Excellent for complete beginners, 13 Jul 2008
I am completely new to the japanese language and this book has taken me from not being able to speak a word beside "konnichiwa" to having actual conversations with japanese friends. It is perfect with the CD so that you get the pronounciation right, as the language is so different from english and there is even an opportunity to learn some of the script. However, if you are looking to be able to read and write japanese properly, this is probably not the best suited book for you. But for people who want to speak and write/read in romaji: BUY THIS BOOK

Make sure you are buying the book not just the CD!, 25 Jan 2008
The reviews on this item are not specific to the CD and book on their own or the CD/book pack, so it is a bit confusing if your search lands you on the CD (without the book) page. We ordered having read the reviews and synopsis thinking that we were buying a CD/book pack. Turned out to just be the CD, which makes constant reference to the book, so isn't much use on its own. Quite disappointing, and could have been clearer. In fairness to Amazon, on bringing this to their attention they were kind enough to give us a gift certificate so that we could get the book....

Actually not only for beginners, 28 Oct 2007
Even though I did pass the 3rd Level of the Japanese proficiency test before studying the book, it was helpful and useful even though it was intended for beginners. I did not regret that I paid for it since I did learn new things from chapter 1 until chapter 20.




Make learing enjoyable, 16 May 2003
After reading the Teach Yourself; Japanese Script (by the same author) i felt right at home with this book. The style in which the book is presented is very informal and gives some insights into japanese culture that have kept me entertained while reading.
There is a supporting CD or tape but the version i had did not come with one. This would normally mean the end of the world but the book also puts the dialogue and activities for each section. There are some times, such as the pronounciation exercises, where it may have been better to have a CD but i have learned far more from this book and can talk adequatly even if my pronounciation is a little suspect!
If you are going to buy this book then i suggest you get the CDs/tapes and the Beginners Japanese Script book (also in the TY series).

Well balanced, easy course, 30 Nov 2001
This is a well balanced and easy course. It combines good explanations with useful dialogues and the vocabulary lists at the start of each unit allow you to immediately understand what is being said. The book briefly touches upon written Japanese but it really only covers Katakana. You'll need another book if you want to learn Hiragana en Kanji as well (and you probably will).
The whole course is pleasantly written and can easily be studied without the cassettes. I would have given it five stars if it wasn't for the fact that a large amount of the vocabulary lists and some parts of the dialogue are missing from the tapes. I also couldn't understand why small parts of the vocabulary were given after the dialogue instead of adding them to the main vocabulary list.
These are minor objections however and out of the three courses I own (Hugo's Japanese in three months, BBC's Talk Japanese and TY Beginner's Japanese) this is certainly my favourite one.

Excellent for complete beginners, 13 Jul 2008
I am completely new to the japanese language and this book has taken me from not being able to speak a word beside "konnichiwa" to having actual conversations with japanese friends. It is perfect with the CD so that you get the pronounciation right, as the language is so different from english and there is even an opportunity to learn some of the script. However, if you are looking to be able to read and write japanese properly, this is probably not the best suited book for you. But for people who want to speak and write/read in romaji: BUY THIS BOOK

Make sure you are buying the book not just the CD!, 25 Jan 2008
The reviews on this item are not specific to the CD and book on their own or the CD/book pack, so it is a bit confusing if your search lands you on the CD (without the book) page. We ordered having read the reviews and synopsis thinking that we were buying a CD/book pack. Turned out to just be the CD, which makes constant reference to the book, so isn't much use on its own. Quite disappointing, and could have been clearer. In fairness to Amazon, on bringing this to their attention they were kind enough to give us a gift certificate so that we could get the book....

Actually not only for beginners, 28 Oct 2007
Even though I did pass the 3rd Level of the Japanese proficiency test before studying the book, it was helpful and useful even though it was intended for beginners. I did not regret that I paid for it since I did learn new things from chapter 1 until chapter 20.




Make learing enjoyable, 16 May 2003
After reading the Teach Yourself; Japanese Script (by the same author) i felt right at home with this book. The style in which the book is presented is very informal and gives some insights into japanese culture that have kept me entertained while reading.
There is a supporting CD or tape but the version i had did not come with one. This would normally mean the end of the world but the book also puts the dialogue and activities for each section. There are some times, such as the pronounciation exercises, where it may have been better to have a CD but i have learned far more from this book and can talk adequatly even if my pronounciation is a little suspect!
If you are going to buy this book then i suggest you get the CDs/tapes and the Beginners Japanese Script book (also in the TY series).

Well balanced, easy course, 30 Nov 2001
This is a well balanced and easy course. It combines good explanations with useful dialogues and the vocabulary lists at the start of each unit allow you to immediately understand what is being said. The book briefly touches upon written Japanese but it really only covers Katakana. You'll need another book if you want to learn Hiragana en Kanji as well (and you probably will).
The whole course is pleasantly written and can easily be studied without the cassettes. I would have given it five stars if it wasn't for the fact that a large amount of the vocabulary lists and some parts of the dialogue are missing from the tapes. I also couldn't understand why small parts of the vocabulary were given after the dialogue instead of adding them to the main vocabulary list.
These are minor objections however and out of the three courses I own (Hugo's Japanese in three months, BBC's Talk Japanese and TY Beginner's Japanese) this is certainly my favourite one.

