Even after mastering the Japanese language, it's still sometimes hard to understand it. It's like, I hear the words coming out of your mouth, I can even see the "kanji," but I have no idea what you're saying. Indeed, understanding the meaning behind the words is just as important as the words themselves.
I recently took a chartered bus trip skiing with 30 locals. Some of them were friends, some acquaintances, and others I had never met before.
"Amy is a very good skier!" said one of my friends to another girl on the bus who had never skied before.