Having problems with the conjugation of Verbs and Adjectives.

[Mordahl]

Hi guys,

I've recently started intensively studying japanese after a long break and I am having some trouble memorizing the different verb/adjective types and how to conjugate them.
I can understand the meaning when I read a conjugated character, but when I try to do it myself I get it wrong most of the time.

Are there any good systems/methods to memorize these?

Currently I can read and write kana and can read about 300 Kanji (can probably only correctly write about 100 of them, heh).

Kana in your responses would be most appreciated.
Many Thanks for any assistance you can provide.

[KyleGoetz]

Originally Posted by Mordahl

Hi guys,

I've recently started intensively studying japanese after a long break and I am having some trouble memorizing the different verb/adjective types and how to conjugate them.
I can understand the meaning when I read a conjugated character, but when I try to do it myself I get it wrong most of the time.

Are there any good systems/methods to memorize these?

Currently I can read and write kana and can read about 300 Kanji (can probably only correctly write about 100 of them, heh).

Kana in your responses would be most appreciated.
Many Thanks for any assistance you can provide.

1. Compile words and correct conjugations.
2. Download Anki (flashcard program for basically every major or nearly major OS).
3. Install Anki.
4. Input words and correct conjugations into Anki.
5. Use Anki.
6. ???
7. Profit!

[berrypie]

Hello there.

Just wanna share my experience and hope it helps. The way of memorizing those things is "feel it" and "express it". I have been learning Japanese on my own since last year and I came to this fabulous forum.

As you may see there is a pretty good chatting-in-Japanese thread in this section and there're a few really nice and sweet Japanese people helping us out. Try writing something in Japanese and post it, I am sure there's always someone who can spare his/her time helping you out. (for eg, the great handsome fabulous N_y_ san! oh and K_G_ too!) Or, you can look for a Japanese email-pal here (or in other section?) where you can force yourself writing some Japanese.

It's not hard to learn how to read, but it's always a challenge to write it properly. The only way is write it and learn from the correction. Good luck!

[Mordahl]

Ah, I see.
So there really is no pattern or system I can use and the only real way to learn it is through rote memorization or flash cards?

[Mordahl]

Thanks for the suggestion berrypie, I have been slowly working my way through the japanese characters thread, there are quite a few post in there now, heh. I'll definitely start posting in there once I get to the current post.

I may bite the bullet and install Anki and create a decent revision library. So far I have been using pre-compiled solutions and marking characters for revision as I go and while it is easy to setup, I guess I would not be as effective as something I have compiled myself.

I really need to look at finding a japanese person to correspond with as well. I may start looking in to that next week.

Thanks for the assistance.

[Columbine]

You ~can~ memorize every conjugation of every verb in the japanese language, but it would probably be better to simply get a good grounding in the rules and then practice those a lot. Asides from the few irregular verbs, everything else follows a pretty logical pattern, and if you know the rules well enough, you can figure it out even if you don't know the verb well.

[KyleGoetz]

Originally Posted by Mordahl

Ah, I see.
So there really is no pattern or system I can use and the only real way to learn it is through rote memorization or flash cards?

There's no "system" other than to learn the rules. Have you ever studied a foreign language before? There's no "trickery" involved. Only practice, practice, practice.

[KyleGoetz]

Originally Posted by Mordahl

Thanks for the suggestion berrypie, I have been slowly working my way through the japanese characters thread, there are quite a few post in there now, heh. I'll definitely start posting in there once I get to the current post.

I may bite the bullet and install Anki and create a decent revision library. So far I have been using pre-compiled solutions and marking characters for revision as I go and while it is easy to setup, I guess I would not be as effective as something I have compiled myself.

I really need to look at finding a japanese person to correspond with as well. I may start looking in to that next week.

Thanks for the assistance.

It sounds like you don't own any book that teaches Japanese. You should get one, as trying to learn the language without even a book that teaches Japanese would be pretty impossible, or at least unbelievably inefficient.

[chryuop]

I am a little confused here, what are this conjugations so hard to learn? I understand latin languages that have many conjugations, but in Japanese there is only 5 (or 6 according on how u look at it).

If the problem is how to use them, then it is something else, but if it is only to remember how to make them, it is not hard. Send me a message saying which of the 5 forms give you more problems and we can try to find a way that can work for you to memorize (I bet I have an idea of what gives more problems ).

[KyleGoetz]

Originally Posted by chryuop

I am a little confused here, what are this conjugations so hard to learn? I understand latin languages that have many conjugations, but in Japanese there is only 5 (or 6 according on how u look at it).

If the problem is how to use them, then it is something else, but if it is only to remember how to make them, it is not hard. Send me a message saying which of the 5 forms give you more problems and we can try to find a way that can work for you to memorize (I bet I have an idea of what gives more problems ).

This is a very good point. Of all the grammar topics in Japanese, particles is by far the most difficult topic to master. Just like prepositions in English is allegedly the hardest part to learn.