Hello again!

There was an extra post over the weekend where I shared my April recap and plans for May. You can read it here if you missed it.

🥐 French

I’m currently 27% through my intensive reading of L’Étranger, which means I’ve finished the first three chapters. I ended chapter 2 with 91% comprehension and chapter 3 with 92%. My comprehension percentage seems to be going up, as I’m seeing the new words again and again.

Oddly enough, even though my comprehension score was higher for these two chapters, my understanding felt more disjointed because I read parts of it during my commute. Since this is an intensive reading activity where I’m saving and looking up new words, I think I’m going to limit my reading sessions to when I’m home and can focus for longer stretches.

At the same time, I’ve also been reading the graphic novel version in English1. My library had it available, and I thought it would be a good way to check my comprehension. I usually finish a chapter in French and then read the corresponding section in the graphic novel. Since it includes visuals, it’s been interesting to see how many scenes I was already able to picture while reading the French version.

• Current L’Étranger total new words: 310

I also reviewed a few words in my now-growing vocabulary deck. I’m noticing that many of the new words I’m encountering are colour adjectives, such as rougeâtre (reddish). They’re probably words I wouldn’t have learned elsewhere, so I’m glad I’m coming across them now.

🍜 Japanese

This was the first week I didn’t review the previous lesson’s textbook exercises. Life got busy, and I only managed to complete the Katakana homework.

To add insult to injury, the class ended with the teacher asking us random questions in Japanese, so we could practice responding with everything we’ve learned so far.

When it was my turn, I completely blanked. I managed to say “分かりません” (I don’t understand), and after the teacher translated the question2, I was at least able to respond correctly with some mistakes.

I felt pretty embarrassed afterward because I don’t like feeling unprepared, especially in a group setting. The feeling lingered for a few days because it made me feel like I should already know more than I do at this stage.

My immediate reaction was to study more and maybe even complete the next lesson in advance, so I’d feel more prepared. But honestly, none of that is necessary. That’s just my brain trying to ease the discomfort.

In reality, being a beginner means making mistakes, feeling confused, and occasionally embarrassing yourself. The feeling lasted a few days, but I survived it, and I’ll show up to the next class anyway and probably feel embarrassed again at some point. That’s part of the process.

✨Language Wins of The Week

• Feeling like I’m improving my French through intensive reading.

• Read 2 more chapters of L’étranger

📅 Next Week’s Plans

• 🥐 French: Continue reading L’étranger

• 🍜 Japanese: Show up to class despite the embarrassment 🙃

Thanks for being here! See you next week.

🥐 French

I completed two books this month: one from my physical TBR and another from the library. Honestly, I’ve been having a horrible reading year. I haven’t been enjoying many of the books I’ve picked up in English, and it’s been discouraging to spend hours reading only to end up disappointed.

I think it’s time to change things up, which is why I’ll be reading the French book L’étranger intensively in May. I also plan on finishing the three graphic novels/manga I picked up from the library.

Original French Plans for April:

• ✅ Finish reading Le Café du temps retrouvé

• ✅ Start the French Pronunciation Course by Dylane Moreau

  • I’m about 10% through the course

• ✅ Read French Short Stories Vol. 1 & Vol. 2

  • I did start both books, but I haven’t finished either yet.

Sometimes it feels like I rarely complete my goals, but I’ve realized that keeping my plans more flexible, like saying “start ___” instead of “finish ___,” helps me recognize the progress I am making.

May Plans for French:

• Read L’Étranger (complete part 1)

• Start reviewing vocabulary from L’Étranger

• Finish reading 3 graphic novels/manga

🍜 Japanese

April was the month of becoming more intentional with Japanese. I decided to start Japanese classes and stop dabbling. The classes have been going well so far. They’ve helped me consistently set aside time for Japanese, even if it’s just completing Katakana homework or showing up to class.

I was worried my level wouldn’t match the class, but so far I feel pretty on par with the other students.

