Learn Japanese for Beginners

Learn Japanese in Sydney with this beginner’s class.

Whether you want to learn Japanese language for business, travel or just for fun, you’ll learn the basics at this informal, practical and interactive course in the Sydney CBD.

Japanese can be a relatively easy spoken language to learn. The words have no gender, there are no tones that change the meaning of words, and pronunciation emphasises every syllable. So once you get your head around sentence structure, you’ll be speaking away. But of course, there are also the characters to learn. This Level 1 course will teach you how to communicate in Japanese with simple vocabulary and basic sentences. You will also begin to learn the more common characters of the written language.

This course is suitable for:
Students with no previous learning in Japanese

Learning objectives

By the end of this Japanese Beginners Class, you will have learned how to:

• greet people and introduce yourself and others
• ask and answer simple questions, using name, nationality, occupation, etc
• say the words for time, days of the week, months, and birthdays
• say the numbers, including phone numbers, money, age, etc
• ask and understand the answer for simple directions to a place
• ask for things when shopping, such as cost, colours, quantities, size
• book accommodation and make simple travel arrangements
• speak about your daily routines, family and friends, personal belongings, etc
• order food and drinks at a bar or restaurant
• understand Japanese culture, geography and customs
• identify and pronounce the characters of the Hiragana alphabet.

The curriculum may be adapted slightly to suit the needs of the class. The topics above will be covered during this course, but not necessarily in the order given.

Textbook for Levels 1 and 2

Please purchase the course textbook and bring it to each class:

Japanese for Busy People Book 1 (Romanized Version)
ISBN: 978-1-56836-384-4

The textbook costs approximately $52, including an audio CD.

You can purchase the textbook from Abbeys Bookstore (131 York Street, Sydney). It is close to the CBD campus and offers a 10% discount to Sydney Community College students.
Please note: sometimes a course start date is postponed until there are enough enrolments. It is therefore wise to purchase your textbook after your course has been confirmed (usually within three working days of the proposed start).

What to bring to class

Please bring your textbook, a notebook and pen to every class.

Avoid disappointment. Enrol early.

Please ensure that you have given a valid email and mobile number as all course changes will be communicated via sms or email.