Studying Japanese grammar could be robust, particularly as a self-studying newbie. Conventional strategies of studying grammar sometimes contain a human individual explaining issues to you in a classroom setting, or studying grammar textbooks and internet pages on-line. However finally, your eyes might glaze over from studying a lot! So what then?
There is a treasure trove of channels educating Japanese, generously providing these invaluable, hard-to-grasp-on-your-own grammar explanations totally free.
Whether or not you are studying Japanese by your self or in search of a complement to your Japanese courses, I strongly recommend getting your butt on YouTube. There is a treasure trove of channels educating Japanese, generously providing these invaluable, hard-to-grasp-on-your-own grammar explanations totally free. I solely found Japanese grammar channels after I was learning for the N2, and I want I would taken benefit of them sooner! So for those who’re curious, there are many angelic YouTube sensei ready to clarify particles and sentence construction to you in a approach that matches your studying model.
On this article, I am going to provide you with some recommendation on methods to study Japanese grammar on YouTube successfully, and whether or not you need to watch movies in your native language or Japanese. However if you would like to skip that half, go forward and bounce straight to Ian’s and my suggestions for one of the best YouTube channels for rookies. They will be categorized based mostly on the language during which they’re primarily taught, English or Japanese. We’ll additionally remember to mark when a channel has movies that observe together with a sure Japanese textbook, like Genki or Minna no Nihongo. We tried to solely point out channels which have:
- A great quantity of newbie content material
- Loads of grammar-focused content material
- Clear explanations of grammar factors
However aside from that, this text will embody a number of educating types, from formal graphics on a display screen to informal sit-down with a local speaker to “trainer doodling on a whiteboard.” This manner, you possibly can check out a couple of completely different codecs and choose those that tickle your fancy.
So what are you ready for? Be a part of me in a horizontal, face-down place and plank your strategy to having the goodest grammar. It is one of many few sorts of binge-watching that may add mind cells to your skull, not subtract.
Ideas for Learning Japanese Grammar on YouTube Successfully
You is perhaps questioning how anybody might probably educate themselves on YouTube when there are every kind of marble races, mukbangs, and maze-solving squirrels to distract you. It is true, staying centered is usually a problem! However listed here are some tricks to hopefully give your self your greatest combating probability.
Setting your self as much as tune out distractions and focus, even for only one or two quick movies, will allow you to get essentially the most out of your YouTube studying classes.
I’ve discovered that it helps to make a playlist with all of the Japanese grammar movies you intend to observe later. Bookmark it, or make it possible for while you kind the playlist’s title into your browser, it routinely means that web page. Then, while you’re armed with some free time, a bag of Cheetos, and perhaps a pocket book, go proper to that playlist. Do not cease on the house web page or browse your subscriptions, regardless of how tantalizing they’re! You’ll be able to examine these out after you research, not throughout.
Alternatively, when you discover a channel you actually like, you can dedicate your self to ending one pre-existing playlist of that creator’s movies. For instance, inform your self you may watch two movies a day from Miku Actual Japanese’s grammar playlist, and keep on with it. I used this technique for the N2, and it labored fairly properly! Since I knew I solely needed to spare about ten to twenty minutes a day, it wasn’t too exhausting to maintain up the behavior. And following only one playlist at a time helped maintain me from feeling disorganized and overwhelmed with choices.
In actual fact, you may even need to make a separate YouTube account that is solely subscribed to Japanese studying channels. With out all these slime ASMR movies you are subscribed to in your fundamental account, I wager you may be much more centered on Japanese. YouTube will in all probability begin recommending you different Japanese channels too, so you possibly can fall deeper into the rabbit gap. Simply be sure you do not forget to log into this account recurrently, otherwise you may overlook it exists. 🙁
Setting your self as much as tune out distractions and focus, even for only one or two quick movies, will allow you to get essentially the most out of your YouTube studying classes. Because of autoplay, you may even discover it exhausting to cease as soon as that playlist will get going.
Ought to I Watch Movies in English or Japanese?
Okay, now you understand how I assume you need to research grammar on YouTube. However here is the next step to ponder: Must you watch grammar movies taught in Japanese or in English/your native language? There are high quality channels in each camps, so it actually depends upon your stage of Japanese comprehension.
