The Rules of the Game

Rule #1 You need to learn the alphabet. This includes the consonant classes,the tone marks and how to work out all the rules. If you don’t do this you won’t ever be able to pronounce anything properly.

Rule #2 You need to be reading every day. Even one sentence is better than being lazy and doing nothing all day.
Do whatever you can handle and there is no need to do it in one sitting. Spread it out over the day. Most days read stuff that
you are already interested in.   Now and then, read other stuff just for variety.

Rule #3 Listen everyday, as much as possible.  Anything that is real language. We want to keep away from manufactured teaching materials as much as possible.
That stuff rarely resembles real langauge.

Rule #4 Setup and USE an SRS. It will make everything easier. I’m partial to Anki at the moment. Learn about SRS’s and how do use them effectively here. Khatzumoto has some great ideas and strategies which work for any language.

R ule #5 Carry a small notepad and write it in all the time.  Sometimes you will hear a word a few times, but it hasn’t clicked yet.  Write it down and find out what it is.  If you are speaking the language and you want to say something that you don’t know yet, write it down and find out how to say it later.  Next time you want to say that particular phrase/sentence, it will be in your pocket.  We don’t have much control over what we remember and what we don’t so write it down!  *Bonus – Keep track of your expenses/meals/daily activities/exercise in the language.  You will quickly get good at spelling the things that you do everyday.