Hello Looking for a Japanese helper.

[RobinMask]

Originally Posted by Xanvius

What do you recommend then for learning Japanese? Online classes? If so do you know of any that you would recommend to me?

I don't know about online classes, but if you check out your local colleges and universities they may offer some courses. The college near to me offers a course for example, and it seemed reasonably cheap.

I'd personally recomend books/CDs, but everyone learns differently and for me learning that way suits me. I personally used the "Teach Yourself" series to learn the basics in romaji, and then went onto "Japanese for Busy People" which used kana and kanji. There's two sites I can recomend for revision, the first is for spoken Japanese and the second for kanji revision: List Of Lessons and Drill and learn the Japanese kanji

I won't claim this way of learning has made me fluent or an expert, but I've managed to learn quite a lot, enough to survive over in Japan when I go. The best way of learning a language is immersion, unless you're completely surrounded by it you'll forget things or miss out on things, but you can still learn a lot, and with practise I'm sure you'll do great, however you go about learning

Edit: I'd also add try watching Japanese language shows and listening to the music, it'll be a good way to introduce you to the sounds and pronounciation, and a way of testing what you know later on. It can at times teach you new words and phrases too, if you have the subtitles on of course (although I'd be wary with that method).

[Raingirlxd]

I myself am learning Japanese and while learning on my own, I don't think that is so much the issue, because I'm dedicated and I have more than enough learning equipment...the issue lies in the fact that I have no one to use it with. If you are just starting out and would like to learn with me, that would be so fantastic. I can share some of the things I have and help you as much as I can. I am getting further, now working on verbs mainly, but I don't know how far I can get without speaking Japanese to someone else. Even if it's just learning, to say them aloud and use them, makes it easier on the mouth in the future.

[Xanvius]

Originally Posted by Raingirlxd

I myself am learning Japanese and while learning on my own, I don't think that is so much the issue, because I'm dedicated and I have more than enough learning equipment...the issue lies in the fact that I have no one to use it with. If you are just starting out and would like to learn with me, that would be so fantastic. I can share some of the things I have and help you as much as I can. I am getting further, now working on verbs mainly, but I don't know how far I can get without speaking Japanese to someone else. Even if it's just learning, to say them aloud and use them, makes it easier on the mouth in the future.

こんにちは
I would be more than glad to study with you! Do you have MSN or Skype? If so here is my contact information:
MSN: phantomcal@hotmail.com
Skype: R3dz0n3

[dogsbody70]

I have the helen gilhooly tapes on my IPOD. also the michel thomas method which I find very helpful but as I get so little chance to practice its difficult really.

I have kanji cards and books etc and also comic books where I can learn individual words.

My friend records some sentences for me which is useful but she doesn't have time to let me practice speaking with her. I cannot really afford to go to evening classes although I did go for some calligraphy lessons.

Wonder what others think about Helen Gilhooly.

I think where I really floundered was in the numbers and the various ways of counting.

[RobinMask]

Originally Posted by dogsbody70

My friend records some sentences for me which is useful but she doesn't have time to let me practice speaking with her. I cannot really afford to go to evening classes although I did go for some calligraphy lessons.

Wonder what others think about Helen Gilhooly.

I think where I really floundered was in the numbers and the various ways of counting.

If your friend doesn't have time to practise, have you considered perhaps making friends online from Japan? It's just Skype and MSN would be very good ways to talk, be heard and have someone commuinicate back, and it's free too. If you did a search for pen pals or e-pals there's plenty out there of Japanese people seeking to learn English, as you're seeking to learn Japanese, it could be a good exchange. Some people on the forum may be willing to talk with you too

I have tried Helen Gilhooly, she's the one who wrote the "Teach Yourself" series I mentioned. I think that although she's excellent for beginners that she perhaps struggles with students who've progressed higher. I learnt a good and solid foundation from her works, but at the same time I did not get any real education in reading/writing or anything past the basics. I had to then get extra materials elsewhere to learn these things. So she has both good and bad points.

Also, I wouldn't be disheartened at struggling with the counting. The Japanese counting system is very complicated, and my billingual friends often count in their mother tongue because it's more natural to them, they can count in English but it's then a matter of not only translating the words but then counting in a different way too (if that makes sense?). So it's just a matter of patience and finding a way that works for you

[Columbine]

Originally Posted by Xanvius

What do you recommend then for learning Japanese? Online classes? If so do you know of any that you would recommend to me?

The Tae Kim Online Grammer (if no one's mentioned it yet) is very good, and teaches quite natural sounding Japanese. You could also pick up the genki textbook. I think amongst the big three it's probably the best for working through by yourself. It provides lots of exercises at any rate. I've used the "Basic Kanji Book" series, and you can learn Kanji from them by yourself without too much difficulty. Japanese for busy people is OK, but be aware it's orientated at older, working people who might need Japanese for a business trip or such, so younger people might find it a bit off-kilter for their needs. It also includes romaji, so be careful you don't constantly read that and not the proper japanese! White Rabbit Press sell kanji flash-card sets for different ability levels, they're very good, or you can also go to kantango, create a free account and make your own sets. It's the same as anki, but if you then go to 'providers' and search for 'brookes', they have comprehensive vocab sets and listings based on the minna no nihongo series, which are quite useful.

The university of Hawaii has some useful web-resources for learning hiragana, including flash images of the stroke order.

As for listening and speaking, do as others have said and try and find a drama or something to watch and (i find this really helps) shadow the actors. Pause it and repeat what you just heard, especially if it's something you can imagine yourself using. For which purpose, try and find a show that is at least partly grounded in real life. Magical girl anime might be terribly exciting, but let's face it, you will never need to squeal "Hitomi's miracle sword transformation powered up!".Read your books/materials aloud; read what you write down aloud. If nothing else it will help build your confidence and your speed.

I definitely second trying to find a course at your local college. You never know your luck; i live quite stuck out and yet our college does basic japanese. You could also put up flyers asking for tuition, or simply to try and find speakers in your local area. You might even find other people who want to learn Japanese to work with or make a study group with. If you're in high school and you can genuinely say you want to take this onto college/university, you could also try asking through your teachers; my headmistress was particularly awesome and made arrangements for me to attend the beginners classes at the local college for free and asked around other schools for a GCSE instructor for me.