How to start learning Japanese. How to learn Japanese - the subtleties and difficulties of self-study

The Japanese language is amazing and interesting, but incredibly complex: it has a huge number of intricate characters, and pronunciation is a separate issue. And yet, if you have the desire, you can learn the basics and pass a successful training.

Sequence of study

There are different methods and manuals for learning Japanese, and you can choose any one that seems more or less understandable and interesting to you. But whichever option you choose, you need to act consistently. There are several main stages of study:

First you need to start learning the basics: study the two syllabic alphabets. The first is hiragana, and it is a kind of basic phonetic alphabet of the language, which is used for writing and is involved in the connection of hieroglyphs (kanji). Such symbols represent syllables and prepositions and are the basis for making sentences and phrases. Katakana is used for titles, loanwords, and foreign terms. Such an alphabet has a pronunciation similar to hiragana, but differs from it in character design. When studying, you will have to be patient and show diligence in order to remember all the symbols. Connect the memory and imagine that you are learning the multiplication table.
If both the Japanese alphabets hiragana and katakana are thoroughly learned, you can proceed to the development of kanji - a system of hieroglyphs, consisting of a huge number of characters. Although you can only write words in hiragana characters, the inhabitants of the land of the rising sun use full-fledged hieroglyphs, so if you want to achieve high results, you will also need to learn kanji. You will have to memorize not only the outlines of hieroglyphs, but also all the words of which they are a part. You can imagine that you are assembling a constructor from individual elements. Remember them, combinations and the so-called keys - the rules of connection and application.
Having memorized the phonetic alphabet and hieroglyphs, you can begin to master vocabulary and grammar. And if the characters can be memorized on their own, then a certain structured technique will be required for a detailed study of the language. If self-study does not suit you, you can hire a teacher and study with him. And if you are a thinking and disciplined person, then you can purchase a textbook or manual and use it as a knowledge base.
If spelling is already good for you, it's time to move on to pronunciation, which cannot be called simple. To master it, it is best to use audio materials, which you can listen to not only during full-fledged classes or in your free time, but also when performing simple routine duties, such as getting to work or school, cleaning, walking the dog.
It's time to apply what you've learned and practice. It is better to start by reading books in Japanese. Then watch movies and anime, but be prepared for the fact that at first the pace of speech will seem incredibly fast to you and make half of the words incomprehensible. To catch everything, you can slow down the playback.
The final stage may be communication with the Japanese. The easiest way is the internet. Start with correspondence, then invite the interlocutor to chat during a video call using the Skype program. And if the opportunity arises, be sure to go on a trip to the land of the rising sun and make some pleasant and useful acquaintances there.

We use useful programs

How can you learn Japanese quickly? You definitely won’t be able to master it in a short time, but modern services and programs that can be used on computers and modern gadgets will help speed up the process. Let's look at a few of these applications:

Anki. This program is based on memorizing the so-called flash cards, and this method is considered effective and easy to learn. You can change the elements and group them into categories, add them yourself, use ready-made or create decks.
Yarksi is a huge and easy-to-use database consisting of more than 60 thousand Japanese words with Russian translation, symbols and hieroglyphs with symbols. Users have access to a simple search system on various grounds, including graphic ones. The program can be used as a detailed dictionary or a complete reference.
"Wakan" is a real lifesaver for Japanese learners. This service offers extensive functionality: search for various hieroglyphs by many criteria, translation of words and texts with understanding, pronunciation, an ordered dictionary, an editor, a complete catalog of alphabet and hieroglyphs symbols. The application is used as a Japanese reference book, directory, dictionary, simple translator. It is very convenient and promotes effective study.
"Rikaichan" is an application designed more for reading than for the full development of grammar and vocabulary. Using the service, you can translate Japanese words into any other languages. If the basics have already been learned, then the program may be useful.

