Book help needed.

[Putrefaction]

I need :

1) a dictionary that is non-romaji, or as non-romaji as you can get. I have this dictionary and it is in romaji, while "good", i'd like one that isn't. i was looking at this one, or your recommendations are welcome.

2) intermediate japanese book after Genki vol 1 + 2, since apparnetly they don't cover all the material on the JLPT4, i'd like to have something that'd cover the end of 4. or 3.

3) JLPT3 material guide, grammar etc. I was looking at this.

4) A Kanji book that has all 2000 Kanji with no romaji or little would be nice. I use Essential Kanji, which is awesome because it has stroke pattern and examples, so one that is like Essential Kanji but using furigana would be awesome. Not sure, but this and the sequel were used by a member here, so I thought it'd be good.

Thank you in advance.

 

[aardwolf]

1) I bought that crappy random house dictionary, and when i felt i needed a better dictionary, I bought the kodansha furigana dictionary. I am very pleased with it, it gives you (good) sentences with nearly every definiton, and gives good definitions (IMO)

example:
(note: all kanji have furigana above.)

forget v 1忘れる, Unable to recall 思い出せない （⇔Remember 思い出す、覚えている）

I shall never forget your kindness.
ご親切は決して忘れません。

I forgot you were coming.
君がくることを忘れていたよ。

...more examples

2 Forget to bring [take] 持ってくる[いく]のを忘れる, Leave behind 置き忘れる

I forgot my purse.
財布を持ってくるのを忘れた。

3 Not worry 気にしない

"That was my mistake"
"Forget it"
「あれは僕のミスだったよ」
「気にしないで」

It also has a pretty good grammar system. ie

that pron, adj

1
...

2 relative pronoun <inf> + ~

私が昨日会った女の子
The girl that i met yesterday.


It also has a whole list of counter appendixes 枚 本 and so on, and the phonetic changes that apply after certain numbers ie:
三本
さんほん Ｘ
さんぼん Ｏ

I really like it. I'm not totally sure how natural all the sentences are, but they seem pretty good to me.

3) I am also thinking of getting that.

 

[Putrefaction]

Thanks for the response! I'll probably pick up the furigana textbook asap Probably the Kanzen Master as well.

 

[Putrefaction]

Well the textbook is going to be a little iffy, I may use my Random House for a while even though reading romaji gives me a headache sometimes for a bit. Words are words, I'll just have to mentally white out the romaji or cover it up or something. The Kanzen Master may also have to wait a bit. I want to finish Genki II Ch. 15 before I order that an a few more things. I also want to order a test book of JLPT3 tests. How far are you along your studies?

 

[aardwolf]

I think the dictionary would be worth it in the long run.
I have looked up words hoping to find an example sentence with a usage i'd been wondering how to say (like a phrasing, or what particle to use in a certain situation) and found it. Does that make sense?

My studies are going well, thanks!
I'm thinking of taking the jlpt3 but I don't think my kanji are up to snuff. Honestly, I love studying Japanese but I can't sit myself down to remembering the kanji and just study like I can with Japanese grammar.

How are your studies going?

 

[Putrefaction]

It makes perfect sense, however, wwwjdic also does a such thing. I doubt I'll be anywhere withuot the internet and lugging my dictionary around; I have access to the itnernet from my phone on top of Kotoba, so I think the dictionary on hold for now is a good idea--not completely out of the future, but fornow.