In this article I will explain which of the two languages is better for you to study. Let's see which is more difficult, Japanese or English? Let's also see what their differences are and the advantages of studying both languages.
Japanese? Why Japanese? Why such a useless language? Why not English, Spanish, French…”. This is one of the responses you get from people when you say "i am learning japanese".
For people, English is an irreplaceable language, which is considered more important than any other language. See how learning Japanese can be good for you, and even easier than learning the English language.
Table of Content
Japanese is easier than English
I personally find Japanese easier than English. Some may frighten and contradict my opinion, but this is the reality. In my opinion Japanese is easier than English, which is easier than Portuguese.
The only difficulty with the Japanese language is in writing, but this becomes satisfying when you master most of it. Otherwise, Japanese is a simple and straightforward language, without a lot of grammatical frills, just a little formality.
I personally think English is more difficult for a single and main reason: Pronunciation. Portuguese is much more similar to Japanese in pronunciation, that's why I find it much easier to learn to speak Japanese than English.
Of course, a person will probably learn English faster, but I don't think it's easier. So much so that most Japanese and Brazilians do not speak English properly or even try to learn it.
English is much easier than Portuguese because of its simplified grammar. Japanese is even easier, no plural, no complex conjugations and even writing can make it easier for you to understand a text reading.
The Japanese way of thinking is much more simplified, specific and direct than other languages. Have you ever tried to learn sign language? The Japanese language is similar to the Brazilian sign language.
The benefits of studying Japanese and English
What do you think about studying both languages together? There are many advantages, some mentioned in the article about English, Japanese, and Portuguese, being a perfect combination. Let's review some of these points?
Japan has been westernized recently, so the English language has heavily influenced the Japanese language. Several words that the Japanese did not know were created from the English language, this makes it easier to learn both languages.
It is believed that over a thousand words of English origin written with the Katakana alphabet are present in the Japanese language. Even other languages such as Portuguese, French and Spanish had a strong influence on some words.
If you know Portuguese and want to learn new languages, Japanese and English go well together. By doing this, you will end up realizing that Japanese is much easier than English and see how they go together.
Don't learn a language out of obligation
Ask someone learning English why they are studying the language. She will say things like:
- because i want to have a good work;
- Why do I need to go to college?
- Why my parents force me;
- Because this is a useful language.
- Why is it the most spoken language in the world?
- Others;
If you pay attention, you will see that these reasons are totally connected to something external to you. The motivation of these people to learn English does not come from within them.
They only learn out of obligation. That’s why many try to learn English and fail. They lack motivation, desire, and effort. Those who study japonês generally want to learn for the following reasons:
- Why I like anime;
- Because I like the culture;
- Because I find it interesting;
- Why are Japanese women beautiful?
- Because I want to understand RPGs and novels in Japanese;
- because i have one japanese girlfriend;
- Because I like J-pop (or vocaloid);
All these reasons are connected to a strong feeling within the person, a motivation interior, você! It may seem like ridiculous reasons, but these are things we have a strong feeling for, which greatly motivate us to continue learning.
The word "like" has a much deeper meaning than you might think. I believe liking can be synonymous with "loving", but the word "like" doesn't convey as strong an intensity as the word "amar".
These people are more successful in studying the language. Therefore, learn what you wish and not what others say. I also liked the words of the Korean teacher 바보 (AiLeen), who says:
“If the incentive to do something was genuine and came from the inside out, the chances of the endeavor being a success increase exponentially!”
There is no useless language
People say Japanese is useless, it won't help you at all. However, they are completely wrong! There is no useless language, this idea is absurd.
Every language has some use. The Catalan language for example:
The Catalan language is very little spoken (just over 11 million speakers). Derived from Spanish, Latin and French, it is spoken in Barcelona and parts of Spain and elsewhere in Europe.
What can you do by speaking Catalan? Many things. You can travel to Barcelona, study the origins of Catalan, in addition to studying an ancient language. Catalan was a language that dominated many regions in Europe.
So, remember that to learn a language, we need to have a strong, deep reason. It's not enough to see the language as a mere obligation. By knowing japonês, you can even apply for scholarships in Japan! That would be a unique opportunity.
Of course, English is also essential. Knowing English will open many doors, in addition to helping with the learning of other languages. We also recommend reading our article about online English courses.
The problem is that most people learn this language just out of obligation, and not because they like English. If you don't like English, you will rarely get results!
Anyway, no matter what language you are studying, regardless of the number of speakers of the language, if you have a strong motivation, it will be enough to generate motivation to learn and study it. Good studies ;)
Where to Start?
If you're still unsure about learning Japanese, or don't know where to start, below we'll recommend some books and beginner courses. Remembering that you always have the articles on our site as a wide range of free content.
You can take a look at our article about cursos de japonês online. There are complete courses that resemble a university, while others are cheap and basic, but they help you gain a better understanding of the language.
We have the course of Kenji Sensei that costs less than 150 reais and teaches using Anime and Mangás. We also have one with Monica Velozo, the Clube de Japonês Nihongo Kakumei which costs less than 50 reais monthly, with unlimited content for all levels.