Introduction 1
About This Book 1
Foolish Assumptions 4
Icons Used in This Book 4
Beyond the Book 5
Where to Go from Here 5
Part 1: Getting Started with Japanese 7
Chapter 1: Japanese in a Nutshell 9
Discovering Basic Japanese Sounds and Script 9
Getting a Grip on Basic Grammar 10
Counting on Numbers 10
Speaking Japanese around the House 11
Using Japanese in Social Scenarios 12
Beginning (and ending) conversations 12
Getting to know you 12
Asking for directions 13
Making sense of money 13
Going shopping 13
Dining out and exploring entertainment opportunities 14
Doing business and using technology 14
Tackling Travel-Related Topics 15
Preparing for a trip 15
Getting around with local transportation 15
Securing a place to stay 16
Taking action during emergencies 16
Chapter 2: Checking Out the Japanese Sounds and Scripts 17
Pronouncing Basic Japanese Sounds 17
Vowels 18
Consonants 19
Sounding Fluent 20
Don’t stress 20
Watch out for pitch and intonation 20
Get in rhythm 21
Keep your speed up 22
Introducing the Japanese Scripts 23
Kana 23
Kanji 27
Chapter 3: Warming Up with Japanese Grammar Basics 33
Using Appropriate Speech Styles 33
Forming Sentences 35
Ordering the words correctly 35
Marking nouns with particles 35
Telling the topic 39
Dropping understood words 39
Asking Questions 40
Yes/no questions 40
Content questions 41
Getting a Handle on Pronouns 42
Demonstrative pronouns 43
Personal pronouns 44
Working with Verbs 45
Understanding basic verb forms 46
Doing the conjugation thing 48
Speaking politely with –masu 51
Introducing the Verb Desu, to Be 52
Describing People and Things with Adjectives 54
Using Adverbs to Describe Your Actions 57
Creating adverbs from adjectives 57
Perusing pure adverbs 58
Turning to sentence-like adverbs 58
Spicing Up Your Japanese with Onomatopoeia 59
Expressing Moods and Attitudes 60
Chapter 4: Getting Your Numbers, Times, and Measurements Straight 63
Ichi, Ni, San: Counting in Japanese 64
Numbers from 1 to 10 64
Numbers from 11 to 99 65
Numbers from 100 to 9,999 65
Numbers from 10,000 to 99,999 66
Numbers over 100,000 66
Expressing amount or quantity with counters 67
Indicating ordinal numbers with -me 70
Telling Time 70
Noting hours and minutes 71
Talking about time 73
It’s a Date! Delving into the Calendar 74
Talking about the days of the week 74
Naming the months and counting them up 75
Counting the days 76
Counting the weeks 79
Reeling off the years 79
Specifying dates and times 79
Familiarizing Yourself with the Metric System 84
Chapter 5: Speaking Japanese at Home 87
Taking a Tour of Your Home 87
The kitchen 88
The dining room 89
The living room 90
The bedroom 91
The bathroom 91
The laundry room 92
The storage room 93
Home Is Where the Food Is 95
Getting cooking 96
Using two verbs at the table 96
Considering proper table manners 97
Enjoying foods of all kinds 97
Talking about foods you like and dislike 100
Engaging in Common Household Activities 101
Keeping your home clean 101
Performing a safety check 101
Talking about What You Do Regularly 102
Part 2: Japanese in Action 107
Chapter 6: Icebreakers and Conversation Starters 109
Beginning (and Ending) Conversations 109
Addressing friends and strangers 110
Greetings throughout the day 112
Saying goodbye 113
Initiating Small Talk 114
Breaking the ice with “excuse me” 115
Talking about where you’re going 115
Discussing the weather 116
Making Introductions 117
Introducing yourself 118
Introducing your friends to each other 118
Asking people their names 120
Being polite with o- 120
Expressing Gratitude and Regret 120
Showing gratitude 120
Apologizing 121
Speaking about Speaking: The Verb Hanasu 121
Chapter 7: Getting to Know You 125
Chatting about Your Life 125
Your job 126
Your family 126
Existing and Possessing: The Verbs Iru and Aru 129
Specifying Where You Live with the Verb Sumu 132
Finding Out about Your New Friend 133
Asking people where they’re from 133
Talking about your language skills 135
Living the Sporting Life 137
Using Your Artistic Talent 137
Making Music with Instruments 138
Playing Games 139
Using the Verb Suru (to Do) 140
Saying “I Can” 141
Chapter 8: Asking for Directions 145
Figuring Out Where Places Are Located 145
Asking “where” questions 145
Getting basic location/position answers 147
Pinpointing an exact location 150
Finding Your Way to Your Destination 153
Requesting travel instructions 153
Referring to landmarks 155
Providing actions with directions 156
Making directions flow 157
Chapter 9: Dealing with Money in a Foreign Land 161
Getting Money 161
Exchanging money 162
Opening a bank account 165
Making withdrawals from your account 167
Using an ATM 168
Spending Money 169
Ka-ching! Shelling out cash 169
Charge! Paying with plastic 171
Chapter 10: Shopping Made Easy 175
Naming Shops and Stores 175
Going Grocery Shopping 176
Going to a butcher 177
Purchasing fresh fish 177
Buying vegetables and fruit 178
Shopping at a Konbini (Convenience Store)! 179