Japanese April Plans:

• ❌ Review Genki Lessons 1-3 before Japanese classes begin

• ✅ Complete Tofugu Hiragana and Katakana Workbooks

• ❌ Start reading よつばと！Vol. 1 (Yotsuba&!)

  • I have yet to start reading, but I did find a channel that reads through Yotsuba using comprehensible input. I think when I’m ready to start reading, I’ll follow along with the videos.

I underestimated how much time the Japanese classes would take. Since starting them, I haven’t done much outside of class. Realistically, I probably won’t get to reading よつばと！ until the summer, once classes are over.

May Plans for Japanese:

• Continue showing up to class!

📅 May Plans

I think I’m back in dedicated study mode, at least for French. I’m excited to do more intensive study and watch my vocabulary grow through reading.

As for Japanese, I’m taking things slowly and focusing on the bare minimum for now, which is simply attending class and keeping up with homework.

How did your April studies go, and what are your plans for May?

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Thank you for being here! See you on Monday for the next study recap!😊

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🥐 French

Over the weekend, I started reading L’étranger. It was a bit spontaneous, especially considering I still have three graphic novels from the library waiting to be read. I came across a readalong for the English translation (The Stranger) starting in June, and thought it would be the perfect opportunity to read it in French first.

Most of the time, when I read in my target language, it’s usually through English translations. So I’m curious to see what it feels like to experience the story in French first, and then come back to it in English later.

I’m reading intensively with the help of Migaku. After going through the first chapter, I ended up saving 190 new words and achieving a comprehension level of 89%.

It’s been a while since I’ve done intensive reading in French, and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

I don’t have any plans to review the words just yet, but I might revisit them after finishing the book. I’m hoping repeated exposure throughout the text will do most of the work.

🍜 Japanese

I got to see the cherry blossoms during my Japanese class this week. Since they don’t last long, and the cold seems to drag on forever in Canada, the timing felt lucky. It was nice seeing so many people gathered to take photos.

Inside the classroom, things felt a little different. I’ve mostly been relying on class for my Japanese lately. It’s the only study I really have energy for right now, so I’m thankful to have it for consistency.

During conversation practice, my teacher stopped by our table. She glanced at my worksheet and saw that I had already finished the verb conjugation sheet and complimented my handwriting. Instead of continuing with the current lesson, I was reviewing the days of the week, since I had forgotten them.

That ended up leading to a conversation about vocabulary. I mentioned how much harder it feels to remember words in Japanese, especially since our textbook doesn’t use kanji. I shared that my background in Mandarin helps when I do see kanji, since there’s something familiar to recognize.

She mentioned that she’s also been learning Mandarin, but finds it challenging. I always find it interesting learning about the languages other people are studying. There’s something about seeing who chooses to take on something as challenging as learning a language.

✨Language Wins of The Week

• Completed my first intensive reading session of L’étranger (Chapter 1) at 89% comprehension

📅 Next Week’s Plans

• 🥐 French: Continue reading L’étranger + finish the remaining graphic novels from the library

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Thanks for being here. See you later this week for my April language learning recap!

🥐 French

The students have been practicing the song Nous sommes tous comme les fleurs for the end-of-year concert.

For the concert, we’ll be singing three songs. Keeping with the spring theme, I suggested La fourmi m’a piqué la main. On Friday, I wrote out the lyrics and added a few drawings to make reading easier. I really enjoy making visuals like these, and the students seem to appreciate them too.

While practicing, I noticed that for the word “jardin,” I use a more European French pronunciation, while the teacher and the class use a Canadian one.

The pronunciation differences have come up a few times. I find myself naturally adapting during planned activities, but when I’m speaking casually with the students, I default to how I normally speak. Sometimes, they even “correct” me1. Most of the time, I feel confident if it’s a word or phrase I’ve heard often, but there are still moments where I second-guess myself.

I also did one or two lessons from a French pronunciation course and looked more into the “in” and “im” sounds. I realized that what trips me up is how they change depending on their position in a word. Sometimes the “i” stays as /i/, and other times it becomes /ɛ̃/. I found the video in this article helpful for understanding it.

