Listening, I mistake R for any of L, R or even D. Is there any exercise to improve my ability to hear this sound correctly?


I'm learning Japanese at an advanced age, and I'm having difficulty hearing R.
Depending on the speaker, I hear one of three different consonants: R, or L
but also it can sound like a D. In the first two cases, I know that it must be
R, but when I mistake R for D, well, it can change the meaning. For example: I
was pronouncing understood _waka **r** imashtia_ as _waka **d** imashtia_
because that's what I perceived. I've been replaying the lessons again and
again, but I'm just not hearing it.

Is there any set of exercises or listening techniques, anything that helps?
Also, is this a common problem for older students?

_Addendum post comments:_ I see from the related post that my problem is sort
of the inverse of the issue therein but nonetheless a function of my own brain
literally being stuck in English. And it seems time, practice, and
perseverance are my only remedies. Thank you for your time and attention.

