Oh wow - thanks! The perfective is something I didn't study before I went, and I learned it from primarily hearing it in the negative (e.g. 宿題をまだやっていない？！ - mom to her kids). So, I was kind of familiar with the perfective but this crystalized it for me. I didn't know the 言っている nuances either.
That video is so helpful - thanks for linking!!
Thanks!! Yes, I am a native English speaker.
Oh I never thought about resource richness! Thanks.
Japanese is harder/easier than other languages in what ways?
I want something to say when my other language-learning friends talk about how hard/easy XYZ language is.
For example, for easy parts:
- No genders
- Easy vowels/consonants
For difficulties:
- Kanji
- Formality
Please help? Thanks!
Edit: summary of comments for my future reference:
Easier:
- no genders
- resource rich for learning
- simpler tenses
Easy and hard:
- pronunciation (consistent, but accent hard to eliminate)
- grammar (consistent but different)
Harder:
- Kanji (like icons)
- formality
I like this article's suggestion: https://japaneselevelup.com/the-best-response-to-nihongo-wa-jouzu-desu-ne/
tl;dr: 日本が好きですから！
Personally, I usually deny it:
いや、忘れてます！
いや、まだまだです！
And then say something ironically difficult:
片言だけですよ！
最近使っていないからレベルが衰えています。
Because it's entertaining.
Edit: formatting