January 2026 Listening Challenge

All Languages
1

Hey all,

Continuing on our challenge to ourselves to boost our listening skills, the January challenge is ready for signups! Set whatever number of hours feels like a reasonable goal for you and feel free to share the things you’re listening to, your successes and setbacks. We’re in this together :muscle:

All languages welcome!

This post will be a wiki so you can add and update your own hours.

Name Language Goal Hours Achieved
eefara 日本語 30/36/42 36
PrinceSugarBun 日本語 10
暁のルナ (shadowing ) 日本語 3 10m
monace 한국어 we’ll find out
1 Like
December 2025 Listening Challenge
Listening Challenge Index
2

eefara’s home post

:snowflake: 1月 :snowman:
月 火 水 木 金 土 日
01 :100: :three: 02 :100: :two: 03 :100: :one: 04 :100: :one:
05 :sweat_droplets: :one: 06 :sweat_droplets: :x: 07 :100: :four: 08 :sweat_droplets: :one: 09 :100: :x: 10 :100: :x: 11 :sweat_drops: :x:
12 :100: :x: 13 :sweat_drops: :two: 14 :sweat_drops: :x: 15 :sweat_drops: :x: 16 :100: :two: 17 :x: 18 :x:
19 :100: :x: 20 :100: :fox: 21 :100: :two: :fox: 22 :100: :two: :fox: 23 :sweat_drops: :x: 24 :x: 25 :x:
26 :dizzy: :x: 27 :100: :fox: 28 :dizzy: :fox: 29 :100: :fox: 30 :sweat_drops: :x: 31 :x:

Japanese

  • :heavy_check_mark: I listened this day, but didn’t hit the hour+ mark.
  • :100: : I listened to an hour to an hour and a half!
  • :sweat_droplets: : I listened to an hour and a half to two hours.
  • :dizzy: : I listened to 2+ hours today.

Mandarin

  • :one: : I watched one video
  • :two: : I watched two videos
  • (And so on and so forth)
  • :fox: : I listened to Little Fox Chinese this day

(Calendar stolen from the Listen Every Day Challenge on WK.)

Listening Log
Japanese
Total time: 36h 00m 04s

Audiobooks

01/05:
本好きの下剋上 5: 1h 5m

01/06:
本好きの下剋上 5: 1h 9m

01/07:
本好きの下剋上 5: 59m 40s

01/08:
本好きの下剋上 5: 1h 4m

01/20:
本好きの下剋上 5: 56m 30s
ハリー・ポッターと賢者の石: 10m

01/21:
本好きの下剋上 5: 51m
ハリー・ポッターと賢者の石: 9m

01/22:
本好きの下剋上 5: 55m

01/26:
変な家: 18m 13s
本好きの下剋上 5: 1h 32m
ハリー・ポッターと賢者の石: 14m

01/27:
本好きの下剋上 5: 37m

01/28:
本好きの下剋上 5: 49m
ハリー・ポッターと賢者の石: 18m

01/29:
本好きの下剋上 5: 1h

01/30:
本好きの下剋上 5: 1h 35m

01/31:
BUTTER: 17m

Drama CDs
Podcasts

01/02:
YUYUの日本語Podcast, eps. 12-15 (old): 1h 10m 32s

01/03:
YUYUの日本語Podcast, vol. 1-6 (new): 58m 56s

01/05:
YUYUの日本語Podcast, vol. 7: 16m 36s

01/08:
YUYUの日本語Podcast, vol. 8: 15m 48s

01/13:
YUYUの日本語Podcast, vol. 9-11: 32m

01/19:
YUYUの日本語Podcast, vol. 12-16: 61m 19s

TV/Anime/Movies

01/01:
夏への扉: 120m

01/04:
封刃師, ep. 1: 23m 30s
逃げるは恥だが役に立つ S1, ep. 20: 20m
ホットスポット S1, ep. 1: 20m

01/05:
ふらいんぐうぃっち S1, ep. 7: 20m

01/06:
ふらいんぐうぃっち S1, ep 8: 20m

01/09:
透明男と人間女～そのうち夫婦になるふたり～ S1, ep. 1: 23m 40s
死亡遊戯で飯を食う。 S1, ep. 1: 42m 40s

01/10:
穏やか貴族の休暇のすすめ。 S1, ep. 1: 64m

01/11:
シャンピニオンの魔女 S1, ep. 1: 1h 17m
ふらいんぐうぃっち S1, ep 9: 20m

01/12:
エリスの聖杯 S1, ep. 1: 24m
異世界の沙汰は社畜次第 S1, ep. 1: 25m
ふらいんぐうぃっち S1, ep 10: 20m

01/13:
シャンピニオンの魔女 S1, ep. 2: 42m
ふらいんぐうぃっち S1, ep 11: 20m

01/14:
ふらいんぐうぃっち S1, ep 12: 20m
Skip Beat! S1, ep. 4: 20m
異世界の沙汰は社畜次第 S1, ep. 2: 23m 40s
ゆびさきと恋々 S1, ep. 1: 23m 40s