🍜 Japanese

This week was my second Japanese class. The excitement from week one wore off a bit (rush hour traffic is not fun), but once I got there, I was glad I went.

My teacher returned our katakana homework. I was confused at first, seeing so many red circles, until I realized that in Japan, circles mean something is correct.

There was also a moment when my partner stepped out, and I ended up practicing with the assistant teacher. She spoke quietly in Japanese2, and I wasn’t sure what she was asking at first. After a bit of confusion, I realized she wanted to practice, so I picked an exercise, and we worked through it together.

I did pretty well, except for not knowing how to say “address” when asking for an email address. It turns out it’s just a katakana word, which means it sounds similar to English.

The whole point of group language classes is to learn and practice speaking with real people, so while it was awkward, I’m glad I stepped out of my comfort zone.

✨Language Wins of The Week

• Practiced more intentional pronunciation in French

• Created a lyric chart for my students

• Stepped out of my comfort zone and practiced speaking in Japanese

📅 Next Week’s Plans

• 🥐 French: Continue French pronunciation course

• 🍜 Japanese: Stay consistent with homework and speaking practice

Thanks for being here, see you next week!

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🥐 French

With more of my time going toward Japanese, my French has moved toward using the language in real contexts, especially through teaching. I’ve been experimenting with simple speaking activities and finding ways to make French more interactive for my students.

One activity this week was asking students how they were feeling. One student said “Ça va mal,” and when I asked why, he told me he was sad because he didn’t get to eat as many pancakes as he wanted that morning. I didn’t get to have breakfast that morning, so I knew exactly how he was feeling1.

Another student asked me about the schedule for the day, completely in French. A few classmates overheard and insisted she wasn’t speaking French, so I made sure to point out that she was and that they could do the same. Later, they went to ask her what she said, and she was able to summarize our conversation in French.

Unless it’s a structured lesson, students usually default to English, so it’s always nice to see them choose to speak French unprompted.

Outside of work, I’ve been incorporating French into daily life through gaming, which has been a fun way to build vocabulary and comprehension. Tomodachi Life was recently released, and my partner gifted it to me. I never played the original, so everything feels new. I’ve been enjoying the daily interactions and have already picked up a few new words and phrases:

• battre la chamade - to beat wildly (like a racing heart)

• une étincelle - a spark

• vanter - to praise/highlight

• à bon escient - wisely

🍜 Japanese

Last week marked the start of my in-person Japanese classes. I went in feeling nervous about both the level and the format, but it turned out to be a really positive experience. The class level feels appropriate, and I’m already noticing that working through exercises and writing things out is helping build my confidence.

Taking the class with my partner makes it more enjoyable since I don’t have to worry about being paired with strangers. My nerves calmed after everyone had introduced themselves, and I was reminded how nice it is to be surrounded by other language learners. A few of them are French teachers, which was an interesting surprise.

It was a long day balancing work and an evening class, but it ended up being eventful. We explored a Japanese shop2 nearby before class and then had ramen for dinner.

We had one break during the class, which I used to explore the building. I noticed a Martial Arts class in a few rooms, and I realized I had once been there on a Martial Arts school trip many years ago. It’s a bit of a full circle to now be back there, learning Japanese.

✨Language Wins of The Week

• Survived my first Japanese class introductions (basically copied everyone else because I forgot how to give basic introductions, oops)

• Japanese writing practice is starting to click

• Got my students speaking in French

• Started playing Tomodachi Life in French

📅 Next Week’s Plans

• 🥐 French: Create more speaking opportunities (for my students & myself)

• 🍜 Japanese: Stay consistent with homework & keep building confidence in writing

Thanks for being here, see you next week!

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🥐 French

This week leaned more toward enjoyment and exposure than strict studying, so I didn’t end up following through on all the goals I originally set.

I watched lessons 4 to 7 in the French pronunciation course. Lesson 8 is much longer than the others, which is probably why I paused earlier in the week.

I had also planned to read three more stories from my French short stories book, but that plan shifted once I picked up some new books from the library. I found myself much more interested in those, so I started reading them.

