learning japanese

[crazy777]

Seniors, for Kanji, do you all use Traditional Chinese or Simplified Chinese Word?

I am using Win XP to write Japanese characters (Kanji, Katakana, Hiragana) without any third party software

 

[PingJun]

I am using Win XP to write Japanese characters (Kanji, Katakana, Hiragana) without any third party software

Err.... I mean hand written, not computer written

 

[ShougunX]

pls take note that japanese kanji are a bit different from chinese ones. You will see a mixture of traditional n simplified chinese characters as well as some modified ones. Some look reaalllllllly close to chinese ones are a bit different here n there, maybe less one stroke or one additional stroke, a tick here n there blah blah blah. Just becoz one is proficient in chinese doesn't mean one can get carried away thinking kanji is nothin. i m tat ignorant myself once until i realise my mistakes. haha.

 

[VH2006]

just to verify, JCS per course is $300?
How about Bunka? i understand that JCS tend to be a larger group in a class.. hence harder..

Bunka: Elementary - $190 + $20 one-time registration fee

Heard that there's a discount recently but you need to call them to find out.

 

[surfuz]

Seniors, what do we learn in Ikoma Basic 2? Hori Sensei said that we will learn all the katagana in Basic 1!! Are there so few katagana? Same amount as hiragana?
I thought there will be many words to learn lol.

Joy, No choice but to change teachers....Hori Sensei is really fastastic but I can't take her full time lessons forever. In fact due to clash of schedules, I might not even be able to take her basic 2 classes. But I heard Ikoma' s teachers all quite good so I hope it will e ok to switch.

Shogun X, as for speaking, it is also a big mess...but for now, I am more focused on reading and writing because I really want to start reading japanese novels and listening to Jpop and anime properly lol. as for speaking, i'll just try my best. No choice, we are not in Japan - no chance to practice speaking

 

[ShougunX]

join some japanese clubs or sumthin. i had to talk with japanese clients n colleagues with half past six japanese...tat's practise for me, at the risk of irritating the native speakers. haha

 

[PingJun]

Seniors, what do we learn in Ikoma Basic 2? Hori Sensei said that we will learn all the katagana in Basic 1!! Are there so few katagana? Same amount as hiragana?
I thought there will be many words to learn lol.

Joy, No choice but to change teachers....Hori Sensei is really fastastic but I can't take her full time lessons forever. In fact due to clash of schedules, I might not even be able to take her basic 2 classes. But I heard Ikoma' s teachers all quite good so I hope it will e ok to switch.

Shogun X, as for speaking, it is also a big mess...but for now, I am more focused on reading and writing because I really want to start reading japanese novels and listening to Jpop and anime properly lol. as for speaking, i'll just try my best. No choice, we are not in Japan - no chance to practice speaking

How many words for Hiragana = How many words for Katagana.

For me, I heard my sensei that we would learn Katagana 3 months later. I have calculated & believe that I will learn in Basic 2.

 

[JoySakurai]

yeah, i rmb learning katakana in basic 2.
we didn't learn it as intensive as when we learnt hiragana, more like, learn on your own or sth..
coz when we were learning hiragana, teaching would give us spelling test every lesson.
But once you go to basic 2, theres no more tests anymore.
[for my class that is...]

 

[crazy777]

yeah, i rmb learning katakana in basic 2.
we didn't learn it as intensive as when we learnt hiragana, more like, learn on your own or sth..
coz when we were learning hiragana, teaching would give us spelling test every lesson.
But once you go to basic 2, theres no more tests anymore.
[for my class that is...]

same here.
I miss my previous teacher

 

[PingJun]

When do you all learn Kanji? For Katagana, you all don't learn as much as Hiragana?

 

[crazy777]

I think we have to learn by ourselves for the Kanji

 

[surfuz]

yeah for kata, we have to more or less learn it on our own too. Hori sensei breezed through it not that there is much to teach anyway. Everything is the same except the way the words are written.

Part time and full time really different. I learn Kata in Basic 1 Term 2 (going by part time's time frame).

And can someone answer my previous question on payments for part time courses? Thanks.

As for speaking, I think at my level, I am too paiseh to speak to any native speakers lol. I can't speak a full sentence properly yet... But frankly I think Jap will be relieved you can at least speak any kind of japanese because they don't have to speak English. It is horrible trying to communicate with Japanese because most of them can't speak English at all ...at least that is my experience. Met a high school teacher once who can't speak English. Ended up using Sign language.

Likewise, for people who don't speak English well, I don't think we get that annoyed with them, do we? At least I don't. I make a big effort to speak real slow...

 

[JoySakurai]

uhhh.. we pay term by term.
and each term starts right after the previous ends.
HTHs

Haha.. funny experience.
when we just started learning japanese for like the 2nd or 3rd lesson?
I met up with my friends at mos to eat dinner before going to class.
While at there, we were filing our notes n stuff, den theres this japanese lady and her kids sitting beside us.
The little girl was telling her mom that she knew how to read our notes etc.
very cute.. haha..
den the lady asked us why do we wanna learn japanese etc.
Nice ppl..
XD
used half eng half japanese to converse.. haha.. ^^;;

 

[crazy777]

For me, worst come to worst, I take out a piece of paper and a pen and write everything in Hiragana or Katakana. Coz I find it easier to write than speak.

 

[surfuz]

Yeah the little girl is very cute! Bet she is proud she can read it lol.

I realise I understand what Jap kids are saying because they speak slower than their parents

Oh yes, back to topic of electronic dictonaries, apparently there is only one Eng-Chi-Jap dictionary available in Singapore. The Comet one, for sale at Kino and Popular at $199. I am still thinking if I should buy it. Now I am still using a hardcopy Oxford Dictionary. But $199 sounds ok compared to $600. Anyone using/intending to buy this comet dictionary?

Yeah, crazy...worse come to worst...that could be a solution lol.

 

[mamoo82]

One of my friends sent me this:

The annual Seiransai is here again!

Date: 17 September 2006 (Sunday)
Time: 0930hrs - 1630hrs
Location: Waseda Shibuya Senior High School (O:67732950)
Address : 57 West Coast Road, Singapore 127366

Basically the event is similar to the Natsumatsuri held by the Japanese Association; for those who are unfamiliar - its a Japanese funfare with games and food, except the stalls are situated inside class rooms. The last time we went, there were also tea ceremonies and jam band performances.

 

[crazy777]

One of my friends sent me this:

The annual Seiransai is here again!

Date: 17 September 2006 (Sunday)
Time: 0930hrs - 1630hrs
Location: Waseda Shibuya Senior High School (O:67732950)
Address : 57 West Coast Road, Singapore 127366

Basically the event is similar to the Natsumatsuri held by the Japanese Association; for those who are unfamiliar - its a Japanese funfare with games and food, except the stalls are situated inside class rooms. The last time we went, there were also tea ceremonies and jam band performances.

I heard of it too.
Anyone going?

 

[JoySakurai]

yeap.
im gng.
=P

 

[rokugo]

Hope this isn`t too OT, but I have some Japanese language guidebooks for slightly more advanced learners for sale. Two are practical guides for writing emails, business letters, thank-you notes, etc, and one is on how to write Japanese correctly and beautifully (using normal everyday pen/pencil, not the calligraphy brush stuff)

Pls check out this post if interested:
http://forums.hardwarezone.com/showthread.php?t=1399702

 

[PingJun]

Seniors, I find that some Japanese words have same words but different meanings.

E.G. hashi means chopsticks & bridge.

hana means flower & nose.

How do I know when the words (either through speaking or through reading) means what meanings?