Output progress - output practice recommandation?

Japanese
#1

I just came back from a 3-week trip to Japan, and I was very satisfied with my output level.
To the point where people were constantly asking me how long I’ve been living in Japan or what kind of work I do there (I’m a tourist).
I didn’t get nihongo jōzu’d even once during this trip, but somehow I achieved the nihongo perapera treatment lmao.

My output routine looked like this:

  • one Preply lesson per week to build confidence in my speaking (stopped because it’s expensive)
  • trying to create my own sentences whenever I encounter new vocab/grammar (I don’t do that consistently though)
  • asking ChatGPT to make me translate short sentences from my native language into Japanese (this worked really well for my spontaneity)
  • native content (NOT ANIME) to catch real conversation flow and natural quirks (very important if you don’t want to sound like an anime character when you speak, especially if anime is your main listening input lol)
  • I never did shadowing.

After building enough confidence, I started going to Japanese language-exchange events in my city. I was terrified at first and felt humbled because most people there had actually lived in Japan (working holiday, international students, work visa), whereas I had never lived there at all.
Eventually I made some Japanese friends and we started hanging out weekly. That skyrocketed my output level.
But it still felt like I was only using my N4/N3 vocabulary (the stuff that’s permanently burned into my brain), even though I’m currently studying for N1, which is very frustrating.

I want to try using more complex words and grammar instead of relying on my old habits.

Last week, I was talking with an okonomiyaki cook in Hiroshima and a salaryman customer. We chatted about Japanese geopolitics and history for about 2.5 hours. It was really challenging, and I realized that whenever I need to think about vocabulary or grammar, my Japanese suddenly sounds extremely textbook-y.
The conversation was great because we had different political opinions. It’s very unusual to talk about politics in Japan, so I’m really lucky to have experienced that.

I also realized that Japanese television is a goldmine for immersion. But I have no idea how to watch Japanese TV in my country. If anyone has an answer, it would help me a lot.

Finally, I realized the limits of podcasts. Listening to the Yuyu Nihongo podcast will train you to understand Yuyu, and only Yuyu, but the day you talk in a loud sento with an oji-san with a strong Kyūshū accent, you’ll be completely bamboozled. Podcasts are great, but whenever possible, I’d recommend switching to native-oriented content. The gap between podcasts and real native content is insanely huge.

In the future, I’ll try to force myself to talk about topics I’m not very comfortable with. First, I’ll talk to myself in a podcast-like way, then I’ll try to bring the topic up when I’m with my friends (if they’re comfortable with it).

Do you also have an output routine? If yes, what does it consist of?

11 Likes
#2

I’m way more of a begginer than u lol, but I like to use ChatGPT for sentences and explaining grammar and similar vocab, and I like to listen to podcasts and mine words that I dont know into my Anki deck. I also do a core 2k deck

#3

Good job with your trip man! Yea, podcasts are great in the beginning to get used to a lot of things but then you come and BOOM, accents and slang and even speed all vary greatly. Its one of those things that is difficult to explain like, getting used to the way ONE person speaks is not the same as being able to understand everyone.

Anyway, I live in the Sun land, so my output practice sits around going to the bar, which is a struggle because every so often we get into topics with vocabulary I know nothing of. And the owner speaks some English and wants to practice with me, so sometimes I get lots of practice and other times its all English.

I do shadow my anki though, and even my co-workers(although they dont know lol). I also go to Yoga weekly and talking with the ladies there helps out. Ive been trying to ask more people for their recommendations when I go places and why.

I feel like this is A LOT of daily vocab though. Granted I typically dont have deep meaningful talks about this or that, but for the vast majority of small talk its all N4/3 level.

Without knowing where you live Netflix has a few shows that are Native Japanese, along with all Netflix produced shows should also have the Japanese dubbing. But I dont watch as much as I should probably so I cant recommend to much out of that.

I tell my students all the time to find content on youtube of the sports they like or their hobbies. So ive been trying to watch some Japanese streamers and put them on in the background. I actually enjoy watching Pekora when she plays shooting games because its devolves into simple japanese commands and the such.

But sometimes finding new people is such a hassle because of the commitment of watching. I also enjoy gunpla but most of the japanese gunpla youtubers either dont talk or use that gross sounding T2S.

3 Likes
#4

I haven’t started Japanese TV yet (haven’t watched TV in any language for many years), but wouldn’t something like abema.tv with VPN work for any country?

1 Like
#5

I found the solution on Reddit:
Download and install VLC player.

Then click file → open network stream → and paste this address: https://iptv-org.github.io/iptv/countries/jp.m3u

To change channel, you need to go view->playlist, that will display all channels (some will work, some wont - results depends on servers so may work now and not later).

Lots of channels, but not stable or consistant. Also ONLY LIVE, no playback

But its free and it works…off and on

6 Likes
#6

My output practice is ranting about people in japanese to anyone who will listen. Really good practice at bars. Highly recommended.

I hear that shadowing is also very good for learning how to output well, but I’ve never seriously tried. Maybe get an audiobook or something and give it a go? I don’t know but it’s what I’ve heard.

Overall, yeah n4-n3 is pretty regular stuff. Anything beyond that is more scholarly. but at the same time (I’m sure you already know) vocab/grammar in real life don’t have a “JLPT” level so it may just be better to not worry about what level you’re talking at so long as you’re comprehensible. Though if you really wanna get fancy, just write speeches and practice reading them aloud. I’d figure that would work well for “expanding your sophisticated lexicon.”

#7

WOWWWWW!! #goals #inspiration
I definitely still struggle with output. I’ll keep plugging away because, as I always say, I’m better now than I was last year. I did get nihongo jōzu ’d but unfortunately couldn’t understand the rest of what they said so didn’t know how to respond.
This isn’t the first time I read here that someone is using AI for practice. What prompt do you use? I don’t use AI on a daily basis so I may need more details.

#8

I usually use a prompt similar to this :
Hi there can you help me practice my japanese ? I’d like to practice sentences that can be used in daily conversation, I want you to give me 5 sentences to translate from english to japanese using grammar and vocab up to JLPT N2, once I’ve answered can you correct me on my answers and maybe give me alternatives if the japanese I used was not natural ? thank you

I then try to aim the algorithm toward the point I’m struggling (let’s say I couldn’t use correctly one grammar point, I’ll then ask AI to focus on that specific area before going back to normal)

Get creative !

3 Likes
#9

Thanks so much!