5 Must Have's for Japanese Learners

There are tons of things you could buy when starting to learn a language, but many of them not half as good as you expect. Here are the 5 most essential things to get.

1. Textbook

Alright, you say you can do without a text book. But seriously, this is the first thing you should get. It will give you a well balanced curriculum that you can base your studies upon. This will give you a foundation that you later can space out from when you want to learn manga vocabulary or business terms. Here's a list of the best selling textbooks out there - often used at universities and language schools.

Read more about books in the books section.

		Genki! Situational-functional approach. Maybe the most sold Japanese text book. Get it at The Japan Shop (US) or Amazon.co.uk (UK):
		Minna no Nihongo Situational-functional approach. A real big seller. Get it at The Japan Shop (US), Amazon (US) or Amazon.co.uk (UK)
		Japanese for Busy People Situational-functional approach, focused on learning the spoken language. Johan says "I learned Japanese through this series, and it suited me perfectly". Get it at The Japan Shop (US), Amazon (US) or Amazon.co.uk (UK)
		Japanese for Everyone Tony says "It is a challenging book - there is a large amount of information in each chapter, and the dialogues strive for naturalness rather than simplicity. But I think it provides ample rewards for the effort it demands." Get it at The Japan Shop (US), Amazon.com (US) or Amazon.co.uk (UK)

2. Dictionary

Use the dictionary on this site or zKanji while you are sitting next to a computer. Then get an electronic dictionary, a denshi jisho, that you can bring along anywhere. The paper-based kanji dictionaries are big and heavy, while an electronic dictionary usually is the size of a mobile phone. You can actually also use your mobile phone as dictionary if you have internet access or the proper software downloaded.

An electronic dictionary should have kanji stroke order recognition, and a pretty big word database. The tourist dictionaries that translates to ten languages will not do. You may not need sounds, but make sure it has a layout and a functionality that you understand easily.

Casio XD-GP9700 This is probably the best electronic dictionary for foreign Japanese students. It includes a large vocabulary and sounds. Get it at  TheJapanShop (US)

3. Kanji Flash Cards

You need to start to practise the Japanese characters immediately. Start with Hiragana and Katakana, and then gradually learn the most important Kanji. Flash cards can be practised online, preferably in our Flash Card Trainer.

If you prefer, there are also traditional paper-based flashcards. If you decide for the paper based, it's best to make your own, as you will learn while you write the cards. But they can also be bought in bundles. Here's some neat ready-made flash cards.

WhiteRabbit's Flashcards Neat flash cards printed out for you on hard paper. Get it at The Japan Shop (US)

4. Kana Practice Sheets

Kana practise sheets can be printed out from this site. You will find them referenced in the in the hiragana and katakana overview lessons.

5. Grammar Reference

For absolute beginners, the Language Reference section on this site should be sufficient, but as you become a more advanced learner, you will need to understand the nuances of the language. That's where a grammar reference come into play. Here are two suggestions of great grammar books.

		Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar The first in a series of three grammar books. Great from beginner to intermediate level. Get it at - US: The Japan Shop (US) or Amazon.co.uk (UK)
		Japanese Verbs and Essentials of Grammar A very useful Japanese grammar book. Contains many important topics, and should be fully sufficient for the beginner to intermediate reader. Get it at The Japan Shop (US) or Amazon.co.uk (UK)

Then You Just Have to Use Them

This list should contain everything you need to get you started. But, remember that books collecting dust on the bookshelf won't do you much good in learning Japanese. So have them near you wherever you are.

Good luck, and see you in the forum!

Author

This article was written by Johan.