I was asked by someone who wishes to stay anonymous for tips on learning Japanese. For starters, I myself am only just starting as well! So I’m not the best person for in-depth help on the subject, but I can point you to a starting line, at least.
The best starting point is to learn Hiragana and Katakana! My advice might sound a bit strange, but learn how to read them before you learn how to write them. I say this because learning how to write kana is really time consuming and yields little benefit if you’re not living in Japan. Instead, by learning how to read Japanese, you’ll also be able to type it which is much more important these days!
As for where to learn how to read Hiragana and Katakana, I HIGHLY recommend using the mnemonics method. A mnemonic is a memory association that lets your brain remember something better.
If you have a few bucks to spare, Dr. Moku on Android and iOS is absolutely amazing. I learned how to read hiragana and katakana in about an hour’s time each with it. Granted, I live in Japan so my surroundings constantly reinforce what I learn, so that’s a factor to consider. Still, it’s a very helpful app.
If you don’t have that to spare, Tofugu has an awesome free tutorial on learning with mnemonics!
As for basic grammar and kanji, I’m afraid I can’t really help you much with that other than learn Kanji as soon as you can. The sooner you learn kanji, the better! A method people seem to love is the book series “Remember The Kanji”. I have a copy but haven’t dug into it yet. Also, there’s a Chrome extension called Rikaikun (Rikaichan on Firefox) that gives you the meaning of Japanese words on the spot when you hover over them.
People often ask why we have to learn kanji. The thing is, without kanji, yoursentenceswilllooklikethisinjapanese. It’s also efficient because one character expresses an entire concept. Either way, it’s hella important to your vocabulary.
Most people recommend the Genki books for basic grammar, but that can get expensive. It’s a great book though. I’ve been using Human Japanese on Android which approaches teaching in a very warm and approachable manner. I’ve been quite happy with it. There’s also an extremely popular free grammar guide called Tae Kim’s Japanese Grammar Guide, which I believe is also available as a digital textbook on the iOS and Android stores.
If you want tangible indications for how you’re progressing, the Japanese government has an exam called the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT). One’s skill is measured on a scale from N5 (easiest) to N1 (hardest). Some people study for the exam as a starting point. I’m not sure how effective that is personally, but it’s something.
Hope that helps you!
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