I need to start learning, but don't know where to start?

[Kruk]

Hello,
I've just registered to this forum because i'm trying to learn something about Japan and my priority is learning the language. I don't know where to start: should it be alphabet, writing, vocabulary etc.
If somebody can help I would be grateful

I'm from Poland.

 

[JimmySeal]

Here's a good place to start:

AJATT | All Japanese All The Time | You don't know a language, you live it. You don't learn a language, you get used to it.

 

[Lotorie]

I suggest you the manual: Minna no nihongo.

It was my first manual and it was very useful.

 

[Haruspex]

Sooner or later you'll end up here.
Lotorie suggested you Minna no Nihongo, thats one potential choice.
I suggest you Ultimate Japanese, and im sure someone will suggest Genki and Japanese for Busy People. All of these books are very good, user friendly and considered to be correct.
You need something to teach you kana now, a kanji book (I double dare disbelievers lol Remembering the Kanji - Heisig).
And try to get all the Kodansha books (Kodansha family that is).
Get Japanese Particle Workbook.
A grammar book for future reviews.
And thats it in a nutshell. Start learning.

 

[magevampjoe]

There are some really good sites out there. I suggest that you have a look on the net, but quickly buy some books.
I also suggest that once you start studying that you learn kana properly and don't use roumaji unless it is absolutely necessary (for example, when your IME isn't set up).

Genki is supposedly very good, and I did have a copy of minna no nihongo but can't find it...

Anyways, the biggest thing is that you will have to find your own way to learn, as everyone has their own way.
Gambatte! (Good luck)

 

[Haruspex]

Yet again the romaji or kana debate. Well sure, romaji is less flashy, and generally easier to use so many think kana is way more effective just cause you sweat blood at the beginning. Thats all wrong, when you're reading authentic Japanese text you surely will use kana, but romaji is just as good as kana when learning some grammar parts at the beginning.
Just try to get books, its a different world compared to sites.

 

[Skullcrushergurl]

Start off small. Don't try to learn too much at one time. If you're new to the language it'll take time to get used to the sounds and everything. Don't rush into kanji either!

 

[Kruk]

One more question, from which alphabet should i start: Kanji, Hiragana, Katakana? Pls help

 

[nice gaijin]

standard order goes hiragana, katakana, then kanji. Good luck in your endeavors

 

[Zirdante]

How hardcore words will I be able to write with just hiragana? And I think I will need to learn the romanji as well, since this language thing that allows me to write in hiragana, I get the correct japanese word by inserting it in romanji with my keyboard.

For example: "input mode Hiragana" ありがとう。 I have no idea what those alphabets mean but babelfish said its "thank you" after I wrote "arigatou" with the japanese font on.

I'm using mango languages website at the moment, it writes the words in kanji (I assume) and when you hover over the word it has the phonetic translation which is quite nice.

Wikibooks is a nice website as well for overall Japanese. For alphabets, it has some nice "pointers" to ease remembering them. For example :
あ
Mnemonic: Apple - It's an apple. First you draw the leaves on the stem, then you draw the stem down into the apple, and then you draw the round fruit.

 

[silk600]

Hiragana / Romaji

Words are spelt the same whether using romaji or hiragana, it's the symbols that change. You'll be able to write any words you learn in Hiragana, because it's a phonetic alphabet.

For example in arigatou, the symbols for a, ri, ga, to, and u are used (I can't write the symbols, I don't have Japanese input on this computer). However, learning Japanese also means learning to READ Japanese, and romaji is very rarely used. If you want to learn to read/write Japanese, learn Hiragana early on and practice regularly. If you always read Hiragana instead of romaji, it is my opinion you'll get better faster.

 

[Zirdante]

Thanks for the tip. My Japanese input doesn't have Kanji, do I need to get it somewhere else, or am I able to write anything using only Hiragana (don't think so)?

 

[Soloistic]

You shouldn't even worry about Kanji until you have a firm grasp on Hiragana and even katakana. The best way to do this is to find a chart (online or in a book) with the correct stroke order and memorize how to write it all in correlation to the given sounds. (doesn't truly matter which one you start learning first, as long as you take enough time on both to cement it into your head permanently. You'll be using both written systems a lot)

When you have both of these written methods down, work on vocabulary, sentence structure, particals, etc. till you start to build a foundation of which to build up from.

I personally would only suggest starting seriously into kanji when you have a comfortable amount of knowledge in the above categories.

 

[Haruspex]

My order would be: Well you already know romaji, kana, basic grammar, vocab., vocab., vocab., grammar, kanji.
Basically, a good vocabulary lets you understand many small rules by yourself, and in general its the best thing you can learn, the easiest too.