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Embark on an exciting journey into the Japanese language with our Beginners Japanese 1 class!
Designed specifically for novices, this course offers a friendly introduction to the fundamentals of Japanese, including basic grammar, essential vocabulary, and common phrases.
With interactive lessons and practical exercises, you’ll start speaking Japanese from day one.
Whether you’re planning a trip to Japan or simply want to expand your linguistic skills, our course is the perfect first step towards mastering this fascinating language.
Join us and unlock the door to new experiences with the beauty of Japanese!
After Taking This Course
After taking Beginners Japanese 1 class at Blue House Okinawa,
you’ll be able to say Japanese phrases below:
*What is this? / Kore wa nan desuka.
*This is chicken curry. / Kore wa chikin kare- desu.
*Do you like curry? / Kare- ga suki desuka.
*I don’t like curry. / Kare- ga suki janai desu.
*Who is it? / Dare desuka.
*She is my teacher. / Kanojo wa watashi no sensei desu.
*Which one is your car? / Anata no kuruma wa dore desuka.
*That white one is mine. / Ano shiroi kuruma ga watashi no desu.
*How old are you? / Nan sai desuka.
*I’m 27 years old. / Nijuu nana sai desu.
*Nice to meet you. / Hajime mashite.
*I’m Lisa. / Lisa to moushi masu.
*Please say it again. / Mou ichido itte kudasai.
*Please speak more slowly. / Motto yukkuri itte kudasai.
*It’s delicious. / Oishi desu.
*I want a new cell phone. / Atarashii keitai denwa ga hoshii desu.
What We Will Learn
In Beginners Japanese 1, we’ll study:
Lesson 1 – Lesson 11 on Japanese from Zero book 1
*Japanese Pronunciation Basics
*Japanese Writing System
*Writing Hiragana
*Compound Sound Basics
*Numbers
*Greetings
*Self-Introduction
*Age Counter
*Typing Japanese
*Vocabulary – Body Parts
*Vocabulary – Things in Your Room
*Japanese Sentence Structure Basics
*Making a Question
*The Question Words – What, Which, and Who
*The Topic Marker wa/は
*The Direction Marker e/へ
*Ko-So-A-Do Words
*Vocabulary – Family Members
*Vocabulary – Greetings and Farewells
*Starting Sentences with Questions Words
*How to Start a Sentence with a Question word using ga/が
*Making Words Possessive with the Particle no/の
*Showing Possession of objects using no/の
*Colors
*Colors Noun Versions and Adjective Versions
*How Japanese Adjectives Work
*Making Nouns into Adjectives using no/の
*The Particle to/と
*To Like and Dislike
*Levels of like and dislike in Japanese
*The Particle ga/が with suki/すき and kirai/きらい
*Using janai/じゃない to make things negative
*The importance of desu/です
*Other Version of janai/じゃない
*Vocabulary – Sports and Entertainment
*Vocabulary – Fruits
*Making i-Adjectives Negative
*Making Colors into Negative
*Wanting and Not Wanting
*Counting Yen
*Commas and Pausing in Japanese
*Vocabulary – Transportation
Self-Paced Method
The journey to mastering Japanese becomes even more personalized with a self-paced method, combining the best of flexibility with the invaluable support of a dedicated instructor at Blue House Okinawa.
This approach adapts to your rhythm, creating a learning experience tailored to your individual needs.
Tailored Learning Pace
A self-paced method at Blue House Okinawa empowers you to control the speed of your learning, allowing you to spend more time on challenging concepts or breeze through familiar topics.
This flexibility ensures that your study of Japanese aligns with your personal learning style and daily schedule, whether it’s balancing work, other studies, or taking care of your family.
It makes language acquisition a seamless part of your life rather than a disruptive obligation.
Direct Instructor Support When Needed
While the self-paced method journey offers autonomy, the role of an instructor remains pivotal.
Whether you need clarification on complex grammatical structures, pronunciation practice, or insights into cultural nuances, your instructor is there to provide targeted support.
This blend of independence and access to expert guidance enhances the learning experience, ensuring you’re never truly alone on your path to fluency.
Deepened Understanding Through Flexibility
The beauty of a self-paced approach lies in the liberty to pause and dive deeply into areas of interest or difficulty.
Without the pressure to keep up with a preset class pace, you can ensure that your understanding of Japanese language is not just superficial but deeply rooted.
This flexibility encourages a more reflective and thorough engagement with the language, leading to lasting comprehension and proficiency.
Enhanced Motivation and Responsibility
With the freedom of a self-paced method comes the responsibility for one’s own learning.
This responsibility, guided by the supportive presence of an instructor, fosters a sense of ownership over the learning process at Blue House Okinawa.
Motivation is driven by personal achievements and milestones, encouraging a more engaged and proactive approach to learning Japanese.
The benefits of a self-paced method supported by an instructor in the context of learning Japanese are manifold.
From the flexibility that caters to individual lifestyles to the tailored learning experiences that address specific needs, this approach offers a personalized pathway to language mastery.
