Hello. I would like to start learning to speak Japanese and was wondering if anyone had any recommendations as to the best way to do it. I have heard that if you go the CD/book route you have to make sure the translation's are accurate and upto date. Any help would be very much appreciated. Thank you!

Beyond going to a local college and seeing if they have Japanese available, try learning a little through CDs. I tried teaching myself German a few years back and started off with the children's CDs (hey if it can teach kids, it can teach adults) then moved on to the adult beginner CDs. My husband couldn't get into all the songs on the kid's CD so he jumped straight into the adult CDs. He had a harder time remembering the information than I did. So if you do decide to learn from CDs, start off with the children's CD first. You'll have quirky little songs but they seriously help.

Casey

living there is the best way (immersion). 2nd best is in-person instruction one-on-one with a native speaker (check Berlitz programs - they are excellent but pricy: http://www.berlitz.com ).

next best (and cheaper) are open-enrollment college courses.

next might be interactive software programs with voice/pronounciation recognition and correction. check out some off-the-shelf courses, they are out there.

finally, via books.

books and tapes are difficult to judge or rate...but the feedback I always get from people is that berlitz, whether it be in-person or self-study, has the best courses. so I guess I'd recommend looking for their material, since it's widley considered a standard. put it this way: When a company has to expatriate their executives to another country...they enroll them in berlitz programs.

not that I'm pushing their business, but it's just fact. one thing I always thought was a neat policy (and one of the reasons they are expensive), is that if you want to learn a particular slant to a language like "kansai-ben" Japanese (Osaka accent), they will provide a suitable teacher to do so. If they don't have one, they will hire one. very cool policy.


one other and un-orthodox way, is to find a japanese society group in your area and ask around for a tutor. you may find a native speaker who wouldn't mind informal tutoring for a reasonable fee.


hope that helps...gambatte!

Thanks for the suggestions. Elsewhere I was also recommended the Pimsleur approach as well as Rosetta Stone but that is pretty pricey. Arigato again.