I originally went to return a few books, but since it was a branch I hadn’t been to before, I decided to browse, and of course, I couldn’t leave empty-handed. I picked up Yotsuba&! Vol. 4 and 14. I’ve only read Vol. 1, but I’m assuming it’ll be fine to skip around. I’m not too concerned about reading in order. I’ve already finished Ados à deux.

As they say, April showers bring May flowers, and there has been a lot of rain recently. On Friday, the students couldn’t go outside for recess, so I introduced them to T’Choupi. They watched a few episodes before lunch.

🍜 Japanese

My main goal this week was to complete the Tofugu Hiragana and Katakana workbooks, and I did just that! My kana recognition feels much stronger now, and I can recall them more easily than before. Still, I know it won’t fully stick until I’m writing consistently.

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I also watched an episode of the anime Gintama. I’m mostly watching for fun rather than studying, but I’ve noticed I’m picking up new words, and the language sounds much clearer overall.

My Japanese class officially starts this week! It’ll be my first in-person language class. I’m excited, but I also know I’ll probably be drained on class days. Still, I think it’ll be worth it since I’m sure my Japanese will improve.

✨Language Wins of The Week

🥐 French: It’s always nice when my students try to speak French. While I was helping one student with an I Spy worksheet, he asked what object he should find next. I said, “Dis-moi,” and he responded, “What does ‘dis-moi’ mean?”.

He could’ve just said “huh?” or “what does that mean,” but instead he repeated exactly what I said, which means he heard and processed it perfectly.

🏔️ Icelandic: I found Complete Icelandic at a thrift store! I already have the ebook, so I didn’t buy it, but it definitely made me want to study Icelandic again.

📅 Next Week’s Plans

My Japanese classes start this week, so I want to take things easy. I know I can get overwhelmed when something new starts, and I try to overcompensate by being “productive.”

Thanks for being here, see you next week!

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The weekly study logs are officially back in full swing! I’ve really enjoyed writing them over the past month, so I’ll keep them going. Writing each week has also helped me stay consistent in using my language planner.

I use my planner to map out what I want to study and to keep track of what I actually do each day.

A few days ago, I shared my March & Q1 recap, and now that we’re fully in April, I’m starting to put some of those plans into action.

🥐 French

A few months ago, you all voted for me to read Le Café du temps retrouvé, and I finally finished it this week! It feels satisfying to work through the target language books on my physical bookshelf.

I also started Dylane’s pronunciation course. My goal was to get through the first five lessons this week, but I completed three. I’m liking following along with them because the videos are short and informative.

Alongside that, I’ve been using her Short Stories in French book. I’m thinking of turning the new vocabulary at the end of each story into visual vocab lists as a fun activity.

On that note, I’ve also been playing video games in French. One of the most recent was a demo for InKONBINI, which comes out at the end of this month. The audio was in Japanese, and I chose to play with French text. In the game, you run a convenience store. There are lots of little things to read, like the labels on products, and you also get to interact with customers. I found it to be relaxing, and I can’t wait until it comes out.

🍜 Japanese

I definitely turned up the intensity with my Japanese this week. My dabbling days are over, and it’s time to get serious.

This is mostly because I’m officially registered in a Japanese class that starts next week!!

I had a bit of a panic moment realizing how much I don’t know, which sent me into a mini study frenzy. My original plan was to review the first few Genki lessons and complete the workbook exercises.

Everything was going fine until I realized I was staring at a hiragana chart 95% of the time while writing my answers.

I can read hiragana, but my ability to recall how to write it from memory was nonexistent.

I started using the Tofugu Hiragana workbook (I had already begun the Katakana one last month), and it’s been helping a lot with recall. So far, I can confidently write the A, K, S, T, N, and H rows. My goal is to finish both the hiragana and katakana workbooks next week.

Have you ever had a moment where you realized you needed to go back to basics?

