Difference between two words? Hi. I came across two words while learning Japanese that seem to have the same meaning... つくります　と　します They both mean 'make'... I was wondering if it would be fine to say this sentence using either one/if they are the same thing: 私わ友達つくります. 私わ友達します。 Would these two sentences be identical? Thanks!

While learning a language, which practice do you begin first?

Hi. I am recently new to italki and have just begun learning Japanese.

 

I was wondering about which part of a language you learn first. 

For example, if someone wanted to learn Russian, should they learn the Russian alphabet first? Should they learn grammar first? Should they learn multiple phrases and vocabulary first? What really should be the first part about learning a language? When all of us were young, we learned how to speak our native language first rather than reading or writing. 

 

Is speaking the first step to learning a language? 

 

What do you believe is the first step to learning a language? Of course this depends on the language and your own native language, but from experience, what have you done initially?