The best way to learn Japanese. Where to start learning Japanese? Reasons to learn Japanese

Japan is a country with a long history and mysterious traditions. Its language is difficult to learn even for those who live in the lands of the Land of the Rising Sun.

The Japanese language has three writing systems: two syllabaries (hiragana and katakana) and hieroglyphs. In order to communicate, write and read freely, you need to know at least two thousand hieroglyphs, with the help of which words and the roots of Japanese words are written, which in itself is not easy. However, if you are motivated, have the time and the right amount of stubbornness, nothing is impossible.

All Courses Com has compiled a selection of free online courses and resources to help you learn Japanese.

Simple and clear Japanese lessons for beginners: the alphabet, first characters, pronunciation, reading and even intonation.

– the online resource contains a lot of valuable materials for self-studying the basics of the Japanese language: explanations of the rules, assignments, interactive tests, audio dialogues, etc. The user will also find a lot of useful information about the culture, history, traditions, customs and modern scientific achievements of the country.

A resource that provides online lessons on learning hieroglyphs, tests and materials for preparing for the Noreku Shiken exam - Japanese for foreigners. Many materials can be accessed freely, but some require registration to read. By the way, be careful when registering, because if a user has not used an account for 180 days, strict administration will delete him, and he may not be able to register again.
- a VKontakte group about learning Japanese, which constantly updates its material and has a lot of interesting information in the archive. You can subscribe and receive fresh materials and lessons on an ongoing basis.

A convenient program for storing text, graphic and audio information in many languages ​​of the world.

A resource for a mobile device; you can also take lessons from a browser. Here you can improve your Japanese vocabulary by choosing a ready-made course of words or kanji to study, you can also create your own set of words.

A high-quality resource that provides the opportunity to listen to Japanese speech. While listening to the speaker, you can follow his speech by reading the printed text below, you can also repeat after the speaker or try to guess the words yourself. The site is in Japanese.

– many video lessons from Japanese youth. Pleasant and useful: cheer up and learn a language. – another free educational and interesting channel with video lessons.
- an archive with Japanese characters and their examples of reading, as well as use in context.

An educational blog for those learning Japanese. You can find many useful articles on grammar.

Helps you expand your vocabulary of Japanese words. Here you can subscribe to receive a dozen Japanese words every day with voiceovers and examples of use.

A very useful resource for those studying Japanese and preparing for the language proficiency test for foreigners. Japanese and English versions of the site are possible. For advanced users.

A resource that will allow you to test yourself at all levels of the exam for foreigners. A site for those who already speak basic Japanese at an advanced level.

A high-quality dictionary of Japanese characters, which allows you to find the desired symbol by various characteristics: reading, meaning, number of strokes, radical, as well as by writing it with your finger. As a result of the search, the dictionary will display the meaning of the hieroglyph, examples of its use and correct pronunciation. There are tests for repetition and consolidation of information. The dictionary can be purchased for free by users of the Android, iPhone-iPad, Windows Phone, Windows Mobile, Samsung bada, Mac/Linux platforms.

I need to learn Japanese...

Some people claim that you can only learn Japanese by watching anime with subtitles. I can't agree with them. Without knowledge of the vocabulary and rules of the Japanese language, nothing will work. Of course, unless you are a genius who grasps everything on the fly.

First, the three most important rules for learning Japanese, without which nothing will work:

1. Studying should be fun for you.
2. Exercise every day at least an hour (you can take one day off per week)
3. Set yourself specific goal(learn to read Japanese, learn to watch anime without translation, learn to communicate with Japanese on everyday topics, if you are going on a trip to Japan, pass an exam, etc.) and strive to achieve it.

And now, the algorithm for learning Japanese:

Step 1: Katakana and Hiragana

Learn katakana and hiragana first. These are syllabic alphabet. Katakana used by the Japanese to write words borrowed from foreign languages, and hiragana- in writing along with Kanji characters. In principle, Japanese words can be written using only katakana or hiragana, without kanji.

