Japanese from Zero! 1: Proven Techniques to Learn Japanese for Students and Professionals 6th Edition

As a beginner in learning a foreign language you know it is easy to get overwhelmed. This is especially true if you are like me and are trying to teach yourself on your own rather than in a classroom. If this is the sort of situation you have found yourself in this is the perfect starter japanese series for you.I will be focusing on the two biggest aspects that set this book apart from the rest: Lesson Structure and Ease of Learning. Before I get into that however, I do want to let you know this is a series geared towards those who are beginners in learning Japanese. Those who are more fluent in Japanese already should check out a different series. Now let’s jump in.Lesson structure:To start, I wanted to mention that the lesson structure of the Japanese From Zero series is one of the best I have seen to date. Each lesson starts with a brief rundown of what skills you should already know, what you will be learning in the upcoming lesson and a few notes on what you should be sure to practice. It then moves on to give you a list of new vocabulary words. Don’t worry if you don’t know your Kana yet. This series moves at a pace that allows you to learn the Kana at the same time as learning new vocabulary. The only drawback is that I wish it put more of an emphasis on learning kanji, but I understand that can be intimidating for those looking to more causally learn japanese. Now the meat and potatoes of each lesson are the sections that follow, which include a grammar section that is easy to understand and not overwhelming, and the practice sections. The practice sections will likely become your new best friend as they are a fun way to apply what you just learned and a good way work on your writing.Ease of Learning:The second most important aspect is the ease of learning and the practicality of what you are learning. It is easy to get discouraged when all your book seems to throw at you are obscure words and phrases. This book does the opposite of that. Within the first few lessons you will have learned enough japanese to be able to form your own sentences that have practical applications in daily life, including asking questions and creating basic conversations. Not only do you learn in a practical way but with the book’s integrated workbook the learning comes easily as you work through simple problems such as reading and writing along the way!Overall if you are looking for a fun, well set up textbook for learning japanese this series is the way to go. Good luck on your quest for learning a new language!

I have just begun the Japanese From Zero; (JFZ 1) book, but I can already say I like it very much! The organization is excellent, the explanations are clear, and the Japanese taught is so relevant. The book starts you off with Pre-Lessons (in Roomaji;English letters;) that teach numbers and simple introductory exchanges, extremely useful for tourists and more serious students alike. I was especially impressed by JFZ teaching the question "Nansai ni miemasu ka?" (何歳に見えますか？), which means more or less "How old do you see me?", a cool question to ask when someone asks you how old you are (a common question to foreigners in Asia). The explanations of grammar, syntax and vocabulary are also accompanied by warnings of what NOT to say, which is very helpful (e.g., yonjuu; for 40, never shichijuu;). There is even information for how and when to bow, another important point not generally covered in a Japanese textbook. JFZ 1 also slowly teaches writing hiragana (katakana and kanji are tackled in later books), which is by far the most useful of the syllabaries for a beginning student. I already speak Chinese, so the kanji that the student will need to learn later on are far less of a problem, though the Japanese use the older traditional forms (繁体字 in Chinese) rather than the simplified characters (简体字) used in the PRC. But a person knowing Chinese can adapt pretty quickly. A knowledge of Chinese can also be very helpful with Japanese vocabulary, even after the phonetic modifications they undergo, since a large percentage of Japanese words were borrowed from Chinese (though usually from a different dialect than Modern Standard Chinese).The lessons are light-hearted and fun, a real pleasure to tackle, and this is a good thing, because Japanese appears as a rather "strange" language in its grammar and syntax (which to me are harder than Chinese). Though I haven't bought the other books in the series (JFZ 2, JFZ 3, JFZ 4), I've looked at them on Amazon, and they seem very good. The pacing in this series is conducive to mastery, and I disagree with the reviewer who wrote that it moves too slowly. How is that a problem? If you think the book moves slowly, go through it more quickly (duh). The point is that it is easy to become discouraged in studying a language---Japanese more than most---and the measured pace (which I don't find slow in the first place) encourages mastery and builds confidence in your ability to make real progress in the language. The author George Trombley doesn't avoid certain difficulties in the language but presents them in manageable bites (the modest distance I have covered has taught me irregularities in the counting system which are basic and certainly need to be learned at an early stage because of counting's fundamental nature).One of the best points of JFZ 1 is the online component, which is free. Apart from some crude language on the part of the author in one video that I watched, they are entertaining and extremely helpful. Japanese is a pitch language, and having recordings of native speakers using correct pitch will help your Japanese to sound more natural and even avoid confusion. I use the online component all the time.As a language teacher and learner, I know that poor textbooks can do great harm to the learning process, and the complexity of Japanese draws this point home in spades. JFZ 1 is a refreshingly manageable and even entertaining book that leads the learner by small steps to a good knowledge of the language and culture. I highly recommend it! すごいですね！

Review of “Easy Japanese Workbook: A Simple Guide for Beginners”If you’re looking for a straightforward and approachable way to start learning Japanese, this workbook is a perfect choice. Designed with beginners in mind, it offers a step-by-step breakdown of the essentials without overwhelming you.The layout is clean and organized, making it easy to follow along. Each chapter introduces a new concept—be it hiragana, katakana, basic vocabulary, or simple grammar structures—with clear explanations and plenty of practice exercises. The exercises are engaging yet not too challenging, allowing you to gradually build confidence and reinforce what you’ve learned.What sets this workbook apart is its simplicity. The explanations are concise and jargon-free, making it ideal for anyone new to the language. Plus, the pace is perfect—you’re never rushed but also never left behind.Overall, if you’re a beginner looking for a low-pressure way to dive into Japanese, this workbook is an excellent resource to start your journey! I will be getting the rest of the workbooks soon!