It takes a long time, 12 Jan 2006
This is by far the best set of language tapes that I have used in a car. They can be used without needing to refer to any printed references, although the accompanying booklets are useful to check things that are a little difficult to catch with the ear.

The English word (s) are spoken by an American man on the RH channel and the Japanese equivalent is spoken by a lady on the LH. The channels aren't quite balanced so the sound level isn't perfect. I have only got through disc one (of nine) in about three months, (not much driving) but each time I play it through I feel that I am making some progress in learning the spoken vocabulary and some good phrases.

The other advantage is that there are no long musical interludes between sections - sometimes used on other learning systems.

not much use, 03 Nov 2005
I bought level 3 as a self studying student wanting to improve my listening skills but the set gave no opportubnity to do this. There were no dialouges or any such stuff just single sentences in japanese and english failing to froperly explain grammar points.

There is no reason to buy this CD set.

Excellent for complete beginners, 13 Jul 2008
I am completely new to the japanese language and this book has taken me from not being able to speak a word beside "konnichiwa" to having actual conversations with japanese friends. It is perfect with the CD so that you get the pronounciation right, as the language is so different from english and there is even an opportunity to learn some of the script. However, if you are looking to be able to read and write japanese properly, this is probably not the best suited book for you. But for people who want to speak and write/read in romaji: BUY THIS BOOK

Make sure you are buying the book not just the CD!, 25 Jan 2008
The reviews on this item are not specific to the CD and book on their own or the CD/book pack, so it is a bit confusing if your search lands you on the CD (without the book) page. We ordered having read the reviews and synopsis thinking that we were buying a CD/book pack. Turned out to just be the CD, which makes constant reference to the book, so isn't much use on its own. Quite disappointing, and could have been clearer. In fairness to Amazon, on bringing this to their attention they were kind enough to give us a gift certificate so that we could get the book....

Actually not only for beginners, 28 Oct 2007
Even though I did pass the 3rd Level of the Japanese proficiency test before studying the book, it was helpful and useful even though it was intended for beginners. I did not regret that I paid for it since I did learn new things from chapter 1 until chapter 20.




Make learing enjoyable, 16 May 2003
After reading the Teach Yourself; Japanese Script (by the same author) i felt right at home with this book. The style in which the book is presented is very informal and gives some insights into japanese culture that have kept me entertained while reading.
There is a supporting CD or tape but the version i had did not come with one. This would normally mean the end of the world but the book also puts the dialogue and activities for each section. There are some times, such as the pronounciation exercises, where it may have been better to have a CD but i have learned far more from this book and can talk adequatly even if my pronounciation is a little suspect!
If you are going to buy this book then i suggest you get the CDs/tapes and the Beginners Japanese Script book (also in the TY series).

Well balanced, easy course, 30 Nov 2001
This is a well balanced and easy course. It combines good explanations with useful dialogues and the vocabulary lists at the start of each unit allow you to immediately understand what is being said. The book briefly touches upon written Japanese but it really only covers Katakana. You'll need another book if you want to learn Hiragana en Kanji as well (and you probably will).
The whole course is pleasantly written and can easily be studied without the cassettes. I would have given it five stars if it wasn't for the fact that a large amount of the vocabulary lists and some parts of the dialogue are missing from the tapes. I also couldn't understand why small parts of the vocabulary were given after the dialogue instead of adding them to the main vocabulary list.
These are minor objections however and out of the three courses I own (Hugo's Japanese in three months, BBC's Talk Japanese and TY Beginner's Japanese) this is certainly my favourite one.

It takes a long time, 12 Jan 2006
This is by far the best set of language tapes that I have used in a car. They can be used without needing to refer to any printed references, although the accompanying booklets are useful to check things that are a little difficult to catch with the ear.

The English word (s) are spoken by an American man on the RH channel and the Japanese equivalent is spoken by a lady on the LH. The channels aren't quite balanced so the sound level isn't perfect. I have only got through disc one (of nine) in about three months, (not much driving) but each time I play it through I feel that I am making some progress in learning the spoken vocabulary and some good phrases.

The other advantage is that there are no long musical interludes between sections - sometimes used on other learning systems.

not much use, 03 Nov 2005
I bought level 3 as a self studying student wanting to improve my listening skills but the set gave no opportubnity to do this. There were no dialouges or any such stuff just single sentences in japanese and english failing to froperly explain grammar points.

There is no reason to buy this CD set.

Good content if only the speaker was intelligible, 28 Apr 2005
The content of the CD is fairly good but the speaker is not native ! and in addition the sound mixing is poor.
I do not recommend this product.

Excellent for complete beginners, 13 Jul 2008
I am completely new to the japanese language and this book has taken me from not being able to speak a word beside "konnichiwa" to having actual conversations with japanese friends. It is perfect with the CD so that you get the pronounciation right, as the language is so different from english and there is even an opportunity to learn some of the script. However, if you are looking to be able to read and write japanese properly, this is probably not the best suited book for you. But for people who want to speak and write/read in romaji: BUY THIS BOOK

Make sure you are buying the book not just the CD!, 25 Jan 2008
The reviews on this item are not specific to the CD and book on their own or the CD/book pack, so it is a bit confusing if your search lands you on the CD (without the book) page. We ordered having read the reviews and synopsis thinking that we were buying a CD/book pack. Turned out to just be the CD, which makes constant reference to the book, so isn't much use on its own. Quite disappointing, and could have been clearer. In fairness to Amazon, on bringing this to their attention they were kind enough to give us a gift certificate so that we could get the book....