With the added advantage of deepened understanding and enhanced motivation, learners are well-equipped to embark on a rewarding journey toward fluency in Japanese.
Embrace the opportunity to learn at your pace, guided by expertise, and discover the joys of language learning tailored just for you.
Our self-paced method consists of two parts, your homework part and practice in class.
Our Textbook
We believe that immersive learning, while difficult, is the most productive and useful way to learn a language; however, many students drop out of immersive programs because it is an overwhelming process initially.
For that reason, we no longer offer immersive courses at beginners’ level.
To accommodate students’ schedules and learning styles, as many of students at Blue House Okinawa work or study full-time, we’ve chosen to use a curriculum that is thorough, slow, and truly begins from ZERO.
Our textbook, Japanese From Zero!, is an innovative and integrated approach to learning Japanese developed by professional Japanese interpreter George Trombley.
It has chapter-by-chapter video supplements on YouTube, making both pre-study and review easily accessible as you move at your desired pace.
It is geared towards English-speaking learners and based on the experience of a native English speaker learning and flourishing in Japanese.
The added support provided through this curriculum and resource has led to increased longevity in pursuing Japanese language skills.
Courses are truly 100% self teachable if our resources are used, and this is particularly helpful for keeping up despite a busy work schedule, vacation, etc.
Blue House Okinawa provides the learning opportunities, guidance, and language exchanges to reinforce, encourage, and grow learners’ abilities.
Your Homework
1. Watch Lecture Videos on Blue House Okinawa App/Website
Dive into your Japanese learning adventure with lecture videos, your on-demand classroom that fits perfectly into your busy life.
These visual tools allow you to pause, rewind, and rewatch, giving you control over your pace and making tricky concepts stick.
They’re not just about watching; they’re about engaging and preparing you for real-life conversations with native speakers.
With the flexibility to learn anytime and anywhere, these videos transform your journey into an enjoyable, effective path to fluency.
So, why wait?
Press play and let the immersive learning begin!
Example Video:
2. Lesson Activities on the Textbook
Half of your textbook is actually a workbook.
This is because we’re convinced that getting better at writing can really up your game in typing, especially when you’re chatting with your Japanese friends.
So, don’t miss out on using the workbook exercises to give both your writing and typing skills a big boost!
And hey, if you ever find yourself scratching your head over any of the lesson activities, just give your instructor a shout.
We’re all here to help you succeed and have fun along the way!
3. Flashcards and Practice on Blue House Okinawa App/Website
You’re zipping through your day, and whether you’re on a coffee break or waiting in line, your phone becomes your gateway to a quick Japanese lesson.
With digital flashcards, you’re actively engaging with the language, thanks to the magic of spaced repetition.
It ensures you review words right when your brain is about to let them slip, making learning stick better.
And if you ever feel like you’re running out of cards, there’s a whole world of pre-made decks online, waiting to be explored.
Example Flashcards:
Our Vocabulary Collections
We’ve noticed that the vocab in textbooks doesn’t always line up with the topics you’re learning about.
That’s why students at Blue House Okinawa have been asking for vocab sets that actually match the topics.
Learning vocab by topic just seems to stick better, so our teachers have been getting creative.
They’ve been putting together extra vocab sets based on what you all have asked for, pulling in words you might not even find in your textbooks.
A lot of the vocab stuff we have comes directly from student suggestions over the years.
This has allowed us to put together collections that really get you ready to dive into real conversations about your interests in the language you’re learning, right from the start.
Our instructors at school are all about giving you a vocab that’s right for your learning level and creating these easy-to-use resources for you.
But, if you prefer sticking to the textbook order for vocab, that’s totally fine. And remember, making your own flashcards is always a great option too. 🙂
it = “sore ha”
The digital flashcards are awesome for studying, and we absolutely love them!
But, we did run into a little problem.
Our textbooks sometimes skip over topics because, in Japanese, it’s common to drop the topic from a sentence if everyone already knows what you’re talking about.
This threw a bit of a curveball for our students using flashcards.
Since you need your answers and the flashcard answers to match exactly, it was tricky figuring out when to drop the topic and when to keep it in.
To keep things simple, we’ve decided to always use “それは” (sore ha) to mean “it” in sentences, even though that might not always match your textbook.
Just a heads-up: make sure to type “それは” every time you come across “it” in the sentences.
And hey, if you prefer sticking to how the textbook does things, no worries!
You’re more than welcome to make your own flashcards and worksheets.
They can be super handy during Language Exchange. 😊
4. Lesson Quizzes on Blue House Okinawa App/Website
Get ready for a little victory at the end of each lesson, because that’s quiz time!
Aim for the stars and try to score 80% or higher on these quizzes.
The best part?
You can retake them as many times as you need to hit that sweet 80% mark or even go beyond.
Remember, repetition isn’t just a step in learning a new language—it’s the secret sauce!
So embrace those quizzes, and let’s see your scores soar!
5. Q&A Making on the Workbook
After you’ve hit 80% or more on lesson quizzes, why not take a creative leap and come up with your own questions?
