First time you constructed a sentence?

[The Frankensteiner]

I did it just this past weekend!

My friend asked himself, "Where did I put my hat?"
So I pointed to it and said ,"Anato no boshi wa soko desu."
I'm pretty sure that sentence works. But yeah, it felt great. Like I was actually learning something. Obviously he looked at me like I was crazy but oh well!

When was the first time you guys were able to use Japanese to make a full sentence?

[metablue]

Woo! Good job. I think my first sentence was something like "なんじにたべましょう" (when shall we eat?).

I tried to write "Hello World" when I first started learning hiragana, and came up with this: こんにちわ　をるだ, which seems pretty funny now.

[Brugg]

Hmm, i do that quite often. Not when i'm talking to others though. I don't really know when i started, probably only a few weeks after i began studying the language. When you don't know any japanese speakers, or take lessons, i guess talking to oneself once in a while might be useful. I always try to make some sentences involving stuff that i just learned. Obviously, you have to be aware of the possibility that what you say is meaningless, but still i think it helps. And, as you said, it's fun.
I also enjoy doing this the other way around; listening to japanese podcasts, like "japaese classical litterature at bedtime" (i think thats the name), movies without subtitles, etc, and see what sentences i understand. If you just take good time, and pause to think when needed, this is both great listening comprehension practice, and fun, because you feel how you are getting better. "The bebandalex show" is also good for this.
Btw, i just remembered, whenever i study spanish, i tend to automatically answer any questions in japanese. I have to concentrate in order to bring in the spanish. It's just fascinating how languages work subconsciously.

[The Frankensteiner]

Oh yeah, I do that too. Listening to Japanese media and such.
I never seem to understand full sentences though. Just words here and there.

Oh well. I'll keep trying.

[esp]

In my class we usually make up sentences and simple conversations every lesson. We basically started doing sentences in the first lesson and we could describe ourselves and others in some detail by the 2nd or 3rd lesson.

[The Frankensteiner]

I wish I could take a class.
I live in a stupid uneducated hicktown.

[esp]

I wish I could take a class.
I live in a stupid uneducated hicktown.

Isn't there a university near by that does night classes?

[The Frankensteiner]

Yeah, but not in Japanese that I know of.

If I did happen to find one though, what do you think they would usually cost?
Just for the one night course in Japanese?

[esp]

Yeah, but not in Japanese that I know of.

If I did happen to find one though, what do you think they would usually cost?
Just for the one night course in Japanese?

i'm paying £70 for 11 two hour lessons which is about 140 canadian dollars but I suppose it would vary for different universities. It should atleast be a lot cheaper than private tuition which where Iive would be about £10-15 per hour.

[The Frankensteiner]

Do you find it helps a lot?
Is it worth the money?

22 hours doesn't seem like much time to learn.

[esp]

Do you find it helps a lot?
Is it worth the money?

22 hours doesn't seem like much time to learn.

It's very good value for money. We get through quite a lot of stuff every lesson and we get to practice a lot with other people in the class. Classes help a lot with pronounciation and helps with understanding people talking aswell. 22 hours of lessons is ok I usually do an extra 3 or 4 hours a week atleast teaching myself extra Japanese. I've probably learnt a lot more than I would have if I was teaching myself with the same book so its good that way too.
The main problem with classes though is that sometimes the pace can be a bit slow and it can sometimes be a bit boring to go over things I have already learned although I suppose it always good to get a bit of practice.
We've got through about half of the genki1 book in about 20 lessons.
Classes arent really necessary if you really want to learn but I find they give add a lot of structure and give me a lot of encouragement to learn.

[The Frankensteiner]

Hmmm...okay.
I'll step up my efforts to find a class locally. Thanks.

[kacjp5]

When I went to Japan the first time I was learning Japanese and Gernam at the same time (was in year 10 at the time). I remember German words just coming out of my mouth and the Japanese looking at me wondering WTF?!

But my classic story is when I was at osaka castle and I kept pointing to the postcards asking "nan sai desu ka?" to the lady in the shop. And I couldn't work out why she was starring at me funny! But then my host sister saved the day and asked ikura desu ka?

Oh so many funny highlights!

[The Frankensteiner]

LOL!
"How old is that post card?"

[alfa1]

But my classic story is when I was at osaka castle...

Osaka castle also says a lot about the Japan tourism industry - in that the biggest tourist attraction in Japan's second biggest metropolis cant properly handle foreign tourists.
(I've also been there - I just bought a t-shirt)