I need help with learning japanese
 

I'm like in love with manga and anime and it's really making me want to learn japanese. Can someone that can speak or write it very well teach me the language? but please someone help me.

It would probably be easier if you just took an actual class. Seems that learning languages online would be more difficult.

The short answer: No.

The long answer: Learning Japanese is a commitment which requires years of dedication. It is impossible to learn Japanese from a Internet-friend on a forum. Impossible. A waste of time.

Get yourself in a dedicated class or, if you are really dedicated, invest in some textbooks.

Well do you have any suggestions on classes?

Why not look into schools in your area to see if Japanese language is offered. If you're in high school or something like that, maybe your school offers it. Maybe if you're older, you can try a college/university.

I'm only in high school and the only languages they teach in my school are Spanish and Cherokee.

Well, when choosing a college or university to attend after you've graduated high school, if you choose to, you should probably look for one that has Japanese as a language choice.

Are there community colleges in your area.

Learning Japanese is WORK. You are either 100% dedicated or wasting your time.

The only way you'll learn from someone online is if you have had prior Japanese language experience and are practicing your social and writing skills with them. No one would be able to bring you to fluency from the ground up like that...

Umm I'm not even half way through high school. I'm only a pre-teen.

i dont start high school til next year.
and i agree, learning japanese is hard work.
im finally starting to pick up on kanji and hiragana. :)

You must be a smart one. I was in middle school when I was a preteen. ^^

That aside, just wait until college to formally learn Japanese, or try to self-study by picking up some Japanese text books.

just one japanese WORD !!
 

Hi everyone ! I'm not sure if I am at the right place, but anyway, I just want to know if somebody can help me. I Would like to know how to write '' fear'' in japanese (Actually, it's for a tattoo) so I would like to have a true answer XD so... if anyone can write me fear in japanese I would really appreciate it ! thanx :) xx
shela

Learn Japanese? Maybe first, to learn greeting, and phrase. Then hiragana and katakana. Learn write greeting in hiragana. Then start talking. Hear more and speak more. read more. And learn many word. If you like talk, you can talk to me, please. I love chat.

I don't think this is right, but "恐れ" can mean "fear". It's pronounced Osore. I don't feel that this would work for a tattoo.

That aside, you should ask this question in the sticky at the top of this particular part of the forum.

At you age is hard to know what you really want. I started studying Japanese when I was 12 (more than 20 years ago). I bought some University text books and started alone. Of course for my age was too much alone, but I had learnt alot:writing system, basic conjugations, copula and verbs of existence and some more. Now that I have gone back to Japanese language after 20 years it is not a complete new thing that weighs on my neck...but it is something I am already familiar with.
Don't listen to people who tell you to forget studying online coz between a book and a very well made internet site there is no difference. Without a class you won't get the right fluency or pronunciation, but you can start having the basics of grammar, writing system and build up a good vocabulary.
Then if you think you are really into it you will have time to find a better way to study (hopefully there will be something near you, coz I was not that lucky).

Yeah I don't get many learning tools for gifts such as books and my family don't have a lot of money but when I get money and get to go out I'll see if I can find a book that can teach me a few things and maybe when I get older I can start going to a class.

Ganbatte
 

Hey, don't give up on your interest in Japanese. I am college now and learning japanese on top of ciriculum. It's not easy but it's definitely worth it!
for me, my motivation is to be able to travel to japan alone with no communication problem! For you, perhaps the ability to read original mangas can motivate you to pursue! Ganbatte~ ;)

Learning Japanese takes many years to learn and is a great experience. You can get started by reading some beginner books such as Conversational Japanese in 7 Days. That's what I started out with.
Snail

I’m very happy to hear that you want you learn Japanese.
If you don’t afford a Japanese conversation school or a class, I recommend you to buy an easy Japanese text book and learn hiragana first.
Do you know what hiragana is?
We use three kinds of letters. Hiragana, katakana and kanji.
Japanese children learn hiragana first.
You can learn hiragana by yourself.
If the text book has CD which tells you the pronunciations, it would really help you.
When you finish hiragana, you can start katakana.
And then, kanji.
Some people use alphabet to write Japanese but it’s not good.
There is a thread which tells you how to make your computer have Japanese letters in General Discussion, How to enable Japanese characters on your PC.
If you have any questions about Japanese, please post it in Japanese Help Questions/Translations ‎.
I wish you will be able to learn Japanese and enjoy it.
Good luck!!!

Well, there is such a thing called FREE. I've seen many of such "cannot afford it" posting in the forum. We have a RESOURCE thread here in Japanforum. So, this is to all learners of Japanese language.

If you can afford it, then buy yourself a good grammar book and a dictionary to begin with. Always have it by your side as, at a spur of a moment, you may want to search a word or two and this will come in handy.

If you cannot afford it, then internet is your next best choice. There are thousands of website dedicated to teaching basic lessons to beginners. All you have to do is to search for them. Believe me, they're not so hard to find.
Even at Japanforum itself, there are plenty.

So, don't wait for them to come to you or crudely speaking, to be spoon-fed (sorry for using that phrase), but go reach out to them yourself. They're free, and just as good as a physical book. Better still than a book, you can even ask questions on any doubt that you may have, just like a personal tutor of your own.

Explore them and have fun.

Yes, I learned all that when I was on the internet. I learned a few things on there but I'm still having a little trouble with hiragana because I don't get to get on the internet much.

What trouble do you have?
Don’t you have any Japanese text book?
How do you study the pronunciations?

Hello.
Fear is 恐怖.
Both怖い and 恐い are OK but they are not cool as a tattoo.
恐怖 must be cool on your skin.
Gook luck!

I have trouble with the writing. (my computer sucks the page or the little writing doesn't come out so clear.)
No I don't have any Japanese text books, I can't find any
The pronunciations are hard but it says like how some of the words sound but as I said it's hard.

You mean your computer has trouble with displaying Japanese letters?
Do you have anyone who will help you to set up?

I see. I’m sorry to hear that.
Do you have any videos in Japanese? How about Evangelion?
I recommend you to listen Japanese even if you don’t understand first.

Pronunciations are very important.
My American friend came to Japan and he said something in Japanese but I didn’t understand him. I needed to ask him in English.
He has been studying Japanese for about 4 years.
If you love Evangelion, I recommend you to use the videos to study Japanese.

If you really want to learn Japanese, I've found a wonderful site I'm using too. It's called thejapanesepage.com. I've finished all the hiragana lessons.
But a warning:you've gotta keep at it. Gambatte kudasai!! It'll be hard work. :)

thanks I'll try that site.

I go on the forums there, too. Very serious people.

Youtube is a great place to learn pronunciation from native speakers.

They use the GENKI textbooks, and are always willing to help out DEDICATED learners.

In my opinion, learning on your own is next to impossible unless you are 100% dedicated because it is so easy to quit when you hit a wall, which happens several times. With no one to encourage you it is easy to quit. A class is the best way.

I'll sell you my old Genki I textbook. I taught myself a year's worth of college Japanese classes with it (aced the tests it took the kids 2 semesters to learn). I have extracted all possible information and it's now propping up my PS3 so the heat vents aren't blocked :D

Protip: Learn Hiragana and Katakana first. You can do this in about a day or two. If someone tells you to learn survival phrases first, hit them with an open hand.

GENKI textbooks are really great!!they have a lot of exercices and help you a lot!!
it's not really so...I'm learning on my own for a quite long time and I'm still doing,although I really have problems with speaking...but all in all a class is better..there you fix everything.