The following tips will help you master Japanese and achieve success in learning it:

Start with the simplest and, only having mastered the basics, move on to more complex ones. Do not overestimate your strength and do not seek to jump over any stages. Consistency is important in learning Japanese.
Be patient and prepare for what will be difficult. In order not to stop halfway, you can choose the right motivation. It can be a trip to Japan or a new promising job in this country, a change of residence or something else.
Set clear goals and follow the plan. In a diary or notebook, write down the tasks for each lesson and try to complete them. You can plan your learning process for a week or a month in advance, but it is important to stick to the plan and not deviate from the intended course.
Try to make the learning process as comfortable and easy as possible. For example, you can devote an hour a day, this will be quite enough. If today you have no desire to study, do not force yourself. Conduct classes in a calm and comfortable environment so that nothing annoys or distracts you.
If you decide to learn Japanese at home, then you need to study regularly and constantly. Sometimes it’s not easy to force yourself to tear yourself away from the TV or get off the couch, but you must motivate yourself and understand that no one will direct you in the right direction, you will have to act on your own.
You can study not only at home at your desk or in courses, but also in your free time, for example, in public transport on the way to work or to other places, while walking the dog or cleaning, in line, and so on.
If you are learning a language from scratch, then it makes sense to start learning it with the help of a professional. Hire a tutor or sign up for a course to learn the basics and figure out what direction you need to take. And when you feel more confident, you can start independent free swimming, but it is better to use the same technique so as not to stray from the intended path.
Use different sources to develop and broaden your horizons, replenishing the knowledge base. Read books, use various manuals and services, watch movies and listen to songs.
Study the culture of the country and its history in order to feel the language and truly love and recognize it.
Constantly practice and actively use the acquired knowledge.

It remains only to wish you success in such a difficult task as learning the amazing Japanese language.

Free Japanese lessons online on our website are structured in the following way: from beginner level (N5) to advanced level (N2, N1). The structure is based on the levels of the international Japanese language exam Noreku shiken (JLPT). If you newbie, then feel free to go to section N5 in the very first lesson and then follow the numbering of the lessons in our Japanese tutorial. The Word Trainer and Reference Material are great for learning new Japanese words. In general, conditional binding to Noreku shiken levels is very convenient and practical: First of all, You learn the language systematically and gradually (from simple to advanced); Secondly, you clearly understand what level your current language literacy corresponds to and where you want to go next. Of course, any language is a living organism. Therefore, the lessons are recommended volume grammar, vocabulary and hieroglyphics. Exam levels are a kind of guideline, a connecting thread in the consistent study and knowledge of the amazing Japanese language. Learn with pleasure! And remember the main thing: little is important, but improve your language every day. This is the key to successful learning.
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Learning Japanese

How to learn Japanese? This question is asked by everyone who has decided to go on an interesting journey to learn Japanese. About 140 million people speak Japanese, and in the online space of the worldwide Internet, the Japanese language ranks fourth in the world in terms of the number of users.

If a Your goals, dreams, aspirations, interests, plans and activities are related to Japan learning Japanese is essential. Knowledge of the Japanese language will give you tremendous advantages in the Land of the Rising Sun and open up new opportunities for further growth and movement.

Where to start studying? What is the best way to learn Japanese? This article was created specifically to answer these questions. So, let's try to be brief and specific:

1) Teacher.
No need to reinvent the wheel. Learning a language is a laborious process. Therefore, we recommend learning Japanese at the initial stages not on your own, but with a teacher. If you are in Russia, then with a Russian speaker. A good teacher will set the pronunciation, and teach the characters of the Japanese alphabet and hieroglyphs to write correctly, and most importantly, he will be able to explain the grammatical subtleties and features of the Japanese language in nuances. This is extremely important and responsible. Because your further progress in learning the Japanese language depends on the foundation laid.

Studying with a Japanese teacher is also great, but it is desirable when you have already mastered the basic grammar well and what the Japanese teacher will explain to you in Japanese, you can consciously understand and assimilate. I will say from personal practice, I studied at the first stages with a Russian teacher, then with a Japanese teacher, and then by myself.