Actually not only for beginners, 28 Oct 2007
Even though I did pass the 3rd Level of the Japanese proficiency test before studying the book, it was helpful and useful even though it was intended for beginners. I did not regret that I paid for it since I did learn new things from chapter 1 until chapter 20.




Make learing enjoyable, 16 May 2003
After reading the Teach Yourself; Japanese Script (by the same author) i felt right at home with this book. The style in which the book is presented is very informal and gives some insights into japanese culture that have kept me entertained while reading.
There is a supporting CD or tape but the version i had did not come with one. This would normally mean the end of the world but the book also puts the dialogue and activities for each section. There are some times, such as the pronounciation exercises, where it may have been better to have a CD but i have learned far more from this book and can talk adequatly even if my pronounciation is a little suspect!
If you are going to buy this book then i suggest you get the CDs/tapes and the Beginners Japanese Script book (also in the TY series).

Well balanced, easy course, 30 Nov 2001
This is a well balanced and easy course. It combines good explanations with useful dialogues and the vocabulary lists at the start of each unit allow you to immediately understand what is being said. The book briefly touches upon written Japanese but it really only covers Katakana. You'll need another book if you want to learn Hiragana en Kanji as well (and you probably will).
The whole course is pleasantly written and can easily be studied without the cassettes. I would have given it five stars if it wasn't for the fact that a large amount of the vocabulary lists and some parts of the dialogue are missing from the tapes. I also couldn't understand why small parts of the vocabulary were given after the dialogue instead of adding them to the main vocabulary list.
These are minor objections however and out of the three courses I own (Hugo's Japanese in three months, BBC's Talk Japanese and TY Beginner's Japanese) this is certainly my favourite one.

It takes a long time, 12 Jan 2006
This is by far the best set of language tapes that I have used in a car. They can be used without needing to refer to any printed references, although the accompanying booklets are useful to check things that are a little difficult to catch with the ear.

The English word (s) are spoken by an American man on the RH channel and the Japanese equivalent is spoken by a lady on the LH. The channels aren't quite balanced so the sound level isn't perfect. I have only got through disc one (of nine) in about three months, (not much driving) but each time I play it through I feel that I am making some progress in learning the spoken vocabulary and some good phrases.

The other advantage is that there are no long musical interludes between sections - sometimes used on other learning systems.

not much use, 03 Nov 2005
I bought level 3 as a self studying student wanting to improve my listening skills but the set gave no opportubnity to do this. There were no dialouges or any such stuff just single sentences in japanese and english failing to froperly explain grammar points.

There is no reason to buy this CD set.

Good content if only the speaker was intelligible, 28 Apr 2005
The content of the CD is fairly good but the speaker is not native ! and in addition the sound mixing is poor.
I do not recommend this product.

Notes on new edition, 29 Aug 2006
As I wanted to get the CDS I assumed this was a heavily updated version of the original edition (like Buorgiorno Italia). After a skimmed comparison the two editions appear to be virtually the same. The only main difference I can spot is the essential CD track listing is published in this new edition.

Don't buy both books together as suggested by Amazon!

You need the tapes!, 04 Mar 2004
... and the tapes don't come with the book! This book was recommended to go with a Japanese class I attend. On receiving the book we all agreed it was pretty useless without the accompanying tapes - which are purchased seperately. Personally I'd recommend the Dummies Guide to Japanese. I felt a bit conned with this book.

Good but needs book, 21 Jul 2001
This set of 5 tapes is good for a beginner. It has helped me learn Japanese very fast and to a good quality. The only let down is the fact that you need the wook book and u cant really make progress just by listening to it. Overall a very good help in learning Japanese and I would recomend it to anyone wishing to learn the language.

A great way to get started., 02 Feb 2001
I bought this book 5 years ago before coming to Japan,and I found it an excellent introduction into the Japanese language. The units are laid out in a logical and progressive order, you don't have to wait until the end of the book to learn how to guide a taxi around your neighbourhood, a necessity when dealing with Japan's unnamed streets. The cultural insights will give you a taste of Japan, they give a traditional overview of Japanese life, but things change quickly in an ever westernising country. The polite form is taught throughout, which can lead to some raised eyebrows and giggles, when you attend your local fast food shop, and use the polite "Domo arigato gozaimashita" to say thank you, when the locals use just "arigato" or "domo",I suppose it is better to be too polite than rude. All in all, this book and the accompanying tapes will not teach you to speak fluent Japanese, but it is an excellent way to get started and one I would strongly recommend for anyone coming to Japan, gambarimasu!