For my part, the earlier you can begin venturing into studying Japanese in Japanese, the higher. This is perhaps much less scary than you assume — particularly in newbie movies, the academics usually communicate slowly and clearly in order to not lose you. Thus, for those who’ve taken a couple of Japanese courses and/or are conversant in some vocabulary already, you may be capable to perceive greater than you’d count on.
Channels like Meshclass and Onomappu provide movies in Japanese with official subtitles in Japanese, English, and different languages as properly.
Nonetheless, for those who’re a real, from-zero newbie, you may in all probability need to begin with movies taught (or at the least subtitled) in English/your native language and work your approach as much as easy Japanese with no subs. Listening comprehension takes time to construct, so there isn’t any disgrace in beginning out simple.
Undecided the place you stand? Check out each! Strive watching with Japanese subtitles, English subtitles, and no subtitles to see what works for you. Channels like Meshclass and Onomappu provide movies in Japanese with official subtitles in Japanese, English, and different languages as properly. So long as you are not over-relying on subs to the purpose of tuning out the language of instruction, following together with them will nonetheless allow you to get used to listening to the language whereas additionally understanding sufficient to really study one thing.
If you’re excited about watching movies in no-crutches Japanese, how are you aware when it is time? Typically, you are prepared for the subsequent “step up” when it feels simply above your present stage. This implies it’s a must to work a bit to grasp what you are watching, however not tremendous exhausting. So for those who’re feeling challenged in a great way, however not throwing your laptop computer out the window and shaking your fist on the crabigator, you are in all probability in the precise zone.
Our Finest Japanese Grammar YouTube Suggestions for Newcomers
Alright, sufficient babbling about how to observe grammar movies, and onto the “who” and “what.” After mining the depths of YouTube for approach too many hours, I’ve panned out some gold within the type of each Japanese grammar channel I believe is price your time. Some channels we selected have a lot of subscribers, and a few have shockingly few, however all have one thing completely different and precious to supply a newbie in Japanese.
First up are the channels taught in English for some simple listening, advisable by me and Ian. Then, I am going to speak about my favourite channels taught in Japanese, for many who like masochism…I imply, a problem.
Listening to natives will assist your pronunciation and pitch accent sound extra pure, so you are not coming away with any funky accents or well-intentioned errors.
However don’t be concerned, I (brutally) pressured myself to focus solely on YouTubers whose content material is match for rookies. For the needs of this text, that ranges all the best way from “by no means seen a hiragana or katakana in my life” as much as JLPT (Japanese-Language Proficiency Check) N4-ish. Each N5 and N4 comprise fairly primary grammar, so many channels skip N5 and go proper to N4 because the lowest stage they educate. For reference, for those who’re stage 5 on WaniKani, you recognize about 〜80% of N5 kanji/vocabulary, and at stage 11, you recognize about 〜80% of N4 kanji/vocab. You should utilize this metric to assist determine which grammar movies to observe, or simply experiment.
Additionally, as a disclaimer, I’ve tended to incorporate extra native Japanese-speaking YouTubers than non-natives right here. Listening to natives will assist your pronunciation and pitch accent sound extra pure, so you are not coming away with any funky accents or well-intentioned errors.
Anyway, seize some clothespins and a bottle of eye drops, as a result of as of proper now, you are not allowed to blink. You may miss some juicy little bit of grammar educating!
Channels Taught Primarily in English
Need to begin out simple with movies taught in English? No downside — take a look at these overviews of eight completely different Japanese grammar channels that is perhaps up your alley. From pleasant YouTubers who educate from a textbook to creepy robo-sensei placing issues in their very own phrases, there’s one thing for everybody right here.
Particularly for those who’re a newbie, strive a couple of of those channels on for measurement to see how they suit your studying model. Finally you may need to transfer on to classes taught in Japanese, however watching movies in English remains to be a wonderful strategy to begin constructing a robust grammar basis!
Japanese Ammo with Misa
Since launching in 2014, Misa has constructed up one of many largest, most complete, and most well-regarded Japanese language-learning channels on YouTube. Beginning with a “Japanese Classes for Absolute Newcomers” video course collection, Misa’s channel has blossomed into probably the most in-depth references for English-language mediated Japanese tutorial content material.
