning new languages Japanese is a major challenge for me My mother speaks Spanish Last year I was studying Chinese I'm still a bit confused But I love it That's because I'm studying Japanese in Tokyo I deeply respect and am grateful to you Thank you for watching until now How was it It was fun wasn't it We'll be uploading more videos about learning Japanese Enjoy If you'd like to start learning Japanese there's a course designed just for you Click the link in the summary section See you again