2) Textbook. This is another important and responsible moment. Our recommendation - Minna no nihongo ("Japanese for everyone") is a very good Japanese textbook, which simply does not have an analogue in the initial stages of learning. The comprehensive package of all Minna no nihongo textbooks is an excellent material for a holistic study of the Japanese language. Minna no nihongo covers all the nuances of the Japanese language: vocabulary, grammar, hieroglyphics, reading texts. The textbook is supplemented by a large volume of audio and video files, training exercises. Minna no nihongo aims to develop communication skills. Minna no nihongo is used by the Japanese when teaching foreigners in language schools. To date, Minna no nihongo is perhaps the best textbook for learning Japanese. The only drawback, in our opinion, is the absence of Russian texts (for reverse translation). But this can easily be compensated by a competent teacher as an additional separate material. Of course, you can use other textbooks in training as additional ones. But in our opinion, there is simply no more universal textbook for the initial stage, not cluttered with scientific linguistic terminology. Minna no nihongo from her first lessons learn to think in Japanese, understand in practice the structure of Japanese speech, the Japanese language and the features of Japanese culture and etiquette ..

3) Additional material and training. You have found a teacher or enrolled in a language school, purchased a good textbook and have already begun to study. It is important to remember: the textbook is the foundation. It is also not rubber and it is simply not able to accommodate absolutely everything.

Therefore, it is important that you have additional media resources on your note, where you can further immerse yourself in the Japanese language, at least every day. After all, surrounding yourself with Japanese is also very important in the learning process. The more of him around you, the faster his mental acceptance will arise, the faster the communication will be. Additional training of the Japanese language implies the opportunity to learn something new (outside the scope of the textbook), consolidate what has been passed, additionally read new texts, see real examples of colloquial speech, etc. And our resource website– is also designed to solve this problem for you. All material that we plan to publish on the site is FREE and for personal use only.

On our website, we give you the opportunity to learn Japanese for free. All materials on the site are copyrighted, written by a practicing Japanese language teacher. The materials of the site will be useful and a good addition to the systematic study of the Japanese language in the textbook for you. The textbook gives a high-quality framework, our task is to “colorize” it, provide you with more examples on a particular topic, tell you about interesting and useful vocabulary, colloquial expressions, grammatical nuances, and simply become a good assistant in learning Japanese. So let's be friends! 友だちになりましょう。

In the near future, the site will be supplemented with content blocks for learning Japanese online. Japanese for free in this format is real. Your system base, framework is a textbook. Your fastest progress in learning Japanese is in the knowledge of additional materials that the textbook simply cannot cover and in the constancy of surrounding yourself with Japanese, at least just a little, but every day. We hope our site will help you with this.

And finally, our first Japanese language learning tips:
In the study of the Japanese language, consistency and consistency are important. And it's important not to break it. I.e. if you take the next step forward or start to master the next topic, this should mean for you a priori that everything that you have gone through before is absolutely clear to you and there are no questions. Good luck with your study!

© Sincerely, Diana Yumenohikari

Of course, learning Japanese from scratch does not happen at the snap of your fingers, and it takes a lot of time to devote to it - just like any other foreign language. But although it cannot be learned only after watching the anime, it is easier to learn than it seems at first glance. Why this is so, and not otherwise, and how to learn Japanese step by step - we tell for beginners.

What makes Japanese easy to learn

Time to dispel a few myths about the Japanese language and prove that learning it can be quite easy in many ways. For example:

Learning kanji just got a whole lot easier

What scares Japanese beginners the most is the kanji, or Chinese characters used in Japanese writing. However, now they can be learned much faster thanks to the development of technology and the emergence of smartphones and special applications. One has only to learn romaji - the order of romanization of Japanese syllables - and you can look up kanji on the Internet, an online dictionary and type them on your computer using tooltips.

