🧭 WEEK 1 - Overview
Let's go! This week is about mastering survival grammar, basic sentence structure, katakana cleanup, and starting your Japanese mouth muscle training (pronunciation + shadowing).
Theme: Survival Conversation + Grammar Core Level Focus: JLPT N5 Textbook Focus: Minna no Nihongo I – Lesson 1 & 2 Other Tools: BunPro, Anki, Shadowing Book, Katakana drill, listening content
🎯 WEEKLY GOALS:
| Skill | Goal |
|---|---|
| Grammar | Master 8–10 N5 patterns (Minna 1 & 2) |
| Vocabulary | 100–150 N5 words (Anki) |
| Kanji | 10–20 basic kanji (numbers, days, pronouns, etc.) |
| Katakana | Full recognition without struggle |
| Listening | 30 min/day (slow Japanese, YouTube, or textbook CD) |
| Speaking | Start shadowing + sentence creation |
| Writing | Write 5–10 simple sentences/day |
🗓 WEEK 1 DAILY TIMETABLE (4–5 hrs/day)
| Time Block | Task |
|---|---|
| Morning (60–90m) | 📘 Minna no Nihongo Lesson 1–2 grammar + dialogue practice (Study grammar points + repeat aloud) |
| Midday (30m) | 📱 Anki vocab review (50–70 cards/day, N5 deck) |
| Afternoon (60m) | 🎧 Listening: "Comprehensible Japanese", Minna CD, or Nihongo no Mori (shadow 1–2 sentences) |
| Evening (60–90m) | ✍️ Workbook exercises + Shadowing practice (5 mins listen → 20 mins repeat aloud) |
| Optional (30m) | 🎮 Fun immersion: Anime with JP subs, Slice-of-life YouTube, or podcast |
📘 GRAMMAR TARGETS – WEEK 1
Focus using Minna no Nihongo Lesson 1–2 + BunPro (N5)
| Grammar Point | Usage Example | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 〜は〜です | わたしはエンジニアです | Basic sentence |
| 〜も〜です | たなかさんもエンジニアです | Use “も” instead of “は” |
| 〜の〜 | わたしのなまえ | Possession |
| これ・それ・あれ | これはペンです | Demonstratives |
| この・その・あの | このほんはわたしのです | With noun |
| 〜さん／〜じん／〜ご | たなかさん／インドネシアじん／にほんご | Polite titles |
| 〜は〜じゃありません | わたしはせんせいじゃありません | Negative form |
| 〜ですか？ | これはノートですか？ | Question |
| はい／いいえ | はい、そうです。／いいえ、ちがいます。 | Answering |
🧠 VOCAB FOCUS
Use Anki N5 Core Deck or Minna’s vocab list (Lesson 1–2)
Target: 15–20 new words per day Topics: Personal pronouns, occupations, countries, greetings, classroom objects, basic verbs
🧻 KATAKANA CLEANUP
Goal: Get 100% fluent reading katakana words
How:
- Review full chart (morning)
- Anki Katakana deck (recognition drills)
- Read katakana-heavy labels (tech, food, apps) daily
- Practice writing 10 katakana words/day (e.g., コンピューター、パン、スマホ)
🗣 SHADOWING PLAN (PRONUNCIATION + FLUENCY)
Materials: “Shadowing: Let’s Speak Japanese vol 1” or YouTube equivalent Time: 20–30 mins/day How:
- Listen first (no text) – 1–2x
- Listen + repeat (with audio)
- Listen + repeat (without text)
- Record yourself and compare
✍️ WRITING TASKS
| Day | Task |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Write your intro: わたしのなまえは... |
| Day 2 | Write 3x この・その・あの sentences |
| Day 3 | Write Q&A pairs: これはなんですか？ それは〜です |
| Day 4 | Write a self-intro for your imaginary coworker |
| Day 5–7 | Combine vocab + grammar to write 5 daily scenes (e.g. in class, on train, at work) |
🧠 MINI-MINDSET CHALLENGE
- Every day, narrate what you’re doing (in Japanese) out loud. "いまはコーヒーをのみます。これはあたらしいカップです。"
✅ WEEK 1 CHECKPOINT (Sunday)
Ask yourself:
- Can I introduce myself, ask someone’s job/nationality?
- Can I say これは～です / じゃありません clearly?
- Can I read katakana without pausing?
- Have I done 5+ minutes of daily speaking out loud?
If not, repeat/practice missed points before starting Week 2.