Feel free to jot them down in either Japanese Hiragana or Romaji right on the back of the lesson’s worksheets.
These questions are perfect for sparking conversations with local Japanese friends during Language Exchanges or Study Exchanges.
And guess what?
Often, your Japanese friends will flip the script and ask, “How about you?” So, make sure you’re also prepped with your own answers in Japanese!
It’s a fun way to deepen your understanding and make those language connections even stronger.
6. 1 Post & 5 Comments on Blue House Okinawa App/Website
You asked for more ways to practice Japanese, and guess what?
We’ve got you covered with our very own app, made for you amazing students! 🌟
Now you can flex your language muscles anytime, anywhere—whether you’re chilling at home, on your daily commute, or just scrolling through your phone with some time to spare.
Dive into the app and you’ll find all sorts of fun ways to keep up with your Japanese studies.
Post, comment, slide into DMs, and do everything you need to boost your language skills.
Plus, you get to support our awesome local Japanese friends who are learning English, just like in our Language Exchange program at school.
Feeling a bit shy about your Japanese?
Pop into the Living Room to ask if your Japanese hits the mark, or lend a hand (and your English skills) to help local students master English with your comments and posts.
7. Host a Study Exchange
Want to try out your Japanese?
Or, do you like to practice your listening and speaking?
Then, host a Study Exchange and study with local Japanese friends!
At the Study Exchange, you can:
*see if you remember what you’ve learned.
*see if your Japanese friends understand your Japanese.
*listen to native Japanese speakers’ Japanese pronunciation.
*learn how native Japanese speakers use Japanese.
*understand what your Japanese friends think, how they look at things, and how they express their feelings.
*understand Japanese culture on a deeper level.
Sounds so exciting, right?
Oh after the Study Exchange, don’t forget to post the report for your review!
Practice in Class
1. Ask Questions if There Are Any
Asking questions in class is your secret weapon for learning!
It clears up confusion, deepens your understanding, and even helps your classmates who might be wondering the same thing.
Plus, it shows you’re engaged and eager to learn.
So don’t hesitate—every question is a step toward mastering the material!
2. Take the Performance Test with the Instructor
Taking the Japanese speaking performance test with your instructor is a golden opportunity in your language learning journey.
It’s not just a test; it’s a chance to get personalized feedback on your pronunciation, grammar, and conversational skills.
This experience boosts your confidence and hones your ability to speak Japanese fluently. Embrace this moment—it’s designed to highlight your strengths and guide your progress toward becoming a confident and proficient speaker.
3. Listening and Speaking Practice with Native Japanese Speakers in Language Exchange
It immerses you in the language’s natural rhythm, intonation, and cultural nuances, making learning authentic and engaging.
This direct interaction boosts your listening comprehension and speaking fluency, allowing you to pick up colloquial expressions and slang.
Moreover, it builds confidence in real-world communication and fosters a deeper understanding of Japanese culture.
These exchanges are a crucial part of mastering the language in a way textbooks alone cannot provide.
4. Ask Native Japanese Speakers the Questions You Made
This immersive experience helps learners grasp nuanced pronunciations, understand colloquial expressions, and become familiar with cultural contexts, improving listening and speaking skills.
It encourages active learning through real-time feedback, helping to correct mistakes and clarify doubts immediately.
Engaging with natives also boosts confidence in using the language in everyday scenarios, making the learning process more enjoyable and effective.
Overall, it’s a direct, practical approach to mastering Japanese, making it easier to think and communicate fluently in the language.
How to Start
Here are the easy steps to get you started with your Beginners Japanese 1 class.
1. Please take a moment to review our cancellation policy on the registration page.
2. Go ahead and sign up for the class using the link below.
3. Complete the online orientation. Don’t worry, we’ll send you the link automatically once you’ve registered.
4. Familiarize yourself with our student agreement and house rules.
5. Register and set up your profile on our school app or website.
6. Install and set up the Japanese keyboard on your devices.
7. Introduce yourself on the app or website to connect with your classmates.
8. Once you’ve completed all the steps, drop us a message in the Living Room.
We’re excited to have you join us and can’t wait to see you in class!
As we wrap up the Beginners Japanese 1 class, you’re now equipped with the essential tools to continue your journey in learning Japanese.
With a solid foundation in basic grammar, vocabulary, and phrases, you are well on your way to engaging in simple conversations and understanding the cultural nuances of Japan.
We encourage you to practice regularly and immerse yourself in the language as much as possible. Remember, every step forward is progress, and your efforts will open up new opportunities for personal and professional growth.
Keep learning, stay curious, and enjoy the rich experience of exploring Japanese!
Who We Are
More Than a Language School
We are a close-knit community of Japanese and English learners! We teach each other and learn from each other.
Authentic Language Practice
Because we have both English classes and Japanese classes, there are endless opportunities to practice with native speakers.
Relaxed & Community-Centered
We believe in a community-oriented approach to learning. We support each other, grow, and laugh together.
