Job Discussion Forums

[rich45]

Hi,

I'm going to Japan for at least a year in late January 2007, so I have 6 months to make a start on learning some Japanese. Obviously in such a short space of time I can only touch the surface, but I want to do all I can before I arrive there.

So, can anyone give me some tips on where to start? Can you recommend any books please? Should I begin by learning Katakana/Hiragana?

Thanks in advance for any replies...

Rich

[canuck]

Start with hiragana and katakana. Search this forum. Study.

Book:

[PAULH]

[Temujin]

I was in exactly the same position as you about 10 months ago. I decided that rather than studying conversation, which would be easier once I was in Japan than on my own in the UK, I would try to get as far as I could with the kanji. I raced through the hiragana and katakana in one weekend then spent 6 months learning the kanji.

I'm now progressing well in Japanese conversation in classes at my local university and I've got about 1500 kanji under my belt. If I had access to Japanese classes back home I might have done it differently, but if you're planning to just study alone, I'd definitely recommend this route.

I used 'Remembering the Kana' and 'Remembering the Kanji' by James Heisig, and I couldn't recommend them more highly. You can get them here: http://www.nanzan-u.ac.jp/SHUBUNKEN/contact/ordering_books_special.htm

You can read the introduction and learn the first 276 kanji in the book using this pdf sample: http://www.nanzan-u.ac.jp/SHUBUNKEN/publications/miscPublications/pdf/RK4/RK4-00.pdf (768kb)

[Glenski]

This question gets asked a lot. What bothers me is not knowing whether the OPs want to learn spoken or written Japanese, and whether they want to know how to write it or just read it (and to what level).

[MrCAPiTUL]

Glenski, you make an interesting remark. I have this book called Kanji & Kana, which is more or less a kanji dictionary with some very useful fluff. In it, the author makes the remark - being that most Japanese is written using a computer word processor, especially in the business world, it may not be a diatactically wise use of time learning how to "write" the kanji. He continues to say that a person may be better served learning how to pick the proper kanji out of the word processor. I think he was, in some way, eluding to the point you make there. Depending on the needs of the person, what would be best to learn, etc......

[Nismo]

I assume you want to learn basic conversational Japanese, but you are only going to use it as a tool while you are living in the country (based on the information you've supplied here). If that is the case:

1. Yes. Learn Katakana and Hiragana before you do anything else. You can learn each alphabet in its entirety within 8 hours (4 hours per day on each alphabet, making you finished with it within 2 days). Don't buy a book if you don't have to. http://learnjapanese.elanguageschool.net/course/category.php?id=6 will help you. Do pick up some kana paper (or make some using tables in word and print it out). It's just graph paper with larger squares. Actually, here - I'll make some for you: http://www.victorymanual.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/07/KanaLarge.doc (Use this when you first start practicing)
http://www.victorymanual.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/07/KanaSmall.doc (Use this when you've got the giant lettering down)

2. Pick up Japanese for Busy People I (Kana Version). Make sure it's the Kana version (since you just learned both alphabets).

3. If you have the time to complete the workbook, go ahead and pick up Japanese for Busy People Kana Workbook while you're still at the store.

I've never used the Japanese for Busy People series myself, but I do have some friends who used the book while living in Japan and they loved it, and I must say they did progress well within the course of a year.

Good luck with your studies.

Cheers.

[MrCAPiTUL]

Rich, one thing I forgot to post. A Japanese friend of mine once told me to get some Japanese manuscript paper if you intend on practicing kanji. She spoke the truth. It helps you get used to the size variations of each stroke, etc. Here is a link you can use to print out some paper so you don't have to buy it.

http://cstein.kings.cam.ac.uk/paper/kanji.html

[Zzonkmiles]

If the "Kanji and Kana" book you are using is by Wolfgang Hadamitzky and Mark Spahn, I am very familiar with it. However, that book does not have all the possible on/kun readings and sometimes includes words that are either not used or awkward because it doesn't give much nuance.

That book may help you build your vocabulary, but I recommend finding another text to help you with your actual grammar. As for hiragana/katakana, you could easily master both of those in far less than six months.

[rich45]

Great response...thanks a lot!