Excellent for complete beginners, 13 Jul 2008
I am completely new to the japanese language and this book has taken me from not being able to speak a word beside "konnichiwa" to having actual conversations with japanese friends. It is perfect with the CD so that you get the pronounciation right, as the language is so different from english and there is even an opportunity to learn some of the script. However, if you are looking to be able to read and write japanese properly, this is probably not the best suited book for you. But for people who want to speak and write/read in romaji: BUY THIS BOOK

Make sure you are buying the book not just the CD!, 25 Jan 2008
The reviews on this item are not specific to the CD and book on their own or the CD/book pack, so it is a bit confusing if your search lands you on the CD (without the book) page. We ordered having read the reviews and synopsis thinking that we were buying a CD/book pack. Turned out to just be the CD, which makes constant reference to the book, so isn't much use on its own. Quite disappointing, and could have been clearer. In fairness to Amazon, on bringing this to their attention they were kind enough to give us a gift certificate so that we could get the book....

Actually not only for beginners, 28 Oct 2007
Even though I did pass the 3rd Level of the Japanese proficiency test before studying the book, it was helpful and useful even though it was intended for beginners. I did not regret that I paid for it since I did learn new things from chapter 1 until chapter 20.




Make learing enjoyable, 16 May 2003
After reading the Teach Yourself; Japanese Script (by the same author) i felt right at home with this book. The style in which the book is presented is very informal and gives some insights into japanese culture that have kept me entertained while reading.
There is a supporting CD or tape but the version i had did not come with one. This would normally mean the end of the world but the book also puts the dialogue and activities for each section. There are some times, such as the pronounciation exercises, where it may have been better to have a CD but i have learned far more from this book and can talk adequatly even if my pronounciation is a little suspect!
If you are going to buy this book then i suggest you get the CDs/tapes and the Beginners Japanese Script book (also in the TY series).

Well balanced, easy course, 30 Nov 2001
This is a well balanced and easy course. It combines good explanations with useful dialogues and the vocabulary lists at the start of each unit allow you to immediately understand what is being said. The book briefly touches upon written Japanese but it really only covers Katakana. You'll need another book if you want to learn Hiragana en Kanji as well (and you probably will).
The whole course is pleasantly written and can easily be studied without the cassettes. I would have given it five stars if it wasn't for the fact that a large amount of the vocabulary lists and some parts of the dialogue are missing from the tapes. I also couldn't understand why small parts of the vocabulary were given after the dialogue instead of adding them to the main vocabulary list.
These are minor objections however and out of the three courses I own (Hugo's Japanese in three months, BBC's Talk Japanese and TY Beginner's Japanese) this is certainly my favourite one.

It takes a long time, 12 Jan 2006
This is by far the best set of language tapes that I have used in a car. They can be used without needing to refer to any printed references, although the accompanying booklets are useful to check things that are a little difficult to catch with the ear.

The English word (s) are spoken by an American man on the RH channel and the Japanese equivalent is spoken by a lady on the LH. The channels aren't quite balanced so the sound level isn't perfect. I have only got through disc one (of nine) in about three months, (not much driving) but each time I play it through I feel that I am making some progress in learning the spoken vocabulary and some good phrases.

The other advantage is that there are no long musical interludes between sections - sometimes used on other learning systems.

not much use, 03 Nov 2005
I bought level 3 as a self studying student wanting to improve my listening skills but the set gave no opportubnity to do this. There were no dialouges or any such stuff just single sentences in japanese and english failing to froperly explain grammar points.

There is no reason to buy this CD set.

Good content if only the speaker was intelligible, 28 Apr 2005
The content of the CD is fairly good but the speaker is not native ! and in addition the sound mixing is poor.
I do not recommend this product.

Notes on new edition, 29 Aug 2006
As I wanted to get the CDS I assumed this was a heavily updated version of the original edition (like Buorgiorno Italia). After a skimmed comparison the two editions appear to be virtually the same. The only main difference I can spot is the essential CD track listing is published in this new edition.

Don't buy both books together as suggested by Amazon!

You need the tapes!, 04 Mar 2004
... and the tapes don't come with the book! This book was recommended to go with a Japanese class I attend. On receiving the book we all agreed it was pretty useless without the accompanying tapes - which are purchased seperately. Personally I'd recommend the Dummies Guide to Japanese. I felt a bit conned with this book.

Good but needs book, 21 Jul 2001
This set of 5 tapes is good for a beginner. It has helped me learn Japanese very fast and to a good quality. The only let down is the fact that you need the wook book and u cant really make progress just by listening to it. Overall a very good help in learning Japanese and I would recomend it to anyone wishing to learn the language.

A great way to get started., 02 Feb 2001
I bought this book 5 years ago before coming to Japan,and I found it an excellent introduction into the Japanese language. The units are laid out in a logical and progressive order, you don't have to wait until the end of the book to learn how to guide a taxi around your neighbourhood, a necessity when dealing with Japan's unnamed streets. The cultural insights will give you a taste of Japan, they give a traditional overview of Japanese life, but things change quickly in an ever westernising country. The polite form is taught throughout, which can lead to some raised eyebrows and giggles, when you attend your local fast food shop, and use the polite "Domo arigato gozaimashita" to say thank you, when the locals use just "arigato" or "domo",I suppose it is better to be too polite than rude. All in all, this book and the accompanying tapes will not teach you to speak fluent Japanese, but it is an excellent way to get started and one I would strongly recommend for anyone coming to Japan, gambarimasu!

