e-learn Japanese!?!

[carreauchompeur]

Evening all.

I am getting perilously close to my holiday in Japan at the end of October, and need to learn some basic Japanese- fast!

I don't know any native speakers locally, therefore need an e-learning package. Preferably an iPhone app, then I can do it anywhere!

Any ideas?

Desperately trying to whittle down my holiday worries including having booked the wrong dates to fly, the plummeting exchange rate and my imminent lack of money- At least this one I can sort!

[anonymous-user]

Nihon-go wa yasashii desu!

Or, in English, Japanese is easy! I'm serious, it's actually a very easy language to learn compared to some of the European languages for example.... It won't take you long to learn the basics, and the Japanese will love you for it!

I'm sorry I can't help with any suggested methods - I learnt a long time ago using books and a tutor, but I'm sure there are tools/apps/methods out there that will give you what you need quickly.

Good luck with that, and enjoy Japan, it's a truly wonderful country and people (I'm moving back as soon as all the kids are at Uni)......

[BuzzLightyear]

I bought "instant japanese" by "teach yourself" from WH Smith: You get a book and a CD to learn Japanese phonetically (no Japanese writing which would take a lot longer to learn, IMO).

It says on the cover that you can learn enough to get by on in 6 weeks at 45 mins per day. It worked pretty well for me. HTH

[Office_Monkey]

If you have an android phone, there is an app called JA sensei. It has kanji and hiragana/katakana as well as some phrases.

Am trying to re-learn as I've forgotten most of my Japanese

[JonnyFive]

Konichiwa.

Or something like that.

[tontoro]

First stop for the casual visitor is to learn katakana. A few days work will be instantly useful.

[GlenMH]

tontoro said:

First stop for the casual visitor is to learn katakana. A few days work will be instantly useful.

This - it is the gateway to reading a menu.
If you want a crash course, obtaining the Pimsleur lessons are not too bad - apart from the American focus.