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Christopher Bell

Japanese In Context is a unique introductory level course. You will learn to speak, read, write and understand modern, authentic Japanese and maybe have some fun along the way.

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Japanese In Context is a unique introductory level course. You will learn to speak, read, write and understand modern, authentic Japanese and maybe have some fun along the way.

110 Instructional Video Lessons in 9 Jam-Packed Sections With Over 7 Hours of Content

  • Basic Sounds and Writing Systems
  • People and Things
  • Daily Life Skills
  • Making Descriptions
  • Existence and Object Properties
  • Discussing Actions
  • Using the Past Tense
  • Complex Sentences
  • Japanese in Context

  • Challenge yourself by writing and reading Japanese
  • Test your skills with a wide variety of written activities
  • Perfect your pronunciation by comparing it to a native speaker's audio recording
  • Watch video demonstrations of how to correctly write Japanese characters

This course is designed to be self-paced but the ambitious student can finish it in 9-10 weeks. Each section is divided into video demonstrations explaining core Japanese concepts in plain English, followed by supplementary vocabulary, activities, audio files and even more video demonstrations carefully showing how to properly write Japanese characters.

All material has been thoroughly reviewed and verified by a professional Japanese language instructor and native speaker.

If you are interested in learning Japanese to boost your career or just for fun, and appreciate a good challenge, this course is for you.

Enroll now

What's inside

Learning objectives

  • 61 lectures with over 5 hours of content!
  • 49 video demonstrations of how to write japanese characters with over 2 hours of content by a native speaker!
  • 58 activities with vocabulary and grammar to test your writing and reading skills
  • 55 audio tracks recorded by a native speaker!
  • Understand how to study japanese in order to become fluent in your own desired way
  • Learn to speak,read and write modern japanese!

Syllabus

Basic Sounds and Writing Systems

For our first lesson, we will be discussing the basic sounds you will find in the Japanese language.

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This lesson's vocabulary and activities. Do your best!
Listen to basic sounds recorded by a native Japanese speaker.  Be sure to mimic what you hear out loud while reading along with the written activity to ensure you achieve the best possible pronunciation you can.
Learn all about Japanese kanji (imported Chinese characters), including some short history, what they are used for and how to write them correctly.
This lesson's vocabulary and activities. Do your best!
Listen to the numbers 1-10 recorded by a native Japanese speaker.  Be sure to mimic what you hear out loud while reading along with the written activity to ensure you achieve the best possible pronunciation you can.
Watch this lesson's vocabulary written out by hand from a native Japanese speaker.  Be sure to follow along with the written activity and to write out everything yourself many times in order to master the stroke order.
Learn all about the hiragana writing system, including how to write them and what they are used for.
Watch the hiragana syllabary be written out by hand from a native Japanese speaker.  Be sure to follow along with the written activity and to write out everything yourself many times in order to master the stroke order.
This lesson's vocabulary and activities. Do your best!
Listen to this lesson's vocabulary read by a native Japanese speaker.  Be sure to mimic what you hear out loud while reading along with the written activity to ensure you achieve the best possible pronunciation you can.
Learn all about the katakana writing system, including how to write them and what they are used for.
Watch the katakana syllabary be written out by hand from a native Japanese speaker.  Be sure to follow along with the written activity and to write out everything yourself many times in order to master the stroke order.
This lesson's vocabulary and activities. Do your best!
Listen to this lesson's vocabulary read by a native Japanese speaker.  Be sure to mimic what you hear out loud while reading along with the written activity to ensure you achieve the best possible pronunciation you can.
Learn some more Japanese basic sounds including voiced consonants, doubled consonants, long vowels, contracted sounds and what diacritics are.
This lesson's vocabulary and activities. Do your best!
Learn some very important greetings and phrases that you will use on a daily basis.
Solutions to this section's activities.  It is recommended you have completed all the activities to the best of your ability before looking at these solutions.
People and Things
Learn how to speak about titles, nationality, occupation and family in modern Japanese.
Watch this lesson's vocabulary written out by hand from a native Japanese speaker.  Be sure to follow along with the written activity and to write out everything yourself many times in order to master the stroke order.
Learn how to refer to ourselves and to others with this lesson on personal pronouns.
Listen to this lesson's vocabulary read by a native Japanese speaker.  Be sure to mimic what you hear out loud while reading along with the written activity to ensure you achieve the best possible pronunciation you can.
Learn some fundamental grammar to be able to construct basic sentences and questions.
Learn how to make sentences using the Japanese equivalents of "this", "that" and "also."
Solutions to this section's activities.  It is recommended you have completed all the activities to the best of your ability before looking at these solutions.
Daily Life Skills
Learn how to confirm and deny information in daily conversation.
Learn how to speak about "who" and the possessive form "whose."
Learn how to ask "what" and "which" type questions.
Learn how to ask "where" type questions as well as discuss the location of people and things.
Learn how to form more complex numbers and discuss age and money.
Learn how to talk about the time of day.
Learn how to inquire about the time of day as well as discuss limits and starting points.
Learn how to talk about the days of the week and dates in a month.
Learn how to discuss the preferences of yourself and of others.
Solutions to this section's activities.  It is recommended you have completed all the activities to the best of your ability before looking at these solutions.
Making Descriptions
Learn how to make your Japanese more expressive with this lesson on adjectives.
Learn how to ask about descriptions as well as add some degree to our statements to make them more natural.
Learn about how to treat adjectives as nouns along with some fundamental colors.
Learn how to make your Japanese more natural by adding particles for confirmation and emphasis.
Learn how to describe things with more detail including appearance and talents.
Learn how to make comparisons in Japanese using what we have learned so far.