Handy for quick translation, 17 May 2001
If you're planning to go to Japan or need to speak to someone who is Japanese, this book is a safe buy. It's cheap, small and easy to carry. It contains essential words and phrases to help you out. If you're planning to learn the language, use this to help you along the way.

Excellent for complete beginners, 13 Jul 2008
I am completely new to the japanese language and this book has taken me from not being able to speak a word beside "konnichiwa" to having actual conversations with japanese friends. It is perfect with the CD so that you get the pronounciation right, as the language is so different from english and there is even an opportunity to learn some of the script. However, if you are looking to be able to read and write japanese properly, this is probably not the best suited book for you. But for people who want to speak and write/read in romaji: BUY THIS BOOK

Make sure you are buying the book not just the CD!, 25 Jan 2008
The reviews on this item are not specific to the CD and book on their own or the CD/book pack, so it is a bit confusing if your search lands you on the CD (without the book) page. We ordered having read the reviews and synopsis thinking that we were buying a CD/book pack. Turned out to just be the CD, which makes constant reference to the book, so isn't much use on its own. Quite disappointing, and could have been clearer. In fairness to Amazon, on bringing this to their attention they were kind enough to give us a gift certificate so that we could get the book....

Actually not only for beginners, 28 Oct 2007
Even though I did pass the 3rd Level of the Japanese proficiency test before studying the book, it was helpful and useful even though it was intended for beginners. I did not regret that I paid for it since I did learn new things from chapter 1 until chapter 20.




Make learing enjoyable, 16 May 2003
After reading the Teach Yourself; Japanese Script (by the same author) i felt right at home with this book. The style in which the book is presented is very informal and gives some insights into japanese culture that have kept me entertained while reading.
There is a supporting CD or tape but the version i had did not come with one. This would normally mean the end of the world but the book also puts the dialogue and activities for each section. There are some times, such as the pronounciation exercises, where it may have been better to have a CD but i have learned far more from this book and can talk adequatly even if my pronounciation is a little suspect!
If you are going to buy this book then i suggest you get the CDs/tapes and the Beginners Japanese Script book (also in the TY series).

Well balanced, easy course, 30 Nov 2001
This is a well balanced and easy course. It combines good explanations with useful dialogues and the vocabulary lists at the start of each unit allow you to immediately understand what is being said. The book briefly touches upon written Japanese but it really only covers Katakana. You'll need another book if you want to learn Hiragana en Kanji as well (and you probably will).
The whole course is pleasantly written and can easily be studied without the cassettes. I would have given it five stars if it wasn't for the fact that a large amount of the vocabulary lists and some parts of the dialogue are missing from the tapes. I also couldn't understand why small parts of the vocabulary were given after the dialogue instead of adding them to the main vocabulary list.
These are minor objections however and out of the three courses I own (Hugo's Japanese in three months, BBC's Talk Japanese and TY Beginner's Japanese) this is certainly my favourite one.

It takes a long time, 12 Jan 2006
This is by far the best set of language tapes that I have used in a car. They can be used without needing to refer to any printed references, although the accompanying booklets are useful to check things that are a little difficult to catch with the ear.

The English word (s) are spoken by an American man on the RH channel and the Japanese equivalent is spoken by a lady on the LH. The channels aren't quite balanced so the sound level isn't perfect. I have only got through disc one (of nine) in about three months, (not much driving) but each time I play it through I feel that I am making some progress in learning the spoken vocabulary and some good phrases.

The other advantage is that there are no long musical interludes between sections - sometimes used on other learning systems.

not much use, 03 Nov 2005
I bought level 3 as a self studying student wanting to improve my listening skills but the set gave no opportubnity to do this. There were no dialouges or any such stuff just single sentences in japanese and english failing to froperly explain grammar points.

There is no reason to buy this CD set.

Good content if only the speaker was intelligible, 28 Apr 2005
The content of the CD is fairly good but the speaker is not native ! and in addition the sound mixing is poor.
I do not recommend this product.

Notes on new edition, 29 Aug 2006
As I wanted to get the CDS I assumed this was a heavily updated version of the original edition (like Buorgiorno Italia). After a skimmed comparison the two editions appear to be virtually the same. The only main difference I can spot is the essential CD track listing is published in this new edition.

Don't buy both books together as suggested by Amazon!

You need the tapes!, 04 Mar 2004
... and the tapes don't come with the book! This book was recommended to go with a Japanese class I attend. On receiving the book we all agreed it was pretty useless without the accompanying tapes - which are purchased seperately. Personally I'd recommend the Dummies Guide to Japanese. I felt a bit conned with this book.

Good but needs book, 21 Jul 2001
This set of 5 tapes is good for a beginner. It has helped me learn Japanese very fast and to a good quality. The only let down is the fact that you need the wook book and u cant really make progress just by listening to it. Overall a very good help in learning Japanese and I would recomend it to anyone wishing to learn the language.

