Android Software For Learning Japanese

[Majorix]

So I am a COMPLETE beginner to Japanese, but I am also pretty inclined to do better.

I have already installed 2 really cool Android apps which help you learn Japanese: "Human Japanese" and "JA Sensei". Has anyone else used them? Or is there perhaps another app that you can recommend?

Please leave your comment!

 

[lanthas]

I started out my studies with the Human Japanese desktop application - looking at screenshots, it seems the Android version is exactly the same. I can certainly recommend it: it teaches you hiragana, katakana, basic grammar and a whole bunch of vocabulary at a quite relaxed pace - it'll keep you busy for a while. It doesn't teach any kanji, but for a complete beginner that's not yet necessary anyway.

 

[edogaijin]

I've used a program called JLPT Words and Japanese Verbs (in English).

For kanji there's a program called arashi kanji or something like that. I recommend studying Kanji ASAP... It's very important in Japanese language if you ever want to do more than have a conversation ^^;

 

[Majorix]

Thanks for the replies!

Even though I have to learn the grammar first, I might also consider looking into the vocabulary apps edogaijin mentioned.

Any others?

 

[edogaijin]

For grammar I suggest the Genki Japanese books for basics, and for specialized grammar get a book like "Essential Japanese Grammar". Phone isn't a good way to study grammar, but it can be great for vocabulary flashcards.

Your mileage may vary ^^;

 

[Majorix]

I remember reading somewhere that learning Japanese from books was not the recommended way. It said that they might teach formal Japanese and leave you wondering when you actually try to speak Japanese.

 

[lanthas]

Yes, textbooks may start with teaching polite grammar and leave casual speech for later. In fact, very basic books (or programs, like HJ) may not teach casual speech at all. But there's nothing wrong with that: you do need to know the polite form! If you speak to a Japanese stranger, especially someone who is older than you, you are expected to use it. Not to mention, if you get in a situation where *you* are the important person (e.g. as a guest in a restaurant), you'll want to be able to understand what people are saying to you

 

[edogaijin]

Yes, textbooks may start with teaching polite grammar and leave casual speech for later. In fact, very basic books (or programs, like HJ) may not teach casual speech at all. But there's nothing wrong with that: you do need to know the polite form! If you speak to a Japanese stranger, especially someone who is older than you, you are expected to use it. Not to mention, if you get in a situation where *you* are the important person (e.g. as a guest in a restaurant), you'll want to be able to understand what people are saying to you

Studying Japanese is sort of a pain because of this and a few other things. You need to study kanji/vocabulary separately, and have a separate source for listening practice. For listening practice I had luck with Pimsleur Japanese, my friends and with some old anime. It's very important to hear native speakers so you don't mess up your pronunciation, which is very important in Japanese. Even if you know a lot and are messing up your 'su' and 'tsu' or other gaijin mistakes, you won't be understood so well.

For starting out w/ grammar, I'd focus on learning the 'particle' usage, word order and te-form of verbs. A lot of textbooks are actually laid out in a very rational order for learning grammar. Japanese grammar is very hierarchical and tends to build on itself.

 

[Mike Cash]

I remember reading somewhere that learning Japanese from books was not the recommended way. It said that they might teach formal Japanese and leave you wondering when you actually try to speak Japanese.

These days it seems nobody wants to use a proper professionally prepared textbook. I often wonder if the people who give that bogus advice you referenced have actually ever lived in Japan and had to function in Japanese in any meaningful way. I have trouble imagining that they have, because that is a load of horse manure.

The primary difference between the speech levels is the verb conjugations, and you have to learn them all anyway. Learning more polite forms first helps you see how the conjugations are done in the plain forms. It isn't as though there is some textbook publisher conspiracy to prevent foreigners learning "street Japanese" (a ridiculous term/concept no doubt thought up by people who haven't learned enough yet to realize that all people in Japan use all the forms at appropriate times and situations). There are both pedagogical and practical reasons behind starting off with the polite forms.

Even in the midst of polite speech, plain forms will appear in sentences modifying nouns, so there is no getting around teaching you the plain forms just as soon as you get a grasp on the basic polite conjugations, which doesn't take that long anyway.

Nobody in Japan will ever think you odd or think ill of you if your speech is a tad bit polite. Nobody will think you're super kewl if you speak "street Japanese" at inappropriate times or situations; they'll either think your Japanese education is severely lacking or that you're intentionally being a boorish a$$.