Past that preliminary collection, Misa has expanded into a variety of of movies, masking subjects in Japanese reminiscent of in-depth guides to particular particles, slang phrases like やばい, generally confused parts such because the utilization of に vs で and extra.
What units Misa aside is the nuance and depth she’s keen to place into her movies. There’s in fact the forty-minute video on among the variations between the utilization of は vs が, a two-part collection on the explanatory use of the の particle totaling almost an hour and a half, and two movies on causative kind totaling simply over an hour, amongst others. Different Japanese studying YouTube movies, particularly these in English, are likely to go a lot shorter, masking primarily the surface-level data and leaving the nuance for monolingual Japanese sources, or for a learner to find on their very own by acquisition.
However by Japanese Ammo with Misa, that stage of understanding turns into accessible to a a lot wider vary of individuals.
Actually, the one flaw with Japanese Ammo with Misa is the group. Since releasing “Japanese Classes for Absolute Newcomers,” Misa has not often put collectively a equally complete course, or in any other case organized their movies into collection or categorizing movies that cowl related subjects. However the movies which are there kind an especially thorough basis of Japanese grammar that may take you fairly far. I would suggest you both undergo movies in reverse-chronological order, skipping something that does not appear related, or just watch the movies on subjects you’d prefer to study. You absolutely will not be upset!
Miku Actual Japanese
One other nice English-language mediated Japanese studying YouTube channel is Miku Actual Japanese. Miku’s movies are typically of the shorter selection, however that is to not say they’re much less efficient. Miku’s movies often current a Japanese grammar kind, give a couple of examples of among the commonest makes use of, and provide a fast check to examine your comprehension. This can be a nice strategy to simply get a grasp of a grammar level you won’t have understood earlier than, or a fast refresher on one thing you might want to evaluate.
Miku makes use of a variety of humor, and is keen on dressing up in costume to partake in solo-conversations by the ability of enhancing. These are humorous interactions, and the humor will help what’s taught to stay in your thoughts higher than only a dry textbook clarification. Moreover, there are occasions the place Miku does a deep-dive on a subject. For instance, not each typical textbook teaches the sentence ending particle っけ, which signifies one thing you are attempting to recollect, however Miku has a nice video introducing this particle!
Moreover, Miku’s begun branching out a bit, providing the true Japanese she mentions within the title of her YouTube channel in numerous settings reminiscent of studying kanji on the road, in particular settings like an izakaya, or by actual conversations which are obtainable as each movies and podcasts, and among the many greatest immersion audio you could find.
Total, Miku Actual Japanese is a good useful resource, particularly for lower-level Japanese learners. Whereas it is not fairly as complete as some sources, the humor and pushing the language utilization past hypotheticals and into actual conditions make this an amazing supply for Japanese learners trying to develop their data of foundational Japanese grammar.
Study Japanese with JapanesePod101.com
Pairing with their extraordinarily standard podcast collection, JapanesePod101 additionally affords an extensiveYouTube channel catalog, that includes hours upon hours of Japanese language-learning content material.
It is exhausting to overstate simply how a lot content material is out there right here, and the sheer vary. To name their catalog “scattershot” could be the understatement of the 12 months (properly perhaps not fairly, nevertheless it’s lots!) As I am writing, JapanesePod101 has 3 completely different livestreams at present going, and sorting their movies by “most seen” will present you a bunch of Japanese youngsters’s songs, in addition to a video promising to show you all of the fundamentals of Japanese in its four-hour runtime, or an eight-hour video that they recommend taking part in to study whilst you sleep. For anybody conversant in JapanesePod101’s podcast, this all may sound acquainted.
Regardless of allll that, there are a variety of helpful movies there. JapanesePod101 actually does not draw back from lengthy movies. They have an hour-long video masking all hiragana and one other masking all katakana characters, plus hours and hours of listening comprehension or dialog follow movies which are tremendous useful. Moreover, there are different useful movies blended in, like their “Ask a Japanese Trainer” collection.
