10 Best Books to Learn Japanese

While this particular concept applies to any foreign language, most people who could master the basics of Japanese will tell you that you must start with understanding the culture of the Japanese language before achieving any success. Indeed, you may spend hours polishing your grammar or pronunciation, yet you must feel how every sentence is being formed and how intonation can easily change the original meaning. Thankfully, you can turn to educational books and find out more. 

10 Best Books That Assist With Learning Japanese 

  1. Learning Japanese Hiragana and Katakana: Workbook & Practice Sheets by Tetsuo Takagaki. One of the most popular workbooks that will help you cover grammar, basic vocabulary, and pronunciation with the help of not too complex practice exercises. It fits well for beginners and intermediate learners. It is best to start with a teacher. 
  2. Japanese from Zero! Proven Techniques to Learn Japanese for Students and Professionals by Yukari Takenaka. If you do not have any prior knowledge, choose this book. It has over ten language learning techniques that let you test your perception. It also covers various professional fields that translators may find helpful. 
  3. A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar by Seiichi Makino. Regardless of what book you may choose to learn Japanese, the presence of a good dictionary always comes first. Even professional linguists cannot get by without it. Speaking of safe and affordable Japanese translation services, you may check PickWriters for top choices and explore what fits your requirements best. Keeping a dictionary, you can easily check any word or even a phrase. 
  4. Japanese Phrases for Dummies by Eriko Sato. We all remember that most phrases that we hear in the streets are rarely included in any textbook. Japanese is no different! This book aims to remedy this situation and does it quite successfully. 
  5. Speak Japanese in 90 Days: A Self Study to Becoming Fluent: Volume 1 by Kevin Marx. One of the easiest self-study Japanese books that will help you work out your learning schedule. Marx implements various teaching methods to keep you inspired. It can work even without a teacher. 
  6. Japanese for Busy People (Textbook by Penguin Random House). An example of a good textbook that keeps everything to the point by letting you study for at least 15-30 minutes daily and progress with your Japanese skills. It is not an easy curriculum since it follows every rule and keeps things intensive. If you need Japanese for Business, check it out. 
  7. Japanese for Young People 1 by AJALT (The Association for Japanese-Language Teaching). Even if you are an adult learning, do not ignore this book. If you prefer learning by multilingual associations, explore it. Based on the influence of early bilingual education and an experience of teaching Japanese, it aims to explain how the Japanese can be compared to your native language. 
  8. Japanese Picture Dictionary by Timothy G. Stout. Japanese is a vivid language, which is why some people master it easier when they have visuals. This picture dictionary is a great addition to anyone learning Japanese. A rare interactive experience! 
  9. A Guide to Japanese Grammar by Tae Kim. Unfortunately, you cannot cope without learning grammar rules. This great book makes things easier by offering not only rules but explanations. Make sure to focus on examples and real-life sentences as you learn. 
  10. The Kodansha Kanji Learner’s Dictionary by Jack Halper. This book is for achieving genuine literacy in Japanese. It has all the Kanji (a logographic writing system) rules required for any professional needs. It is aimed at intermediate students. 

Remember The Culture 

They often say that learning Japanese stands for learning more about the country’s culture. Take your time to master the Japanese ethical code and start by respecting rules and traditions. Once you understand how people live their daily lives, each sentence will start making more sense as you write or compose your own phrases. 

BIO 

Henry is not afraid of choosing challenging languages and is happy to share his educational experience. His posts are like small online guides for people wishing to learn something new. Follow Henry to find innovative solutions and achieve success.