The benefits of learning Japanese
LikeJapanese has become one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. Little by little and with the help of globalisation, it has managed to reach all parts of the world. That is why many people have started to ask how to learn Japanese and why. More and more people are taking Japanese classes and value it as a language.
Is it useful to learn Japanese and what are the benefits? The truth is that it is a language that has many advantages for the future. Although it may be quite an ordeal to learn Japanese from scratch, with perseverance and motivation you will become fluent in the language.
There are millions of free online courses on Japanese for beginners, in case you prefer to explore it on your own. If not, you can always take the plunge and hire a private Japanese tutor or learn Japanese at a language school. The possibilities are many, and all viable.
But before you jump into learning Japanese, let's take a look at the benefits. There are benefits on three main levels: academic, work and personal.
Benefits of learning Japanese academically
Initially, Japanese will give you a number of advantages over your studies. It will lay the foundation for later on and give you more general knowledge. Here are two reasons why you should consider learning Japanese.
- Japanese culture has a lot of history. Inevitably, when you learn a language in a class, its history is taught. Japanese is closely related to the West, especially in the 20th century, so to deal with Japanese culture is to deal with world history. In addition, Japan has some of the best films in the history of cinema, such as Akira Kurosawa's The 7 Samurai, where you can practise your language skills and learn about history.
- Ease of learning things. Learning languages shapes your brain, especially if it is a language with a totally different language. You will become more agile and understand better the language structures not only of your own language, but also of other languages you may learn.
What does Japanese bring to the workplace?
Nowadays, you need to have more than two languages. The formula is usually the original language, English, and one more. What is the value of learning this third language? Well, Japanese has all the numbers to be a good option as a third language.
- Valued language. Firstly, Japanese is a highly valued language in companies. Many have clients in Japan or branch offices, so if you like to travel, become that person.
- You set yourself apart from the rest. The job market is very difficult, so we have to give incentives to those who hire us. And Japanese is that language that no one else has, so it can be an avenue worth investing in.
- The language of the future. Chinese, Korean and Japanese are languages that are becoming more and more popular. They are the languages of the future, as their countries have greatly boosted the technological sector. As it is a sector in constant evolution and key in the 21st century, sooner or later we will all have to learn one of these languages. Why not get a head start and stay one step ahead?
As you can see, Japanese can add a lot to your CV. In such a competitive world, we must have the tools to survive in it. So, if you need to, start looking for private Japanese lessons or find a good language school.
Benefits of knowing Japanese on a personal level
On a third level, Japanese brings benefits on a personal level. In other words, it will make our leisure time more fun. Many people are interested in the Japanese world through its works: films, anime, manga, books, even the island's cuisine.
- Travelling. Learning Japanese is very useful if you want to visit the island. It will also be a good way to put your knowledge into practice.
- Reading: Are you familiar with the novel 1Q84 or Kafka on the Shore? Both were written by the Japanese Haruki Murakami. In addition to its well-known literature, Japan is also successful because of its manga. They reinvented the comic format and have millions of fans all over the world.
- Audiovisual. We have already mentioned Kurosawa's filmography in this post, but Japan has one of the largest animation industries in the world. Studio Ghibli has been compared to Disney on many occasions, and anime has become a product consumed by many people. The quality of their works and the stories they tell have attracted adult audiences as well as children.
If after reading this post, you have a tremendous desire to learn the language, and you don't know how to learn Japanese, we give you some tips. There are many ways to learn something, the most important thing is passion and making the effort not to give up. And even more so with Japanese, as it is complicated, and we can hardly put it into practice in our day-to-day lives.