掲示板 Forums - Which languages do you want to learn after Japanese?

Do you have any languages you want to learn when you "finished" Japanese? I know that languages can't be "finished" but for example if you reached a basic fluency. Or are you already learning another language besides Japanese? And have you studied any other languages before?? I've never studied any language before on my own, just French and English in school, so Japanese is my first self-study language and it's definetely not my last! In 1,5 -2 years I want to start with Chinese! 我喜欢中文，你呢？And after it I'll propably go with Italian and Korean. なぜか東アジアの言語が大好きなの~。よかったら日本語で答えてもいいよ！

I don’t really want to learn anything else after Japanese, but if I had the time I would learn Korean. I heard that there are more English speakers in Korea, but is that really true? I’d only want to *visit* South Korea, while living in Japan is my dream! if I forgot English maybe my brain would be able to learn Korean too…

I learned English and some Russian at school. Even after 22 years out of school, I still know some basic russian ( Alphapet, "What's your name?, My name is. I do not understand you. I do not speak russian." and some words like good, bad, red place, "sightseeing attractions"). Unfortunately, as an introvert I did not take the opportunity to talk to my German-Russian classmates (we had 7-8 in our Russian class) at all.

Loved the Japanese language since childhood, but did not know how to learn. So watching Anime and listen to music were the only sources. There was one Anime I watched on VHS cassette which had Japanese subs in the opening... thats how I learned my first Hiragana...just by listening and trying to sing along with the song.

2006, 3 japanese students (not teachers!) held weekly courses of japanese for free - so I joined. Got the basics for grammar and vocab (all Hiragana/Katakana + first 4-5 Kanji) and a book to start. Over time fewer students visited the lessons and the Japanese students went back to Japan. Since I still did't know how to learn (a language) by myself (brute force did not help), Japanese did not progress at all (it more or less went downhill).

2019, I searched for a specific japanese song on YouTube (The Phantom of the Opera). A different song* popped up (Opera)...but liked it. I loved the music and the dance. Looked up the singers and found out, it was a Korean group (Super Junior) at the same time I started to watch Korean shows on Netflix. Now I was hooked and enroled for Japanese and Korean classes in 2020. I am still attending both classes (had to pause in 2023, because of private reasons).

*2022 I found out it was sung in Japanese. Till this day I love the Japanese version more than the Korean one.

(My first ever Korean song I heard was "Because I am a Girl" by KISS, but I do not know when... at least around 2005 ...heard it again 2011 while visiting my Vietnamese friend at home.)

Around N3/N2-level (Japanese) you could start a new language. As you wrote you do not have any motivation to learn French. Maybe the books are available in other languages as well? Do you have a motivation to learn Spanish...maybe a job?

If you have German friends you are at least able to practice/use the language for communication and your motivation would be to be less buged and have a lot of fun with your friends (and maybe search for stuff related to your ancestors). But in the end you will decide about, if and what language you want to tackle.

@Row (KN) With original format you mean to not miss any nuances that possibly could get lost in translation?

Tintin is also avalible in German known as "Tim und Struppi". It was translated into German by the original Belgian publisher.

Learning together is always fun.

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I would like to learn how to speak my ancestors (my Dads Grandmother, his Dads side) minority language as well.

If you are interested: It is Sorbian - sounds similar to Serbian (same language family), but sprinkles either with Polish or Czech (depends of which type of Sorbian you speak).

When I am at home at my dads house we speak our regional dialect a mix out of Silesian-German, High German, Felmish words and some Saxonian.

• Silesian-German --> my Dads Grandparents his mom's side
• High German --> in School (only in lessons, not in our breaks - haha)
• Flemish --> are part of the regional dialect, because of Flemish settlers who came to this part of Germany around 800 years ago.
• Saxonian - my mom (more my grandmother), because my mom also spoke High German

You could use google lens app. But I am not sure how well it works on "older" French.

ASL (American sign language)

ASL is such a fun language to learn I just want to let you know about the YouTube channel ASL Rochelle, she has a series called Sequestered Signing if I recall correctly. It was incredibly useful! I hope you have a good time learning it if you decide to anytime soon

If you actually read this, thanks!

Why shouldn't I read it? Thanks for your and the other peoples detailed answer! I'm always curious about what other people are up to when it comes to language learning! I'm also learning Japanese for fun, for almost 2 years already but I still need a lot of practice. By the way, German is a very useful language to learn. (German here ) It's spoken in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and somtimes in Belgium and Luxembourg too! And about ASL.. I've seen here on Renshuu so many people who want to learn it! That's interesting. Oh and what is Toki Pona?? That's a strange name

Oh and what is Toki Pona?? That's a strange name

Toki Pona is a "newly created" language (around 2001?) it has round about 120 words (I read 137 words?).

you are welcome