Good to know

Know what's good
, what to watch for
, and possible dealbreakers
Explores industry-standard methods of writing and speaking Japanese
Taught by native speakers, who are recognized for their work in the topic that the course teaches
Develops Japanese speaking, reading, writing, and listening skills, which are core skills for learners of all levels
Builds a strong foundation for beginners and strengthens an existing foundation for intermediate learners
Offers a comprehensive study of modern Japanese, covering writing systems, vocabulary, and grammar
Includes a mix of media, such as videos, readings, and activities, to enhance learning

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Reviews summary

Accessible introduction to elementary japanese

Learners say this course provides an accessible introduction to elementary Japanese and is paced slowly enough for students to keep up. This course is well suited for learners who want to focus on learning Japanese in order to watch anime without subtitles.
Course is paced slowly.
"Actually it's quite easy also the course is slow enough for me to keep up."
Course is good for learning Japanese for anime.
"So ty for taking your time I just want to learn most of what I can so I don't have to read sub for anime want to watch it without reading."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Japanese In Context - Elementary Japanese Course with these activities:
Practice pronouncing and writing hiragana characters
Improve your pronunciation and writing skills by practicing hiragana characters.
Browse courses on Hiragana
Show steps
  • Find a list of hiragana characters online or in a textbook
  • Practice writing each character multiple times
  • Practice pronouncing each character aloud
Build vocabulary by reading and writing sentences in Japanese
Expand your Japanese vocabulary by reading and writing sentences.
Browse courses on Japanese
Show steps
  • Find a list of Japanese sentences online or in a textbook
  • Translate the sentences into English
  • Write the sentences in Japanese
Show all two activities

Career center

Learners who complete Japanese In Context - Elementary Japanese Course will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Japanese/Korean/Chinese Translator
To be a successful Japanese/Korean/Chinese Translator, it is necessary to be proficient in multiple languages.
Japanese Interpreter
The Japanese Interpreter depends on understanding what is being said in one language and translating it into a second language.
Foreign Language Teacher
Knowing multiple languages and how to teach them will be advantageous in this role.
ESL Instructor
To be an excellent ESL Instructor, you must be able to communicate clearly and effectively in different languages.
Linguist
This role requires the ability to analyze language and understand its structure and nuances.
Foreign Service Officer
To be successful in this role, you must be able to understand and communicate in multiple languages and cultures.
International Business Consultant
Knowing multiple languages can be an asset in the International Business Consultant role.
Flight Attendant
Being able to understand and communicate in multiple languages is a valuable skill for a Flight Attendant.
Multilingual Customer Service Representative
This role requires the ability to communicate with customers in multiple languages and to understand their needs.
Museum curator
Museum Curators may find this course helpful, as it provides a foundation in Japanese language and culture.
Archivist
Archivists may find this course helpful, as it provides a foundation in Japanese language and culture.
Historian
This course could be helpful for Historians who specialize in Japanese history, as it provides a foundation in the Japanese language.
Librarian
This course may be useful for a career as a Librarian, as it provides a foundation in Japanese language and culture.
Cultural Anthropologist
This course may be useful for a career as a Cultural Anthropologist, as it provides a foundation in Japanese language and culture.
Travel Agent
Travel Agents may find this course helpful, as it provides a foundation in Japanese language and culture.

Reading list

We've selected eight books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Japanese In Context - Elementary Japanese Course.
This textbook focuses on authentic Japanese usage and provides a wide range of exercises to practice the language.
This beginner-friendly guide offers a systematic approach to learning Japanese. It presents essential vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation through engaging dialogues and exercises, complementing the course's focus on conversational skills and practical language use.
This self-paced workbook is designed for busy learners who want to acquire basic Japanese quickly and efficiently. It focuses on essential grammar, vocabulary, and characters, complementing the course's lessons and providing additional practice opportunities.
This audio course teaches practical spoken Japanese, focusing on everyday conversations and situations.
A practical travel companion, this phrasebook provides essential phrases and vocabulary for everyday situations while traveling in Japan. It complements the course's lessons on daily life skills and communication, offering additional support for learners who plan to travel to or interact with Japanese speakers.

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