Helen Gilhooly

'Teach Yourself Japanese' is a lively and accessible introduction to everyday spoken and written Japanese. This book/CD pack offers the opportunity to learn to read, listen to and speak Japanese script whilst also featuring the more familiar romajji (roman) script, in which all grammar explanations of Japanese terms are written.

The Japanese writing system was introduced into Japan by the Chinese around the middle of the 6th century AD. The Chinese language is very different to Japanese in structure and so the writing system was gradually adapted to fit the structure of the Japanese language. There are now three scripts which make up the Japanese writing system (four if you include roman script): kanji, hiragana and katakana. The latter two are known collectively as kana.

Japanese has become increasingly popular as a language to learn in recent years, and a growing awareness of Japan has been created through industry, television, newspaper articles, Japanese events and exhibitions. ‘Teach Yourself Beginner’s Japanese’ is the right course for you if you really want to learn Japanese but are daunted by the prospect of complicated grammar, classes and coursebooks. This book starts right from the beginning and explains everything in simple English. There are hints throughout to make learning easy and you can learn at your own pace with plenty of practice of each new point. It is a friendly introduction to the language which will help you to understand and speak Japanese sufficiently well to function effectively in basic everyday situations, both business and social. The course will also offer you an insight into Japanese culture and there is even an opportunity for you to learn some of the basics of reading Japanese if you want to.

This double CD provides approximately 2 hours of listening material and accompanies the book TEACH YOURSELF BEGINNER'S JAPANESE.

'Teach Yourself Japanese' is a lively and accessible introduction to everyday spoken and written Japanese. The book offers the opportunity to learn to read Japanese script but it is still possible to work through the book without reading script thanks to the romajji (roman) script, in which all grammar explanations of Japanese terms are written.

If you are an absolute beginner or simply looking for a solid foundation to your language studies for school, work or travel, this engaging book and MP3 audio course will help get you on your way to speaking, writing, reading and understanding Japanese in no time. The main body of the book is written in Romanized script. Each unit also offers reading practice in the Japanese scripts: hiragana, katakana and some simple kanji. Through culture notes, clear language presentations, and extensive practice and review, you will pick up the Japanese you need to communicate naturally in everyday situations - from shopping and travelling to food and daily life. Engaging with our interactive Discovery Method, you'll absorb language rules faster, remember what you learn easily, and put your Japanese into use with confidence. Get Started in Japanese has a learner-centered approach that incorporates the following features: - Outcomes-based approach - focus your learning with clear goals - Learn to learn - tips and skills on how to be a better language learner - Discovery method - figure out rules and patterns for yourself to make the language stick - Self-check and test yourself - see and assess your own progress - Personalization - use the language in real situations Rely on Teach Yourself, trusted by language learners for over 75 years.