Total, JapanesePod101 has a variety of content material — perhaps an excessive amount of! Whereas a variety of their movies are useful, there are a variety of movies that cowl the identical types of beginner-level content material many times, or movies that simply aren’t so helpful. Even so, by their guides to kana, particles, and listening comprehension movies, JapanesePod101 affords lots to a pupil simply attempting to get the fundamentals down. Simply do not count on to go to mattress and get up fluent anytime quickly.
Natural Japanese with Remedy Dolly
Oh Remedy Dolly. Amongst Japanese language studying channels, and doubtless amongst YouTube channels at massive, Remedy Dolly is one thing of an oddity. Not lengthy after VTubers first burst onto the scene in late 2016, Remedy Dolly was utilizing a digital avatar to place out Japanese language studying content material. Like different VTubers, Remedy Dolly assumes a personality — on this case as a type of robotic to assist educate you in Japanese. The mannequin used is that of a semi-realistic younger lady, and all dialogue is delivered by a voice changer, so there will not be any native Japanese speech right here. The channel can also be probably run by a non-native speaker of Japanese, so maintain that in thoughts!
It is much less and fewer widespread for a studying useful resource to have its personal “barrier to entry” so to talk, however Remedy Dolly stays. From the presentation by graphics and a voice changer, to the thumbnails and video titles, and even the descriptions given, Natural Japanese with Remedy Dolly could be very a lot an “it really works for you or it does not” state of affairs. Some on-line learner evaluations describe Remedy Dolly’s movies as a type of revelation, commenting that by Remedy Dolly’s distinctive supply and explanations they had been lastly capable of perceive an idea that had been troubling them for a while.
Whereas they may not work for everybody, a couple of of their movies appear to be actually fascinating, such because the grammar explanations for もう and まだ, and among the extra summary ideas, just like the Japanese use of kanji, or on the utilization of こと.
Actually, it’s an fascinating perspective, and is perhaps simply the factor you might want to shock you into understanding one thing you are caught on, regardless of the weirdness. However take it with a grain of salt; Remedy Dolly tends to current their approach as the one approach, or as a shortcut to some sort of deeper, more true that means. What’s there’s a precious useful resource, however your mileage might range.
Yuko Sensei
Yuko-sensei teaches Japanese professionally at schools, in addition to by her personal on-line language faculty, Smile Nihongo Academy. Nonetheless, she additionally makes free content material on YouTube. Her channel focuses on grammar, dialog, and particles, with some kanji and vocabulary classes too. A few of her movies observe together with the Genki textbook, and a few are marked by JLPT stage.
Yuko-sensei teaches utilizing graphics on the display screen, usually taken from the category supplies she makes use of to show exterior of YouTube. She additionally often consists of her personal handouts, that are downloadable so you possibly can observe alongside. Her classes are very visible, utilizing cartoons and diagrams to obviously illustrate her factors. This channel has number of content material, from listening follow to Genki classes so as, to Japanese sentence construction. Her movies on particles are particularly standard!
In order for you some movies that observe together with Genki, or are excited about studying from a licensed Japanese teacher on YouTube, Yuko-sensei’s channel may very well be a useful useful resource for you.
NihonGoal
NihonGoal is a YouTube channel by Rose, a non-native speaker of Japanese dwelling in Japan who teaches Japanese grammar, kanji, and vocabulary. Most of her classes observe together with the Minna no Nihongo textbook. She additionally labels her movies in line with JLPT stage generally — you possibly can take a look at her playlist titled “Japanese Grammar Classes for JLPT N5 and N4.”
Her educating model makes use of color-coded graphics on the display screen to interrupt down every level of the lesson step-by-step. For those who’re in search of instance sentences, you may discover a lot of them right here. Rose states that even when you do not have the Minna no Nihongo books, her movies have you ever coated, and it does appear to be true. NihonGoal has a ton of content material, together with each newbie and intermediate-level movies that go all the best way as much as JLPT N3 aligned content material.
Rose’s movies go so as in line with the Minna no Nihongo textbooks, constructing on earlier content material, however you possibly can choose up wherever you need. If you would like to make use of this textbook collection (formally or unofficially) to study Japanese, NihonGoal is a really thorough useful resource that will allow you to perceive the teachings extra deeply.
