Hey everyone,

I wanted to update you on how I’ve been using ChatGPT to help me break down grammar points related to other courses I’ve been taking. For context, I’m currently taking part two of intensive beginner’s Japanese, (PAAS238) and the same deal in beginner’s Korean. (PAAS129.)

When I encounter a new type of grammar that I wasn’t fully understanding yet, I regularly ask ChatGPT to generate a sample sheet of how that concept flows. For example, the でしょう (deshō) ending of sentences in Japanese is used to say something with uncertainty, like 明日雨が降るでしょう。(It might rain tomorrow.)

In practice, I had ChatGPT generate some examples of sentences ending in でしょう, read them, practice the pattern on a scratchpad, then I would then have a comfortable grasp on the subject at hand without needing to ask it to give me the direct answer to the assignment.

I’ve also asked ChatGPT to help coach me during my Korean course, where one of my assignments contained a bit of grammar work that wasn’t officially taught in class yet. The assignment? Conjugating sentences that end in the term 보세요– which is used to politely encourage someone to try doing a verb it’s attached to. For example, using this pattern I could say 이바지를한번입어보세요. (please try on this pair of pants, just once.)

This is my all-time favourite way of using chatbots; as a coach that can lead me into the right direction and learn new things myself, instead of pointing at it with an arrow. I’ll be continue using this type of ‘coaching’ from ChatGPT and slowly refining the prompts I use to make it clearer and enable me to understand Japanese and Korean grammar concepts faster.

I’ll keep you updated on how this improves over time.

-Ben