 

[edogaijin]

I pretty much agree with MC. Books are an excellent source for learning grammar in most languages. Vocabulary and kanji can be learned by drill. If you want to be conversational, study conversation. If you want to be rich, study wealth. But if you want to learn Japanese... well you gotta study Japanese grammar too ^^;

There are no shortcuts for sure.

 

[Mike Cash]

It is far easier to fake your way through a shortage of vocabulary in the course of a conversation than it is to fake your way through a shortage of grammar. (And even "street Japanese" has grammar).

 

[Tran Huu]

So I am a COMPLETE beginner to Japanese, but I am also pretty inclined to do better.

I have already installed 2 really cool Android apps which help you learn Japanese: "Human Japanese" and "JA Sensei". Has anyone else used them? Or is there perhaps another app that you can recommend?

Please leave your comment!

I hope this help you :
- Come in handy for people who are learning Japanese.
- Include pronunciation, Kanji, Romaji
- Include more than 5000 words.
- Include levels from N5 - N1.
- Contain separated lessons for each level.
- Own user-friendly interface
- Be easy to learn
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=japanese.vocstudy

 

[FinancialWar]

Stop creating and recommending lame apps. There is only one app you will ever need for vocabulary acquisition and that is Ankidroid.

 

[edogaijin]

Stop creating and recommending lame apps. There is only one app you will ever need for vocabulary acquisition and that is Ankidroid.

AnkiDroid was alright, but I preferred JLPT words. AnkiDroid, when I used it, didn't allow filtering by JLPT level.

JLPTWords and Japanese Verbs are fairly good. You can switch options to cycle by difficult, hiragana, kanji reading and so forth. AnkiDroid seemed like an inflexible thing made by Japanese Language Education hitler (incidentally, it had a German version).

 

[Majestic]

The primary difference between the speech levels is the verb conjugations, and you have to learn them all anyway. Learning more polite forms first helps you see how the conjugations are done in the plain forms. It isn't as though there is some textbook publisher conspiracy to prevent foreigners learning "street Japanese" (a ridiculous term/concept no doubt thought up by people who haven't learned enough yet to realize that all people in Japan use all the forms at appropriate times and situations). There are both pedagogical and practical reasons behind starting off with the polite forms..

True. Sometimes we have early learners here who say things like they can't be bothered with the "polite" form, and just want to learn how to be conversational. They become hung up on this concept of "polite form", as if it were some sort of archaic court speech that isn't spoken in everyday situations. Its as if by saying "polite" it really means a rarely-used, highfalutin, overly-formalized way of speaking that only exists in costume dramas, out-of-date text books, and black and white newsreels. The thing is, it is a standard form of the language that has a certain amount of consistency in the way the verbs are conjugated (as Mike said), and therefore it is easier to learn, and it has the added effect of not being a cringe-inducing, overly-chummy way of speaking - particularly useful when you are a noob and are getting shown around and meeting a great variety of people for the first time and want to make a good impression. Maybe the word "polite form" should be switched to "standard form", so that people don't think they are being taught some sort of antiquated speech pattern.

I think the more conversational (said cautiously, because "desu/masu" is also conversational) contracted verb endings are picked up quickly enough. Much easier and less grating to those on the receiving end (in my opinion) to learn desu/masu first and then contract down, than it is to learn the contracted forms first and then "sharpen up" to the desu/masu forms.

 

[edogaijin]

I agree with the above sentiments, but I'd add the caveat that in my opinion that higher forms of keigo are a linguistic anachronism that should be abolished in a fashion reminscient of Ghenghis Khan executing third worlders. Some of those N1 grammatical constructs are literally ridiculous.

 

[Mike Cash]

I agree with the above sentiments, but I'd add the caveat that in my opinion that higher forms of keigo are a linguistic anachronism that should be abolished in a fashion reminscient of Ghenghis Khan executing third worlders. Some of those N1 grammatical constructs are literally ridiculous.

I've often wanted to tell people I appreciate the sentiment but it would be far easier for me to follow them if they'd just speak informally. The only good thing about people using keigo to foreigners is that by and large they at least seem to be speaking more slowly and clearly.

 

[Angel Valis]

AnkiDroid was alright, but I preferred JLPT words. AnkiDroid, when I used it, didn't allow filtering by JLPT level.

JLPTWords and Japanese Verbs are fairly good. You can switch options to cycle by difficult, hiragana, kanji reading and so forth. AnkiDroid seemed like an inflexible thing made by Japanese Language Education hitler (incidentally, it had a German version).

The problem that I see with JLPT words is that it sometimes seems to give odd readings. It asked me "how many minutes", I selected 何分, and it told me that the reading was "nanibun" rather than "nanpun".