Genki Japan Blog はじめまして。

Note: Last Monday was Halloween, and I meant to do a horror film review, but didn't get it done in time, so I might still post that up. Japanese is an extremely interesting language, as anyone learning it can tell you, but it can also be very frustrating at times, especially when it comes to verbs and particles. Now, when it comes to the former, I'm afraid I don't have any neat tips or tricks (at least not yet), but there's an amazing reference book out there that makes learning particles amazingly easy! I already mentioned it in my post about reading in Japanese , and I keep this book by my side as I read, so when I get stumped, I can just look up the particles in question. So, allow me to introduce, All About Particles . This is a great book that covers every single particle, , adn every last way to use them. For each particle, a description is given for each of its various usages, followed by several example sentences for each usage. It's very brief, but very cle...

For some reason, people who know I study languages and that I’m particularly passionate about Japanese, always ask me what’s better: Genki: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese or Pimsleur . Another question I often get is, “Is Minna no Nihongo better than Genki ?” I’ve never read the Minna no Nihongo books, so I can’t answer that. However, I decided to do an article on Genki vs. Pimsleur. To be realistic, comparing these two is like comparing apples to oranges. They’re both really good, and I encourage people to use both of them, actually. I agree with Avatar’s Uncle Iroh when he explains to Zuko that wisdom comes from many places, and that if you take it from only one place, it becomes rigid and stale. Same with language learning. If you rely on only one source, you’re never going to be fluent. That’s why I review so many different sources. So now the question becomes, “Which one should I start with?” I still maintain that everyone should start with Power Japanese , but be...

I figured for my next study tool review, I'd do a positively free one, Tae Kim's Guide to Japanese . This is an amazing website, and it's as close as you'll get to a free online book. It has its flaws, but it is one of the best tools to help you learn. First of all, it has lessons and even practice exercises in the kana. Although Power Japanese worked best for me in this regard, Tae Kim does a great job of reinforcing your knowledge as well. It also has basic grammar, which you will need to know soon, and advanced topics, although it doesn't flow quite as well as a textbook. He also has a forum, a wiki, and a blog, all of which will help you as you go along. I should also mention that it's been translated into 9 or 10 languages, so your non-English friends can also check it out. Now, I wouldn't recommend using this website as your sole source for studying. It's great for reinforcing knowledge, and you might learn a thing or two here and there, but ...