From Namiko Abe,
Your Guide to Japanese Language.
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You want to learn Japanese, but don't know where to start? This page directs you to where you should begin.

Introduction to Japanese - Are you new to Japanese? Familiarize yourself with Japanese and start learning basic vocabulary here.

• Introductory Lessons
• Audio Phrasebook
• Simple Japanese Phrases

Japanese for Beginners - Learn the basics of Japanese grammar and useful expressions.

• Basic Lessons
• Grammar/Expressions
• Word of the Day

Learning Japanese Writing - There are three types of scripts in Japanese: kanji, hiragana and katakana.

• Japanese Writing for Beginners - Introduction to Japanese writing
• Hiragana Lessons
• Katakana Lessons
• Kanji Lessons

Pronunciation and Comprehension - It is essential to hear a native speaker when practicing pronunciation.

• Audio Phrasebook
• Lessons with Sound Files
• Phrase of the Day
• Word of the Day

• How do I know which syllables to stress in Japanese words?

Dictionaries and Translations - Choosing the right words for a translation can be difficult.

• Top 3 Japanese Dictionaries
• Top 10 Online Dictionaries
• Learning About Translating
• Online Translations

Japanese for Travelers - If you need quick survival skills for your trip, try these.

• Audio Phrasebook
• Simple Japanese Phrases
• Japanese for Travelers
• Shopping at a Department Store
• How to order at a Restaurant
• Japanese Culture

Learning Japanese Culture - Culture makes a language more interesting to learn.

• Articles about Japanese Culture
• Let’s Learn Hiragana with Japanese culture
• Namiko's Blog Lessons

You can email me at japanese.guide@about.com with your questions, comments, suggestions or just to say hello! I am happy to answer your questions when I can.