Learning Japanese.

[PaulMacC]

I'd like to learn Japanese primarily because that I've wanted to learn a second language since joining school and the language they offer never really interested me. Also, I'd probably like visit Japan in the future and I suppose it would help. Anyone know where I could start, are there any places I could teach myself or learn via the internet (podcast, website, etc)
I know some basic but I wouldn't classify that as knowing much.

Thread moved by Nicola (Forum Moderator) from 'Anime and other Entertainment'

[Neversoft]

There are a ton of people on YouTube that makes videos to help others learn Japanese, and there are of course many websites, ebooks and actual learning books as well. I'll post them below.

I'll tell you now though, learning Japanese is something you really have to stick with and not approach half heartedly. Japanese is also a language that is fairly easy to learn to speak, but extremely hard to learn to read and write. If you plan on becoming totally literate you'll need a lot of patience and determination.

I've been teaching myself on and off for a while now and feel I have made progress, but to learn Japanese you really need a teacher or Japanese friend to speak to. Teaching yourself can only go so far. I'm planning on taking up a Japanese short course at university sometime this year and ultimately plan to travel to Japan by the next, or at least the year after. Theres nothing like learning a language by throwing yourself into the culture.

Youtubers
Tofugu (http://www.youtube.com/user/tofugu)
Expertvillage (http://www.youtube.com/user/expertvillage)
Japanesepod101 (http://www.youtube.com/user/japanesepod101)
TheJapanShop (http://www.youtube.com/user/thejapanshop)
Aploosh (http://www.youtube.com/user/Aploosh)
YesJapan (http://www.youtube.com/user/yesjapan)
Sodapencil (http://www.youtube.com/user/sodapencil)
Dsfy0604 (http://www.youtube.com/user/dsfy0604)
Myargonauts (http://www.youtube.com/user/myargonauts)

All of the channels above focus on teaching you Japanese, minus myargonauts, who teaches you more about the experiences of living in Japan and the culture. You'll have to dig through expertvillage's other videos to get to the Japanese ones.

Websites
Tofugu.com (http://www.tofugu.com/)
JapanesePod101.com (http://www.japanesepod101.com/)
Learn-Japanese.info (http://www.learn-japanese.info/)

Another useful website is this (http://www.flame.org/~calger/animedict.html) library of words and phrases that was compiled by someone who lived in Japan for a year.

Books
Japanese E-Books - Download Here (http://www.free-ebook-download.net/languages-worldwide/2300-japanese-e-books.html)

[Jord]

Im with you there :P I'd like to visit japan in the future also and be able to speak Japanese would be cool :P Goodluck with it as the youtube people neversoft put theres also another one I was subscribed to a while ago, Applemilk something its like

Applemilk138? I dunno lol just type in applemilk

[Southe,]

I've been teaching myself on and off for a while now and feel I have made progress, but to learn Japanese you really need a teacher or Japanese friend to speak to.

That. And even tho there are youtubers and sites to help you learn you will most likely get distracted and stop doing it like i have unless your deadly serious.

Best way is to PAY for lessons from someone. Actually having someone there to ask questions to there on the spot rather than youtube comments or emails.. and the fact your paying for it will mean you won't want to lose out on the money and won't distract yourself.

Currently looking for such a course in the mean time im just playing around with My Japanese Coach on the ds. worth getting and using until you can afford to get proper lessons.

- Helps you with reading/writing/speaking. d/load the rom and its free :D
you learn by topics and you have to play mini game/tests on what you've learned. Theres also a japanese dictinary, DS screen allows you to practice writing and the mic allows yo to record and play back ontop of the stored recording of the word to see if you pronouce the word correctly.

I see lots of people saying it would be cool to learn japanese but the only way you will properly learn it is by proper lessons with a teacher you can interact with when you need help.

Might check now actually, see if theres any courses

[Neversoft]

There are a ton of course all over the country. I checked a couple of months ago. Most of them are short courses though and can cost up to £200 for just a month or so. No idea how much a private tutor would cost.

[RatedRShadow]

There are a ton of people on YouTube that makes videos to help others learn Japanese, and there are of course many websites, ebooks and actual learning books as well. I'll post them below.

I'll tell you now though, learning Japanese is something you really have to stick with and not approach half heartedly. Japanese is also a language that is fairly easy to learn to speak, but extremely hard to learn to read and write. If you plan on becoming totally literate you'll need a lot of patience and determination.

I've been teaching myself on and off for a while now and feel I have made progress, but to learn Japanese you really need a teacher or Japanese friend to speak to. Teaching yourself can only go so far. I'm planning on taking up a Japanese short course at university sometime this year and ultimately plan to travel to Japan by the next, or at least the year after. Theres nothing like learning a language by throwing yourself into the culture.

Youtubers
Tofugu (http://www.youtube.com/user/tofugu)
Expertvillage (http://www.youtube.com/user/expertvillage)
Japanesepod101 (http://www.youtube.com/user/japanesepod101)
TheJapanShop (http://www.youtube.com/user/thejapanshop)
Aploosh (http://www.youtube.com/user/Aploosh)
YesJapan (http://www.youtube.com/user/yesjapan)
Sodapencil (http://www.youtube.com/user/sodapencil)
Dsfy0604 (http://www.youtube.com/user/dsfy0604)
Myargonauts (http://www.youtube.com/user/myargonauts)

All of the channels above focus on teaching you Japanese, minus myargonauts, who teaches you more about the experiences of living in Japan and the culture. You'll have to dig through expertvillage's other videos to get to the Japanese ones.

Websites
Tofugu.com (http://www.tofugu.com/)
JapanesePod101.com (http://www.japanesepod101.com/)
Learn-Japanese.info (http://www.learn-japanese.info/)

Another useful website is this (http://www.flame.org/~calger/animedict.html) library of words and phrases that was compiled by someone who lived in Japan for a year.

Books
Japanese E-Books - Download Here (http://www.free-ebook-download.net/languages-worldwide/2300-japanese-e-books.html)

Wow! Maybe i should get back to learn Japanese again. Thanks for the wonderful link. It will be perfect if there is a Japanese that can correct us if we pronounce it wrongly.

[Southe,]

yea but i meant in Edinburgh. probably will be i got distracted by monster so i'll look later

[PaulMacC]

Might learn after University. Probably wouldn't be fully committed as right now it would be a distraction from A-Levels.

[Neversoft]

yea but i meant in Edinburgh. probably will be i got distracted by monster so i'll look later

Forget Edinburgh! You must be old enough to travel around, come here to London!

Also, thank you very much RatedRShadow. It's nice to know someone appreciates my efforts. :P

[Kronics]

I'd love to learn japanese, it interests me aswell as their culture.

[kuzkasate]

Luckily, I know two languages already English & Russian. But I would too also really like to learn Japanese AND German. German shouldn't be as hard so I will start with Japanese!

:P Knowing more than one language is so cool!