Best way to start learning?

[losingmymind07]

Just started learning japanese these past few days and I was wondering, what would be the best way to start?
Should I go straight for learning to speak it (romaji) or start learning kana?

And where should I start? I started on the Beginner lessons.. got to "Its cold today" and went to newbie lessons / survival phrases.

Thanks for any help - this site has soo much stuff, not sure where to start really!

EDIT:
My name is chris, how would that write out in japanese?(romaji//kana)

[WalterWills]

I'm a beginner too!

Hajimemashite, dozo yoroshiku etc etc

I don't know what the best way to learn is but I'm doing both, learning to speak Japanese and read hiragana. I find it helps you understand the language and how to pronounce things correctly if you learn hiragana.

Take a look at this website http://www.langexpress.com/Kana-Game.html

[losingmymind07]

I'm a beginner too!

Hajimemashite, dozo yoroshiku etc etc

I don't know what the best way to learn is but I'm doing both, learning to speak Japanese and read hiragana. I find it helps you understand the language and how to pronounce things correctly if you learn hiragana.

Take a look at this website http://www.langexpress.com/Kana-Game.html

Kochira koso, hajimemashite. etc etc

I was just trying a brute memorization site.. kinda hard

The site you pointed out looks much more fun/interesting for hours of memorizing - except my computer wont play sound with flash!

Thanks

[Cielo]

Chris would be kurisu in romaji or クリス in katakana.

[untmdsprt]

I'm a beginner too!

Hajimemashite, dozo yoroshiku etc etc

I don't know what the best way to learn is but I'm doing both, learning to speak Japanese and read hiragana. I find it helps you understand the language and how to pronounce things correctly if you learn hiragana.

Take a look at this website http://www.langexpress.com/Kana-Game.html

I agree with learning the hiragana to correctly pronounce words. Take the word yookoso, currently it's spelled wrong, but it's the proper way to say it. Youkoso on the other hand is the correct spelling but the wrong way to say it. If you see it as ようこそ then you know the う is there to extend the preceding sound.

Chrisさん、it all depends on why you're learning Japanese. Myself, I'm learning to read and write because I plan to move to Japan. If you're just wanting to watch anime with the original audio, then there's not really a need to learn to read.

BTW, the best way for me is to mix up the learning. I use flash cards, JPod101, movies, and books. This helps to keep it from getting boring!

[losingmymind07]

Chris would be kurisu in romaji or クリス in katakana.

Thanks ;D

I'm a beginner too!

Hajimemashite, dozo yoroshiku etc etc

I don't know what the best way to learn is but I'm doing both, learning to speak Japanese and read hiragana. I find it helps you understand the language and how to pronounce things correctly if you learn hiragana.

Take a look at this website http://www.langexpress.com/Kana-Game.html

I agree with learning the hiragana to correctly pronounce words. Take the word yookoso, currently it's spelled wrong, but it's the proper way to say it. Youkoso on the other hand is the correct spelling but the wrong way to say it. If you see it as ようこそ then you know the う is there to extend the preceding sound.

Chrisさん、it all depends on why you're learning Japanese. Myself, I'm learning to read and write because I plan to move to Japan. If you're just wanting to watch anime with the original audio, then there's not really a need to learn to read.

BTW, the best way for me is to mix up the learning. I use flash cards, JPod101, movies, and books. This helps to keep it from getting boring!

Thanks for the advice - im only 15 - but in general i dont like usa
so i thought by the time i graduated college, 6 years from now, i would move to japan maybe

Thanks for all the help - much appreciated

[untmdsprt]

Yeah, another person who hates the US.

For me it's the people in general, the lifestyle, and the lack of mass transit. Maybe I was Japanese in a previous life, and was bad so I ended up here.

[losingmymind07]

Yeah, another person who hates the US.

For me it's the people in general, the lifestyle, and the lack of mass transit. Maybe I was Japanese in a previous life, and was bad so I ended up here.

omg i know!
ok one thing i hate about U.S. in general - i would have to agree, the lifestyle!
US is like majority obese population, the "rich" are snobs (in general, no offence to those who arent), stupid freeway system where i live, no buses, cant drive yet

and in japan i could go drift racing!
ok.. well maybe not - but would be awesome!

[untmdsprt]

US is like majority obese population, the "rich" are snobs (in general, no offence to those who arent), stupid freeway system where i live, no buses, cant drive yet

and in japan i could go drift racing!
ok.. well maybe not - but would be awesome!

Hahahahahaha! For what it's worth, America is the only place I know where you can get a variety of food. I've been to Germany, and their version of salsa is ketchup. Even the sushi rolls we have here, are not in Japan. I think the one thing I'll miss is the Mexican influence of food where I live.

Oh well, the price you have to pay to feel at home somewhere.

[Elfunko]

Ya, no mexican food sucks. But you guys aint studyin economics otherwise you wouldnt take the cheap prices of american goods for granted. You know those nice skate shoes that are so farkin expensive in teh states, from 50 to 80 bucks? Here those go for about 2 to 3 times the price, and it dont just end at teh shoes.

Work hard now and get teh payoff later. Happy studying

[annie]

Ya, no mexican food sucks. But you guys aint studyin economics otherwise you wouldnt take the cheap prices of american goods for granted. You know those nice skate shoes that are so farkin expensive in teh states, from 50 to 80 bucks? Here those go for about 2 to 3 times the price, and it dont just end at teh shoes.

Work hard now and get teh payoff later. Happy studying

There is Mexican food here. you just need to know where to look for it.
And, it's not as good as what you'd get in LA, let alone Mexico
El Torito is pretty good, and not too expensive.
There's a really good taco stand in between Shinjuku 2-chome and 3-chome.
And the deli by my house sells awesome burritos with decent (Pace, maybe?) salsa for 409yen.

I'm not sure where the Econ discussion started, but I think that dining out in Japan is far cheaper than in any other 1st world country.

Or you could always make your own.

[Elfunko]

Ya, I never ordered miso ramen in america for the same reason I wont pay for mexican food in Hawaii or Japan. Its just not worth it. Could try to make my own when I get a kitchen/solid place to live. Till then though...

The econ comment wasnt about food. I guesse you could save all those extra go-en coins to pay $20 more for a shirt, or $50 more for a pair of shoes. Or just bring em from america...

[Ulver_684]

Hey Mina-san!

Thank you very much for all the good comments of my country Mexico and it's food! For me I love both countries because I have both nationalities.

I agree with untmdsprt-san! I was a Japanese guy in my previous life on 1970 but I died too young at the age of 18 because I didn't obediense my parents.

(Click Topic Why did you start learning Japanese for more info)

http://www.japanesepod101.com/forum/vie ... c&start=45

I already had my dejavu dream and you mina-san should have it too! This dream tells you who were you? in your previous life.

But if you can't have that dejavu dream and you have try very hard then I recommend you go to Hipnosis person then he/she would help out. Good luck!!