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Published: August 1st 2014
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busy people
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_24?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=japanese%20for%20busy%20people%202&sprefix=japanese+for+busy+people%2Caps%2C470 My main source of learning Japanese is from books and sometimes videos from YouTube; I don't often watch them as at this stage I find it discouraging particularly when watching Gaijin speak fluently and having subtitles with all three alphabets included. One book I study is a little handbook called Japanese In 30 Days by a company called Berlitz, this is a good and bad book as it is completely in romaji for most of the exercises and quizzes.
It builds up a big vocabulary step by step, but only '-masu' words which are the polite ending for verbs. If you're speaking to a fluent speaker, you might find it difficult to find the words you have learned as they'll sometimes most likely speak more casual like us Brits. However, the lists can be quite big in one go too, so rather than 30 days to learn, I reacon if you study it laboriously, it would be better for 30 weeks. Do one lesson a week so that you can remember the grammar confidently and each new vocabulary.
The sentences they ask you to translate are very easy to learn and say, so if you were asking where something
30 days
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_14?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=japanese+in+30+days&sprefix=japanese+in+30%2Caps%2C220&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Ajapanese+in+30+days was or what a particular thing is, you'll find it easier to say the right words in the rights places.
Like I say, I don't like to watch videos and the language can be quite fast to speak, so I like to practice speaking quickly over and over again so I don't dawdle with my words and people aren't sure what I'm saying because I'm too slow.
Sometimes, the explanation for each particle can be quite clumsy and it'll take a while to get around your head how one little word can make a big difference such as 'kore, koko, de, o'.
The first list I learned off by heart was this;
Araimasu- wash Naraimasu- learn
Hanashimasu- speak Nomimasu- drink
Kaimasu- buy Okurimasu- send
Kakimasu- write/draw Tabemasu- eat
kikimasu- listen, hear/ ask for Torimasu- take
Mimasu-see/watch Tsukurimasu- make
Urimasu- sell Yomimasu- read
These are the most useful adjectives I find to learn as soon as possible, also relatively simple, although now I'm just remembering a few of these. The way I learned was through flashcards and just making little matching games until I didn't get the matches wrong. I
read and write
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=teach+yourself+japanes&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Ateach+yourself+japanes also got my dad mum to test me a few times as well. I also pronounced them very slowly to take in the meanings at the same time. It would also be a good idea to have a quick read just after you wake up and start your day and just before going to bed so it's the first and last thing you read and think about.
I'll post more words as I go on later on.
The next book I learn is unrelated to Berlitz and much more expensive, it's called Japanese for Busy People VOLUME II, I had some spare cash at the time and thought it would be good to practice reading full sentences in Hiragana, Katakana and even Kanji. At first I found it very difficult, but I find giving things time to think about good because now I love it. It's a nice thick book with believable situations and describes the characteristics of a general Japanese person, so if you study this you'll understand their reactions when questioning them.
But like I say, it isn't quite so easy to read and luckily I have a Japanese boyfriend to help me when I'm stuck. Sometimes I'm not sure how it's designed for people on the go as there's a lot to look at, but surprisingly some of their vocabulary goes in quite easily- although sometimes it misses out some translations which will bug you when answering questions.
The next book I got was a present from a teacher who too was into Japan, so he gave me a book which specilises in Kanji- it's called Teach It Youself- Read & Write Japanese Scripts (reference).
It's an old fashioned layout with Time New Roman text, but once you get into it and learn the basic Kanji, it's not a problem, it's actually quite enjoyable to read and I felt quite accomplished afterwards as it dives deep into its understanding and meaning. Even two years after learning it, I can still identify each character and meaning.
Occasionally, I like to ask my boyfriend what a certain word is in Japanese, some reason I don't like to stray away from the books and just speak what I know- this week he taught me 'GANBATE'- meaning GO FOR IT, so basically good luck. I learned it because he said it a lot about my new job, and I say it because he's travelling alone around Kyushu for university. So, basically I learn one new work a week by him, I should ask more often what words mean; especially their proverbs.
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