Was wondering since I intend to learn Japanese someday(probably in university).I've heard learning the speaking part isn't really hard but writing is another story.

So how hard is it to learn?

 Probably the best quote here.  People want to make out that some languages are harder implying that there are "easier" languages.  While there will be languages that share the same language family so there will be some transfer between the languages, learning a new language will be difficult anyway. 

Giant blocks of text about Japanesejafesofjasfijdsiojsfjmestuff

One thing to note is that you pick up languages easier the more languages you learn.  There are people who can speak 10+ languages where their first few languages were difficult but they picked up more momentum and learned their later languages faster.  It's like they were lifting weights in the language compartment of their brain so going up a new weight bracket became easier and easier. So if Japanese is your first second language, it is going to be your hardest.  But since you're 13, chances are you will be taking a foreign language class soon.  I highly encourage putting a lot of effort into whatever language you choose because that will make Japanese easier to learn latter.  I took Spanish for four years and I feel like I wouldn't have done so well in Japanese if it weren't for that. Also, the writing system takes time to learn, but I wouldn't connect it so closely to the language.  The most important thing about learning a language is to use it to communicate with others.  That's what language is all about.  If you can be in an environment where you are actively using another language to talk and listen to other people, that's going to be the best way to learn.  That's why people who travel to another country learn faster than in their home country.  But that means studying by yourself without using the language to talk to others will be the most difficult way to learn.  Keep that in mind. And just a general note about some myths brought up here, there are plenty of sounds in Japanese that don't occur in English.  The 'R' is neither an English 'R' or 'L', but a sort of "R" sound produced while flapping the tongue.  The "n" sound (ん) is usually a nasalized vowel (which English doesn't have phonologically), and it's pronunciation changes depending on its context.  Some common dialects of English speakers aspirate consonants like "p", "k", and "t", meaning we add a puff of air while pronouncing it.  Compare saying "top" (aspirated) and "stop" (not aspirated) and you'll see what I mean.  But Japanese doesn't do this so one of the things you learn to do to lower your English accent is to stop aspirating those sounds, which isn't easy.  Once more, most dialects of Japanese are pitch dialects. There is a high pitch and a low pitch and can distinguish different words.  As an example, saying "kaki" (H-L) means fence, "kaki" (L-H) means oyster, and "kaki" (L-L) means persimmon.  (And where I'll be living there is an extra system of pitch in the dialect I know nothing about, so that'll be fun )

 

DOESN'T SEEMS SO EASY TO PRONOUNCE, DOES IT?! 

 

But all languages have their own unique sounds that we have to adopt to, like the "th" sound in English is very difficult for foreigners to learn.  But we all manage to learn other languages anyway, so don't sweat the details.  I just get frustrated when people over simplify things.  

 

Personally, I would say please learn a language for the right reasons.  Do it because you love the people and culture and want to communicate with them, for that's what a language is for.  Don't do it because you want to understand a video game that didn't release internationally or to watch anime in Japanese.  It's a perk, but that's not what speaking a language is for.

 

From the little I have tried to learn of Japanese so far, I was noticing that r/l thing... I was like how do I make that sound, it is neither really an R or an L.... At least now I know what it is in theory, I still have to practice learning it... Though that pitch part of it doesn't sound fun... Well, I guess it is something you get used to if you actually care about the language, instead of just slaughtering it. Edit: Pitch and ん aside, it appears that Japanese is more phonetical than English. But I could be wrong.

Edited July 19, 201312 yr by Tigerruss