This is hiragana

Personally, hiragana was easier for me, but katakana still has problems. It is best to learn these ABCs using the “slotting” method, just as we all once learned the multiplication table.

Step 2: Learn grammar and vocabulary from the textbook

Take a textbook Minna no Nihongo and study it until you are completely enlightened. It will help you learn Japanese words and Japanese language rules. It is best to use the complete textbook, with all audio applications. This will help you learn to pronounce words more or less correctly. There is also a good textbook for universities by Nechaeva.

Minna no Nihongo

If you know any other good textbooks, write in the comments.

Step 2.5 Audio Tutorials

When learning foreign languages, it is very useful to listen to various audio materials. With their help, knowledge is ingrained directly into the brain. Listening can be combined with other activities and it saves a lot of time.

Download the audio guide. And listen to it until you feel that the Japanese language has been ingrained into your brain. And then, (Rutreker was blocked, so the links may not work) These are excellent audio tutorials (I won’t recommend anything bad), although they are only suitable for those who know English.

There are also good podcasts for Japanese language learners, which can also be found on RuTracker.

Step 3: Learn Kanji

Learn hieroglyphs. “Love hieroglyphs and they will love you”. I don't know who came up with this phrase, but I really like it. The “slotting” method will not cope with hieroglyphs. After all, you need to learn about 2000 hieroglyphs to read Japanese texts. Use mnemonics methods (mnemonics are a set of rules and techniques that allow you to remember the necessary information). It is important to memorize not only the hieroglyph itself, but also the words it includes.

If you're just starting to learn kanji, try reading a book with a strange title "Kanja essays". It can give a good impetus to the study of hieroglyphs.

By the way, you need to memorize not only the appearance of the hieroglyph, but also the order in which the strokes are written. This also has a hidden meaning and its own logic.

There are many excellent programs for learning characters and Japanese words. The most famous program for learning using flashcards is . I advise you to use it. If you want to learn to read Japanese, then you need to study them every day at least an hour using cards.

I also advise you to install a hieroglyph dictionary. Great program.

Step 4: Start using your Japanese knowledge

At this stage, you can start watching anime in Japanese and reading manga. There is a little secret when watching anime. If characters speak too quickly, slow down the playback. This can be easily done using for example VLC media player. Then you will understand the words in Japanese.

For manga, start with simple children's manga that doesn't use many characters. I can also recommend simple Japanese fairy tales. Very suitable for starting to learn to read.

Step 5: Communicate with Japanese

Start communicating with Japanese people on the Internet, or in real life, if possible. It all depends on how sociable you are. If everything is fine with this, then you can easily find Japanese friends on social networks or on special websites.

The article is not finished yet, because you can learn Japanese indefinitely. I hope any Japanese language experts who stop by the blog Nippon-otaku will make their additions.

Yes, by the way, there is more information on this topic on the blog. In the section and by tag.

Japanese is one of the oldest and most complex languages ​​in the world. Its composition and structure are fundamentally different from European languages ​​and from Russian. Due to the peculiarities of writing, it will, of course, not be possible to learn it in a month - most likely, it will take at least a year and a half. There are several recommendations that will make the learning process more effective and efficient.

Features of the Japanese language

Hieroglyphic languages ​​are difficult in that spoken language and writing must be studied separately. And in the Japanese language there are as many as three writing systems. Two of them - hiragana and katakana - are syllabary alphabets. Hiragana is used to convey grammatical relationships between words, and katakana is needed to write foreign and borrowed words. To indicate the base of a word, kanji is used - hieroglyphs that passed into the Japanese language from Chinese. If you have forgotten which character represents the word you need, you can also use hiragana.

Word order in Japanese sentences is not particularly difficult. You just need to remember that the predicate is always placed at the end of the sentence, and the definition - before the defined. The subject is sometimes omitted if the context makes it clear who or what we are talking about.

