I’m a little confused about the best way to use Bunpro. If someone could give me some examples of how they use Bunpro I’d really appreciate it.
I feel a little disorganized with my studying. Is it better to follow Genki and use the Genki progression? Or is it better to just keep pushing at the full N5 list?
I feel like I want a good book that I can read along with Bunpro, but I’m not sure what that book is.
Appreciate your input!
I think it’s a good idea to use a beginner textbook to keep things organized. And at that point, you might as well use that book’s path on Bunpro, if it exists. It exists at least for Genki, but I don’t know what else is available for N5.
As a main resource: Go in Bunpro order, look at BP’s structure guide but make sure to also look at the Readings Section and go through most if not all of them for more in-depth information/sentences. Take notes from all of this.
As a supplementary resource: Pick a textbook or other Grammar Resource and as you go through it and take notes, after every half-chapter/chapter, go to Bunpro and add the grammar points for review. Also cross-reference what your notes from your textbook states and what Bunpro/Readings say and see if there is anything more to add.
I’ve done it both ways. Now I use it more as a supplementary source, but when I was just starting out my grammar studies I used in as a main resource since it helped gather all the additional readings in one place.
If you are already using a textbook that you like then I would recommend you just follow along with that. Like @seanblue says, there’s already a path for Genki so it makes finding the grammar points in order, super easy.
I am using Minna no Nihongo as a primary resource. The textbook is written in Japanese, so if I feel I need clarification in English or that I’m missing some nuance, I check Tae Kim’s free online guide.
After completing several chapters, it’s hard to remember what I learned in the previous chapters, especially how to use it / how to conjugate it / special rules. For whatever reason (good or bad), I never look back at previously completed chapters in the textbook.
That’s where I use BunPro. I’m following the Minna path, and right before or after I study the textbook I do my BunPro reviews to keep all this stuff in my memory.
In my opinion, this is the path of least resistance and frustration.
I was also wondering the same thing about what’s the best way to use this.
I’ve been using Genki and have been pretty happy with it so far. If you’re not using it already then I’d recommend it because I know I’d feel lost without it at this stage.
I just finished Genki I and I’m now a couple of chapters into II but I noticed a lot of the grammar concepts in II are N4 according to bunpro. Now I’m wondering if I should go back to the bunpro order and do the N5 points in there that weren’t in the Genki order (there are a handful). What do you guys think?
I’m coming at this from a different perspective, I had already been studying Japanese for a few years before I got started with Bunpro, so I used it at first as a review, but then as I have gotten into grammar I don’t know I just use it as the learning tool itsself.
I review every single day, until my review pile is manageable (for me this is less than 40 for today, and less than 40 for the next 24 hours) and at that point I learn 10 more grammar points. I just use the study button and have it set to pull the next 10 grammar points in Bunpro order.
Either I already know it or if I don’t I will then read through the example sentences and see if the pattern starts to set into my mind. If not I will check the further reading and see if I can get extra information. Watch some videos, ask a friend, etc…
After than I just review and have my ghosts set to minimal. Honestly I use the ghosts to really hammer in the word itself, and allow the new sentences to test me on the usage. At first Sometime I just memorize the sentence which I don’t really mind, because sentences I memorized I find I will get wrong in the 2-3 month gap around SRS 7-9. And then I can focus on the word that I have hopefully acquired from immersion. While retaining the grammatical nuance.
When it comes around at that time and I mess it up, I review the literature and rinse and repeat. It isn’t really a method to quickly get all of the information into my head, but I don’t really use Bunpro for that.
For those starting out, I like the above methods that others have suggested. But I know some people that will do 100 new grammar points in a weekend, and then just review those for a a few months until they have nothing and do it again. You have to find the pace that woks for you.
Seeing as I also use anki for vocabulary and a bunch of other random books and resources I have slotted Bunpro into what works for me at this time.
Wow, really interesting ways of using the same website!
My method is somewhat similar to @Sidgr
Initially I had evening classes studying Japanese (Genki 1 + 2, and some other books)
Then 2 years break…
1st time using Bunpro ( Jan 2018 to September 2018)
I tried to use Bunpro as a primary resource. I did 5-10 new grammar a day. Sometimes I would do 20+ as I already knew the grammar points or had seen them before. In the end I stopped doing this as I did not enjoy studying this way.
I reset my account.
January 2019 - to now: using Bunpro as a supplement and to fill gaps + nearly daily practice
I have a couple of N3 /N2 grammar books: Kanzen Master, Nihongo somatome+ some drill books.
From time to time, I would find the same grammar point in 2/3 books (+ websites if necessary) + Bunpro and write my own notes in Japanese.
I have covered the books with paper notes to mark which grammar points I have done 
Of course some grammar points are not in Bunpro and vise versa but it works for me.
On Bunpro, I have completed N5, and I am about 40% in N4+N3 and 10% in N2
I review my notes from time to time and use Bunpro’s SRS (mostly) everyday to test me some more
For the rest. Lots of reading in Japanese, Kanji Senpai (android app) for vocabulary / kanji + making my own flashcards with Anki + renshuu.org for vocab + kanji