Japanese use 900 words in a day.
Yet, why is Japanese hard to speak?

Japanese people speak with about 800-900 words a day

In fact, Japanese adults use only about 800 to 900 words in a day.

However, even if you have memorized a good number of words and have a solid understanding of grammar, speaking Japanese is not easy.
We will introduce the reasons for this and the countermeasure learning method practiced in the program of NihongoDO, a Japanese language coaching school.

Two processes overload the brain.

First, one of reasons why Japanese is so hard to speak fluently is because "you have exceeded the limit of your brain's processing capacity".
Please don't get it wrong. We are not saying that you are not smart.
To explain step by step.

There is only one process when speaking in one's native language

When you speak in your native language, there is only one thing you need to be concerned about.

• What should I say?

This is also the same when Japanese people speak Japanese.

There are three processes for conversing in Japanese?

Now, what about when you are conversing in Japanese? Three processes run at this time.

• What should I say?
• What can I say about that in Japanese?
• How should I pronounce it?

You are thinking about what you are going to say, and then you are thinking about how to say it in Japanese. The brain is so overloaded with what to say that some people are not very good at speaking even in their native language. If the process were three, the brain's processing capacity would be overloaded. It would be impossible to have a very smooth conversation.

In fact, many people can write in writing what they cannot speak in Japanese. This is because they can take their time to think about what they are writing.

Automation of Japanese phrases reduces the process to one.

How can we speak Japanese in one process like the Japanese?

The answer is "automating Japanese phrases".

Your native language is completely automatic in your brain. There is no need to think, the words come out of your mouth.
If you wanted to say in your native language, "I would love to go to the beach and swim," you would immediately speak the words. This is automation.

Why can we say "konnichiwa" right away?

When thinking of saying "I want to go to the beach and swim" in your native language, few students can say it immediately in Japanese. However, if you want to say "konnichiwa (= hello)" in Japanese, many people can say it immediately.

This is because the Japanese phrase to say "I want to go to the beach and swim" is not automated, while the word "konnichiwa" is.

In other words, if you can automate the necessary Japanese phrases to the hello level, such as "I want to go to the beach and swim," you can concentrate on what to say in actual conversation. In other words, you can reduce the process of speaking Japanese to one.

How can we automate the Japanese language and be fluent?

What can be done to automate Japanese phrases?
Here are some of the learning methods practiced by NihongoDO.

First, instantaneous Japanese composition. Cultivate the ability to quickly create Japanese sentences.

Instantaneous composition is recommended as the first study that beginner to intermediate level Japanese students can start. We will train you to immediately convert English into Japanese.。

This is a preliminary step in learning to automate phrases. There are certain rules in the structure of the Japanese language, and becoming familiar with them will train your instantaneous Japanese ability.

Start with easy Japanese phrases to be used in instantaneous composition. More difficult ones should be done only after you have gained enough strength. The most important thing here is .to get used to quick composition above all。

Automated & long-term memory for Japanese phrases

Once you have become accustomed to instantaneous composition, it is time to automate Japanese phrases.
If you are already an advanced Japanese speaker with basic skills, you may start here.

The process of automating Japanese phrases is not complicated.

• Check the English translation and the corresponding Japanese phrase.
• Memorize the Japanese phrase until you can speak it, seeing only the English translation.
• Repeat over and over again to get the Japanese phrase to appear immediately.

This is repeated with several Japanese phrases, and the first day is over. However, in one day, this Japanese phrase is only a short-term memory. In order to make it a long-term memory, the following steps are taken.

• Repeat the act of looking at the Japanese translation and saying the Japanese phrase every day for 2 to 14 days.
• If it cannot be immediately mouthed at this time, re-train it.
• Once perfected in two weeks, the next step is to reduce the frequency to once a week and follow the process 1-2.
• If it is still perfect after four weeks, then reduce the frequency to once a month, then once every three months, and so on.

This will make the Japanese phrases long-term memory & automatic.

Shift to two advanced studies when you get used to it.

Once you have become accustomed to seeing the Japanese translation and saying the Japanese phrase, you can move on to the next three advanced studies for a higher level of automation.

• Listen without looking at the characters

Listen to Japanese and convert it into Japanese phrases. You need to grasp the meaning more instantaneously than by looking at the characters.

• Randamize the questions

Randomize the questions by using the Japanese of the part you popped open or by registering with a special application. If you study in a regular order, such as page order, you will inevitably memorize some parts of the course based on that regularity. That is not automation as it should be.

• Change a part of the sentence

Change a part of the phrase and check if the Japanese phrase still comes out immediately.
For example, "I will print the documents by tomorrow" -> "I printed the documents yesterday."
Even the slightest change can cause a momentary pause for thought if it is not well automated.

Making the most of others

This advanced learning can be done more effectively with the help of others.

• Easier to voice/randomize/paraphrase questions.
• Since there is no need to check correct/incorrect answers by yourself, learning proceeds smoothly and objectively.
• Having others watch you creates a motivational feeling of embarrassment if you don't do it right.

This check should be done frequently. At NihongoDO, each student is assigned a dedicated consultant. The dedicated consultant and the student meet regularly one-on-one and take this Japanese phrase test together on the spot.

Since the checks are performed by a specialist, advice on areas of inadequacy and correction of pronunciation, etc. can be provided, further enhancing learning efficiency.

Things that should never be done except as an advanced Japanese speaker.

In automating Japanese phrases, there is one thing that beginner and intermediate Japanese language learners should not do.
That is, to memorize Japanese phrases that are phrased differently but have the same meaning.

For example, there are several ways to say, "Let's start the meeting."But you only need one to remember.。No matter how you phrase it, the result is the same. The meeting begins.

There are many Japanese phrases that beginner and intermediate level Japanese students need to memorize. Don't waste valuable study time by learning multiple phrases.

Automation of Japanese phrases is not the only way to speak Japanese.。

Unfortunately, being able to automate Japanese phrases does not mean that you will be able to speak Japanese. Japanese is a communication tool, not a thing to be tested.
Only by using Japanese phrases learned in actual Japanese conversation can they be sublimated into truly usable skills.

The state of just automating Japanese phrases is like a basketball player who has only practiced dribbling and has never played a game. Unless you are very talented, it will be difficult to suddenly become successful.

At NihongoDO, in addition to automating Japanese phrases, students spend at least 2 hours a day learning input such as listening and grammar. In addition, three Japanese lessons per week will give you real-world experience, sublimating the knowledge you have learned into a power you can use more and more, allowing you to learn Japanese quickly.。

NihongoDO is now offering free counseling. If you are interested in learning more about Japanese phrases, including more detailed Japanese phrase automation techniques, we would be happy to help you find the right learning method for you.