1. Keep a notebook
Buy a cheap notebook (I recommend moleskine) and write down any new vocabulary or phrases you hear. For each entry, write the new language, its meaning, and an example or two of its use. If you hear a word that you know is being used in a new way, write it again.
2. Adopt a Japanese hobby
If you dedicate yourself to a Japanese hobby, you get three benefits. First, you can pursue an interesting and enjoyable hobby that is fun in itself. Second, you will find a great place to interact with native Japanese and practice speaking a lot. Finally, you will get a source of motivation to study more Japanese. You can do anything from flower arrangements (ikebana) to sword fighting (kendo).
3. make Japanese penpals
Google “Japanese pen pal” and you will find a host of websites dedicated to finding a Japanese pen pal. Be sure to insist on the responses in both English and Japanese. This is a great way to expose him to a new language and, of course, make connections in Japan. If you can’t read Kanji, you should try downloading Rikaichan, an add-on for the Firefox web browser (which you should use anyway!)
4. Check the characters once a week
If you are just starting out, it is very important that you review the hiragana / katakana characters at least once a week. Rather than spending an afternoon trying to get all the characters into your brain, it’s much easier and more effective to slow down and review periodically. You should be able to read the words you see and write the words you hear. If you trust your kana, you should move on to Kanji when you feel ready.
5. make Japanese Skype friends
Like making pen pals, the difference is that you will actually be talking to them over the internet. Often times, you can turn penpals into Skype friends and vice versa. This is a great way to practice speaking if you don’t meet native Japanese in your everyday life, but it never takes the place of reality.
6. Listen to the JapanesePod101 podcast
If you open iTunes (it comes with all Macs, you’ll need to download it for Windows) and go to the iTunes Store, you can find a podcast created by JapanesePod101. They regularly broadcast high-quality Japanese lessons through their podcast. They may be a bit pushy for you to join their paid website, but the podcast is very well produced and is a great way to practice listening for free.
7. Check your grammar with Tae Kim’s guide to Japanese
Tae Kim’s guide can be found at this URL:
Http://www.guidetojapanese.org
It is a one stop shop for Japanese grammar explanations. Although I wouldn’t recommend it as a good way to start studying Japanese, it’s a great way to brush up on grammar that you may have forgotten. His explanations are short and full of examples. He also has a great understanding of the use of the contemporary Japanese language. Best of all, it’s free.
8. Correct yourself
We all make mistakes when we speak, the most important thing is that we go back and correct them. If you know you’ve made a mistake, don’t be lazy and let it slide. If you have a habit of letting go, you will never get better. Go back to what you said, make the correction, and continue the conversation from there.
9. Don’t guess
Don’t try to make everything you say perfect. Do your best to speak naturally, and only after you’ve made a mistake can you go back and correct it. Unless you are giving a speech, never spend more than a couple of seconds trying to figure out what to say.
10. Come to Japan!
Whether it’s for a few weeks or for the rest of your life, coming to Japan will multiply your Japanese ability. If you are a beginner, you will have exposure to the language 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, as it is spoken naturally. If you are in between, you will have more opportunities to talk than you could handle or prepare for (which is good). If you are advanced, you probably already live here:
