
You will be immersed in Japanese from the very beginning, so your reading skills will improve a lot faster than someone using a mostly-English textbook. While this might seem like a pain, it’s actually fantastic if you want to learn Japanese fast. The most remarkable thing about Minna No Nihongo is that it is all written in Japanese! You can buy a companion book in English (actually, it is available in 14 different languages) with the translation and notes.
#Learn japanese for beginners series
This is a very good series of textbooks for serious students of Japanese. Japanese From Zero is also a great Japanese textbook for children or homeschooling.īest for: younger learners and people who want to go slowly

However, if you are a little intimidated by the idea of learning to read and write Japanese and want to take it easy, this is the perfect introduction for you. If you already know some Japanese characters, you may find this book moves too slowly for you.
#Learn japanese for beginners plus
This could be a plus or minus, depending on how you see it. The sample texts in the book mix hiragana characters with romaji (English letters), gradually introducing more and more Japanese. Katakana and kanji are not introduced until later books. The first book in the series only introduces hiragana out of all the Japanese writing systems, and it is introduced slowly, a few characters per chapter throughout the textbook. It is a bit slower paced than other textbooks on this list. The first is suitable for absolute beginners.

Since the books are fairly new, the examples and vocabulary are modern and up-to-date. The Japanese From Zero books are fairly new on the Japanese textbook scene, but they’ve already become very popular thanks to their easy to follow style. Especially good for college age students. The first is suitable for absolute beginners, and the second will take you up to lower intermediate level.īest for: a good all-round textbook for those who like traditional ways of learning. And there is an optional companion workbook for extra practice. It comes with a CD for listening practice. The grammar, vocabulary and other sections are easy to follow by yourself. However, the book is still very easy to use. Genki was designed for use in classrooms so there are some exercises such as group discussions which can be hard to put into practice if you are a self learner. This might be an advantage or disadvantage, depending on your situation! The books were first designed for university courses, so they cover a lot of situations and vocabulary aimed at students. The same characters appear throughout the book, so you can follow their stories. The books are easy to use and have cute illustrations. Genki is a highly popular series of Japanese books for beginners. Here are some recommended Japanese textbooks for beginners that hit these points: Genki

It should also teach you basic reading and writing skills (hiragana and katakana are a must to start with, then the book should also introduce basic kanji). Ideally it will cover useful phrases you need for day to day life or trips to Japan. If you are a beginner learning Japanese, you should look for a textbook that will cover basic grammar structures, vocabulary, pronunciation and listening.
