I should hang out on the other side more often.
I have a really hard time learning and remembering Japanese onomatopoeia. I would understand it in context, and then when I was speaking, instead of using the actual legitimate words I would make up my own sounds unconsciously, which amused my listeners. Also, without fail, I'd confuse words that sounded too similar to me like bara bara (scattered all over), bosa bosa (messed up hair) and boro boro (ragged and worn).
I have a few favorites, however, and use them whenever I can. Fuwa fuwa means, as far as I can tell, something that's all soft and fluffy like the hair of Asian babies that sticks straight up on their heads and naka naka means something that portrays frustration or something similar. Ganbatteru noni, naka naka dekinain da... Even though I'm trying I (naka naka - more or less? Can't even?) can't.
In spoken Japanese, they tend to use these double words twice for some reason. It elongates the thought
Nihongo wa anmari jozu dewanakattan da kedo dan dan dan dan umaku natta = My Japanese wasn't very good but I gradually (gradually gradually gradually) improved.
Amerika ni modoru toki ni naru to poro poro poro poro nakimasu yo = When you have to go back to America you're going to cry big globular (globular globular globular) tears.
Hito no mae ni hanasu koto ni naru to doki doki doki doki fuan ni naru = When I have to speak in front of people I get all nervous (my heart goes doki doki doki doki)
It intensifies emotions too:
Onna no ko wa itsumo niko niko = that girl is always smiling
Onna no ko wa itsumo niko niko niko niko = that girl is ALWAYS smiling like an idiot
