How Sara Gained Confidence Speaking Japanese | Step Up Japanese Student Interview

Sara joined Step Up Japanese wanting one thing: more confidence speaking Japanese. Although she had studied on and off for years and knew some Japanese, she found that her mind went blank whenever she tried to speak.

After completing my beginner course, Sara shares how regular conversation practice helped her start using Japanese more confidently, including her favourite question for starting conversations!

In this interview, Sara shares:

• Why she wanted more speaking practice

• How conversation classes helped her gain confidence

• Her favourite question for starting conversations in Japanese

• How she practises Japanese outside class

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Watch the video, or scroll down to read a transcript:

“I knew the question, but as soon as I would go to say it to someone, my brain went blank. So I was like: ‘I need to practise!’”

Why did you start learning Japanese?

I’m a long time anime fan, basically I started watching it as a teenager, and always found little bits online – back when downloading PDFs was a thing I got a hiragana and katakana chart for a dollar online, and printed them out, and I was quite excited about it, and kind of did all bits and pieces but never actually was able to keep on it, and that’s when I chose to come to classes.

I really wanted the speaking practice, which is what I was very much missing.

And as I found out when I went on holiday there to Japan, I knew the question, but as soon as I would go to say it to someone, my brain went blank. So I was like: “I need to practise!”

I’m getting more confident in my speaking, and I’m learning more words.

“And then you think ‘I’ve just spoken in Japanese for ten minutes!’”

What are the classes like?

It’s informal chat at first, and then you give us a good idea of what we’re going to do that day, and how long it’s going to be, so we’re mentally prepared for what we’re doing.

It’s a lot of talking which is quite nice, it’s not you standing [at the whiteboard] and going “and this means this, and this means this”. It’s actually putting it into practise, and having things to talk about with people.

I do like the ‘Free Talk’ section, as well – we’re getting there. It’s hard. I’ve learned a question, and I always open with that question:

週末は何をしますか。(Shuumatsu wa nani wo shimasu ka? What will you do at the weekend?)

Then your partner has a few extra questions, and they kind of push you to go a bit further.

And then you think “I’ve just spoken in Japanese for ten minutes!”

How do you practise Japanese outside of class?

Out of class it’s mostly writing, so I tend to use the apps, like duolingo and memrise, and then I’ve just got folders where I try and write things down to cement them into my head. And then hopefully I’m going to start practising kanji as well.

So [outside of class] it’s more reading and writing, and then class is more, chatting and learning vocab, and taking that home with me.

Will you be using your Japanese in Japan on your upcoming trip? How will that be?

A bit easier now. I think I’ll feel more confident going into a shop and asking for things we’re looking for. When you go in and everything’s labelled up with kanji, you feel a bit…

But it will help me more, when I go to Tower Records and I’m looking for things via alphabetical order. I know hiragana now, so I can look for the ones I want.

“It’s not like school, where everyone’s like: ‘Don’t make a mistake.’”

How does it feel when you use Japanese to communicate with someone?

It’s rewarding, actually.

It’s one of those things where, it’s quite hard at first and then you push yourself.

That’s one of the things I like about the classes, it’s not like school, where everyone’s like: “don’t make a mistake, don’t say anything if you don’t know exactly 100% what it means, or what it is. Whereas we’re just, nope, we’ll just say it. If it’s wrong it’s wrong. I think we’re right most of the time.

How was today’s class?

Very good vocab practice. I did something that, I’m not entirely sure why I made Jaye [Sara’s classmate!] laugh so much, but he found it very entertaining whatever it was I said. I quite like that game. It was funny.

And I still remember the new word from last week which was shippo (尻尾, tail).

Ok, let’s talk in Japanese!

日本に行ったことがありますか。(Have you ever been to Japan?)

東京行きました。 (Toukyou ikimashita = I went to Tokyo.)

たくさん歩き[ました]。(Takusan arukimashita = I walked a lot.)

何を食べましたか。(Nani o tabemashita ka? = What did you eat?)

ラーメン、カレー、キットカット。(Raamen, karee, kitto katto = ramen, curry, and kit-kats!)

どうしてステップアップジャパニーズで日本語を勉強しようと思ったんですか。 (Doushite Step Up Japanese de nihongo o benkyou shiyou to omotta n desu ka? = Why did you decide to study Japanese at Step Up Japanese?)

話す練習をします。(Hanasu renshuu o shimasu = To get speaking practice.) 

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日本語のレッスンはどんな感じですか。(Nihongo no ressun wa donna kanji desu ka? = What are the lessons like?)

皆さん楽しい。(Mina san, tanoshii = Everybody is fun.)

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Would you recommend Step Up Japanese?

I think Step Up Japanese is a really good way to go, it’s really good practice, it’s a really relaxed atmosphere, and Fran’s such a good teacher. 

I have fun, and then I go home and think: “right I’m gonna do this!” I feel motivated to keep going at the weekends.

Thanks very much to Step Up Japanese student Daniel Sheen for making this video! I edited the Japanese slightly in the transcription of some of these answers for clarity.

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