what is the best way to learn japanese?

[chibiphonebooth]

i wanna learn japanese soooo badly. XD


i was just wondering what is the bst way to learn it on your own?

[Tenshi no Ai]

Well here's what I did...

Watchign A LOT of subbed anime help, and another thing was I'd always read the lyrics to JPOP and the translations of it... those helped for some common phrases as well as some "harder" words, if you hear them enough. Good vocab builders!

Taking 3 years of Nihongo at school REALLY helped! If that's not available to you... might be a bit of a problem :/ But helps build vocab and grammer structure and how to read and write. I find writing harder because of such complex kanji^^

If you don't have classes to take... I guess you can try searching up some websites on learning the language, and even buy a JPN-ENG dictionary to pick through words....

Hope this helps some!

[Arnobius]

Being born there as a Japanese baby...

More seriously, taking classes is a good start. Watching Japanese language programs is a good aid, but it can't really help you alone.

[Yojimbo]

Someone would have to be very very gifted to learn any language on their own. It takes lots of time, practice, and exposure to a language to really know it.

[chibiphonebooth]

ah. im not exposed to any classes...which is very dissapointing. but i would really love to learn the language. as for jpop songs, i listen to those alll the time, so looking up translations is prob a good idea, as for watching japanese tv shows

[K. Ayato]

There's that one program...Rosetta Stone?

[Lynx]

i am teaching myself the language until i can take a japanese class. i bought myself some books on how to learn japanese that came with CDs so i could hear the speaking. the first thing i suggest you do is learn the hiragana and katakana. then learn some vocab, and some basic grammer... then start reading some japanese manga! the kanji is usually spelled out for you in hiragana, so you dont have to worry about it quite yet. honestly reading manga helps so much because you get to practice your reading skills and see what different words mean in context.

[~Natsumi Lam~]

audio,visual, verbal tutor.

You can by them at CompUSA, Fry's electronics... its very helpful.

~NL~

[agasfas]

There's that one program...Rosetta Stone?

I actually have that... I've used it a few times and it's pretty cool and helpful. Though I never continued it because of time constraints. Though, I should probably start that again. Though I would say school/class is good way to learn it. I mean, it's the next best thing to just putting yourself in the society and having to learn it.

[termyt]

The heretic nailed it, but living there for a few years would help as well.

Outside of that, try to find people who can speak it. Nothing helps you learn a language like practicing it.

That’s the most important thing to becoming fluent. Other things to help you along:

Take a class. This is easier if your school offers a class, but that's unlikely for most high schools. Most colleges, however, ought to.

Study vocabulary. This is my biggest problem. Even if you don't know grammar, you stand a chance of understanding what is being said if you understand the words being spoken. Knowing grammar but not vocabulary really doesn't get you anywhere.

Study and practice the alphabet. This is critical because it's nothing like out alphabet.

Get a good dictionary - one that spells out the Japanese words in Japanese (not romanji) using both the Kanji and Hiragana.

[kaji]

I agree, one of the best ways is to be exposed to the language its self. Even if you learn a lot of vocab, it doesnt help all that much if you can pronouce any of it correctly. ^_~

So, make a Japanese friend (check your local college for foreign students), host a foreign exchange student, or head to Japan. Books are good for understanding gramar machanics and will help you sort out a conversation you dont have the vocab for, and Learning CD's are a good way to learn some phrases, but alone both only give you a narrow window to comunicate through.

Actual speakers are the best way to go! (if possible)

BTW, why do you want to learn Japanese?