Shiro Neko Japanese
Shiro Neko Japanese is a YouTube channel devoted to educating easy Japanese grammar in a visible approach, utilizing a cute cat named Shiro. In actual fact, the channel identify, “Shiro Neko” means “white cat” in Japanese. This channel affords a variety of content material, from grammar to pronunciation to themed dialog classes.
Lots of the classes observe the curriculum specified by Genki 1. If you’re utilizing Genki 1 for studying Japanese, this channel could be a wonderful complement. Every video incorporates a dialogue (generally authentic, generally from Genki), together with a breakdown of phrases and grammar. Nonetheless, maybe essentially the most helpful components are the designated “Apply” and “Takeaway” sections present in some uploads. Right here, you’ve gotten a chance to follow what was taught within the lesson in addition to reply content-related questions.
The narration is evident and executed by a native-Japanese speaker. Whereas the general talking high quality is not unhealthy, some viewers might discover it boring or missing emotion. Other than this, romaji is used in all places, so even rookies and learners with none hiragana data can observe alongside.
By way of educating model, whereas easy grammar patterns are laid out properly, some explanations can nonetheless get sophisticated and sound a bit copy-and-pasted from a textbook. For instance, the video titled Conjugate from DICTIONARY kind to TE kind (Verb Conjugation #4) tends to make use of commonplace textbook phrases, like “group 1 verbs.” Additionally, Shiro Neko concocts ingenious “hints” to recollect issues that you could be discover enjoyable and useful, or convoluted, relying in your preferences.
All in all, Shiro Neko Japanese’s classes are very structured, fast, and filled with endearing illustrations. For those who desire a extra textbook-like educating model, however with lovable characters and situations, then you definately may fancy this channel. Whereas removed from a whole Japanese language studying useful resource, it is a helpful complement, particularly for those who’re utilizing Genki.
JpLaunch
JpLaunch is a YouTube channel that teaches grammar, vocabulary, and listening based mostly on JLPT stage, in addition to kanji writing. Sometimes, their movies use solely easy graphics, textual content, and generally memes, with no faces proven. This is likely one of the few channels run by a local Japanese speaker that teaches N5 grammar, together with their “Primary Japanese for Newcomers” collection.
The movies are typically between fifteen and thirty-minutes lengthy, with an in-depth have a look at every subject. The narration is usually a bit monotone, however the explanations are nonetheless very clear and comprehensible. JpLaunch’s best energy is in systematically breaking issues down slowly in a approach that is not too overwhelming.
For the reason that movies are on the longer aspect, this implies they’re additionally capable of showcase a number of completely different variations of the identical grammar level. Their content material is so detailed that you can in all probability use this channel as one in all your fundamental grammar sources. So for those who desire a sluggish, thorough, visually minimalistic educating model, positively take a look at JpLaunch.
Channels Taught Primarily in Japanese
Now that you have perused some movies taught in English, what about movies taught in Japanese? No strain for those who’re not there but, however immersion could be tremendous helpful for upper-beginners to begin getting accustomed to native speech patterns.
I could not write this text with out throwing in a few of my favourite channels taught in Japanese that also have comparatively beginner-level content material (as much as JLPT N4-ish). The primary two channels on this listing even have English subtitles, which you’ll be able to lean on for a bit of further help. So for those who’re trying to dip your toe into studying Japanese grammar in Japanese, listed here are 4 channels with sensei who educate slowly and clearly in Japanese!
Onomappu
Onomappu is a YouTube channel hosted by Hitoki, a local Japanese speaker who can also be fluent in English and Chinese language. The movies typically have subtitles obtainable in a number of completely different languages. Hitoki speaks slowly and clearly about Japanese grammar factors, vocabulary, recommendation for talking naturally, and different subjects associated to language studying. The best way he employs learner-friendly language whereas nonetheless holding his Japanese fairly pure is spectacular.
Watching Hitoki’s grammar movies looks like listening to your good friend kindly clarify one thing that you just did not fairly “get” throughout class. His educating model is partaking and personable sufficient to maintain you hooked, which is perhaps useful when you have hassle concentrating on extra structured content material.
Specifically, his onomatopoeia collection is an actual gem. Hitoki makes use of props, gestures, pictures, key phrases, and copious examples to essentially give a way of what every onomatopoeia looks like from a local speaker’s perspective.
