Japanese Lessons

I was surprised to find that there weren't any threads about this, or at least none discussing exactly what I wanted to know. I want to learn to speak (and write, though that is secondary) Japanese, and I was wondering if you guys could recommend any books and/or software designed to teach beginners like myself.

 

Minna no Nihongo is pretty good, we had that at the university. I believe there is a version with Kanji too, mine unfortunately is not.

 

I should also mention I live in the US, and I don't believe that book is available here.

 

Its a release by the japanese gaijin department (I don't know the exact spelling of the name) so you can order it all over the world, i.e. here:

http://cgi.ebay.com/BOOK-Japanese-Language-Minna-no-Nihongo-Kanji-I_W0QQitemZ330078438778QQihZ014QQcategoryZ378QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

There are also some good pictures of the actual lessons. My book looks quite different, we neither had to learn Kanji nor Kana (I did anyway^^).

 

You really want to do lessons, I learnt more in a few weeks of going to a proper class for 2 hours a week on a Saturday, than I did with months of CD's/software/books etc. They compliment proper lessons brilliantly, but on their own I found they weren't as good.

 

I agree with that.
At first I tried to learn with a book and CDs alone for more than a year, but there was nobody kicking your ass when you don't want to learn or who can answer you questions besides the lessons.

I went to the university for one year (no longer japanese class available here, unfortunately) and it threw me forward more than anything I did before. For example, I overtook my hard earned 6 book lessons (of 30) within 6 hours of class.

If possible, go to a university nearby or any other class!

 

live in japan > classes > books

Is there a JC close by? They are cheap, and a great place to start.

 

What is a JC? Anyway, you guys are probably right that taking classes is preferable, but unfortunately my college doesn't offer a Japanese language class, and I probably won't be able to take one for another year at least. I just want to get started in the mean time, so that it won't be completely new to me when (and if) I start taking formal classes.

 

going with self-educating japanese is a very hard way to learn this language. i did it myself over years before. to get the basics it is OK, but when you reached a certain level, it's getting very bumpy on the autodidactic way.

 

I use a website called Rosetta Stone. It's $49 a month. I live in Japan but I'm not one to sit and stare at a book unless I'm doing recreational reading. I find I used the online classes a lot and it's really helps to fill some gaps that I have.

It's designed for people to get a quick overview of the basics before going to Japan on business, for example. The system doesn't just list words for you to memorize. It uses pictures and spoken Japanese (sentences). You have trial and error in the beginning but you start to understand the speech patterns as the pictures change.

I think it would be a good addition to a book because you can hear the spoken Japanese. You can also choose to use kanji or romaji. The site can record your voice and match it with the proper pronunciation to see how close you are.

Overall I'm pretty impressed by the way it gives you so many different ways to learn the same thing. Helps if you're having trouble in one area or if you just naturally learn faster using a certain method.

 

JC = Junior College. Sounds like you've got at least that, but they don't offer it. Bummer.

 

btw: when you reached a certain level, the best what you can do to improve your communication skillz by your own is reading some conversations. the best way to read some ordinary conversations is reading some mangas. any kind of mangas, just what you feel like to read and what's corresponding with your level of knowledge. furigana is advantageous.

 

as everyone said, books etc won't do you any good without real communication. Use books for reading and writing practice as well as checking grammer if you must.

Unlike Tatsujin and GaijinPunch I never really studied Japanese however I can speak just as well as them. How? by talking to people. That really is the key. My reading isn't a patch on GaijinPunch mind you.

Yakumo

 

of course you're absolutely right yakumo. but my example was concerned to people who have not the possibility to talk to other day after day, as you could do it the past decade
also i think, that my level isn't still close to yours. i also never went to any schools, so my experience is based as well on self-study and the "forced" use over the past 1 1/2 years since i live here. mostly durning my work, coz i'm far to lazy to study anything at home after a 12~14h japanese work-day as usually, exept of try to read some lectures before sleeping

 

I always thought you were at the same level GaijinPunch Yeah, you haven't been here as long as us other two so I really admire your skill level in such a short time. Hard study is one way to go as you said but I guess it all depends on how quick you want to be a good speaker.

Yakumo

 

We might have to go head to head sometime. I generally pride myself on my talking... although two years of living in Hawaii definitely didn't help. Fucked my English up too.

Anyways, I probalby should've mentioned (at least in my experience) schools really don't help you speak much either. Listening, yes, but there's not a lot of speaking practice. Until you put some time in in Japan, your spoken level will probably suck balls. I know mine did. Took a solid year in Japan until I really felt comfortable talking to people I really didn't know (unless of course I had to).

Eventually you will have to promote yourself to books if you want to be reading "real" Japanese. Even newspapers aren't as multi-dimensional as books. Take this from the person who has started 2-3 Japanese books and never finished them (I suck at reading English books too though).

 

Yeah, I noticed the same thing when I was learning Spanish in high school. I know enough to get the gist of almost any printed material. However, I've been around people speaking Spanish quite a lot lately as I'm in New Mexico, and I usually can't understand more than a word or two out of a whole sentence. Then again, high-school Spanish classes were pretty shitty anyway. It would seem there's no real substitute to exposure to native speakers, but unfortunately I won't be going to Japan any time soon.

 

@yakumo: thanx for the flower, but i don't think i'm that strong yet. still need some years:nod:

@GP: yeah, i know mangas doesn't reflect a proper japanese all the time, but every sentence in a manga is a conversation which is the important point i mean.
books or newspaper are mostly anectodes or wrote down informations/thoughts, and as you surely know, the japanese language is quite varying between talking and writing in the aspect of grammar.

 

As long as we don't talk about politics I should be ok Can't stand politics in English, never mind Japanese.

I know what you mean about Fucked up English. 8 years of living in an area with NO real English speakers has certainly taken it's toll on me. The only time I get to speak real English is on these boards or if I hang out with my western mates (twice a month if lucky).

Yakumo

 

Not sure what's worse. Surrounded by proper improper English, or Pidgen. It's unbelievable. The poor Japanese students that go to Hawaii to learn English.