sunny-green•7mo ago
How Do I PROPERLY Use Migaku? (Silly Question, I Know.)
Hey all! Glad to be here. I'll keep it short and simple, but basically I literally JUST got Migaku and have barely used it, mostly because I don't really know how to. I am unsure what the usual process is from the user perspective. Like, in the most rudimentary sense, do I "track" and make cards for literally every word I don't know? Do I make cards for every sentence I don't know? This sounds silly, I know, but I suppose I'm just looking for how others who are successful with Migaku utilize the software to the fullest potential. Thank you all in advance for your help, and looking forward to getting to know some of you guys and your stories! :migachu: :cozy:
(Also for context, I know about 500 Kanji and most essential grammar rules.)
3 Replies
xenial-black•7mo ago
imma just say how i use it lol, i hope this helps:
1- since you know around 500 kanji and basic rules for japanese, im not sure how much the japanese level 1 academy course would help you, but as someone who has had a look at it and plans to learn japanese after perfecting french, id definitely recommend it. It introduces grammar points as you learn vocab and to me it looks like a natural way to learn both at once. the new grammar points that are introduced build up in their points and ALWAYS use words that you’ve already learn to explain them, so it’s very comprehensible. since you already know some grammar and kanji, id probably flick through the course and skip any words/grammar points i already know, and do the ones i dont.
2- migaku with immersion: this is where there’s freedom of range and you can basically do whatever you want to be honest. Assuming you’re watching content and using the migaku browser extension. Most immersion learners and people who have been using migaku for a while would recommend that you should only mine 1T SENTENCES. So sentences where there is only 1 unknown word within it. I remember someone telling me that this fulfills the "minimum information principle" of a flashcard, and maximises its effectiveness.
also, for the new extension, there’s a tonne of user guide videos here on the migaku youtube, on how to set it up and get it working:
there’s also lots of nice people here willing to help so i don’t be shy to ask if you’re stuck!
YouTube
Migaku User Guides
sunny-greenOP•7mo ago
Thank you so much for your reply! This is actually very helpful and quite literally the guidance I was looking for 🙏 I am mainly looking to do the Migaku immersion thing and was just curious on how people use it. Your method of creating flashcards where sentences have only one unknown word within them I think is very smart! Thank you for taking the time to write this out 🔥
rival-black•7mo ago
The core here basically is: Watch stuff you like, look up words. That's basically the most important thing for language learning: Just reading / hearing a message and understand what it wants to tell you.
What you do beyond that is dependent on your own tastes. You don't have to create vocabulary cards, but they can help. Especially with remembering words until you see them in a new context again.
You don't have to use i+1 sentences (sentences with 1 unknown word), but they are the most efficient way to learn.
In general I wouldn't stress too much over the "right" way. As long as you focus on immersion with lookups, you will most likely be fine.