Beginner playing black against 1. d4

You could've utilized the e-pawn, take control of the center.

Please, next time don't ask comments for an ongoing game!

But as this game is now finished I think that your play during first six moves (the first diagram) was just fine. Most people would certainly play 5... Nf6 but I think 5... Nh6!? can also be interesting provided black knows what he's doing. This knight could later go to f5 or there might be ideas like f6+Nf7+e5. In the game you could have considered 7... dxe4 8. Bxe4 Bf5 etc.

After Black plays g6, it is very dangerous to play Nh6 or Ne7 and castle K-side until after White has castled K-side. White can often play h4 with an attack. A Black Knight on f6 guards against h5.

Some threads live after death.

lol, didn't notice it was a two year old thread.