Can you learn to speak Japanese but not read?

If I understand correctly, you want to be able to speak and understand Japanese with hearing, while omitting reading and writing. If that’s the case, yes it’s possible, although you would be able to speak and understand the language at a much faster rate if you also included reading and writing in your study.

Is it better to learn to read or speak Japanese?

Speaking is easier and more encouraging than reading Let’s face it – reading Japanese can look like a herculean task for a beginner. This applies to kanji, katakana, and even hiragana. You will have to commit lots of effort to learn it. Furthermore, it may take you several years before achieving your aim.

Can you speak a language but not read it?

Short answer: Yes. Fluency usually applies to verbal communication. Literacy applies to the ability to read and write a language. Therefore, you can be quite fluent in a language, but still be illiterate in a language, especially if the written language is in an unfamiliar alphabet or a symbolic representation.

Can I learn to just speak Japanese?

On one hand, you could just learn spoken Japanese if you plan on briefly visiting Japan and firmly believe that you won’t need to be able to read or write in order to get around. In short, true fluency involves all aspects of the language, including speaking, listening, reading, writing and grammar.

Is Japanese easy to read?

With the aid of helpful tools like readers, dictionaries and furigana, Japanese reading can be both enjoyable and easy. With time, hiragana and katakana characters will become familiar and kanji will work its way into your brain naturally. If you’re not a newbie, all the better.

Is it easier to speak or read a language?

In most cases it is easier to read than speak it because in reading you can take your own time and there is usually no doubt about what word is used. In speaking you need an active knowledge of words, their meaning, and pronunciation. That is just a lot more than a passive knowledge required for reading.