Takuya 🇯🇵🇺🇸🇪🇸

Native 🇯🇵 | Fluent in 🇺🇸🇪🇸 l Neuroscience🧠 | Japanese Language Coach 🎓 Instagram & Facebook +80k

[Takuya 🇯🇵🇺🇸🇪🇸 @takuya_language]

The experience of 11 years in learning English helped me to start learning Spanish from scratch and it only took me about two years to be able to speak comfortably with native speakers. I believe that hard work eventually pays off. #langtwt

[Takuya 🇯🇵🇺🇸🇪🇸 @takuya_language]

Expecting to become fluent in Japanese by studying grammar, sentence patterns, and vocabulary is like expecting to perform in a game of American football by studying the rules of how to play.

[Takuya 🇯🇵🇺🇸🇪🇸 @takuya_language]

Learning a language falls under the category of kinesthetic learning, involving the movement of the throat, tongue, and lips. It’s similar to swimming, playing the guitar, or using chopsticks.

[Takuya 🇯🇵🇺🇸🇪🇸 @takuya_language]

There’s a common trait among people who become proficient in Japanese fast. They simply love “language learning”. (And contrary to what we might expect, it doesn’t matter whether you like people, culture, anime etc)

[Takuya 🇯🇵🇺🇸🇪🇸 @takuya_language]

The importance of making mistakes is commonly overlooked. People don’t try because they’re afraid of making mistakes, even though they want to improve. That doesn’t make sense. If you want to improve your skills, try it and embrace your mistakes and learn new things from them.

[Takuya 🇯🇵🇺🇸🇪🇸 @takuya_language]

The word "Confidence" in Japanese is "自信," composed of two characters. "自" means "Myself," and "信" means "Believe." So, literally, "自信 (Confidence)" translates to "Believe in myself." So, having confidence or not is something that can be changed depending on your actions.

[Takuya 🇯🇵🇺🇸🇪🇸 @takuya_language]

Interestingly, I now work in Japanese language education, and I consider Japanese an indispensable language today.

[Takuya 🇯🇵🇺🇸🇪🇸 @takuya_language]

To be honest, when I first started speaking English, there were times when I wished Japanese didn’t exist. As a Japanese person, I hated the language back then. However, my perspective completely changed.

[Takuya 🇯🇵🇺🇸🇪🇸 @takuya_language]

Living abroad and being exposed to cultures and values outside of Japan helped me appreciate the good aspects of my home country. I also realized that these commendable features of Japan are tied to unique expressions and characteristics inherent to the Japanese language.

[Takuya 🇯🇵🇺🇸🇪🇸 @takuya_language]

Whether Japanese sounds natural or not to Japanese people depends on whether you can express appropriately in context, not so much judged by pronunciation or accent. I feel that the definition of ‘naturalness’ is a bit different from that in English or other languages. #langtwt

[Takuya 🇯🇵🇺🇸🇪🇸 @takuya_language]

The secret to building a habit of using Japanese daily👇

- Make something you’d want to continue even on Christmas Day a habit.

The reason I can keep using Spanish every day is because I read and listen to soccer news, which I love, in Spanish. #langtwt

[Takuya 🇯🇵🇺🇸🇪🇸 @takuya_language]

I wonder if there are fewer people who use text-based social network service for learning Japanese. Since there’s no sound, it might be difficult to recognize characters, understand sounds and meanings. There may be intermediate and advanced learners who are use it effectively.

[Takuya 🇯🇵🇺🇸🇪🇸 @takuya_language]

Creating a habit of using the language daily is crucial. I have been using English daily for about 17 years and Spanish for around 6 years. Find your own way to keep it up every day!

[Takuya 🇯🇵🇺🇸🇪🇸 @takuya_language]

Key points to accelerate your Japanese proficiency:

1. Use Japanese daily
2. Spend as much time as possible in Japanese

While people tend to spend more time on 'studying', try to dedicate as much time as possible to 'listening'.

[Takuya 🇯🇵🇺🇸🇪🇸 @takuya_language]

Consistency is key when it comes to language learning.

[Takuya 🇯🇵🇺🇸🇪🇸 @takuya_language]

I came back to Japan from Mexico a couple of months ago and now I miss the Latin vibes!

数ヶ月前にメキシコから日本に戻ってきましたが、今はラテンの雰囲気が恋しいです！！！

[Takuya 🇯🇵🇺🇸🇪🇸 @takuya_language]

@ScriptingJapan Somehow I often hear rich Japanese old men, such as the chairman of Uniqlo or SoftBank, say “boku” in their speech.

[Takuya 🇯🇵🇺🇸🇪🇸 @takuya_language]

In 2022, Google translator is still terrible when it comes to Japanese language. DeepL is better to use. But the best way to communicate in Japanese is to start learning Japanese, be able to speak Japanese, and understand idea in Japanese without translating. #langtwt #Japanese

[Takuya 🇯🇵🇺🇸🇪🇸 @takuya_language]

私はきのこ派です！ I’m kinoko’s fan!

[♪ Rara♪ @RaraSensei]

I have been living in Japan for almost 15 years and, as the borders have opened up once again, I’d like to share a question you can ask that will help you make a deeper connection with the locals:

Kinoko no yama, takenoko no sato, docchi ga suki?
🧵

#japan #ancientwisdom

[Takuya 🇯🇵🇺🇸🇪🇸 @takuya_language]

I wrote my experience of learning a completely different language from mine in the ebook. I’d love to hear Japanese learner’s opinion on it. You can download it for free! https://t.co/bDjCFebFb0 #langtwt #Japaneselearning

[Takuya 🇯🇵🇺🇸🇪🇸 @takuya_language]

@JamesStubbs1979 This sums it up concisely. https://t.co/f3BrQlPvf5

[Takuya 🇯🇵🇺🇸🇪🇸 @takuya_language]

Studying Japanese and practicing Japanese are much different than many people think. When studying Japanese, a region of brain called “hippocampus” plays a major role instead of “cerebellum” which plays an important role when practicing. #japanese