I just want to take a few minutes to review the objectives of "Japanese is POSSIBLE!" Unlike your average college course, this column will not focus on "formal" Japanese and learning the Chinese characters (Kanji) before anything teaching anything else. On the contrary, those things will be saved for last since they are the least useful. Learning things with no immediate relevance harms your motivation. Once you're watching Anime without subtitles, then you can learn those nice extras!
A Note on GA
There is a lot of similarity between WA and GA, in that they both have to do with the subject of the sentence. However, here is a way to keep them straight.
GA - "This, as opposed to something else"
ranma ga koko ni iru
ranma (not someone else) here (location) is located.
Which translates, "RANMA is here."
ranma wa koko ni iru.
ranma (subject) here (location) is located.
Which translates, "ranma is here."
Similar? Yes. However, they would answer different questions. If someone said, "Where is Ranma?" you would respond "Ranma is here." On the other hand, if someone said, "Who all is in here?" someone might respond "RANMA is here".
Example Sentences
As you learn the various parts of Japanese grammar, you need to reinforce the new things you learn by using them in a sentence. You should read many Japanese sentences that use the words and grammar you learned. That way, you get a feel for what Japanese sentences look like, and exactly how the different grammar "items" are used.
kono heya wa hiroi desu ne
This room (subject) wide is right?
This room is spacious, isn't it?
anata no inu wa ano kumo ni notte iru!
you ('s) dog (subject) that over there cloud (on) is riding
Your dog is riding that cloud over there!
neko wo sagasu koto wa muri desu.
cat (who or what) search situation (subject) hopeless is.
It's hopeless to look for a cat.
jibun no atama o taberu nante muri desu yo!
your own ('s) head (who or what) to eat (a thing such as) impossible is!
It's impossible to eat your own head!
omae o korosu
you (who) kill
I will kill you
minna no chikara ga hitsuyou desu.
everyone ('s) power (NOT something else) necessary is.
We need everyone's power.
More Popular Words
Nouns
minna - everyone
makoto - truth
chikara - power
jibun - yourself
asa - morning
kokoro - heart
kotae - answer
kage - shadow
ki - energy, spirit
Adjectives
hitsuyou - necessary
muri - hopeless, impossible
saigo - last, the end
ooki - big
chiisai - small
Verbs
noru - to ride
tekagen suru - to hold back
tasukeru - to rescue
tamesu - to test
mukau - to face, to head for
tomaru - to stop
kikoeru - to be heard
tsukeru - to attach
Extra words
kanarazu - without a doubt
kesshite - never
nante - a thing such as
arigatou - thank you
kudasai - please
kure - please (informal)
Common Phrases
omae no saigo da!
you ('s) end is!
It's the end of you!
kono mama
as it is now
sou desu yo
that way is !
That's the way it is!
KI - mind, energy, will
There are many words and phrases involving the word KI.
Some examples include:
ki ga suru - to decide
ki o tsukeru - to be careful ("attach some thought/energy to it")
tenki - weather (literally, "heaven's spirit/mood")
Important Points to Remember
- How to become proficient in Japanese -
As you learn more Japanese grammar, you'll be able to understand an increasing amount of the dialogue in a typical Anime episode. I recommend watching subtitled Anime for quite a while before you go do "raw Japanese". It's nice to have subtitles for a while, because then you get a feel for what the different words and phrases mean. You also get a feel for what a typical Japanese sentence looks and sounds like. You learn the words and phrases from a website or book, but you learn how they're used by watching Anime, listening to songs, playing Japanese video games, and reading manga. It's a step you can't leave out. Only through sheer repetition can an American get a Japanese native's ear for Japanese!
I don't believe you can leave out either part. Unless you're under the age of 5, you can't learn Japanese just by watching Anime. However, I don't think a teenager or adult can learn Japanese well without immersing him/herself to a certain degree.
The keys to learning Japanese are:
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