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✨ Language Wins of the Week

• Finished reading Le Café du Temps Retrouvé

• Started using my planner consistently

• Humbled myself and went back to practicing hiragana writing

📅 Next Week’s Plans

🥐 French:

• Watch lessons 4-10 in the French Pronunciation Course

• Read stories 4-6 in French Short Stories Vol. 1

🍜 Japanese:

• Complete Hiragana & Katakana Workbooks

Thanks for being here, see you next week!

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March was a great month and really helped round out my first quarter of language studies. In those first few months, I was mostly trying to find my footing and build a routine. I felt a bit lost and wasn’t sure how to get back into studying consistently.

The March Bingo Board Challenge ended up being exactly what I needed. It helped me ease back into consistent study while revisiting old activities and trying new ones. I finished the challenge feeling inspired to create a new language learning framework to keep me motivated for the rest of the year. But before I share that, let’s recap March.

🥐 French

Since French is the language I use most often, I chose it for most of the Bingo Board activities. The board pushed me to do things I usually avoid, like journaling, editing past entries, and practicing speaking/shadowing. It also got me to try new activities, like reading a web novel and playing different word games.

This year, I want to improve my pronunciation and overall understanding of French sounds, so that will be my main focus for April and likely the second quarter. While this goal is mostly personal, I know it will also support me in my work with students who are beginning to write sentences in French.

French Plans for April

• Finish reading Le Café du temps retrouvé

• Start the French Pronunciation Course by Dylane

• Read French Short Stories Vol. 1 & Vol. 2

  • My library had a copy of Vol. 2, so I borrowed it. I think it’ll be great motivation to finish Vol. 1 as well.

🍜 Japanese

By the end of March, I had a bit of an epiphany and felt more motivated to move beyond just dabbling in Japanese. This came after I registered for an in-person Japanese course that starts in a few weeks!!

In all my years of language learning, I’ve only taken one class (for French), so I’ve been feeling a bit anxious about not being prepared. Before the course begins, I want to focus on a few things to build my confidence.

Japanese Plans for April

• Review Genki Lessons 1-3 before the class begins

• Complete Tofugu Hiragana and Katakana Workbooks

  • Be comfortable writing both from memory

• Start reading よつばと！Vol. 1 (Yotsuba&!)

I’m not sure how the class will go, so I’m trying to keep most of my plans loose, so I don’t get overwhelmed.

📅 Plans For April & Q2

As I mentioned earlier, I’ve been working on a new framework to better understand and document my language studies. I tend to jump between a lot of different activities, and this framework helps me see how those smaller tasks connect and contribute to my overall goal of language acquisition.

For the most part, I’m trying not to assign strict end dates unless they’re truly necessary. While it’s nice to wrap things up at the end of a month or quarter, realistically, some things take longer than expected, and that’s okay.

I’ll continue sharing weekly study recaps as a way to document my musings, frustrations, and wins in real time. This upcoming Monday, you’ll get a glimpse of how I’ve been scrambling to feel more confident in Japanese as I prepare for my upcoming class.

I’ve been feeling much happier with my language studies recently. I’m seeing real progress, and the process has become more enjoyable. Part of that is the long, gloomy winter coming to an end, but a big part of it is also you, for reading and supporting these newsletters each week.

Thank you for being here! See you on Monday for the next study recap!😊

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I’m happy to say that I completed every task on the board. I used my final skip and doubled up on tasks in one day to make up for the extra day I missed.

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🔠 Task 19: Play Word Game (D3)

For this task, I played the French version of Wordle, LeMot. Even though many French verbs are five letters long, I still find it challenging. After guessing pleur, I got stuck and ended up using a dictionary to find new words. I solved it on my second-to-last guess!

🧩 Task 20: Complete a Crossword (D1)

I completed a Crossword on Linguno. I really like their daily crosswords and the other exercises they have, but I often forget about this resource. I’m glad this task reminded me to use it again.

💬 Task 21: Practice Speaking for 10 Minutes (C2)

It had been a while since I last recorded a voice note in French. I ended up speaking for 11 minutes, recapping the bingo challenge, reflecting on my French speaking abilities, and sharing my overall goals for French.