Japanese writing is not only hieroglyphs

In addition to Chinese characters, each of which can denote a separate word, there are two more writing systems in Japanese, that is, two alphabets - hiragana and katakana. They are symbols with which individual syllables and words are written. At the same time, mostly words of non-Japanese origin are written in katakana, and Japanese words for which there are no kanji are written in hiragana. They are much easier to remember, and subsequently distinguish in the text, read and write.

Lots of borrowings from English

Good news for those who study English: words borrowed from it make up a fairly large group of Japanese vocabulary. For example, wife ("wife") in Japanese was transformed into waifu, news ("news") - into nyuusu, etc. Of course, in Japanese these words are pronounced a little differently than in English, but their phonetic pattern is very similar. Once you learn the rules of Japanese pronunciation of foreign words, you will notice English borrowings without much difficulty.

Easy pronunciation

And since we are talking about pronunciation, it is quite simple in Japanese. In fact, it contains only 5 vowels and 14 consonants. Many sounds even practically coincide with the sounds in more familiar English, for example, konnichiwa can be translated into English transcription as. Japanese pronunciation is easier to learn because there are no diphthongs - a fused combination of two vowel sounds (like [əʊ] in the English word tone or like in the German word Reich), or a confluence of consonants (like in the word "hello" or the word angsts) . Also, unlike many other East Asian languages such as Chinese, Thai, and Vietnamese, Japanese is non-tonal.

Noun gender? Did not hear!

French, Italian and other Romance languages are complicated by the presence of two or even three genders of nouns - masculine, feminine and neuter. But when you try to learn Japanese, you don't have to torture yourself by cramming noun forms.

Syllables are only pronounced one way

Again, let's compare Japanese with English, where the same combination of sounds may differ in pronunciation in different cases, for example: apple, vary, able, where the sound [a] in different syllables is pronounced as [æ], , . Learning Japanese in this regard is much easier, since all of its 45 basic syllables are read in only one way and nothing else.

How to Learn Japanese Fast - Tips for Beginners

If you still do not know how to learn Japanese, or rather, where to start learning it, then pay attention to the following instructions. In it, we briefly described the main steps that will help beginner students who want to learn the language on their own, structure the information received and organize the learning process.

You need to start with writing, namely the syllabary alphabets that we mentioned above - hiragana and katakana. This is how they look:

The most effective way to learn these alphabets is by constant repetition, as we did in school with the multiplication table. Learn spelling, pronunciation, and romaji for each alphabet at the same time.

Choose a Japanese textbook to follow next. It is the textbook that will help you not only randomly learn words and phrases, but gain an adequate understanding of the structure of the language, learn the most common vocabulary, master grammar and other rules.

Try to find a complete Japanese textbook, along with a workbook, assignments, test answers, and audio files to help you practice pronunciation and listening comprehension. Minna no Nihongo is one of the best textbooks to help learn Japanese for beginners.

The next step is to learn kanji. It will not work just to memorize hieroglyphs, so you will have to find good literature that will help you understand the principle of their formation and suggest colorful examples - without context, there is nowhere. Start by studying graphemes - these are the constituent parts of hieroglyphs, the “bricks” that each of them is made up of. Learn them - and memorizing kanji will be much easier.

We advise you to take “1000 hieroglyphs in aphorisms, proverbs and sayings”, “Japanese-Russian educational dictionary of hieroglyphs”, “The path of a tailless bird” by A.I. Talyshkhanova, “Japanese for the soul. Kandzya essays" by A.M. Vurdov. For those who know English, the book by James Heisig "Remembering the Kanji" (James W. Heisig "Remembering the Kanji") in 3 volumes is also suitable.

