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[sonofthor]

Can anyone recommend a good Japanese langauge textbook for self study? I'm currently taking an intro class using the Yookoso! book by Tohsaku, which leaves a lot to be desired. I know kana/hiragana and will study Kanji using Remember the Kanji by Heisig. I just need a book for everything else. Thanks!

Comments

[3rd_i]

We use Genki at my university, it's pretty good. If you just want conversational Japanese, try the Pimsleur program.

[catsluvdmb]

haha, I was just about to recommend Genki.

[sonofthor]

Thanks for the suggestion! Is this the book you are talking about? Genki that is.

[3rd_i]

That looks like it. I never used Genki 1, I'm using 2 right now.

[lefcadio]

Yep, Genki's good. :D Or, we're using 'Minna no Nihongo', which is also very good, but perhaps slightly less so for self study.

[sonofthor]

I'll look it up! Thanks!

[fuzzyfan]

I too am familiar with Youkoso (I'm taking a class that uses it as well). If you could let me know what's bothering you about it, I might be able to offer books that compliment the book. I do understand your frusteration though. Self-study will make the book make far more sense.

[sonofthor]

Well, I've only been using the book a short time, but it doesn't seem (1) well organized, (2) professionally designed, and (3) helpful with grammar. I imagine there must be far better books out there.

[fuzzyfan]

I've never used Genki, but I've heard good things about it. If you want a fairly cheep book, easily bought at your local Borders, I reccomend Conversational Japanese. It has some problems (use of romanization thoughout the book ~but it does use kana/kanji too). However, it covers A LOT of grammar within a fairly compact amount of time. It was one of the first books I got and I read it cover to cover. It'll make your regular textbook make more sense and you'll even get some more Intermediate/Advanced Japanese grammar as well, if you're into that stuff.

[sonofthor]

Thanks for the suggestion. It sounds like something I could definitely use right now. A search for "Conversational Japanese" on Amazon resulted in a lot of hits. Would you mind pointing me to the one you recommend?

Genki

[adabe916]

Gwnki is great. I have almost finished the intermediate book. The only downside is that if you want to purchase the listening tapes/cds they cost as much (if not more than) the book. Great books though, used by many Universities in Japan and abroad.

Re: Genki

[sonofthor]

It seems popular, and not horribly expensive. I'm going to see if I can find a nice used copy somewhere about... Thanks!

[theanphibian]

There's a book called Intermediate Japanese that i used in classes while in Japan, and I thought it was far better than Genki. The problem would be that it was for the most part of a 3rd year japanese study level. The first few chapters, however, are not near that level, and I've heard they might also have a beginers book, but i haven't heard any good reviews of it.

[sonofthor]

Hmm... that's gonna be a toughie. Looking on Amazon, a couple of matches came up for Intermediate Japanese. I'll check them out and see if any of them lead me a good beginner's book. Thanks!

[gaburieru_]

you'll want to be finished with the second volume of genki before you pick that one up. i'm in third-year japanese right now and that's the text we're using in my class.

[sonofthor]

Gotchya. Thanks! :-)