Japanese: How to Get Started
Monday August 7, 2006People who are starting out learning a language on their own — especially their first one — often don’t know where to begin.
I wrote a post on Japanese study needs at the How to Learn Any Language forums, and thought I’d republish it here, since this space hasn’t seen enough updates recently.
As a beginner new to Japanese, the following are indispensable, in my opinion:
1. A good textbook that will teach you the kana and core grammar with lots of exercises to work through. Many textbooks have a separate workbook available. One option is Japanese for Busy People (Kana Version), but there are many others.
1a. You need some sort of audio source to learn pronunciation and basic listening skills. Many textbooks include CDs these days, so choose one that does.
2. Dictionaries for translating both ways.
2a. A kanji dictionary is useful but not essential for a beginner.
3. A notebook or flashcards so you can record new vocabulary and drill yourself.
4. A native speaker to take lessons from or at least talk to from time to time.
Once you’ve mastered basic grammar and have acquired a small core vocabulary, it’s time to move to the next stage. That’s for another article, hopefully to be posted soon.
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