Continuing to study kanji with new vocabulary and strengthen grammar, start watching anime, films with subtitles - watch first with Russian, and then with Japanese. Read in Japanese: You can start with a children's manga that uses simple phrases and pictures, and then move on to more complex ones. When knowledge begins to allow, go to Japanese newspapers and books. Learn more about manga with which you can learn Japanese in the video:

And, of course, try to find yourself a Japanese interlocutor. If there are none in your city and you cannot go to Japan, use social networks to learn foreign languages, mobile applications, Skype, etc. - there are a lot of opportunities.

We hope this guide has answered the question of where to start learning Japanese and made it easier for you to understand it. We wish you success in your studies!

Take it, tell your friends!

Steps

Learning the Basics

Learn Japanese alphabets. The Japanese language uses four main writing systems, each of which is represented by its own graphemes. Already now it may seem that there is a lot to learn there, but it is worth remembering that in any word of the Japanese language, regardless of the alphabet, sounds from a fairly small group are used, where there are only 46 basic sounds. However, learning the alphabets and their uses is an important step in learning the Japanese language. Here's a quick overview:

Hiragana is a Japanese syllabary used for writing. Unlike the Latin alphabet, each hiragana character stands for one syllable (that is, it has a vowel and a consonant).
Katakana is another syllabary often used to write foreign or onomatopoeic words. Katakana and hiragana together make it possible to convey a large number of sounds in Japanese.
Kanji are hieroglyphs that came from China and were adopted by the Japanese language. While hiragana and katakana are so-called "phonetic scripts" denoting sounds, kanji is an ideographic script, that is, its characters have their own meaning. Thousands of kanji characters are known, about two thousand of them are in wide use. The 46 basic sounds used to pronounce katakana and hiragana are also used for kanji.
The Latin alphabet is used in Japanese to write acronyms, company names, and other words if aesthetic reasons dictate. The Latin alphabet is also called "romaji" (Roman letters) in Japan. Essentially, Japanese can only use romaji. Of course, this is not done in Japan itself, but those who are just starting to learn Japanese often resort to such a trick to get used to "pronouncing" Japanese characters. Of course, in Japanese there are many such characters that are difficult to write in Latin and difficult to pronounce, as well as many homonyms (much more than in English), which also adds to the confusion. As a consequence, Japanese learners are advised to switch to kanji alphabets as soon as possible and not use the Latin script.

Practice your Japanese pronunciation. The 46 basic sounds of Japanese are one of the 5 vowel sounds, or a combination of a vowel and a consonant, with the exception of a single sound consisting of only a consonant. Vowel sounds are not subject to inflection (unlike English, where the "a" in the words "apple" and "ace" is read differently). You can start working on pronunciation by learning how to read katakana and hiragana characters. On this site you can see examples of the pronunciation of sounds.
- Focus on the intonation with which different sounds are pronounced. In Japanese, the meanings of words change depending on how they are pronounced. A word with a long vowel and the same word with a short vowel can be two different words.
Learn variations on basic sounds. Sometimes small icons are attached to Japanese characters, symbolizing that the sound should be read differently. Sometimes this leads to the fact that the meaning of words changes. Well, as in English: sometimes "s" sounds like "z".
- Voiced consonants are pronounced with a hard attack in the intervocalic position.
- Long vowels pronounced with a vowel drawl differ from short vowels, indicating a difference in words.
Familiarize yourself with Japanese grammar. Knowing the basic grammar rules will help you quickly understand Japanese and make up your own sentences. Japanese is simple and flexible, so putting together sentences from its words is not so difficult.

