げんき

[Tomii515]

I have a lot of sucky books, and not so many good books.

Right now, I'm using "Japanese in Mangaland" series, and it's really good... But, it doesn't really give real life situations...

I'm serious about learning this language, therefore I shall get げんき!

LOL

Well, for those of you who don't know what it is, go here:

Genki – Home




Urmm... Yes.


Well, both my girlfriend and I are going to buy the 1st book and the workbook, and maybe the 2nd one as well... or the 2nd one after we finish the first..?

hehe

:emoji_flushed::emoji_stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye::emoji_thumbsup::emoji_blush:

 

[Charles Barkley]

Is this a blog, a question, or a catalyst for discussion?

Regardless of what it is, I agree--Genki is a great book. As is Genki II. And, the intermediate level text, An Integrated Approach to Intermediate Japanese. I also recommend: A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar. You can get things explained as well or better on this website, but having a dictionary at the ready is essential, and it has clear explanations with lots of examples.

 

[The7thSamurai]

Charles Barkley, all those books you mentioned are great. I highly recommend Genki for beginners. I didn't end up using An Integrated Approach to Intermediate Japanese though, my teacher had me using some other book. I also highly recommend A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar. There's also A Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar which is also good once you get a little more advanced.

 

[Charles Barkley]

Yup, I actually like the Intermediate Grammar dictionary better than the beginners. They seem to give more examples for each entry.

The 朝日小学生新聞 is great reading practice for anyone low level intermediate and up. Go to 朝日学生新聞社 ジュニア朝日 to order your subscription (6 days a week, delivered to your apartment). I don't know if it's available outside of Japan however...

 

[Tomii515]

an Integrated Approach to Intermediate Japanese

did you say that was liker the 3 book to genki??

 

[The7thSamurai]

an Integrated Approach to Intermediate Japanese
did you say that was liker the 3 book to genki??

Yeah it's the third book. Set out differently to the other two though.

 

[Tomii515]

Yeah it's the third book. Set out differently to the other two though.

^_^

Well, I plan to use Genki1 and Genki 2 and the workbooks. I'm most likely not gunna buy the audio. i can learn pronunciation from my japanese friends, although i think ive got it down ^^ hehe

ummmm, so thats the 3rd book.... does that cover like intermidiate-ness? is there a forth or fith? or som ething? id like to know, so eventually when i finish book genki's, ill kno which to buy

 

[Charles Barkley]

Intermediate Approach is not quite the same as the Genkis. Its target audience includes both people who have and have not completed the Genkis. As a result, many grammar points from the Genkis are reintroduced at different points throughout the text, along with, of course, other more difficult stuff. While the Genki approach feels a lot more like a textbook, the Integrated approach feels like you're getting tossed into a real world of Japanese. There are tons of news articles, more conversations, etc, and far fewer practice exercises. You read stuff, it gives you vocab and explains grammar, but you have to try to use the material in real life to cement it.

As far as I know, there is no sequel. But, at some point, having a textbook becomes redundant. When you finish Intermediate appraoch, you should be able to learn grammar via dictionaries and look up vocab via a J-J dictionary (maybe with help from J-E-J). Your reading practice will be real sources(manga, newspapers, stories, etc) and speaking practice real conversations

(note: I havent finished intermediate approach yet. I got sidetracked by one of the JET program language books on passive/causative, and spend too much time reading other things. I'll pick it up again and finish maybe it August?)

So yeah, good luck.

 

[Charles Barkley]

Intermediate is a really vague term in regards to language learning. Intermediate Japanese, to me, means that one is apple to start engaging real Japanese at some level, whereas beginners are mainly confined to textbooks. As a result, intermediate textbooks can be aimed at a broad audience--some people might pick up a lot, some pick up a little, but the textbook should present a lot of material at varying difficulty so that everyone should be able to get something. Beginners books, on the other hand, must be far more linear, as the world of a beginners Japanese is far more restricted and he doesnt yet have the imagination to deal with unknown structures/words in context.

I found it tempting to label myself an intermediate as soon as I possibly could, to shed the beginner label. I think I got a little overconfident with how fast it took to reach intermediate. The jump from beginner to intermediate and the jump from intermediate to advanced (the one I'll be looking at for maybe another year)--those jumps are miles apart in terms of difficulty and time investment.


One more thing: buy or make supplemental vocab cards. Vocabulary is key to making the jump to intermediate. Genki has a lot, but not enough. Find more on your own.

 

[Soloistic]

Thanks for all this useful information. I didn't start the thread or ask the questions, but I just picked up the first Genki text/workbook/answer keys a week ago and its good to know that its useful.

 

[Tomii515]

Intermediate Approach is not quite the same as the Genkis. Its target audience includes both people who have and have not completed the Genkis. As a result, many grammar points from the Genkis are reintroduced at different points throughout the text, along with, of course, other more difficult stuff. While the Genki approach feels a lot more like a textbook, the Integrated approach feels like you're getting tossed into a real world of Japanese. There are tons of news articles, more conversations, etc, and far fewer practice exercises. You read stuff, it gives you vocab and explains grammar, but you have to try to use the material in real life to cement it.
As far as I know, there is no sequel. But, at some point, having a textbook becomes redundant. When you finish Intermediate appraoch, you should be able to learn grammar via dictionaries and look up vocab via a J-J dictionary (maybe with help from J-E-J). Your reading practice will be real sources(manga, newspapers, stories, etc) and speaking practice real conversations
(note: I havent finished intermediate approach yet. I got sidetracked by one of the JET program language books on passive/causative, and spend too much time reading other things. I'll pick it up again and finish maybe it August?)
So yeah, good luck.

Oh thanks. Well, my sister got me genki for my birthday, so it should be coming in the mail soon. Then I need to get the workbook, then yeah finish genki athen the 2nd one and yeah. . .

Then I plan to ge that other book. This helped. thanks