Telling a Salesperson What You’re Looking For 180
Exploring the Variety of a Department Store 182
Going Clothes Shopping 184
Considering the clothing and accessories you need 184
Examining the color 185
Trying something on 185
Talking about sizing 187
Deciding What You Want to Buy 189
Using demonstrative adjectives 190
Comparing two items 191
Comparing three or more items 193
You Gotta Pay to Play: Buying Your Merchandise 195
Identifying prices 195
Stating that you want to buy something 195
Paying for your purchase 196
Chapter 11: Going Out on the Town 201
Checking Out Entertaining Activities 201
Getting cultured at museums and galleries 202
Heading to the theater 203
Eating Out at Fast-Food and Sit-Down Restaurants 204
Ordering fast food 205
Making a reservation 207
Ordering in a restaurant 211
Chatting with the waiter or waitress 215
Paying for your meal 215
Drinking and dancing at bars and clubs 216
Singing at a karaoke box 218
Talking about Entertainment 220
Getting Your Friends to Go Out with You 221
Making a suggestion with “Why don’t we?” 221
Saying “Let’s go” and “Shall we go?” 222
Inviting Friends Over and Asking Them to Bring Something 224
Chapter 12: Taking Care of Business and Telecommunications 229
Using Japanese at Work 229
Making Sense of Your Office Environment 233
Checking out the supplies 233
Touring the rest of the building 234
Phoning Made Simple 235
Brushing up on phone-related vocab 235
Asking to speak with someone 236
Calling your client 238
Leaving a message 240
Having Meetings in the Workplace 244
Navigating Technology: Computer Basics,
Mobile Phones, and Social Media 245
Familiarizing yourself with basic technology terms 245
Sending email 246
Using mobile phones and social media 247
Part 3: Japanese on the Go 251
Chapter 13: Planning a Trip 253
Picking the Place for Your Trip 253
Dealing with Passports and Visas 257
Getting Help from a Travel Agency 258
Stating Your Opinions 259
Packing for Your Trip 261
Exploring Nature 262
Taking in the landscape 262
Changing with the seasons 263
Chapter 14: Making Your Way Around: Planes, Trains, Taxis, and More 267
Getting On and Off with the Verbs Noru and Oriru 268
Asking about the Best Method of Transportation 269
Navigating the Airport 271
Now boarding: Making it to the plane 271
Going through immigration 272
Getting through customs 273
Leaving the airport 274
All Aboard: Hopping on a Train or Boat 275
Now entering the station: Riding the train 275
Setting sail: Cruising around by boat 278
Conquering Public Transportation 278
Riding a bus 278
Taking the subway 279
Hailing a taxi 279
Driving Around 281
Renting a car 282
Deciphering road signs 283
Chapter 15: Finding a Place to Stay 287
Picking the Right Accommodations for Your Needs 287
Narrowing Your Choice Further 290
Looking into room size and amenities 290
Comparing costs 292
Considering each possible scenario with nara 293
Making a Room Reservation 294
Checking In 295
Keeping Track of What’s Yours during Your Stay 299
Using possessive pronouns 299
Using “uchi” possessively 300
Checking Out 301
Chapter 16: Handling Emergencies 303
Asking (or Shouting!) for Help 303
Seeking Medical Attention 305
Looking for a doctor 305
Going to a hospital 306
Navigating a Doctor’s Visit 308
Referring to your body parts 308
Complaining about your pain 309
Describing your symptoms 311
Receiving a diagnosis 312
Getting treatment 313
Contacting the Police 314
Reporting an accident to the police 314
Reporting a crime 317
Reporting lost or stolen belongings 317
Getting Legal Help 319
Part 4: The Part of Tens 321
Chapter 17: Ten Ways to Pick Up Japanese Quickly 323
Use Digital Technologies 323
Cook or Eat Japanese Foods 324
Read Japanese Comic Books 324
Watch Japanese Anime, Films, and Sports 324
Do Karaoke 325
Spend Time with Japanese 325
Exchange Language Lessons 326
Get to Know a Monolingual Japanese 326
Travel to Japan 326
Be Positive, Curious, and Creative 327
Chapter 18: Ten Things Never to Say in Japanese 329
“San” after Your Own Name 329
Your Boss’s or Teacher’s First Name 330
“O-genki Desu Ka” to the Person You Saw Yesterday 330
“Sayonara” to Your Family 330
“Thank You” for a Compliment 331
“My Mom Is Pretty” to Outsiders 331
“Yes” Right after Being Offered Food 332
“Anata” When Talking to Someone 332
“Aishite Imasu” to Express Likes 332
“Do You Want Coffee?” 333
Chapter 19: Ten Favorite Japanese Expressions 335
Yatta! 335
Hontō? 336
Sasuga! 336
Mochiron! 336
Ā, Yokatta 337
Zenzen 337
Nani? 337
Dōshiyō? 338
Yappari 338
Ā, Bikkurishita! 338
Chapter 20: Ten Phrases That Make You Sound Fluent in Japanese 339
Enryo Shinaide 339
Mottainai 340
O-saki Ni 340
Kanpai! 341
Ganbatte! 341
Shikata ga nai 341
Okage-sama De 342
Tsumaranai Mono Desu Ga 342
Yoroshiku 342
Taihen Desu Ne 343
Part 5: Appendixes 345
Appendix A: Japanese-English Mini-Dictionary 347
Appendix B: Verb Tables 371
Appendix C: Answer Key 381
Index 385
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