Learn Japanese Online

Learn Japanese online to gain insight into a nation with a colorful culture and unique people. Common questions about learning the language such as, “How can I learn Japanese online?” and “Is learning Japanese difficult?” are difficult to answer because it depends on your objective but learning to speak Japanese has its advantages. Being able to speak a second language opens doors to more opportunities.

To start you off on your journey to learn Japanese online, you have to ask why you want to learn Japanese online. If your purpose is to communicate with friends, read manga or order from a Japanese menu then using software to learn Japanese online is enough.

However, if your objective to learn Japanese online is to live in the country and/or perhaps build a career/business that require you to deal with Japanese counterparts then a more intensive learning approach is required. The reason is because Japan has different levels of speech. What you say to a friend can not be said in a business/formal setting. Likewise, words you use in emails to a friend can not be used in business correspondence.

Three levels of speech you must know to learn Japanese online:

• Sonkeigo （尊敬語:honorific; when you’re speaking to your boss, etc.)
• Kenjougo （謙譲語: modest; when you’re talking about yourself to someone above you.)
• Teineigo （丁寧語: polite; when speaking to people in general.)

Learn Japanese Online – First Decide The Level You Want To Achieve

Ok, so now you have a good idea why you want to learn the language. For those who aspire to be conversant with friends, as a tourist in Japan or as a hobbyist, you can find tons of resources to teach you how to learn japanese online. There will be some Japanese language learning aids that will cost money to access but there will be many free how to learn Japanese online sites. Through this website, I will provide resources on how to learn Japanese online for free as well as provide any reviews of language software to give you better consumer insight before plunging hard-earned money on software that may be a waste of time. But I can tell you this right now, there is no need to spend hundreds of dollars on software if you just want to learn Japanese casually.

Having said that, if your objective to learn Japanese online is to live in Japan or conduct business with Japanese people then your approach will be different. If time is on your side, here are some ways to learn Japanese. It is how I learned Japanese. I am not saying my method is the best or the only way to learn Japanese but it’s easy and has worked for me.

The Best Way To Learn Japanese For Business

I’d suggest you start to learn Japanese online. Get the basics in your home country. By basics, I mean learn all the hiragana, katakana (two different forms of the Japanese alphabet) and basic kanji (Chinese characters). Best method here is to use flash cards. If you live in a large city, chances are you can find a Japanese bookstore that sells flash cards. If not, you can simply make your own. Next, train your ears to listen to the language by listening to music and watching Japanese language movies. Don’t worry if you don’t understand anything. The objective here is to familiarize your ears with Japanese sounds. The first time you hear spoken Japanese will be intimidating because it is so fast. But the more you listen to the Japanese language the slower the speed will become. Once you have thoroughly trained your ear to listen to Japanese syllables, you’ll want to practice speaking. Practice pronouncing the hiragana first then progress to simple sentences.

After you have a good feel of the language and are able to write all the hiragana without any aid then you’re ready for an intensive Japanese course. Ideally, you want to take this course at a language institution in Japan. But if your financial situation doesn’t allow you to do this, then a Japanese class at a community college is your next best alternative. There may be sites that offer intensive classes where you can learn Japanese online. Make sure you enroll in a Japanese class taught by a Japanese native and not a non-native who has lived in Japan for a long time. This is to assure that you get to hear native sounds. But if the foreign Japanese teacher was born and raised in Japan, then that is fine. Supplement your Japanese course and learn Japanese online. The link is to a translation site used by many Japanese and very helpful when you want to learn Japanese online.

**Do not use manga to learn Japanese online or offline. It only has informal speech and once you get in a habit of speaking that way, it’s hard to correct.

To Learn Japanese Online Requires Persistence And Dedication

You can be fully proficient in speaking, reading and writing Japanese in as little as one year if you study intensively in Japan. It will take longer if you study in your home country. The more you submerge yourself in the language and culture of Japan, the faster it’ll be to be fluent. Just as any other second language, it’s not, “how to learn japanese” but more how enthusiastic and willing you are to learn Japanese online.