The content material of at the least one of many movies could also be inappropriate for youths, and the host’s humorousness won’t be for everybody. Nonetheless, for those who get pleasure from extra informal, conversational studying, this channel will help you get a greater understanding of some nuances of Japanese grammar and vocabulary exterior of a textbook.
Meshclass
Meshclass Japanese is a YouTube channel with all kinds of content material associated to Japanese grammar, JLPT prep, dialog, pronunciation, enterprise Japanese, interview phrases, and extra. Whereas the movies are meant as a complement to Meshclass’s free and paid on-line programs on their web site, they are a useful useful resource on their very own as properly.
The movies are led primarily by a local speaker named Tezuka-sensei, with a small supporting forged. Most are available at just below ten minutes, holding the knowledge concise whereas nonetheless providing an intensive clarification of the content material and sections to check your data as you go. Tezuka-sensei’s educating model can also be sluggish and clear, with a delicate method.
Moreover, virtually all the pieces in regards to the movies is in Japanese, together with the reasons. This makes them nice for in-depth immersive studying, particularly for folks with some primary data of Japanese already. And for those who want them, most movies have subtitles in lots of languages, so you may in all probability get one thing out of it even if you cannot but observe Japanese speech.
Necota’s Japanese Language Classroom
Necota’s Japanese Language Classroom is a YouTube channel designed for Japanese learners who’re learning for various ranges of the JLPT. Most of her movies are quick, operating between 5 to 10 minutes.
On this channel, a local Japanese trainer, Neco Necota, explains completely different grammar factors. She teaches solely in Japanese, and instance sentences aren’t often translated into English, so you may seemingly want some understanding of primary Japanese to get essentially the most out of this channel. Nonetheless, Necota speaks slowly and clearly, a function well-suited to rookies. She additionally makes use of stuffed animals, illustrations, gestures, and graphics to maintain you curious about watching the video.
In every lesson, Necota supplies a lot of instance sentences, utilizing a easy “__ + __ = ___” formulation to show most grammar factors. She additionally teaches you completely different contexts during which you need to use the grammar whereas incorporating different helpful expressions and vocabulary. This channel will allow you to perceive methods to use the goal grammar in actual life, in addition to study the that means and nuance.
じゃぱすた /Let’s research Japanese
じゃぱすた/Let’s research Japanese is a YouTube channel run by Mana, a Japanese trainer who focuses on listening, JLPT grammar, and dialog follow. Mana’s movies use easy cartoon animations and graphics to actually illustrate conditions the place the grammar is perhaps used. There is not any English used right here, so these movies are actually immersion studying.
For Mana’s best content material, take a look at her にほんご きほん (“Primary Japanese”) collection, then her N4文法 (“N4 Grammar”) movies. Her educating model tends to be textbook-like, grouping verbs into “group 1,” “group 2,” and so forth. Nonetheless, these sections are generally damaged up by the animation segments, the place she acts out tales and does voices for various characters to make it extra partaking.
For those who’re in search of organized, clear tutorial movies to study Japanese in Japanese, じゃぱすた is a good possibility. Amongst all of the Japanese academics on YouTube, Mana does top-of-the-line jobs enunciating and talking clearly for starting learners. You could must lookup some primary linguistic phrases in Japanese although, in addition to be sure you’re at a stage the place you possibly can observe Japanese speech with out an excessive amount of issue.
Japanese Bunpō and Chill
Ah, YouTube… who knew it was good for something aside from being a sofa potato? Now that you have checked out some Japanese grammar channels, I hope you’ve got discovered some extra studying sources so as to add to your rotation. Possibly subsequent time you get caught, you may flip to the YouTube search bar for assist as an alternative of a wall to bang your head towards. Then, in fact, you need to throw on some chillhop lofi beats to settle down/research verb tenses to.
All in all, nowadays, there isn’t any motive to take it out on the structure when there are such a lot of Japanese grammar YouTube channels for rookies on the market. Discover your favourite, marathon their movies till your mind is miso soup, and bask within the glow of your enhanced smarticalness. And do not forget to love, subscribe, and ding that bell for extra completely tubular round-ups on the Tofugu weblog!
