learning japanese

[ahmahippo]

Download hiragana and katakana charts and practise writing them before going for lessons.
Self study for a while before officially taking lessons. You will have an easier time understanding.
http://www.guidetojapanese.org/

ok thanks
hope u see my pm soon

 

[orc_exp]

Haha yeah dimitri san is right i suppose. I am currently at least JLPT 3 standard. just finished bunka's intermediate level and waiting for my PA lessons. Btw do you guys have any recommendations for someone who's jap level is between JLPT 3 and JLPT 2?

Having tried both JLPT 3 and JLP2 past papers, i feel that JLPT 3 papers are too easy(no intention of bragging) while JLPT 2 papers are too hard. My kanji/vocab level isn't at JLPT 2 yet and i can't find any books that can help me bridge this gap.
Currently studying this book "an integrated approach to intermediate japanese" furthur improve my jap grammer, vocab and kanji. Woud like to start studying for JLPT 2 soon but i understand most JLPT 2 books are fully in japanese!

Not sure whether i can understand though. Anyone have any books to recommend?

 

[dimitri_can]

Haha yeah dimitri san is right i suppose. I am currently at least JLPT 3 standard. just finished bunka's intermediate level and waiting for my PA lessons. Btw do you guys have any recommendations for someone who's jap level is between JLPT 3 and JLPT 2?

Having tried both JLPT 3 and JLP2 past papers, i feel that JLPT 3 papers are too easy(no intention of bragging) while JLPT 2 papers are too hard. My kanji/vocab level isn't at JLPT 2 yet and i can't find any books that can help me bridge this gap.
Currently studying this book "an integrated approach to intermediate japanese" furthur improve my jap grammer, vocab and kanji. Woud like to start studying for JLPT 2 soon but i understand most JLPT 2 books are fully in japanese!

Not sure whether i can understand though. Anyone have any books to recommend?

There are a list of good books over here.

http://japanese.meetup.com/7/messages/boards/thread/4127819

I suggest u take up Ikoma JLPT 2 prep class.

 

[orc_exp]

There are a list of good books over here.

http://japanese.meetup.com/7/messages/boards/thread/4127819

I suggest u take up Ikoma JLPT 2 prep class.

well i intended to take up JLPT 2 prep course next year either bunka/ikoma cause i'm afraid my level might not be there. Don't JLPT prep courses start during april to june periods?

 

[dimitri_can]

well i intended to take up JLPT 2 prep course next year either bunka/ikoma cause i'm afraid my level might not be there. Don't JLPT prep courses start during april to june periods?

Ikoma JLPT 2 prep class is 1 whole year.

Jan-Nov

 

[arcadefire]

Sigh, how far must you be to take JLPT 2? Specifically talking about Ikoma here.

Also, next year can take JLPT 1-2 in dec and which other month? I keep forgetting the other month...

 

[dimitri_can]

Singapore is out of the new system.
We'll NOT be able to take in Jul as the number of applicants are not as many as people in Japan or China.

Generally, the teacher will test u to see if u have reach JLPT 3 standard before allowing u to go for JLPT 2 class.

Let me tell u, Ikoma has good passing rate for JLPT 2 and the teacher is very dedicated to teach... Ms Kanai.

I would say this... You really pay for the notes and the good teaching. So it's worth it.

JLPT 2
Kanji: 1000 Kanji
Words: 6000 words (5000 examinable, remaining 1000 will pop up occasionally)
Grammer: 165 sentence patterns with about 10% have 2 or more meanings.

You can refer to my notes here for more info on the grammer.

http://www.sendspace.com/file/dwmwug

 

[ahmahippo]

hai... who can help me?

which school gd for me.

 

[Ah_keong]

hai... who can help me?

which school gd for me.

I recommend JCS till JLPT 3 then transfer 2 IKOMA....

in this way u save money... but u need strong interest and discipline sia....

 

[Ah_keong]

Haha yeah dimitri san is right i suppose. I am currently at least JLPT 3 standard. just finished bunka's intermediate level and waiting for my PA lessons. Btw do you guys have any recommendations for someone who's jap level is between JLPT 3 and JLPT 2?

