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Learning Japanese is certainly a challenge. With complex grammar, Hiragana, Katakana , Kanji , Keigo (polite language) and cultural customs to learn and understand it is understandable why Japanese is considered one of the most difficult languages in the world.
I remember my first few months of studying Japanese to be very frustrating and slow going. I was studying quite hard but felt I was going nowhere. That was 15 years ago. I created this website to help students progress quickly with their Japanese with free lessons and product recommendations and reviews.
I have produced several of my own Japanese language learning programs – an intermediate Japanese language learning program and practice test for the JLPT. I don’t usually recommend competitor products, but if you are a beginner student then you will get a lot out of the Rocket Japanese language course.
Click Here To Try Rocket Japanese
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Learning to read Japanese is probably the most challenging aspect of studying the Japanese language. Most students find it far too confusing and time consuming to learn to read and give up. After spending a few months learning Hiragana and Katakana the prospect of learning a few thousand Kanji becomes too overwhelming.
However, learning to read Japanese doesn’t have to be a painful and confusing experience. A product called Read Japanese Fast has helped hundred of students become proficient readers of Japanese.
Most students make the mistake of learning to read Japanese in parts. First, students learn Hiragana, then Katanana. After this they learn a large number of grammar rules. Then comes learning hundreds of Kanji. Doing all of this would take several months of considerable study time with little results. Read Japanese Fast teaches students how to read Kanji in context in 30 days.
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Are you taking the Japanese Language Proficiency Test for the first time this year? If you are, the chances of you passing are not good especially if you are taking the test outside of Japan. Across all 5 levels only 36.6 % passed the July 2011 test. Only 36.6%! One of the biggest reasons why so many students fail the JLPT is because of the lack of quality study materials. Most students can only get there hands on grammar reference books, practice test books and kanji lists,. However, there is one product that can help you pass the JLPT – Japanese Proficiency Power.
If you are looking for JLPT study materials and are wanting to know if Japanese Proficiency Power will help you pass, then read this review to get all the facts on this multimedia study program.
Whenever I talk to people about the ten years I lived in Japan, the conversation usually touches on the fact that Japanese is a very difficult language to learn because it is so polite and formal. While this is true, everyday conversational Japanese isn’t as formal as most people perceive. In fact, it is Japanese slang, colloquialisms, and regional dialects that make learning the language a challenge.
During my ten years in Japan I lived in a number of cities and smaller towns. The hardest thing I found was deciphering the different local dialects and colloquialisms. This made learning Japanese interesting yet laborious. At times I found it almost impossible to understand the local country bumpkins in my neighbourhood. Unfortunately, this meant most of my wife’s family.
Why You Should Learn Japanese Slang
Like with most languages, you’ll only discover Japanese slang in Japan. While there are books and websites dedicated to the subject, you need to see Japanese slang in use in order to understand it. I don’t think I knew a word of Japanese slang before I left for Japan many years ago. Now, I find most of my Japanese conversations are littered with slang words. My wife is so funny! She’ll be speaking slang all day for months to me and my son, but whenever she she meets a Japanese person for the first time she is all polite and bowing like a chicken.
Learn Japanese Slang
You should learn Japanese slang. It will really do wonders for you conversational ability and impress Japanese. Most Japanese slang isn’t rude language, it is just very casual and expressive language. I must say I miss listening to the many hundred’s of colloquialisms and slang words Japanese say and invent. Also, learning Japanese slang will give you a better understanding of the Japanese mindset and how certain social situations require a certain different language.
Examples of Japanese Slang
Here are a few Japanese slang words you must know. Just be careful of when and who you say them to.
Baka = A fool / idiot / imbecile
Dasai = Nerdy, out of fashion
Darui = Sluggish
Busu = An ugly looking girl
Debu = A fatso
Kakkoii = Cool
Sugoi = Cool, fantastic, wow!
Pittari = A perfect fit
Maa maa = So so
Kusojiji = An old fart
Kusotare = A shithead
Ijiwaru = Cruel
Mechakucha = Huge / extremley
Shibui = Smart, fancy
Chikushou = Shit!
Hentai = Pervert
Sukebe = pervert
Japanese Slang Expressions
Damare! = Shut up!
Baka yarou! = You are really stupid!
Masaka! = No way! / That can’t be!
Yatta! = I did it!
Kusoooo! = Shit!
Chikushou! = Shit! / Damn it!
Shimatta! = Damn it!
Hayaku shine! = Drop dead, bastard!
Uso tsuki! = Liar!
Busu! = You’re so ugly!
Bikkuri shita! = WOW! (Total shock or surprise)
Hottoke! = Lay off! / Stop bugging me! / Bug off!
Baka! = You idiot!
Baka mitai! = You really look stupid!
Gaman dekinai yo! =I can’t stand it!
Nani sun da yo! = What the hell are you doing?
Tanoshimi yo! = Let’s Party!
Well, that should be enough to get you started. Learning and using Japanese slang is lots of fun. Enjoy!
My favourite way to learn Japanese years ago was with Japanese audio lessons. I would sit on the train going from Nerima to Shibuya with my “discman” and listen to a Japanese audio course I had borrowed from a private Japanese school. I can’t remember the name of the course. The course was from a Canadian university and focused on polite conversational Japanese. At the time it was the only Japanese audio program I could get my hands on.
For someone starting to learn Japanese in this century, there is an abundance of Japanese learning programs giving students of the language a choice to study what they want. Back in the 90′s there was very little in the way of quality Japanese audio courses. Most of them were still on tape and cost several hundred dollars. Now you can learn Japanese for free with the many Japanese language podcasts on iTunes and hundreds of Japanese lessons on Youtube. The problem is no longer a lack of choice, but an over abundance of resources.
The Best Japanese Audio Lessons
The old expression “you get what you pay for” holds true with most online content for learning languages. While there are some great free audio lessons and podcasts out on there web, most fall short of providing what students really need – quality audio lessons that build upon each other in sucession. For example, you’ll find most Japanese youtube lessons are just random monologues of people sharing what they know of the Japanese language. I haven’t found a Youtube channel that provides concise lessons that build on each other.
There are a number of paid programs which I have tried including:
- Rocket Japanese
- Pimsleur Japanese
- Rosetta Stone
- Japanese Podcast 101
Rocket Japanese Audio Lessons
Rocket Japanese, in my opinion, still remains as the best paid Japanese audio program on the web. The lesson build on each other and reinforce past learnings. If you like talking your lessons on the go then you will be very happy with Rocket Japanese.
The product is unpdated often and has a great support forum where your questions about the Japanese language will be answered within 24 hours by the moderators.
There are also games and quizes with the program and a very helpful progress tracker.You also learn about Japanese culture and how it relates to everyday lagnuage and conversation.
Here is how Rocket Japanese compares with other competitors.
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Free Japanese Lessons
If you are wanting some quality free Japanese lessons then check out NHK World’s Yasashi Nihongo Lessons. You can download the audio and text of each lesson free. No sign is up required. They update their site with a ten minute lesson every week. The lessons are top notch and well worth your time. Like with most things in life, we tend to undervalue what we can get for free.
Why You Should Check Out NHK World
- The lessons are free and you can learn Japanese whenever you want.
- The lessons are concise and easy to understand so even kids can learn without getting bored.
- You learn Japanese from native speakers – it’s important to listen to the pronunciation of native speakers and practice by imitating the way they speak
- MP3 Downloads – You can download lessons onto your MP3 player and listen to them on your way to work or school.
- PDF textbook – you can read the contents of all the lessons at once.
If you are a beginner and are not want to spend any money on online lessons then you’ll find more than enough resources at NHK World.