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Foreign Languages · Japanese

Japanese Foundations: From the Dojo to Daily Life

Beginner Japanese: writing and speaking

Level
Beginner
Estimated study
About 16 hours
Lessons
24 lessons in 4 modules
Format
Online, self-paced
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About this course

Learn beginner Japanese through hiragana, katakana, introductory kanji, listening and conversation. Four modules alternate writing and speaking lessons: tracing, independent and paper handwriting practice, polite requests, Japanese sound length and speech recordings. Begin with respectful dojo language, then communicate in daily life.

Course outline

Module 1: Hiragana and dojo greetings

6 lessons · 4 h

Read and write the first 43 hiragana while you learn to greet your teacher, follow class cues and count repetitions.

  1. Hiragana begins: vowels, k and s sounds40 min
  2. Enter the dojo: greet your teacher and classmates40 min
  3. Hiragana continues: t, n and h sounds40 min
  4. Understand class: begin, stop, stand and repeat40 min
  5. Hiragana: m, y and r sounds40 min
  6. Count repetitions: numbers and 回40 min

Module 2: Complete the kana and introduce yourself

6 lessons · 4 h

Finish hiragana, learn katakana and introduce yourself with polite questions and answers.

  1. Complete hiragana: wa, the object particle and n40 min
  2. Body and direction: left, right, front and back40 min
  3. Katakana begins: vowels, k and s sounds40 min
  4. Introduce yourself: topics and sentence endings40 min
  5. Katakana: t, n and h sounds40 min
  6. Ask questions and answer politely40 min

Module 3: Sound marks, number kanji and requests

6 lessons · 4 h

Add voiced sounds, small kana and long vowels, write number kanji, and make polite requests about time, food and price.

  1. Complete katakana: m, y, r, wa and n40 min
  2. Sound marks: voiced kana, small kana and long vowels40 min
  3. Requests and repair: please repeat; I do not understand40 min
  4. Number kanji: one through ten40 min
  5. Time and class: when does practice begin?40 min
  6. Food, shopping and money: order and ask a price40 min

Module 4: Dojo kanji, getting around and review

6 lessons · 4 h

Write dojo kanji, ask for directions, talk about habits and plans, and finish with a written and spoken review.

  1. Everyday kanji: day, moon, water, person and inside40 min
  2. Get around: the station, transport and directions40 min
  3. Dojo kanji: hands, feet, the training hall and a bow40 min
  4. Daily and social conversation: habits, yesterday and plans40 min
  5. Writing review: read, remember and write on paper40 min
  6. Conversation review: meet, ask, clarify and make a plan40 min
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