🖋️ Task 22: Read, Edit, and Rewrite a Journal Entry (B4)

I chose the journal entry from Task E3, which I wrote during the first week of the challenge. There were several sentences I could have improved by using more natural phrases. Although time-consuming, I know exercises like this are a great way to strengthen writing skills.

📝 Task 23: Create a Vocabulary List Like A Vision Board (C5)

I had been intrigued by this task since this challenge began. Instead of using new vocabulary, I used phrases from my revised journal entry to build a “vision board” style list.

This was such a unique task, and I think I want to keep creating visual vocabulary and phrase lists like this to make learning more engaging.

🤩 Challenge Recap

I’m so glad to have created and participated in this language bingo board challenge with Tanya, Jo, Mariana, and Asia. The tasks brought a new sense of joy to language learning, and many of them are things I plan to incorporate into my routine.

This challenge also inspired me to rethink how I structure my language learning. Right now, I’m working toward a balance of exposure, studying, and actually using the language, while still keeping things fun. I’m still refining this approach, but I’ll likely share more in my March recap. With Q1 coming to an end, a quarterly recap might be on the way too.

How did your language learning go this past week?

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I’ve really enjoyed sharing these weekly recaps, and I think I’ll keep them going. I hope you’ve enjoyed them too! If you have any feedback on the frequency, feel free to vote in the poll below or leave a comment.

Thanks for being here, see you next week (or later this week for my March/Q1 recap)!

The tasks this week actually got me using my target languages. Whether it was reading, practicing exams, or playing games, I encountered new words each day.

I hit my first and second bingos this week! There are only a few tasks left, which means if all goes to plan, I should be able to complete the entire board next week!

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🤔 Task 13: Play a Round of Akinator (D4)

This one was fun! I started with an object because I couldn’t think of a person. I chose a bed, and surprisingly, Akinator took quite a while to guess it. After that, I played another round with a snake, and it guessed anaconda.

Finally, I thought of the character Malcom from Malcom in the Middle after seeing the trailer for the upcoming reboot. It took a few tries, but Akinator got it in the end.

🎮 Task 14: Play a Video Game (A1)

I played The Sims 4, which I already have set in French. Since it’s a life simulation game, it uses a lot of everyday vocabulary. I’ve played the franchise for over a decade, so I can get by without reading everything, but I still came across some new words.

📕 Task 15: Read a Book (A4)

I had grand plans for this task. I’ve been looking forward to it since the challenge started.

The task suggests 15 minutes for beginners and 45 minutes for intermediate and advanced learners. My plan was:

• French (45 minutes)

• Japanese (15 minutes)

• Icelandic (15 minutes)

In reality, I only read in French, splitting it into two sessions of 22 and 23 minutes. Sometimes I overestimate how much energy I have in a day.

That said, I did finish the second story in Le Café du temps retrouvé (the book you all voted for!), and I’m now at the 67% mark.

🖋️ Task 16: Write a 10-sentence review of a form of media (E2)

I had no idea what to review at first. I didn’t feel like doing a book review since I’ve been having the worst luck with the books I’m reading lately.

Side note: I’m currently reading Project Hail Mary, and the movie just came out. Have you read it or seen it?

I ended up reviewing a show called Blue Therapy. My boyfriend and I had just reached the final episode, so I wrote about what we had watched so far.

One thing I noticed is that I tend to write long sentences. Because of this, I had assumed I was already at 10 sentences when I was only at 6. When I write my newsletters, I try to keep my sentences concise, but I am, in fact, a yapper.

I actually really enjoyed this task and might start using it as a regular writing exercise since journaling hasn’t been working that well for me.

📖 Task 17: Practice a Grammar Point (A2)

This task was to focus on a grammar point I’ve been avoiding. Unless I’m following a textbook, I don’t usually study grammar directly.

Last month, I finished a French grammar workbook, which helped me feel more confident overall.

Since I didn’t have a specific grammar point in mind, I went to Lawless French and picked a random one. There was a short quiz at the end, and I only got 1 wrong. I call that a win!

