Learn Japanese

Are you looking for some lessons or advice on how to learn Japanese?

Are you struggling to move beyond the basics of Japanese?

My website can provide you with all the help you need. Japanese is considered by many linguists as one of the hardest languages to learn. The Japanese writing system in particular is difficult. With two phonetic alphabets consisting of 46 characters and over two thousand standardized Kanji to learn  it doesn’t surprise me that most people feel overwhelmed with just the idea of learning Japanese.

Cultural customs and the Japanese mindset also adds a lot of confusion to the learning process. However, with some good study methods you’ll find Japanese isn’t as hard as it is made out to believe. I have some tips that I found very beneficial in my pursuit of becoming a fluent speaker and reader of Japanese. Also, my wife and I have created a number of of learning programs that have help hundreds learn to speak and read Japanese and also ace the Japanese Language Proficency (JLPT).

Learn Japanese Online

You are now  fortunate  to live in an age where you can Learn Japanese Online. You no longer have to spend money and time on traveling to and from lessons. All the resources you need are right in fron of you.

Learn Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji
Stay away from Japanese romaji and learn the kana and Kanji as soon as you can. Learning how to read the two kana alphabets, Hiragana and Katakana, and Kanji will speed up your learning process of the language. Kana and Kanji helps you build vocabulary rapidly and aids with the pronunciation of Japanese. Also, if you can’t read then you’ll never be able to understand Japanese grammar at a competent level. Learning Katakana and Hiragana doesn’t take too long if you commit to regular study. Kanji is different, but rather than being difficult it is just time consuming. I think about learning Kanji in terms of a very beneficial learning process rather than just a means to be able to read Japanese.

My wife and I produced a product called Read Japanese Fast several years ago. The online course is an easy to follow 30 day program that starts with the basics of learning to read Hiragana and Katakana and goes right through to teching you how to read Kanji in context. Check out the sample lesson below.

If you understood very little from the above lesson fear not, in just 20 to 30 days you will be reading that and other passages of writing just like it. If you want to learn more please visit our Read Japanese Fast Page

Online Radio
We are so lucky to have the internet as a learning resource. There are hundreds of Japanese podcasts out on the net. I do find the majority of them to be a little too structured, and most of the time the hosts are more interested in showing off their Japanese speaking ability than serving their audience. I find Japanese online radio stations to be the best source for listening practice. A talk show format is usually the best as it will give you a chance to hear natives speaking in a relaxed social manner. Japanese news, on the other hand, is very structured, boring and difficult to understand. I recommend doing a search on google for “Japanese Online radio”.

Japanese Dramas
Japanese television dramas are, for lack of a better word, crap. The story lines and acting in general are about as interesting and convincing as rice steam . Then again most TV shoes are like that anyway. However, Japanese dramas will give you an excellent exposure to Japanese culture and social customs as well as spoken Japanese. This stuff really is invaluable. The script is usual light on the polite lingo. You can find a heap of dramas on Youtube. Try searching for “Beautiful Life Japan drama” with Japanese superstar Takuya Kimura.

Live In Japan
About 130 million Japanese live in Japan. It is a sure bet they all speak Japanese. Total immersion in the language and culture is the fast track to learning and speaking Japanese fast. If you really are considering living in Japan try not to get a English teaching job. The culture of the job makes it very hard to find the motivation to study Japanese. Most English teachers in Japan can”t speak Japanese and get too distracted with the culture and lifestyle of the big cities. Living in a small city would force you to learn Japanese. However, with the culture and lack of social interaction you could find yourself very homesick only after a couple of months.