Nope!
English was so easy to pick up because I consumed so much English language media that it completely fucked me when it came to taking French and Spanish.
Do you watch Japanese shows / movies with Japanese subtitles?
this post was submitted on 23 Dec 2025
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ADHD
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Yeah, and I also have been supplementing my reading with recorded audio whenever possible, too. My listening skill keeps lagging behind, though.
I wish dedicated listening didn't frustrate me so much.
Oh, I am also learning a difficult language (Polish).
I did find a couple of things that can be useful:
- Buy a dictionary Japanese - (your native tongue), use it to look for unknown words, do not use your phone, alternatively buy a Japanese dictionary and search for the word meaning.
- Maybe you already are, but opt for language classes with a medium size group (less than 8 preferably).
- In my case my girlfriend is Polish so I ask her from time to time for some specific sentences I may use, if this is not your case, I think a few Preply lessons could help with a native speaker.
- Memes, for some reason I picked up on the language faster through memes, if you are already struggling it helps to “relax” and check for something on the phone, also the words used there are the ones that natives actually use.
- Last one is, use your medication, I have 2 pills, one that lasts 5-7 hours and one that acts immediately after taking it, but last maximum 2 hours.
Happy learning 😇
I'm learning danish while living in Denmark. I have terrible ADHD. I think the biggest two things I've found that's helped my pronunciation and helped a lot with understanding casual spoken speech has been a) singing together with others. I think the dopamine and activeness of trying to predict how a line will be said Vs how people actually sing it shows how words can be changed and chopped up and how they can't (how do people naturally change or squash together syllables to fit the song and/or rhyming)
B) is podcasts. I have found them very good for commuting/gaming. At first they were language learning ones specifically but now its stories, trivia, etc. I still really struggle to listen to podcasts with multiple hosts but im getting there. I think seeing stuff with subtitles is a bit of a trap - i found myself quite reliant on them and couldn't understand anything with them off. Much better to struggle through podcasts bit by bit, pausing where I need, and after a couple of them I was mostly up to speed
Can you already say "rødgrød med fløde"? :p
Also, many Danes will tell you to look for "Kamelåså" on Youtube, but if you haven't had that experience yet, I highly recommend the short sketch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-mOy8VUEBk (absolutely no language skills required to understand the sketch)
Haha yes. I think I'm a little past that stage now - currently at Christmas with my danish partners family. Able to participate in most of the talk, understand about 80% of what is said and can guess most of the rest. Feeling quite proud! I'll take a look at the sketch !
I'm not musically inclined at all but seeing as how you're the second one to mention music I'm definitely going to try it. I've tried so many other things to help with my listening that a totally different mode might be just the thing.
So, podcasts have been my primary vector for attacking this and it's been brutal. It's possible I've been overthinking it and maybe I should just struggle through as you say, use speed controls, pause frequently. I was doing the following:
- Take a small segment (4-5 minutes)
- Actively listen three times
- Read a transcript
- Listen a fourth time and shadow the segment out loud
Supposedly language learning research backs up this method, but maybe it was just overkill and now that I've done a few more months of adding vocab and grammar practice, I should just try bulk input again to build up input automaticity and simply pause/rewind where necessary.
I'll preface that you're trying a much harder language than me so maybe such a method is truly necessary but for me I didn't do any "repeat X many times" I just tried to understand, and once I knew what was being said, I was happy to move on I never had such a structured method, although I do sometimes write down lists of words or phrases I don't know and ask friends about it or look it up. My phone's notes app is full of them. I don't worry too hard about words that I keep forgetting multiple times, if they're common words they'll come with time.
I try to avoid Google translate/chatgpt, I feel like it's nicer with my physical English/danish dictionary or asking friends, but I understand not everyone has instant access to native speakers.
Just remember that the biggest thing is to keep at it. Time beats all
i don’t know if this has actually been helpful (i haven’t been actively learning new languages due to chronic illness), but i’ve listened to my favorite songs in other languages (disney songs are great for this, probably broadway songs as well)
and when i realize i understand a certain line, i get that sweet, sweet dopamine hit, too
i suspect it’s been somewhat helpful because the languages seem more “familiar” to me, even if i still can’t fully understand them
Yeah, Disney songs actually are great for this, I've never watched Frozen, but I can sing the song in Norwegian.
(and a couple other languages)
The dopamine hit is a real thing!
I've barely touched songs as my comprehension is even worse, but this is an interesting approach. I'll definitely try it. I don't think I've ever tried an audiobook in Japanese of a story I know. Both seem like a good idea.
Playing a bit faster can help, yes.
Have you tried listening to subject that interest you?
Don't know about you, but my mind wanders little if I'm fascinated with something.
If you like anime, then listening to Japanese is easy.