💻 Task 18: Watch a YouTube Video & Leave a Comment (C4)

I rarely leave comments on YouTube videos.

This time, I clicked on a video from my feed, watched a few minutes, and left a comment about a gallery wall in the creator’s office.

It actually gave me a small sense of community while reading other comments. I even got a reply back! I might start doing this more often, especially in my target languages. It’s a simple way to practice and engage at the same time.

💯 Task 19: Work On a Mock Test (A5)

I was not looking forward to this task at all. I initially searched for the C1 DALF exam and read through some of the reading sections… but I didn’t attempt the questions.

Instead, I switched to an N5 Japanese test and completed it. I scored 60%. I was quite excited to see a vocab word (えらぶ) from my Mikagu deck pop up! I usually fail that card when I’m doing my reviews, but the multiple-choice options helped me remember.

✨Language Wins of The Week

• 🍜 Japanese: I can feel Japanese slowly becoming a bigger part of my routine. I played video games and watched interior design videos in Japanese.

  The easiest way for me to stay consistent is by integrating a language into my hobbies, and I can feel that starting to happen.

• 🥐 French: I watched Abbott Elementary with French subtitles while listening in English. It turned out to be a great way to encounter new words:

  • cartonner1 - to do extremely well/succeed

  • une canalisation - a pipe (as in water pipe)

  • un pactole - a jackpot/gold mine

How did your past week of language learning go?

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Thanks for being here, see you next week!

When this challenge was created, the skips worked naturally since there are 25 tasks on the board and the challenge lasts 28 days. Most of the time, when I create challenges, I don’t factor in days off. I assume I won’t need them and would prefer not to use them anyway.

This time was different. When I realized I hadn’t done a task for the day, I didn’t stress about it. I knew the skips were there, so I didn’t beat myself up. The next day came around, and I still didn’t feel like doing a task, so I happily used another skip.

On the third day, my energy came back, and I returned to the challenge as usual.

Since I skipped two days, I only completed five tasks this week. I’m getting close to finishing Column E and Row 3 now!

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🆕 Task 8: Use a Random Word Generator to Pick a Word (C3)

The first task of the week was to use a random word generator to pick a word. I used the website MotsAleatoires to generate French words. Most of the words were words I already knew, and I could already feel my energy dropping that day, so I kept it simple. I looked at related words, and that was about it. After that, I didn’t do another task for two days.

🖼️ Task 9: Use a Random Picture Generator (B5)

For this task, I had to either describe the generated image or look up five new words related to it.

Although I was feeling better that day, I still kept the effort low. I chose two photos and looked up three words for each since I couldn’t think of five for the first one.

I actually enjoyed this task and think I’ll keep using it as a vocabulary exercise in the future. Creating the collage below was a lot of fun, too.

In the first photo, I learned that the common word for whiskers in French is les moustaches. I also learned that lenses (as in glasses) are called verres.

🎶 Task 10: Write Down Lyrics to a Song (E4)

I chose a French song that’s been on my playlist for over a year now: Flou by Angèle. There weren’t too many new words, but writing down the lyrics helped me hear each word more clearly.

Some new words I picked up:

• Flou (same word from yesterday’s task!), angoissier, enfer and repère.

📝 Task 11: Complete a Lesson in a Target Language Resource (D5)

Last week, I started working through Tofugu’s Learn Katakana Book, so I continued with it for this task. It was 10 minutes before midnight when I started the task, and I was half asleep, but I still got it done!

📃 Task 12: Read a Wikihow Article (B3)

For the last task of the week, I read a WikiHow article about something I’m interested in learning. I chose watercolour painting.

Using the Migaku browser extension, I found several words I already knew that weren’t marked as known yet, so I updated them. I also saved a few new technical painting terms.

✨Language Wins of The Week

• 😴 Rest: Not specifically language-related, but I’m happy with how this week went. Losing a streak or missing days in a challenge can feel disappointing, but sometimes those days of rest are exactly what we need to keep going.