When learning Japanese, you don’t have to memorize all kinds of word forms - they don’t change according to persons, genders and numbers. The plural form is indicated by a particle that is added to the end of the word. There is also no future tense form in Japanese.

And one more feature - three degrees of politeness in conversation:

• Normal friendly communication, on a first-name basis.
• Speech for formal occasions, on “you”.
• Respectful speech.

As for phonetics, the sounds of Japanese speech are similar to Russian ones with some nuances. From all of the above, it becomes clear that the most difficult thing in learning Japanese is writing.

Study methods

You can learn Japanese in different ways: on your own, in group lessons, or one-on-one with a teacher. The choice is a personal matter for everyone, because the most important thing in learning a language is motivation. If it is, any of these methods will bear fruit.

Group classes

In any major city you can find a linguistic center or school that offers learning Japanese from scratch in a group. Teachers in such centers usually not only know the language perfectly, but also have effective techniques for memorizing words. Good specialists are able to make the learning process bright and interesting. But you should remember that if you want to learn a language quickly, in addition to attending classes, you must cram hieroglyphs at home and write them down, do exercises and pronounce phrases and words.

The disadvantage of such classes is that the level of language proficiency among students in a group is always different, as is the speed of acquisition. And even if you turn out to be more capable than others, you will have to adapt to them.

Individual training

Unlike group classes, private lessons allow you to study at your own pace. The teacher will adapt only to you. The frequency of classes can also be adjusted depending on your needs. This option would be ideal if it were not for the high cost of individual lessons.

Self-study

This method is good because you don’t have to pay anyone, and the class schedule will depend only on your own desires. But you need to keep in mind that when learning a language on your own, it is very easy to relax, and the process of mastering can take time.

Finding a good textbook is very important. The textbooks “Reading, Writing and Speaking Japanese” by E.V. receive good reviews. Strugova and N.S. Sheftelevich and “Japanese for Beginners” by L.T. Nechaev. They have a drawback - vocabulary that does not meet the needs of modern life. Therefore, expressions and phrases can be taken from other textbooks, for example, from the Japanese editions of Genky or Try, where there are very lively dialogues.

The first step is to learn the syllabary alphabet, which includes 146 syllables, then move on to studying hieroglyphs and grammar. To communicate fluently in Japanese, you need to know about 2,000 hieroglyphic characters. It is very difficult to remember such a number, so many teachers teach to use figurative thinking for this.

Learning a language is a long process, and it is important to ensure that it does not become boring and tedious, and at the same time remains effective. The following recommendations will help with this:

1. You need to exercise every day! Languages ​​with hieroglyphic writing are forgotten very quickly, so you shouldn’t take breaks.
2. Activities can be varied. For example, in the morning we write hieroglyphs in a notebook, in the afternoon we watch a film in Japanese with subtitles or listen to Japanese music, in the evening we try to read news on Japanese websites. All means are good for learning a language.
3. A great many applications have been created for smartphone owners that allow them to master the language playfully. They include hieroglyphics, listening, pronunciation control, and dialogues. This method is good for those who do not have time to learn the language, since it only takes 5 minutes a day. The main thing is regularity.
4. To memorize hieroglyphs, there are applications that allow you to download decks of flash cards. For example, looking at cards every day in the Ankidroid application, we note the degree of memorability for each hieroglyph, and the program itself regulates the frequency with which they are played on the screen.
5. You need to learn words not separately, but as part of expressions or sentences. If you make several phrases with each word, it will be remembered easier.
6. It’s just great if you have the opportunity to communicate with a native speaker, if not in person, then at least via Skype. This will allow you to develop spontaneity and consolidate the acquired knowledge. The best option is to live in the country of the language you are learning.

Learning Japanese is difficult, but quite possible. For successful training, two main components are required - powerful motivation and iron discipline. There are many ways to learn a language, and the best results can be achieved by combining them all.

Learning any foreign language “for yourself” will not bring any results except disappointment. This rule especially applies to Japanese. A clear understanding of the specifics of your goals is the basis for building an effective training plan.

