Everything You Need to Know to Speak Japanese Fluently My speaking fluent Japanese…sort of… One of the most common questions I get at Learn Japanese Pod is “How do I learn to speak Japanese fluently?”. The usual problem I hear is that although students study lots of vocabulary and grammar, they can’t seem to put it together to hold even a simple conversation. Fluency seems out of the question. Well, I hear you because I used to be in the same situation. I was really frustrated. However, after a lot of trial and error… and coffee, I eventually began to discover some effective study techniques, strategies and the mindset that actually worked. Now, fluency didn’t happen overnight but my ability to hold natural flowing conversations with my Japanese friends got noticeably better and my progress definitely sped up. So if you are feeling confused, frustrated and your motivation is crumbling, it’s time to get your Japanese back on track. So this is why I decided to make this podcast and guide to show you absolutely everything you need to know to speak Japanese fluently. You can listen to the podcast here where Ami sensei and I discuss this topic in detail. Then keep reading below for more in-depth information with links to useful resources. Podcast Dialog – How to Speak Japanese Fluently Japanese Pronunciation English  A: 先生、質問しても良いですか？  Sensei, shitsumon shite mo ii desu ka.  Teacher, may I ask a question?  B: はい、どうぞ。  Hai dōzo.  Sure, go ahead.  A: どうすれば日本語を流暢に話せるようになりますか？  Dō sureba nihongo o ryuuchō ni hanaseru you ni narimasu ka?  How can I become fluent at speaking Japanese?  B: そうですね。やっぱり教材はもちろんですが、日本のテレビを観たり、日本の音楽をたくさん聴いてみてください。  Sō desu ne. Yappari kyōzai wa mochiron desu ga, nihon no terebi o mitari, nihongo no ongaku o takusan kiite kudasai.  Let me see. Well of course you need study materials but you should watch Japanese TV, listen to a lot of music, stuff like that.  A: なるほど。  Naruhodo.  I see.  B: 私の友達は、日本に住んだことはないですが、そうやって日本語を結構覚えましたよ。  Watashi no tomodachi wa nihon ni sunda koto ga nai desu ga sō yatte nihongo o kekkō oboemashita yo.  I have a friend who never lived in Japan. However, he learned a lot of Japanese that way.  A: 他に何かアドバイスはありますか？  Hoka ni adobaisu ga arimasu ka?  Do you have any other advice?  B: 日本語が話せる友達を作って、積極的に日本語で会話をしましょう。  Nihongo ga hanaseru tomodachi o tsukutte, sekkyokuteki ni nihongo de kaiwa o shimashou.  Make Japanese speaking friends and proactively try to have conversations in Japanese.  A: 分かりました。頑張ります！  Wakarimashita. Ganbarimasu.  I understand. I will do my best. The Secret to Speaking Japanese Fluently Here’s the brutal truth. There is no secret to speaking fluent Japanese. And if anyone tells you there is a magical course that teaches you how to speak perfect Japanese in 3 days, buy a fire extinguisher because someone’s pants are on fire. It takes time, commitment and hard work…and coffee…I mentioned coffee right? Anyway, I can’t give you a magic pill BUT… And this is a big but… I can tell you the dumb things I did so you don’t have to. And that’s going to save you a LOT of time and frustration. Plus there are more efficient and effective ways to study that will further save time. But what do we actually mean by “fluency”? What does “fluent Japanese” mean? Fluent doesn’t necessarily mean native speaker level. To me, fluency simply means you can express what you want to say, clearly, easily and quickly without getting stuck or stumbling over your words. If you can order sushi or do a simple self introduction in Japanese,