You may be interested in reading some of the comments that we have received about these lessons. Please feel free to add your own remarks by using the box at the bottom of the page.
Please note that there are additional comments at the bottom of the How to Read Japanese page.
Roger,
Thank you for this wonderful resource. I am using Japanese for Everyone and I am really really grateful to you for having taken the time to create these audiofiles. This will help me so much with my studies.
Greetings from Spain.
You’re welcome, Elena. It’s so nice to hear from you.
Hi, thank you very much for these audio lessons, I’m up to number 4, and even though the first 2 lessons where easy to work with I am getting lost more and more.
I guess I will just need to dust off the grammar and grind up some vocabulary memorization… speaking of which, how do you recommend learning vocabulary? Even though I’ve got the hang of the basic grammar right now, I usually am at a loss for words.
Thanks again for your great material and I wish you luck with your projects.
Hi Stu,
Thank you for the feedback and for your kind words. It’s good to hear from other people who are struggling to learn Japanese.
I remember how difficult this material (i.e., the “Japanese for Everyone” textbook) was for me when I first started processing it about six years ago. The lessons do get significantly easier with each repetition. I suggest that you repeat each lesson at least five times before going on to the next one, and that you repeat all of the lessons from time to time.
For example, if you’ve completed Lesson 6 five times, start over with Lesson 1 and repeat all of the lessons that you’ve learned. Then start studying Lesson 7. If you follow this routine, both the vocabulary and the grammar will begin to stick in your mind pretty well.
Another idea is to use electronic flashcards to learn the vocabulary in the lessons. However, I’ve only used electronic flashcards to learn additional vocabulary beyond the words used in the lessons, and to learn kanji. I use the Flashcards Deluxe app (Flashcards), and this has made it much easier for me to memorize new kanji and vocabulary.
There’s something magical about the process of creating a deck of 100 cards or so, using a dictionary to think up some bizarre mnemonics to place on the “answer” sides, and just plunging in. At first you’ll find yourself getting almost all of the answers wrong, but you can set the app to repeat the cards you miss, and in a short time you’ll be getting nearly all of the answers right, as the app helps you to focus on the questions you still don’t know. Reviewing your decks from time to time is advisable and enjoyable.
There is a small problem that comes up with Flashcards Deluxe on the iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch. It sometimes loses the ability to tell whether or not you’ve swiped the screen from right to left (indicating that you got the right answer) or in a downwards direction (meaning that your answer was wrong). If this happens, check the left lower corner of the screen where you’re having the problem. You should see a small cursive “B” there, which tells you (oddly enough) that Browse mode is off. If you see a triangle instead of a “B,” go to the settings screen and turn Browse mode off.
Roger,
I have just watched your video. Per chance, did you live in Victoria BC around 1970?
Hi Gladys,
No, I’ve never been to Victoria although we did visit Vancouver once. Nice place. I lived in Boston between 1969 & 1976.
Sounds great (although I don’t understand your pricing strategy). After looking at your first lesson, I think that your material is too advanced for me right now – I’m working with the Book2 series to get a feel for the pronunciation and some basic vocabulary and sentence patterns. (The individual sentences – 20 per lesson for 100 lessons – can be put in Mnemosyne and used as “audio flashcards, with a little manipulation. It’s a non-overwhelming entrance to the language for people who haven’t already done Berlitz or another course.
The photographs of Japanese gardens at your web site are beautiful, BTW. (I’ve added some to my Mnemosyne cards to help keep my courage up.)
Hi Jude,
Thank you for your comments and encouragement.
I can understand that the material in these lessons might seem too advanced for someone who is starting to learn Japanese. On the other hand, you have to start somewhere, and if you focus on one sentence or phrase at a time, you will soon find yourself making tangible progress.
I agree that it’s very important to find an approach that is non-overwhelming. I also agree that you should try to find a learning method that provides enough positive reinforcement to keep your spirits up.
The Pimsleur Japanese course was very helpful to me at the time I used it, even though my remarks about it on this site might seem somewhat negative. It’s expensive, but I was able to download it from our public library. Although it lacks a transcript and can start to seem very repetitive after awhile, I think it succeeds in spoon-feeding the language to people who are just starting out.
Good luck with your studies!
CAN YOU TRANSLATE FROM JAPANESE TO ENGLISH: KYOO WA MUSHIMASANE!
Hi David. Probably the sentence should read 今日は蒸しますね (kyou wa mushimasu ne) = “as for today, it gets hot and humid, huh.” The verb is 蒸す = “to be hot and humid” or “to steam.” The implication is that it’s hot and humid right now, not that it will become that way later on.