Vobabulary Lists - which tools do you use?

[Kobukuro]

Hello!

I wanted to creat vocabulary lists - flashcard based would be great. Because I haven't found, how to make it with "MyWordBank" (I guess it is not possible), I am wondering, what kind of tools you use ? MyWordBank is full of vocabs, with some of them I feel very familiar, with other I have problems. For seperating them I thought, special lists would be a good solution. Of course I can write down the vocabs on papercards, but I prefer my PC somehow.

Thanks in advance!

[Javizy]

Anki is the best flashcard application I've come across. It lets you select how well you remembered something, rather than simply if you got it right or wrong. This means that you see difficult cards sooner, and easy cards much later. There's an implementation for iPhone/iPod, but as a Safari database rather than an application at the moment. You can access it through the website, so if your mobile has Internet access you can use it on that whenever, and of course on any PC.

[Kobukuro]

Wow, that was a really quick reply ! Thank you Javizy!

I have heard about Anki, but someone told me, that it is difficult to use. But I have to admit, that your explanation about this program sounds great and it seems to be exactly the program, I am looking for.

I guess, I should have a try !

[Javizy]

I've never had any problems with it, and I'm pretty sure it's well documented if you need any help. There's also a Google group where you can ask questions through the website.

After you install it, if you look in the Samples folder, you'll find a number of premade decks. There are also some on the Wiki section of the website. Making your own ones is as simple as typing in the Japanese, and then typing in the answer. It gets a bit more complicated if you want to create your own models, but I can't see why you'd need to do that.

If you're focusing on vocabulary, I'd recommend having the question side of the card as an example sentence containing the word you want. Knowing an English/German translation is one thing, but understanding how to use it in Japanese is another. Try this website or a simple Google search for some example sentences.

[Kobukuro]

An example sentence... what a great idea! I recognized, that I am able to remember vocabs much better listening to the lessons, because they are used in context. For me, listening to the rhythm of the spoken language helps a lot. If I use these sentences in Anki, I may be able to remember hard vocabs more easily too.

Thanks again!

[Kobukuro]

Well, Anki really doesn't seem to be that difficult to use!
I can even copy and paste the sentences from the pdf's into the Anki-Flashcards !

[gerald_ford]

Well, Anki really doesn't seem to be that difficult to use!
I can even copy and paste the sentences from the pdf's into the Anki-Flashcards !

Exactly. I like taking the lesson notes from JPod101 and copying the vocab into Anki, which is really specialized for memorization/learning-curve study. Best of both world, I believe.

Also, I think Anki's video tutorial is really spot-on and helpful. My Mac version differs somewhat than what the author displays (features are in different areas), but after watching the videos, I found myself very comfortable with Anki.

[Kobukuro]

Yes, after some hours I have spent now with Anki, it really is the program I needed. And to copy the sample sentences from JapanesePod101 makes it very easy and I feel familiar with them. To make own cards is a great pracitce too !

First I go through the JPod lesson and at the end I create the cards I need!
Everyone who hasn't try it so far, should really try Anki !

[bogart96]

Flash cards didn't work so well for me in the end. On the other hand, I liked jpod's idea of video vocab for the iPod very much. I thought I'd just develop this into a tool of my own. Here is an example:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 8134667065
(it will make more sense to you if you are German)

The advantage is I can throw into these videoclips grammar, kanji pics with stroke order & readings, any number and length of sentences and vocab, audio ... whatever. Creating them (with WindowsMovieMaker) doesn't take much longer than making flashcards. I can review on the PC or on the iPod when I'm in the bus or train (and I spend lots of time waiting for or riding on buses and trains). With iTunes I can keep track of the date and times I have reviewed each clip. It's an all-in-one solution (I love all-in-one solutions!) and reviewing this way has become real fun.

The kanji pics with readings and translations are from http://lingweb.eva.mpg.de/kanji/. For a dictionary I use mostly www.wadoku.de.

Regards from Möchengladbach to Hamburg

[percent20]

I recommend iknow. basically it takes the concepts of SRS in anki and mnemosyne except it takes out your choice of 1 through 5 in place of testing your comprehension. There are several things available by the iKnow website itself, but you can also create your own lists. Or search through all the other lists that are available. I have yet to need a list that doesn't exist yet. The best part is it incorporates sound too. It looks good and is browser based so you don't need to be at your computer to use it. It also has several differen metrics to help you figure out the best studying for you.

I recommend checking it out. I stopped using anki for iKnow since it is the same thing just better.

[Kobukuro]

@percent20:
I have tested iknow today, but for me it seems to be not so clear to use. The audio-feature is great, but there is no explanation in the example sentences (polite, informal speech) and even the grammar and vocabs are very difficult to handle for a beginner.

@Mönchengladbach :
I am missing the great music, JPod is using for their video-Vocabs ! How long does it take to make such a video? It couldn't be the same time I need for an anki-flashcard. Is it possible to make changes in those videos, after they are fixed? Sorry, but I am not familiar with making videos.
(PS: Eigentlich ist's eher Pinneberg als Hamburg, aber das kennt eh kaum jemand )

[wccrawford]

@percent20:
I have tested iknow today, but for me it seems to be not so clear to use. The audio-feature is great, but there is no explanation in the example sentences (polite, informal speech) and even the grammar and vocabs are very difficult to handle for a beginner.

The Core lists do indeed have a steep curve. I would recommend starting with some other lists first. The lists that are made from 2001 Kanji Odyssey have a lot of low-level vocab and also get your kanji readings up pretty quickly.

http://www.iknow.co.jp/lists/47378-2001 ... t-01-01-90 This is the first of them. Just click on the author's name and then his lists tab to find the other compilations. It's a group effort, but Nukemarine has been spearheading it, so he has the compiled lists attached to his account.

I did Core 1,2, and part of 3 before we started the 2001ko lists. Working on it made the rest of 3 and what I've done on 4 quite a bit easier. I highly recommend it first now.

BTW, I find that iKnow is amazing for getting started with vocab, but Anki seems to be the way to go to keep up with it. There's an importer for Anki/iKnow so that you can take your completed items and keep them in Anki for future study. I haven't actually started doing that yet, but I will be very soon.

[Kobukuro]

wccrawford, thank you, thank you, thank you ! I will try your suggestion !

[bogart96]

@Mönchengladbach :
I am missing the great music, JPod is using for their video-Vocabs ! How long does it take to make such a video? It couldn't be the same time I need for an anki-flashcard. Is it possible to make changes in those videos, after they are fixed? Sorry, but I am not familiar with making videos.
(PS: Eigentlich ist's eher Pinneberg als Hamburg, aber das kennt eh kaum jemand )[/quote]

Don't bother with this if you're fine with flashcards. Why should you, anyway?
But to answer your questions: Yeah, I too miss the music I was just too lazy to go and find something suitable. Some of my videos have spoken audio tracks.
You can alter the project (if you didn't delete it from the PC, as I used to do in the beginning), and save it as a new video.
Instead of writing on a flashcard I simply write on the text fields of the storyboard (or copy and paste). Pictures are just dragged into their proper place. It takes time, though, to adjust the speed and layout if I want it special.
If I hadn't broken my ankle this January, thus being forced to stay mostly at home for over 6 weeks, I too wouldn't know a thing about video making
(Also jetzt hab' ich Pinneberg doch glatt in Google maps nachgesehen! )