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How to Learn Japanese

By Gerrit Du Plessis

Republish: EasyPublish™
Published: 03Apr2009
Word count: 549
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Perhaps you've always been curious about how to learn Japanese, or maybe you suddenly need to learn it for work, school, or travel. Either way, it probably seems like a daunting task! But it's really not. While Japanese is certainly a complex language, it's not impossible to learn. If Japanese children can do it, so can you!

First, though, you need to identify the reason you need to learn the language. While your motive may not be so important in beginning the study of other languages, it's a critical factor in determining how to learn Japanese. Why? Well, if you're just going over to Japan for a very short time and will be spending most of your time with people who know English, all you probably need is a brief introductory course that teaches you a few essential phrases like hello, excuse me, I'm sorry, and the like. If you need to learn to communicate your own thoughts in Japanese, however, you need something more than a few phrases.

If you fit into that category, you may want to try either a formal Japanese course at a school, college, or university. Or you may prefer to learn using CDs, DVDs, or a computer-based format. Regardless of your choice of how to learn Japanese, make sure you select an audio-based method. You need to hear the language spoken by a native speaker. Books alone will not do. A good Japanese audio-based program is an example of an extremely natural learning method. It attempts to replicate the way Japanese children actually learn their language in the first place.

How does this work? Well, first children learn what their native language sounds like as their parents speak to them. They learn through careful listening. As this takes place, the children are picking up vocabulary words they'll be able to use themselves as they learn to talk. Have you ever noticed that if you ask a toddler to "bring me the ball," he will comply long before he's able to form the words himself? He's acquired a passive vocabulary, but not yet an active one. You'll find, as you find out how to learn Japanese, that you'll follow the same progression recognizing words first, then understanding them, and finally being able to use them correctly.

What about writing? You may ask. How am I going to learn to read all those inexplicable symbols? Well, it's up to you to decide whether you need to learn them or not. Again, if you're just going to Japan for a short visit, you may not need to learn to read Japanese. If you really want to become fluent in the language, however, you probably will want to learn to read it as well. If you decide that for you, reading is an essential step in how to learn Japanese, study the kanas, hiragana and katakana, two basic components of the very complex Japanese writing system. And make flash cards!

The most important aspect of any language, though, is not reading or writing it's speaking. If you learn to speak the language intelligibly, you have a huge advantage over those who do not. So regardless of your decision on how to learn Japanese, concentrate on learning to speak it well, and enjoy your immersion in another culture!

Gerrit runs the popular language learning site http://www.listenhear.info/ Do YOU want more ways to learn Japanese fast? Visit the Rocket Japanese download site for more info and get your FREE 6 day Japanese course.

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