I want to learn Japanese...

[Kσn]

ya... So I have been wanting to learn Japanese for some time now.

I am planning on going to Japan some time in the future, and I will need to know my way around, and be able to talk, etc...

However, I want to be able to learn asap so i can just get it out of the way and get on with other things (like thats even possible). I just dont know whats good to learn a language. So does anyone have any suggestions?

Also if anyone has any suggestions on staying in Japan for cheap, or getting there for that matter, I would really like the advice, as in the future I plan on staying there for a month, opposed to doing foreign exchange next year (or do you guys think I should just go for the foreign exchange plan?).

[Alonso]

College courses are your best choice in my opinion. Just remember that with any foreign language, you have to be incredibly dedicated.

[Blackraven]

Thank god the language you're trying to learn is not Cantonese (which is even hellish more difficult than Mandarin Chinese with its seven tones).

[helix eternal]

How is learning Japanese Media Discussion? Language is a form of communication, not entertainment.

Also, I'm pretty sure you can get by in Japan pretty easy just knowing English. They won't care if you say "bus stop" in Japanese, they'll still know you're a tourist.

But I'm not trying to deter you from learning the language. Just don't rush into it or try to learn it too fast, or you'll forget everything you learn just as fast as you learned it. The most important thing to do is practice.

[もも]

Use iTunes podcasts. There's one called (I believe) Learn Japanese that was FANTASTIC.

Otherwise, use college courses.
Or move to Japan, you're sure to learn a language when you HAVE to. Aaahahahhah

[Swors-k]

Try Harper College if it's not too far from you. I took a Japanese course there and it was fantastic.

If you do decide to take this route, try to end up with Setsuko Hanaoka as your teacher. She's this middle-aged Japanese housewife-type, and she's hilarious. Beyond that, she's actually a really solid teacher as well.

[Loserbait]

Tae Kim's Guide To Japanese for casual speech. Really good resource, I find...

Recommended you can read kana and quite a few kanji.
Kanji Site

If you wanna practise your reading, check out a few Japanese sites and install the Rikaichan add-on for Firefox. Beautiful app.

[Arctures]

First of all, how fast is 'asap'? It's not something you can do just to 'get it out of the way'. Like any language, it requires lots of constant practice, and not just reading and listening, but speaking and composition as well. It's also a very culturally oriented language, wherein different social situations call for different vocabulary and politeness terms. It's sort of like learning three languages in one. If this doesn't sound to intimidating, then Japanese in for you!

The best thing you can do is take some sort of class; there's bound to be classes you can take at a college or community center where you live. If not, there's plenty of instructional books to review. The one I'm using at school, and find that it works really well for getting introduced to the language, is Genki: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese. Very clear explanations, integrates reading, writing, and listening pretty well, and has lots of pictures (can't go wrong with http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...rojiromiru.jpg)
A few online supplements I use are:
Tae Kim's Japanese guide to Japanese grammar
Japanese Kanji Dictionary
EUdict | European dictionary

I also recommend checking out Tofugu on youtube. He has some pretty good insight into the Japanese culture, as well as on people who want to learn Japanese asap, such as yourself. His main account 'Koichiben' is entirely in Japanese, but if you can understand him he's pretty valuable for cultural knowledge.

Hope this helps at all, best of luck in your endeavors!

[vanityangelfixx]

I suggest Conversational Japanese before learing to read and write. That's how I learned English.

[Kσn]

thanks for the help guys. I am going to try to avoid college courses right now because summer is over, and I work immediately when I get off of school, so it would be to hard to take a Japanese course.

When I say asap, I mean I want to try to learn it now, as I am sure it will take me a long time to learn, and of course... the sooner the better.

I just dont want to have culture shock, and be completely lost when I decide to take a trip to japan.

[i am ryc3]

If you want to take a college course. I suggest getting a kanji dictionary. Kodansha's is really good. If you want to avoid class get Rosetta Stone.

[Eshmasesh]

all you need to know is

kawaii = cute

finish all of your sentences with either that or desu, and you'll blend in perfectly!

[Marouku]

日本語資源 - Nihongoresources.com

This is a very useful site with an extensive kanji database, dictionary, and lessons.

[津軽]

Hm..

I just got done taking Japanese I at a college...

If you want, I could Scan and Email you the notes I took. ^__^;;

Though, though people say otherwise, I learned how to read and write Japanese through self-study starting in 4th grade.... which was about 8 years ago. xD;;;

So I've been studing for a while.

Learn Japanese - Japanese Language was a site that helped me quite a bit.

[i am ryc3]

Originally Posted by Eshmasesh

all you need to know is

kawaii = cute

finish all of your sentences with either that or desu, and you'll blend in perfectly!

That word really depends on how you say. I remember saying that to a japanese girl and she thought I said Kowaii which means scary. =X

EDIT: Loserbaitさんありがとうございます。