Having tried both JLPT 3 and JLP2 past papers, i feel that JLPT 3 papers are too easy(no intention of bragging) while JLPT 2 papers are too hard. My kanji/vocab level isn't at JLPT 2 yet and i can't find any books that can help me bridge this gap.
Currently studying this book "an integrated approach to intermediate japanese" furthur improve my jap grammer, vocab and kanji. Woud like to start studying for JLPT 2 soon but i understand most JLPT 2 books are fully in japanese!

Not sure whether i can understand though. Anyone have any books to recommend?

JLPT 3 to JLPT 2 is like a big big jump...

so i think thats why they are introducing the new 5 levels system... 2 bridge the gap...

 

[ahmahippo]

I recommend JCS till JLPT 3 then transfer 2 IKOMA....

in this way u save money... but u need strong interest and discipline sia....

Thanks

just wondering if anyone know about Alexandra School which also same centre as Hougang School if not wrong. Wonder if there are worth giving a go?

coz Alexandra School is nearer to my office place but i noticed that they only having one lesson? or the same as Hougang School.

the reason askin coz i scare later took the lesson at Alexandra then later got to go Hougang to go on other lessons.

 

[gnohzwd]

But if i go for the JLPT preparatory course at Ikoma, even if i get high marks for JLPT, it doesn't mean my Japanese is good right? Because JLPT may not be a definite way to assess ones standard.

You're right. JLPT is not a good way to access Japanese language standards. In fact, no written test can truly do so.
I guess one way would be to see how fast you can respond to someone speaking, or how fast you can react in terms of replying appropriately, or understanding immediately what someone said without asking him/her to repeat... ^^;

 

[gnohzwd]

i have one year of 3rd lang in japanese when i was in sec1 and some materials left but i've forgotten 90% of what was taught. planning to go for some lessons between my ORD and Uni enlistment which spans about 9-10months. Any advice? Btw, does anybody know about the FASS Japanese Studies in NUS?

I know about Japanese Studies in NUS
What about it?

 

[gnohzwd]

yes, private ex but no idea where to find and how much
i heard they go by per hour o0

Yes, private more expensive than those school courses expectedly
but it depends on what your goal is and how you want to approach your studying.
if you want cheap, although will take long time to improve, you can get to know other friends learning the language. i got a shock when i heard jcs take 10 months (?) to covery basics lol..but maybe they stress a lot on the foundation. when you have a very strong foundation, you wont get so confused when you go higher.

but if you want to improve fast and can have your doubts answered immediately then by all means search on the net and see if got any cheap private.

but as i said b4, everything comes with a price. you need to sacrifice stuff, like time etc if you want to succeed in something. cannot expect to get better if no effort is spent

 

[mouse123]

spring language school

Hi, as above, any1 heard of this sch? How is it?

 

[dimitri_can]

Strongly agreed..

Need to practise a lot... Even like me, now supporting Japanese users. It's not ez... They speak very fast...

 

[dimitri_can]

I think it's better to look for those well known schools.

You can see more info here.

http://japanese.meetup.com/7/messages/boards/thread/2955557

 

[ahmahippo]

You're right. JLPT is not a good way to access Japanese language standards. In fact, no written test can truly do so.
I guess one way would be to see how fast you can respond to someone speaking, or how fast you can react in terms of replying appropriately, or understanding immediately what someone said without asking him/her to repeat... ^^;

true... but it is not easy

 

[dimitri_can]

When you reach JLPT 2 and 1, that's where the fun actually starts. JLPT 4 and 3, no kick... lol

 

[ahmahippo]

Yes, private more expensive than those school courses expectedly
but it depends on what your goal is and how you want to approach your studying.
if you want cheap, although will take long time to improve, you can get to know other friends learning the language. i got a shock when i heard jcs take 10 months (?) to covery basics lol..but maybe they stress a lot on the foundation. when you have a very strong foundation, you wont get so confused when you go higher.

but if you want to improve fast and can have your doubts answered immediately then by all means search on the net and see if got any cheap private.

but as i said b4, everything comes with a price. you need to sacrifice stuff, like time etc if you want to succeed in something. cannot expect to get better if no effort is spent

i guess for my salary currently, it wouldnt be possible for private

but i noticed tat my area got one centre...

Hougang Japanese School but not the one located at Hougang one...

dont know anyone tried or heard of it b4?
can tell me more abt them?