01/15:
死亡遊戯で飯を食う。 S1, ep. 2: 20m
ゆびさきと恋々 S1, ep. 2: 20m
透明男と人間女～そのうち夫婦になるふたり～ S1, ep. 2: 51m 20s

01/16:
エリスの聖杯 S1, ep. 2: 24m

01/22:
死亡遊戯で飯を食う。 S1, ep. 3: 22m

01/23:
エリスの聖杯 S1, ep. 3: 24m
異世界の沙汰は社畜次第 S1, ep. 3: 23m
透明男と人間女～そのうち夫婦になるふたり～ S1, ep. 3: 44m

01/27:
おっさんずラブ S1, ep. 1: 23m

01/28:
穏やか貴族の休暇のすすめ。 S1, ep. 2: 63m

Youtube

01/03:
これは「緑」なのか「青」なのか: 10m 51s

01/06:
なぜ世界には言語がたくさんあるの?: 8m 54s

01/07:
Japanese Listening Practice | Supermarket and Christmas in Japan: 8m 30s

01/08:
いきなり面白すぎるぞ…:package:2025年下期 芥川賞候補作全読み その① 『BOX BOX BOX BOX』坂本湾: 4m 45s
本好き25歳の本棚作り📚2年分の購入本を整理するよ😇ガサツでごめん: 9m

01/14:
A Day in Tokyo | Japanese Listening Practice: 3m

01/16:
【一万円分購入】書店で漫画だけ買ったら想像以上に幸せでした: 27m
庭に子猫が落ちてたので保護した: 10m

Numbers for calcs

120m + 1h 10m 32s + 58m 56s + 10m 51s + 63m 30s + 1h 41m 36s + 1h 37m 54s + 1h 8m 10s + 1h 33m 33s + 66m 20s + 64m + 1h 37m + 69m + 62m + 32m + 90m 20s + 91m 20s + 61m + 61m 19s + 66m 30s + 60m + 77m + 91m + 2h 4m 13s + 1h + 130m + 1h + 1h 35m + 17m

Mandarin
Total time: 02h 48m 57s

Lazy Chinese - Comprehensible Input (Youtube)

01/01:
L01| Comprehensible input Chinese | TPRS | Self-introduction in Chinese | my mum and my boyfriend: 3m 28s
L02 | Comprehensible Input Chinese｜TPRS｜food in Chinese｜slow clear Chinese story | what should I eat: 2m 16s
L03 | Comprehensible Input Chinese｜TPRS｜slow clear Chinese story | the burger story |food in Chinese: 2m 47s

01/02:
Beginner | Comprehensible input Chinese | TPRS | slow clear Chinese story | weekly routine | workout: 3m 53s
Beginner Chinese | My daily routine | napping in China | Comprehensible input | TPRS | Slow Chinese: 12m 28s

01/04:
Beginner | My hobbies｜Karaoke Singing Playing piano Reading Yoga In Chinese | Comprehensible input : 7m 18s

01/07:
Beginner｜The Very Hungry Caterpillar | 很饿的毛毛虫｜Picture book with comprehensible input+TPRS: 8m
Beginner | I Received A Weird Phone Call | Student Story | Comprehensible Chinese | TPRS: 5m 30s
Beginner | Guess the Weird Cat | Comprehensible Chinese | TPRS | Slow Clear Chinese story | Cats: 8m
Interview: Can Spanish speak Chinese？ | Seville | Comprehensible Input | Intermediate: 8m 20s

01/16:
[Beginner | When You Have An Annoying Friend | Panda bamboo @BambooPandaOfficial‬ | TPRS | Movie Talk: 8m 20s
花园种花/Grow flowers in a garden|finger tutting|comprehensible Chinese|Hit Chinese songs|Beginner: 1m 50s

01/21:
two special drinks that amazed me the first time | comprehensible input Chinese: 7m 33s
Beginner｜Calendar Talk in Chinese｜the day of the week | date | activities | comprehensible Chinese: 6m 30s

01/22:
two special drinks that amazed me the first time | comprehensible input Chinese: 8m 30s
what did i do yesterday | comprehensible Chinese | basic verbs: 8m

ChinesePod - Beginner (Podcast)

01/03:
Newbie | Lesson 1 - Dish: 14m 06s

01/05:
Elementary | Chinatown Diary: 19m 07s

01/08:
Elementary | How to Address Someone: 16m 43s

01/13:
Elementary | Changing Class Time: 16m 14s
Elementary | Where’s the Soap?: 14m

Numbers for calcs

3m 28s + 2m 16s + 2m 47s + 3m 53s + 12m 28s + 7m 18s + 19m 07s + 30m + 16m 43s + 30m 14s + 10m 10s + 14m 03s + 16m 30s

3

Like 2025 I’m going to be aiming for a base goal of listening to 30 hours of JP per month, with stretch goals of 36 or 42 hours.