A great way to get started., 02 Feb 2001
I bought this book 5 years ago before coming to Japan,and I found it an excellent introduction into the Japanese language. The units are laid out in a logical and progressive order, you don't have to wait until the end of the book to learn how to guide a taxi around your neighbourhood, a necessity when dealing with Japan's unnamed streets. The cultural insights will give you a taste of Japan, they give a traditional overview of Japanese life, but things change quickly in an ever westernising country. The polite form is taught throughout, which can lead to some raised eyebrows and giggles, when you attend your local fast food shop, and use the polite "Domo arigato gozaimashita" to say thank you, when the locals use just "arigato" or "domo",I suppose it is better to be too polite than rude. All in all, this book and the accompanying tapes will not teach you to speak fluent Japanese, but it is an excellent way to get started and one I would strongly recommend for anyone coming to Japan, gambarimasu!

Handy for quick translation, 17 May 2001
If you're planning to go to Japan or need to speak to someone who is Japanese, this book is a safe buy. It's cheap, small and easy to carry. It contains essential words and phrases to help you out. If you're planning to learn the language, use this to help you along the way.

A Superb Language Guide, 04 Aug 2008
I'm currently 9 Units into the 14 on this home course, and most deffinately swear by it. The audio and book weave together nicely and you can progress freely at your own pace, though I'd recommend doing something each day, even if it's just scan-reading what you've previously covered.

To nit-pick, I have noticed one or two slight errors, for example near Unit 6 there's a case of an incorrect answer, but as long as you're constantly vigelant it shouldn't throw you off.

A great language course which is even better side-by-side with Remembering the Kana: Hiragana and Katakana.

Okay, I'm impressed., 01 Jun 2008
I'm making a forked attack on Japanese, using this and Pimsleur. So far, I'm very pleased.

This is a largely audio-based course. It basically consists of dialogues and listening comprehension exercises, backed up by nice, clear explanations of the key language points. It's very cunningly constructed, so that you've covered a lot of material before you're even halfway through the very innocent-looking coursebook. The fast pace is why I'm still using Pimsleur to re-enforce and practise what I'm learning. (Initially I tried using just Pimsleur, and I found myself floundering in a mess of very long, similar sounding words. This course has 'broken up' the language for me; it feels more like speaking a language and less like rattling off an arbitrary string of syllables.)

The dialogues themselves are well done. The seem natural and conversational, and a wide range of situations are used, which helps to contextualise the language you're learning. Most importantly they maintain your interest, and the reoccuring characters/themes add a sense of narrative which a weaker course would be without.

There is only a taste of written Japanese in the course. This is fine by me because I find it a lot more difficult to learn a new writing system without a decent grasp of the basic spoken langauge. However, if you think you'd benefit from a more integrated approach, there are probably better options out there for you.

For casual learners only..., 15 Apr 2008
If you're serious about learning Japanese then there are better book/audio combinations available.

I picked this up as it looked like an easy introduction to Japanese with everything written in Romaji (Japanese written in English) with both reading,writing and listening activities.

But that's really all it is, an introduction. The first 10 units are fine and it's relavtively easy to pick up. It doesn't overwhelm you with vocabulary to remember but instead introduces up to a dozen a page along with (brief) explanations on grammatical rules.

Towards the end you will become frustrated with it as you'll find yourself wanting to know more than the book is telling you especially in terms of sentence structure and the use of particles.

Lastly there is very little regarding the Japanese writing system, just one or two pages per unit (maybe 30pgs total!) which would be fine for the casual learner but would leave you at a distinct disadvantage in terms of reading and writing. If you're serious about the language then these are things you should be learning from the very beginning, especially Hiragana.

The audio is relatively good though, with pronunciation exercises and dialogs to listen to, along with additional practice of things learned from the book.

I've finished this book and have moved on to 'Japanese for Busy People' which, with hindsight, is what I should have started with instead. I'd recommend the same for anyone serious.

Also; hire a tutor as well to get conversational practice unless you have Japanese friends.

its great, 20 Sep 2007
i bought this set a few months ago and and within a few days i'd already learnt how to talk about the weather introduce myself and even order food in a kissaten (japanese coffee shop). i have now got upto the time and am finding that i need to listen to it a little more but i think after a few days ill have this bit cracked aswell.i even think i can start to piece my own sentances together although they are basic. it also goes into the japanese culture which makes for a nice break from all the language. unfortunatly as others have said it does not go into writing or reading japanese in much depth so i have ordered japanese from zero for that. when that arrives i will review that one aswell so people can get an idea what thats like and i hope it will be a good partner for learning to read and write

Best book out there!, 16 Apr 2007
This book is simply brilliant! I went from absolute no japanese ability (im also rubbish at languages in general!) to a good basic standard. The book has almost zero focus on the writing and reading side of things, but unless you specifically want to learn this, it makes things a lot more easier to learn! Everything is written in romanji (japanese words spelt in english). Plus everything is also written in english in japan too! So if you want to learn to speak japanese, get this!

