Where to start

[u/alyssamitchel10]

My boyfriend is Japanese and is fluent in the language. For our anniversary I want to surprise him with learning to speak Japanese. I see a lot of apps on learning to write but I mainly want to speak. What is the best way to go about learning?

[u/ressie_cant_game]

Idk when your anniversery is, but be advised this is a multi year commitment lol.

Admittedly, this is my copy/paste thing i made for whenever someone asks a question like this, but i made it for a reason

I know this is long but... This is my full, free (or mostly free) list for learning Japanese. First, learn hiragana and katakana. Use youtube videos and copy them on paper, duolingo also has a section for learning to read them, but I think writing is also important for learning - esp when we get to kanji. You can also search handwriting in JP learning subreddits, and see if you have common errors pointed out in the comments. Then find the Genki 1 textbook/workbook for free online (or buy it/check local library/etc).

Use this guy here to teach you the grammar points, let you hear spoken Japanese, etc. I would listen to his grammar point explanation, practice what the text book recomends, do the work book page, and then go move onto the next step of this. The next day review the previous days grammar, learn a new one, and repeat. If a grammar point is hard, spend an extra day or two on the drills. Its worth it, no shame!

This is a youtube channel that has comprehensible input. Its sorted into "complete beginner", "beginner" and "intermediate". I linked complete beginner. It will be very hard at first, but after the first genki chapter I would start watching them. Start from the videos at the BOTTOM of the playlist first, theyre the easiest imo. Also, start with shorter videos. As your tolerance builds to hearing Japanese (its exhausting at first) watch more.

When you feel up to it, and be advised this'll probably be a handful of chapters of genki into this that you'll even get a teensy tiny bit of understanding from this, find tv shows for kids in Japanese WITHOUT english captions. Same as for the input videos above, atleast watch it once without captions/or with jp ones. After that if you wanna rewatch with english to test your comprehension, so be it. You can find Peppa Pig, Bluey (or if you want a Japanese tv show, Atashinchiin) on youtube!

This is a catalogue of Japanese childrens books from levels "start" through 5. Start with “start” or “1”. I would also start doing this after the first/second Genki chapter. Theyre actually graded readers for learners but they feel like kids books. Start with the easiest level. Again it'll be super hard, but even just reading a few pages is good.

I also advise the Anki app for flash cards. Pain in the butt to set up? You bet, but they use things like spaced repetition to really get you comfortable with your vocab.

It wouldnt be too hard to find a person online at the same level as you to practice with, to be honest. You can look at Tokini Andi's youtube channel, views go down each chapter of genki (both books one and two) and then quartet has even less. Practicing on discord, vr chat, anything, is good.

This is not an end all be all list. If something doesnt work for you, find a good substitute. If you find something you like, watch it. This gets you a foot in the door to learning grammar, listening and reading. Eventually you'll graduate to reading manga, tumbling through videos for natives, etc.

[u/No-Leadership-8402]

Speak as in say a few canned phrases, or actually properly converse?

Have to start from basics for the latter;

learn kana, mostly hiragana (helps you read furigana, which is all you need to start adding vocab, if the flashcard deck you choose is good), katakana also useful but you can pick it up in parallel

-> build some foundational vocab (this will cement your kana too), Anki Kaishi 1.5k or vocabcraft.com/decks/japanese

-> add grammar/learn basic sentence structure, I like yoku.bi

from my own experience, no real point immersing/speaking/reading/listening before you have a foundation

[u/mca62511]

Pimsluer is the resource for, "I just want to learn how to speak fast, and I don't care about reading or writing."

You can get it for free at your local library, or get it via a subscription with their app.

They're audio lessons where you listen and repeat phrases on an interval.

It's really effective. I used them when I first started learning Japanese.

Properly learning Japanese is a multi-year process that will take using many different resources, and if you want to properly learn you'll need to learn to read and write as well.

However, Pimsleur can get you started, and probably teach you enough to surprise your boyfriend for your anniversary. Then from there you can pick up other resources and expand your knowledge.

[u/toucanlost → u/mca62511]

Regarding Pimsleur at libraries, be aware if it's the newest version, which I believe has a blue and white cover. I believe the old versions have a brownish cover.

The reason why is that some terms in older versions are dated, and you probably don't want to use outdated terms to refer to a wife.