Learn Japanese with a tutor

Dive into Japanese
1. Join the Speak Japanese Club. Or to any other similar group, it doesn’t matter, it’s not so difficult to find such groups, and participation in them will help you get used to speech, isolate words from the streams of someone else’s speech. Even if you don't understand what was said at first, try to repeat what was said and try to break it down into words. All this will improve your understanding of the language.
2. Make friends from Japan with whom you can regularly practice the language. Many Japanese want to learn English (and some will not refuse Russian), so there is always a chance to establish mutually beneficial cooperation! To learn a language, it is very useful to find yourself friends who are native speakers.
  - Practice the language with your friends, but not in the form of a lesson. If you are lucky and you can communicate in person, then show your new friends the city, sights. And remember that you need to relax regularly, otherwise, all these hieroglyphs can make your head spin! Combine business with pleasure when you learn a language in this way.
  - On those days when you don't need to go anywhere, call your Japanese friends and talk for half an hour - and only in Japanese. The more language practice, the higher the skills.
3. Immerse yourself in the world of Japanese media products. Newspapers, novels, movies, shows - read and listen to Japanese speech daily. On the Internet, you can find a lot of Japanese films of all genres with original soundtracks. Find a movie in your favorite genre to make learning more fun! Japanese newspapers will give you an active grammar and relevant words and constructions. As you get comfortable with them, move on to novels, so you become familiar with the more artistic style of Japanese. And don't stop at just one! Watch movies, read manga, listen to music and watch anime!
  - Actually, the manga is a good reading material. However, not everything is so simple. Serious works are, no doubt, good didactic material (plus also with pictures), but manga for children is not quite the same, a lot of slang and unnecessary sound effects. Choose manga wisely.
4. Study in Japan. Perhaps this is the best way to learn a language. It will be a delightful, unpredictable experience of immersion in a different cultural and linguistic environment, even if only for a short time. Even if you have studied a language exceptionally diligently, a trip to a country where everyone speaks it will surely open up a lot of new things for you.
  - Are you studying at the university? Find out if your school has an exchange program or something similar. Such trips are one of the best ways to learn a language, not to mention the fact that they are often paid for by the university itself!
  - Do not give up if you arrived in Japan and ... do not understand anything by ear, but read through time. To become fluent in another language requires long, very long years of diligent and painstaking work. And the subtleties and nuances of Japanese are very difficult to learn at all, but all this only makes the Japanese language more beautiful and interesting.
- Words from manga and anime are often not suitable for use in everyday situations. It is better to learn the use of language from real people, not from pop culture trends.
- Learn to consider context. If the person next to you greets someone or responds in a certain way, follow suit the next time you are in a similar situation. It is best to observe peers of the same gender. You understand that speech behavior that is appropriate for an older man may be strange for a young woman.
- Consider learning to write and learn kanji (rather than hiragana or katakana) last. So when you get to kanji, you can only use the Japanese meanings of the words, and you don't have to translate them back and forth. However, others believe that it is better to learn writing and learn words at the same time. It all depends on your learning style.
- Try not to switch between languages. According to research, when we learn a new language, completely new neural connections are formed in our brain. It is worth returning to Russian again, and fluency can decrease by 16%.
- Don't rely on gadgets. Electronic dictionaries are not our method. It's expensive, and most of the features, if you don't already know how to read at the proper level, will not be useful to you. Ideally, before such a purchase, you should confidently know about 300-500 kanji characters.
- If you travel to Japan and try to start speaking outside of a formal or business setting, be prepared to face a harsh reality. And the reality is that not everyone wants to listen to a foreigner who speaks badly and answer something to him there. But don't let that stop you! There will always be those who will listen to you, no matter how badly you speak.
- Watch anime without Russian subtitles, especially those that you have already seen in your native language. This will give you an idea of what the characters are talking about.
- Try to always pronounce vowels and consonants correctly, even when it seems to you that it will look stupid.
- When speaking Japanese, try not to speak too fast or too slow. Practice with native speakers whenever possible.
- Any language, if not practiced, is forgotten with frightening ease. So keep practicing Japanese. For example, if you study a language for a few months and then take a break for a year, you will FORGET all the learned kanji characters and most of the grammar along with them. Japanese is a difficult language, and even the Japanese themselves, living abroad for some time, begin to forget kanji. In other words, it is better to learn little by little, but regularly, than to arrange a marathon every couple of months.