Is studying Japanese worth it?

In the years that I've studied Japanese, I can't count the number of times that I've asked myself this question.

Sometimes, the question took different forms. Can I really learn Japanese? Will I ever really learn Japanese?

It doesn't help that if you look these things up on Google, you find websites, comments, etc. that basically tell you, No, it's not worth it. Spend your time learning four Latin languages rather than just Japanese. Spend your time learning computer programming. Spend your time doing something practical.

Personally, I disagree. However, the basis for my disagreement is far from practical.

Why I Think Studying Japanese Was Worth It

Studying Japanese, I was able to:

• Learn well over 2,000 Kanji characters in under 100 days (after failing and starting over about 47 times).
• Learn well over 10,000 vocabulary words.
• Learn and comfortably use what is purported to be an incredibly difficult grammar set.
• Reach a level of comprehension where I understand almost all of the Japanese I hear on TV, with friends, at work, etc. (there are exceptions for this–unfamiliar, specialized topics; some dialects; dated Japanese).
• Meet the girl of my dreams. If I did not speak Japanese, I never could have met my girlfriend fiancé!
• Meet so many interesting, fantastic people.

But talking strictly from a language-learning perspective, this is why learning Japanese was “worth it" for me: I managed to do something that I never dreamed I would be able to do.

It has given me confidence. And maybe confidence is not a measurable benefit, but it does make me a happier person in general.

It has helped me realize that doing what you love is always more important that doing what you're supposed to do. Well, 99% of the time, yeah? In the (roughly) 7 years that I've studied Japanese (I quit and restarted in that time span a few times, too), I could have reached a comparable level of fluency in at least three or four European languages. But I don't love European languages. I love Japanese. So that's what I studied. Because it's pretty rare to regret giving time to the people and things that we truly love.

Thinking About Why You're Studying Japanese

If you find yourself asking that question, “Is studying Japanese worth it?" then maybe you should take a step back and ask yourself two other questions, instead:

1. Why am I wondering if it's worth it? For me, every time I wondered this, it was just because I was afraid. I was afraid that I couldn't do it. I was afraid that I wasn't good enough. If fear is the reason you're asking yourself this question, then don't quit studying. You can do it. You are good enough.
   
   
2. Why do I want to learn Japanese? If you want to learn Japanese for practical reasons, then you should quit now. Yes, there are many practical applications of Japanese. There are jobs, promotions, etc. I have gotten jobs because of my Japanese ability. Still, based on the required time-commitment, I don't think that studying Japanese is worth it from a practical perspective. If you want to learn Japanese because you love the language, because you love the culture, Tokyo, anime, manga–whatever–then you should not quit. Because doing things you love will make you happy. Ultimately, though, it's your decision.