We just researched this for my friend. Check out the link for an excellent summary of the best tools. He chose the Pimsleur system because his main goal is to learn to speak. It's very impressive and I wish I'd had something like it when I was a beginner.

Lee

Here is a link that might be useful: Japanese language self-study tools

Thanks .. for your input.

Good Day ...

I took a class at a community college that included grammer and things like that. It was of little use when I travelled in Japan. Since then I've tried to study more useful phrases that tourists need to know.

Professionals and tourists need the language on different level. BTW what is grammer you studied?

I used Pimsleur, along with the "Japanese for Busy People" series (books and audio). I also made it a point to learn everyday phrases and lots of nouns. I'm a long way from fluent at this point, but I can get along conversing with friends and traveling. I'd recommend those materials as helpful in learning basic conversational Japanese on your own. There are several helpful websites for learning written Japanese. One that helps learning hiragana and katakana is ChipChat. The link is below. Another book, one that starts you off with learning basic written Japanese, is "Interactive Japanese: An Interactive Course."

Here is a link that might be useful: Chip Chat

Sorry...that last title is "Interactive Japanese: An Introductory Course."

Here we go TMK: coming back at ya, I came up through the grumpy old b*stard school of gardening where talking was not encouraged let alone learning a language. "Too many words Jeffo: work" translates neatly into any language that touches gardening.
Grammar is spelled grammar BTW, don't be mislead by Jon King with his "grammer and things".
As I understand it Hungarians are adept with language so you should have no problem Andrea, your secret is out.

INKy--
as you noticed too on this forum, my English is baaaad, but he couldn't mislead me. I just wanted to be nice!
It is not a secret, I'm very proud of my origin and my country. I even sent Yama san the recipe of the perfect "gulyás", Michael sent me a website about very special conifers in Hungary. Very talented people, many Nobel Prize winners, great musicians and famous scientists came from my country.
My chosen country is Canada now.

Andrea

Kobold ...

Your english is a lot better then my japanese.

My 19 month old child knows about as much or more english then the two words I know in japanese.

Do you think she will learn english before I learn japanese ? LOL

I hope to go to japan ten years hence ... if I can ask "Where is the restroom ?" .. without offending anyone I will be pleased.

Ink .. an old time plumber use to tell my brother and I .. "You guys should work as much as you talk!". Playing the radio while you worked was "taboo" in those days.

Good Day ...

TMK;

"obenjo wa doko desu ka?" is how I learned it.....

but I hear that "obenjo" is no longer PC so just use "toile" or "otearai" instead.

Michael

TMK

I'm sure that your Japanese won't catch up with my English ever, not even mention your daughter's. Girls start to talk early!
Before you go to Japan ,it would be helpful to respect the country.

kobold ..

See what I mean .. I make a simple non offensive statement and somebody gets offended and thats in english! Are you trying to say there is no humor in japan or maybe in Vancouver ?

Good Day ...

I agree that "Japanese for Busy People" is a pretty good book for learning basic Japanese.

I don't like the 'Japanese for Busy People' series so much... Too many business situations for tourists. It is up-to-date, though, and you can use a romaji version if you can't read kana.

I prefer 'Minna no Nihongo'. I also study 'Nihongo 1, 2,3' but you really need a teacher for those books. Some very outdated vocabulary/childish words.

That said, I'm probably going to stay a beginner at Japanese for the rest of my life...

Happy New Year, everyone!

Toshikoshi soba wo tabero!

Ahh .. LOL .. I know nihongo but what is Minna no.

Happy old Year !

Good Day ...

Madeira- I roll my own. Got the recipe thru Nobu. I actually tried his jalapeno version first and am now convinced I can mix in anything.....

TMK- Minna= everyone, everybody Minna no= everyone's, everybody's. I'll let you put it together........

Michael

Jalapeno soba??? Wow. Sounds pretty good, actually!

Tonight's soba is just plain buckwheat noodles with yuzu, dashi, mirin, shoyu, mitsuba and raw egg.

Then down to the temple to ring the bell.

Madeira --- Urayamashii! I wish we were eating toshikoshi soba and going to the temple. We'll probably eat microwave popcorn and play Scrabble...... (Must try to remember to get some soba next year....)

Anyway, Yoi otoshi o! (Actually, it's New Year's there already, isn't it..... so Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu!)

Lee