I’ll have much more time for the challenge this coming week. Daylight savings just passed, and spring is on its way. I’ve been enjoying the extra daylight hours despite the days still feeling like the dead of Winter.

How did your past week of language learning go?

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Thanks for being here, see you next week!

This is the first of four recaps where I’ll be sharing the ta…

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February went by so fast, and I’m happy with all the little things I accomplished. I’m also looking forward to longer days as Spring approaches.

Let’s recap my language studies in February!

🥐 French

I found myself doing much more in French at work than usual. There were a few days when I evaluated students’ understanding of numbers and shape…

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I started strong with my language studies, but I gradually fell out of habit toward the end of the month. This was partly due to returning to work after the holidays and having less time to study, and partly because of moving. I did make the most of packing by listening to some audiobooks, but overall, my study time dro…

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To do …

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If you haven’t yet, you can check out my 2025 Language Learning Wr…

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End-of-year wraps have become increasingly popular. They’re a fun way to see what music you listened to, the books you read, or how you spent your time learning a language. Creating my own language learning wrapped felt like the perfect way to reflect on the past year. With the help of memories and information scattered across Notion, spreadsheets, and notebooks, I set out to visually recap 2025.

I spent over four hours working on this wrap and enjoyed the entire process. Putting it all together helped me understand why this year felt so different. In previous years, my reflections were heavily based on time tracking. This year, there were fewer numbers and more tangible experiences to look back on.

My year involved less traditional studying and more living in my target languages. That mostly looked like watching shows and movies, playing video games, and reading books. And of course, using French at work.

This post may be a bit long for an email, and some elements may be cut off. You can view all the images through the full post here!

2025 Language Learning Wrapped

My guiding post for the year was my language project board. I forgot about it throughout the year, but that was okay. It was easy to return to and check off squares I had completed without realizing. It was my first year using the project board, and I can safely say I’ll be creating a new one for 2026. I’ve seen more people doing something similar to keep track of their goals. If you’d like to make one, you can use my free template, which has been updated for the new year!

Overall, I’m happy with everything I accomplished on this board. Some squares were easier than others, and that was intentional when creating the board. I love adding goals that likely won’t happen in the year, like “Visit Iceland” just for fun, because why not?

I’ve never watched so much content in my life, except maybe during my early Mandarin-learning years. I watched C-dramas like no tomorrow, and they contributed significantly to my listening comprehension.

I didn’t expect to enjoy Spy x Family as much as I did. The short episodes and humour are right up my alley. I’m planning to read the manga in English and Japanese if I can get my hands on a copy. One of my goals was to connect Japanese to an interest. Now that I have things I want to read, and shows I like to watch, I’m feeling good about making progress in the new year.

The second chapter of The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky is coming out in Fall 2026, and I’m so excited. My goal is for my Japanese to be strong enough that I can actually notice words while playing. During Chapter 1, I only picked up one or two words, partly because the story was new, and partly because I was chasing the dopamine hits of killing things… I mean, experiencing the combat.

In the first half of the year, I created a writing and speaking project board just for French to prepare for the DELF B2 exam. I quickly forgot about it, but somehow still managed to complete several squares simply by using French. For example, I conducted job interviews and was interviewed twice in French, which allowed me to check off D1.

My biggest language learning achievement this year was taking and passing the DELF B2 exam!

This wasn’t the year I improved my writing, despite my efforts. I started strong with a 37-day journaling streak, but eventually my journaling became more sporadic. The good thing is that I know I can easily write more next year.

I only read two French books this year, plus 71% and 33% of two others. Still, that added up to over 255,000 words read.

And finally, my bookshelf. My reading didn’t really begin until the second half of the year, but since then, I’ve read just under 40 books and found some entertaining five-star reads along the way.

Visually recapping my year has brought me so much joy, and when I look at it as a whole, I can say it’s been a great year of language learning.

What would your language learning wrapped look like? How has your year been? I’d love to hear in the comments.

Happy Holidays! 🎉🎁 ✨

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