It is not difficult to learn the fundamentals of Japanese: the language is made up of only 46 sounds; however, it takes years of practice to master the nuances of this beautiful idiom. Start exploring it on your own and then let yourself be guided by a teacher to fully immerse yourself in the language and gain fluency.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Basic Words and Phrases
Step 1. Start by practicing greetings, which are the basis of each language
- や あ。 ("Hello." Pronounced: “iaa”).
- は じ め ま し て ("Nice to meet you." Pronounced: "hasgimemashtè").
- お は よ う ご ざ い ま す ("Good morning." Pronounced: "ohayoo gozaimas").
- こ ん に ち は ("Hello." Pronounced: “konniciwà”).
- お や す み な さ い ("Goodnight." Pronounced: "oiasumi nasai").
- さ よ う な ら ("Goodbye." Pronounced: “saionara”).
Step 2. Learn the phrases needed for a basic conversation
- お げ ん き で す か？ ("How are you?" Pronounced: “oghenki deskà?”).
- わ た し は げ ん き で す。 あ り が と う。 ("I'm fine, thank you." Pronounced: “watashi wa ghenki des. Arigatò”).
- あ り が と う ("Thank you." Pronounced: “arigatò”).
- す み ま せ ん ("Excuse me." Pronounced: "sumimasen").
- ご め ん な さ い ("I'm sorry." Pronounced: “gomennasai”).
- わ か り ま す ("I see." Pronounced: "wakarimas").
- し り ま せ ん ("I don't know." Pronounced: “shirimasen”).
Step 3. Learn the numbers
Here are the numbers from 1 to 10 written in kanji, or ideograms.
- 一 (1). (Ichi. Pronunciation: "ici").
- 二 (2). (Ni. Pronunciation: "ni").
- 三 (3). (San. Pronunciation: "san").
- 四 (4). (Yon or shi. Pronounced: "ion" / "shi").
- 五 (5). (Go. Pronunciation: "go").
- 六 (6). (Roku. Pronounced: “rokù”).
- 七 (7). (Shichi or nana. Pronounced: "shici" / "nanà").
- 八 (8). (Hachi. Pronunciation: "haci").
- 九 (9). (Ku or Kyu. Pronunciation: "ku" / "kiu").
- 十 (10). (Ju. Pronounce: "Jun").
Step 4. Find out the most complicated words and expressions
Buy a dictionary and practice pronouncing various words and phrases to get used to the sounds, so you can be at an advantage when you go to class.
Method 2 of 4: Learn the Basics of Japanese
Step 1. First, you need to know that there are four writing systems
To speak well, you don't necessarily need to learn to write in all these ways, although you should gradually get there, especially if you hope to achieve a great level.
- Hiragana is a Japanese syllabary, a system of indigenous characters used to represent the different sounds of the language. There are 48 pure syllables, 20 impure syllables, 5 semi-pure syllables and 33 contracted syllables.
- Katakana is another native syllabary but it is mostly used to write words from foreign languages. There are 48 pure syllables, 20 impure syllables, 5 semi-pure syllables and 36 contracted syllables (more than the syllables recently added to recreate foreign sounds not present in the language of the Rising Sun). Hiragana and katakana cover all Japanese sounds.
- Kanji are Chinese characters adapted from Japanese to create the basis of writing. The sounds used to pronounce the ideograms are the same as those used for hiragana and katakana.
- The Latin alphabet is sometimes used for acronyms, business names, and terms that should be read by non-native speakers.
- The romaji, or the system for transcribing Japanese words into our alphabet, is not used in Japan, it is useful for students who are new to hiragana and katakana. However, use it for a very short time, otherwise it will be hard to associate Japanese sounds with their respective characters.
Step 2. Learn pronunciation and practice hiragana and katakana, which are made up of a combination of the five vowels and consonants
- Since each character in Hiragana and Katakana has a distinctive sound, it is relatively easy to learn how to pronounce them all (46). However, pay particular attention to the correct intonation, since some variations of these basic sounds can drastically change the meaning.
- While languages like English or Italian are based on accents, Japanese is based on tone. A word can be pronounced the same way, but it can mean different things depending on whether it is spoken in a high or low tone of voice. In order to learn to speak like a native person, it is crucial to learn how to handle it.
Step 3. Japanese characters can be written with extra accents to indicate a louder sound:
- Vocalized consonants, which are performed by vibrating the throat. There are four voiced consonants and one semi-voiced consonant.
- Sounds composed with "y" can be added to pure syllables to create contracted syllables.
- Hard consonant sounds add a marked pause between sounds.
- When it comes to long vowel sounds, you need to know that the meaning of a word can alter based on the length of a syllable's vowel sound.
Step 4. Understand the grammar
Japanese grammar is unlike any other, but follows easy-to-learn logical standards:
- Nouns have no plural and do not change based on gender.
- Verbs do not change based on gender or number:
- The predicate is always found at the end of the sentence (SOV order, Subject-Object-Verb).
- Personal pronouns vary according to different levels of education and formality.
- The particles directly follow the words to which they are linked. Example: “Watashi wa nihonjin desu” (“I am Japanese”). The word "watashi", which means "I", is followed by the particle "wa", which marks the subject of the sentence.
Method 3 of 4: Take a Course
Step 1. You can attend one in the language center of the university or at a private institution
Make sure it is taught by a native speaker teacher.
- Do your homework. It seems to take forever to learn 2,000 kanji or become familiar with the vocabulary, but these steps need to be constant to get results.
- Engage in class conversations and speak often. Take advantage of every possible opportunity to practice.
Step 2. Take an online course, especially if you want to save money
Many have been designed to encourage you to speak out loud by participating in virtual dialogues. Do some research before choosing the one that's right for you and take it seriously.
Step 3. Buy Japanese language software
You can try Rosetta Stone to learn at your own pace and using CDs and textbooks. Read various reviews before choosing a program, also because this option can be expensive.
Step 4. Hire a tutor, who can be an advanced or native Japanese learner
It can be a supplement to the course you have decided to follow. Otherwise, ask him if he can be your teacher.
- Post an ad on the university bulletin board and on the internet.
- You can also get help from a tutor residing in Japan: Skype, or another online video chat program, will break down all distances.
Method 4 of 4: Immerse yourself in the language
Step 1. Hang out with people who speak Japanese:
students at an advanced level or who have lived in Japan, natives, etc. Your pronunciation will improve and you will answer your doubts faster.
- Start a conversation group and meet with members at least twice a week. Speak only in Japanese for a full hour. Each meeting can be dedicated to a theme or be improvised.
- Plan excursions with Japanese natives and speak in different contexts and situations. For example, go to the botanical garden and learn the names of plants and trees.
- Try to speak Japanese every day. You can pass by your teacher's office during office hours or call your friend who lives in the Land of the Rising Sun.
Step 2. Watch Japanese movies, shows and anime
Do this at least once a week.
- Among the most popular films, those of Hayao Miyazaki.
- Start watching with subtitles. If you can do without it, however, you will improve your chances of focusing on sounds and pronunciation.
Step 3. Study in Japan
You can go there to study or to work for six months and practice every day.
- If you go to university, find out if it is possible to participate in an exchange or study stay in Japan. You could stay there for at least six months.
- Are you looking for a job? The WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) organization allows you to work on a farm in exchange for room and board, an excellent way to make the most of your language immersion.