Tourism, obtaining a unique education, developing international business, a passion for traditional and modern Japanese art, professional immigration - whatever you choose, this will become your main motivation and driving force for immersion in the Japanese language.

Setting specific deadlines will help set reference points throughout the training. For example, your goal is to pass the Japanese language exam “Nihongo Noryoku Shiken” at the initial level (N5) in eight months. The list of words, hieroglyphs and grammar required for the exam can be viewed in advance on the relevant websites and a step-by-step plan can be drawn up for the entire period of study.

2. Structure your training material

Select several proven textbooks and print out the copybooks. This will form the basis of your learning. At the same time, you can use the online simulator to test your knowledge. One of the most popular and effective is the Japanese textbook Minna no Nihongo: Basic Workbook in two parts, which is best taken immediately with a grammar commentary and additional teaching materials.

If you have a good command of English, then you can use the time-tested textbooks, workbooks and audio materials from the GENKI series that have been tested by thousands of students. From Russian publications, we can recommend the “Textbook of the Japanese language for children” in two parts by M. R. Golomidova, a well-known Russian specialist in the field of the Japanese language. The textbook will be an excellent educational aid for adults.

3. Start simple

The Japanese writing system consists of two syllabaries (hiragana and katakana) and kanji (hieroglyphs). First you need to master both alphabets, where each of the 46 symbols represents not a sound, but a syllable. And only after that move on to kanji. Try to study symbols and hieroglyphs not separately, but in the context of words and sentences.

The basic set of knowledge is very clearly stated in the requirements for the fifth level of the international Japanese language exam. For a beginner, this can be a great reference point.

When moving on to studying kanji, it is worth paying attention to the so-called keys, from which, as if from Lego bricks, you can compose and remember quite complex Japanese characters. Don't forget that your successful learning depends in no small part on constant written practice. To do this, you can download and print ready-made copybooks. It is better to work on pronunciation by reading aloud.

4. Practice Japanese regularly and in a variety of ways

Despite the logic of this point, many people forget about it over time. Undoubtedly, if you are constantly busy, it is really difficult to devote several hours a day to learning a language, but 20 minutes is quite possible!

Vary your weekly lesson plan, for example:

• Monday, Thursday - theoretical lessons according to the textbook;
• Tuesday - reading your favorite manga in the original or information from Japanese Internet resources;
• Wednesday - work with copybooks;
• Friday, Saturday - watching interesting videos;
• Sunday - communication with native speakers.

Studying Japanese every day, if you enjoy it, will bring tangible results very, very soon!

5. Use proven techniques for memorizing hieroglyphs

There are several original tools for memorizing hieroglyphs.

Card method

Cut out the required number of cards from thick paper, indicate the symbol or hieroglyph being studied on one side, and the corresponding meaning on the other. This will help not only in learning, but also in testing your knowledge. By the way, you can purchase ready-made sets of cards.

Irecommend.ru

Association method

Memorization is perfect for the Japanese language. When learning kanji, it is often difficult to remember the spelling of the character and its meaning. To solve this problem, come up with your own image for each hieroglyph! For example:

• 木 (tree) really looks like a tree;
• 森 (forest) - but three trees turn into a real forest;
• 火 (fire) - a little imagination, and you are already warming your hands by the fire not far from the mountain (山).

This way you can effectively memorize several hieroglyphs at once.

Word replacement method

To do this, you will need an excellent computer program called Kananization (from the Japanese word "kana" - alphabet). The program replaces syllables in any Russian-language text copied into it with Japanese alphabet characters.

There is a Japanese belief.

In short, in simple terms:

Withおtookいs oneあevery beastい

Choose a king!

Using this program will help you remember Japanese characters easily.

Perhaps the most important rule of learning Japanese (and not only) is to believe in yourself and focus on results. Don't believe that Japanese is impossible to learn. Foreigners say the same about the Russian language. But did we somehow learn it? Good luck to you, patience and fulfillment of the Japanese dream!