I've been actively learning Japanese for 9 years now. Here is what I learned.

What is the most effective way to learn a language? I think it's probably the one that works for you. For me "exposure" is the key to learning any language.<br><br>I have been learning Japanese for about 9 years now. I'm currently a Japanese teacher for English natives in Japan. Please don't contact me about language exchange or tutoring as I get about 10 requests a day and I'm on Chambers to socialize and not for work.<br><br>When I first started learning Japanese I used Rosetta Stone, attended classes and worked with a tutor. My Japanese was bad. <br><br>When I moved to Japan it instantly got better. Being exposed to Japanese daily made it easier to learn. Eventually I had to stop taking classes because my teachers were going to easy on me and I needed more of a challenge. I hired a tutor and she pushed me to my limits. <br><br>I now have near native fluency. I have learned that even if you are fluent you still have a lot to learn. I also learned that learning a language takes a lot of time and effort. <br><br>So what's the best way to learn a language? Think about it this way. Would you learn to drive a car by reading a book, watching a video or by actually driving a car? You should immerse yourself as much as possible. Learning a language in the classroom is nice, but if you don't speak it outside of that classroom you are just wasting your time. <br><br>Learning a language takes a lot of time and dedication, but it's worth it. Good luck everyone.