Excellent for complete beginners, 13 Jul 2008
I am completely new to the japanese language and this book has taken me from not being able to speak a word beside "konnichiwa" to having actual conversations with japanese friends. It is perfect with the CD so that you get the pronounciation right, as the language is so different from english and there is even an opportunity to learn some of the script. However, if you are looking to be able to read and write japanese properly, this is probably not the best suited book for you. But for people who want to speak and write/read in romaji: BUY THIS BOOK

Make sure you are buying the book not just the CD!, 25 Jan 2008
The reviews on this item are not specific to the CD and book on their own or the CD/book pack, so it is a bit confusing if your search lands you on the CD (without the book) page. We ordered having read the reviews and synopsis thinking that we were buying a CD/book pack. Turned out to just be the CD, which makes constant reference to the book, so isn't much use on its own. Quite disappointing, and could have been clearer. In fairness to Amazon, on bringing this to their attention they were kind enough to give us a gift certificate so that we could get the book....

Actually not only for beginners, 28 Oct 2007
Even though I did pass the 3rd Level of the Japanese proficiency test before studying the book, it was helpful and useful even though it was intended for beginners. I did not regret that I paid for it since I did learn new things from chapter 1 until chapter 20.




Make learing enjoyable, 16 May 2003
After reading the Teach Yourself; Japanese Script (by the same author) i felt right at home with this book. The style in which the book is presented is very informal and gives some insights into japanese culture that have kept me entertained while reading.
There is a supporting CD or tape but the version i had did not come with one. This would normally mean the end of the world but the book also puts the dialogue and activities for each section. There are some times, such as the pronounciation exercises, where it may have been better to have a CD but i have learned far more from this book and can talk adequatly even if my pronounciation is a little suspect!
If you are going to buy this book then i suggest you get the CDs/tapes and the Beginners Japanese Script book (also in the TY series).

Well balanced, easy course, 30 Nov 2001
This is a well balanced and easy course. It combines good explanations with useful dialogues and the vocabulary lists at the start of each unit allow you to immediately understand what is being said. The book briefly touches upon written Japanese but it really only covers Katakana. You'll need another book if you want to learn Hiragana en Kanji as well (and you probably will).
The whole course is pleasantly written and can easily be studied without the cassettes. I would have given it five stars if it wasn't for the fact that a large amount of the vocabulary lists and some parts of the dialogue are missing from the tapes. I also couldn't understand why small parts of the vocabulary were given after the dialogue instead of adding them to the main vocabulary list.
These are minor objections however and out of the three courses I own (Hugo's Japanese in three months, BBC's Talk Japanese and TY Beginner's Japanese) this is certainly my favourite one.

It takes a long time, 12 Jan 2006
This is by far the best set of language tapes that I have used in a car. They can be used without needing to refer to any printed references, although the accompanying booklets are useful to check things that are a little difficult to catch with the ear.

The English word (s) are spoken by an American man on the RH channel and the Japanese equivalent is spoken by a lady on the LH. The channels aren't quite balanced so the sound level isn't perfect. I have only got through disc one (of nine) in about three months, (not much driving) but each time I play it through I feel that I am making some progress in learning the spoken vocabulary and some good phrases.

The other advantage is that there are no long musical interludes between sections - sometimes used on other learning systems.

not much use, 03 Nov 2005
I bought level 3 as a self studying student wanting to improve my listening skills but the set gave no opportubnity to do this. There were no dialouges or any such stuff just single sentences in japanese and english failing to froperly explain grammar points.

There is no reason to buy this CD set.

Good content if only the speaker was intelligible, 28 Apr 2005
The content of the CD is fairly good but the speaker is not native ! and in addition the sound mixing is poor.
I do not recommend this product.

Notes on new edition, 29 Aug 2006
As I wanted to get the CDS I assumed this was a heavily updated version of the original edition (like Buorgiorno Italia). After a skimmed comparison the two editions appear to be virtually the same. The only main difference I can spot is the essential CD track listing is published in this new edition.

Don't buy both books together as suggested by Amazon!

You need the tapes!, 04 Mar 2004
... and the tapes don't come with the book! This book was recommended to go with a Japanese class I attend. On receiving the book we all agreed it was pretty useless without the accompanying tapes - which are purchased seperately. Personally I'd recommend the Dummies Guide to Japanese. I felt a bit conned with this book.

Good but needs book, 21 Jul 2001
This set of 5 tapes is good for a beginner. It has helped me learn Japanese very fast and to a good quality. The only let down is the fact that you need the wook book and u cant really make progress just by listening to it. Overall a very good help in learning Japanese and I would recomend it to anyone wishing to learn the language.

A great way to get started., 02 Feb 2001
I bought this book 5 years ago before coming to Japan,and I found it an excellent introduction into the Japanese language. The units are laid out in a logical and progressive order, you don't have to wait until the end of the book to learn how to guide a taxi around your neighbourhood, a necessity when dealing with Japan's unnamed streets. The cultural insights will give you a taste of Japan, they give a traditional overview of Japanese life, but things change quickly in an ever westernising country. The polite form is taught throughout, which can lead to some raised eyebrows and giggles, when you attend your local fast food shop, and use the polite "Domo arigato gozaimashita" to say thank you, when the locals use just "arigato" or "domo",I suppose it is better to be too polite than rude. All in all, this book and the accompanying tapes will not teach you to speak fluent Japanese, but it is an excellent way to get started and one I would strongly recommend for anyone coming to Japan, gambarimasu!

Handy for quick translation, 17 May 2001
If you're planning to go to Japan or need to speak to someone who is Japanese, this book is a safe buy. It's cheap, small and easy to carry. It contains essential words and phrases to help you out. If you're planning to learn the language, use this to help you along the way.