I think I’m going to also introduce, at least on a trial basis, a small goal per month of Mandarin listening; I’ll likely do a certain number of videos/podcast episodes per week and see how I feel about that. I’ll need to update my usual post template for it as well… :thinking:

2 Likes
4

I didn’t realise you were also studying Mandarin!
Good luck with the 30-hour goals, I take it you had a good time with it this year? Do you feel your listening has improved a lot since starting this listening practice?

1 Like
5

Just a little bit here and there; I’m still very much baby stages, but I figure I should get the listening ball rolling early. :sweat_smile:

Yes, my listening has absolutely improved! I can’t say it’s my favorite daily chore, but having been able to see the improvements, I think it’s well worth it for me. It still astonishes me how much time you truly need to put in; even after an extra 430 hours, I still feel like I need double that, minimum.

6

That’s really impressive, I’m glad it’s bearing its fruits. And now you have two things to look forward to: being comfortable listening to Japanese, and having a lot of free time back :laughing: Good luck in 2026!

1 Like
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Source Type Time
Comprehensible Japanese Youtube (JP Learning) 247 min
Nihongo Con Teppei (149 - 162) Podcast (JP Learning) 57 min
Sakura Tips (39, 41-46) Podcast (JP Learning) 28 min
Japanese with Shun (15-20) Podcast (JP Learning) 37 min
1 Like
8

So this month I decided to test out some new icons for my listening calendar, see if I liked slightly more granular tracking, (as opposed to just using :heavy_check_mark: and :100: last year) and I think it’s going well? It’s certainly pushed me to put in “just ten more minutes” so I could use the :sweat_droplets: upgrade, haha. No :dizzy: yet, but if I watch a whole bunch of new seasonal anime this weekend, there’s a chance!

1 Like
9

Luna’s home post. Started 1/16. Shadowing 10 min a day.

1/16 - :white_check_mark:
1/30 - :white_check_mark:

I decided to join after all. Will stick to ラブ★コン and カーネーション for now I think. This i might like to throw something with Sawashiro Miyuki and/or Suwabe Junichi on. The former would be SAO. The latter, Fate is probably the thing he has the most lines in, and that would be fun in its own way. But lemme just work on building the habit first

2 Likes
10

Heh, I’ve been listening pretty consistently and tracking it, so I might as well log in here too.

monace’s homepost

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
:sun_behind_rain_cloud: 01 [29’] 02 [64’] 03 [62’] 04 [64’]
05 [62’] 06 [101’] 07 [60’] 08 [60’] 09 [28’] 10 [56’] 11 [68’]
12 [43’] 13 [33’] 14 [31’] 15 [65’] 16 [33’] 17 [34’] 18 [63’]
19 [32’] 20 [17’] 21 [19’] 22 [14’] 23 [132’] 24 [33’] 25 [5’]
26 [23’] 27 [13’] 28 [11’] 29 [0’] 30 31 :cloud_with_snow:
1 Like
11

Make a homepost: :check_box_with_check:
Forget to update it again: :check_box_with_check:

I have had a couple of busy evenings lately so listening had to be kept to a minimum. The last thing I need right now is for listening to feel like burden, so I’m going against the little voice in my head that is telling me to get at least 30 minutes in everyday, and I’m allowing some days to be really low input.

Total for the month so far: 17h18. I would be happy with getting to 20 hours, which seems more than reasonable at the moment.

2 Likes
12

I finished 도시남녀의 사랑법 S1 | L24??. Having watched it with English subs before was a huge help, but I’m glad I stuck with it to the end, given my tendency to drop shows halfway through.

I also just reached my 20h “goal”, 2 days after setting it as a goal. Yesterday was a big listening day. I guess I need a stretch goal now?? 25 hours?
Or maybe I don’t set a stretch goal, and I’m just happy I reached the original one :smiling_face:

2 Likes
13

Teach me your secrets, master. :folded_hands:

1 Like
14

I think I’m going to change up how I track my Chinese listening a bit. Originally I was tracking the videos and podcasts I was watching, but it’s been tough to fit those in lately. My listening right now is pretty much all through Little Fox Chinese; I could mark down how many stories I “read” per day there, but they’re not as substantial as the other stuff I was watching, so I may just have a simple :fox: to show that’s what my listening was for that day… Tracking time is a bit iffy with it as well, but I won’t worry about that for the time being.

1 Like
15

Well I definitely didn’t remotely make any progress here… Tho I did have some informal “repeat after stuff while watching” sessions, but idk when. Tbh I’m getting so much conversation practice rn than btwn that & watching shows or random YouTube vids, I feel like I don’t particularly need to challenge myself further as this goes.

I’ll make up the Feb thread tho I guess

2 Likes
16

Ok February is up

2 Likes
17

Update time! I guess the praise of @eefara overwhelmed me because I didn’t get much done since last week :sweat_smile: I forced myself to watch a couple of videos here and there just to keep the streak alive, but I decided to stop yesterday because it is not bringing me joy at the moment. I’ll take a break until February and see how I feel then, hopefully remotivated!
I’m at 21h57, which simply will not do, I’ll watch a 3-min video before the end of the month to round things up :blush:

1 Like
18

Whoops, I hate accidental jinxes like that. :sweat_smile: Apologies!

1 Like