A Superb Language Guide, 04 Aug 2008
I'm currently 9 Units into the 14 on this home course, and most deffinately swear by it. The audio and book weave together nicely and you can progress freely at your own pace, though I'd recommend doing something each day, even if it's just scan-reading what you've previously covered.

To nit-pick, I have noticed one or two slight errors, for example near Unit 6 there's a case of an incorrect answer, but as long as you're constantly vigelant it shouldn't throw you off.

A great language course which is even better side-by-side with Remembering the Kana: Hiragana and Katakana.

Okay, I'm impressed., 01 Jun 2008
I'm making a forked attack on Japanese, using this and Pimsleur. So far, I'm very pleased.

This is a largely audio-based course. It basically consists of dialogues and listening comprehension exercises, backed up by nice, clear explanations of the key language points. It's very cunningly constructed, so that you've covered a lot of material before you're even halfway through the very innocent-looking coursebook. The fast pace is why I'm still using Pimsleur to re-enforce and practise what I'm learning. (Initially I tried using just Pimsleur, and I found myself floundering in a mess of very long, similar sounding words. This course has 'broken up' the language for me; it feels more like speaking a language and less like rattling off an arbitrary string of syllables.)

The dialogues themselves are well done. The seem natural and conversational, and a wide range of situations are used, which helps to contextualise the language you're learning. Most importantly they maintain your interest, and the reoccuring characters/themes add a sense of narrative which a weaker course would be without.

There is only a taste of written Japanese in the course. This is fine by me because I find it a lot more difficult to learn a new writing system without a decent grasp of the basic spoken langauge. However, if you think you'd benefit from a more integrated approach, there are probably better options out there for you.

For casual learners only..., 15 Apr 2008
If you're serious about learning Japanese then there are better book/audio combinations available.

I picked this up as it looked like an easy introduction to Japanese with everything written in Romaji (Japanese written in English) with both reading,writing and listening activities.

But that's really all it is, an introduction. The first 10 units are fine and it's relavtively easy to pick up. It doesn't overwhelm you with vocabulary to remember but instead introduces up to a dozen a page along with (brief) explanations on grammatical rules.

Towards the end you will become frustrated with it as you'll find yourself wanting to know more than the book is telling you especially in terms of sentence structure and the use of particles.

Lastly there is very little regarding the Japanese writing system, just one or two pages per unit (maybe 30pgs total!) which would be fine for the casual learner but would leave you at a distinct disadvantage in terms of reading and writing. If you're serious about the language then these are things you should be learning from the very beginning, especially Hiragana.

The audio is relatively good though, with pronunciation exercises and dialogs to listen to, along with additional practice of things learned from the book.

I've finished this book and have moved on to 'Japanese for Busy People' which, with hindsight, is what I should have started with instead. I'd recommend the same for anyone serious.

Also; hire a tutor as well to get conversational practice unless you have Japanese friends.

its great, 20 Sep 2007
i bought this set a few months ago and and within a few days i'd already learnt how to talk about the weather introduce myself and even order food in a kissaten (japanese coffee shop). i have now got upto the time and am finding that i need to listen to it a little more but i think after a few days ill have this bit cracked aswell.i even think i can start to piece my own sentances together although they are basic. it also goes into the japanese culture which makes for a nice break from all the language. unfortunatly as others have said it does not go into writing or reading japanese in much depth so i have ordered japanese from zero for that. when that arrives i will review that one aswell so people can get an idea what thats like and i hope it will be a good partner for learning to read and write

Best book out there!, 16 Apr 2007
This book is simply brilliant! I went from absolute no japanese ability (im also rubbish at languages in general!) to a good basic standard. The book has almost zero focus on the writing and reading side of things, but unless you specifically want to learn this, it makes things a lot more easier to learn! Everything is written in romanji (japanese words spelt in english). Plus everything is also written in english in japan too! So if you want to learn to speak japanese, get this!

Takes you to imtermediate, 07 May 2008
I started out with Helen Gilhooly's "Teach Yourself Beginners Japanese". Finished that last year, and was eager to get a follow on book. So i went for "Teach yourself Japanese" by Helen Ballhatchet and Stefan Kaiser [not Helen Gilhooly as this book is]. I haven't finished that yet, it moves very fast and seems to take go further that this book. This book (book above) arrived this morning. I took a look though it, and yes it seems to take you to an intermediate level. I'd say this book doesn't take you as far as the Ballhatchet book, but it has the advantages of being far better paced. I am very happy with my purchase. I would recommend anyone interested in learning japanese purchase all the "teach yourself" books. They're very good. There is: Beginner's Japanese, 2 x Teach yourself Japanese, Instant Japanese, beginner's japanese script, and Japanese conversation. Also, Teach yourself Business japanese is on the horizon. I hope this review helps and doesn't confuse. Especially there being 2 "Teach youself Japanese". The Helen Ballhatchett book goes further but very fast, this one seems to be better paced.
One last point, yes perhaps it would be better to review it when i've finished reading this book. I will when done. But for now there were no reviews for this item posted, and i thought this would help people make up their minds. o-ki otsukete!