I've been studying since the start of the school year in September. I've found it to be... not that hard really but of course, it's never hard in the first level. I've learned Hiragana and Katakana and I know a good amount (for someone who's been taking it less than a year) of Kanji.

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Trip Fall Die

GAH! My plot doesn't bend that way!

I'm reading books like "japanese for busy people" and a japanese phrasebook but I was wondering if there are real lesoons online. I have the feeling like I'll know something after I've learned those book but not enough to satisfy myself

Best way to learn would be to live in Japan I reckon.

Best place to start learning would be the hiragana and katakana. You don't really need to learn kanji at the start. If you're a beginner I think it's good enough to know the basic ones like 大、小、月、火 、水、木、金、 土、日... etc.

It's good to have simple sentences translated from English so you can see what the different parts are like and how they're used. e.g.subject, verb, object and stuff like that.

私の名前はジミ ーです。
watashi no namae ha jimmy desu.

My name is Jimmy.

The different particles can change a sentence and make it have a completely different meaning. For the subject, は usually follows etc.

私は勉強します 。 = I will study.
watashi ha benkyou shimasu.
私を勉強します 。 = Study me.
watashi wo benkyou shimasu.

i don't mean to be cocky but our school actually teaches japanese
and it helps that the teacher is actually japanese.
but about how to learn japanese i think a good way to learn it is by downloading an audio book. you can listen to it on your player on your way to school or in your free time.

Thank you for all the hints and tips I really appreciate it

im doing lessons next semester at my uni, but for now iv been using this site which i really enjoy:

http://www.rocketlanguages.com/japanese/news/0157.php

so far theres 28 lessons and they send them to me weekly im hoping it will give me a step up in my coarse next sem

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~Morgan~

And the truth is you could slit my throat
And with my one last gasping breath
Id apologise for bleeding on your shirt

Does anyone have any recommendations on good manga to practise Japanese reading with?
Something with light conversations and without (to much) kanji... like a children's book.

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Who they, what are, and why?
- Manga Cover Database -

I read the Mx0 raws and they were pretty easy to read. Most manga have furigana so having lots of kanji would help with your reading skills.
Kurohime is a pretty easy to read manga as well.

"most" is an incorrect statement. Basically just shounen/shoujo stuff. It does help though, just be sure to pick something [like mx0] with very basic speech if you're a beginner.

As for actual methods of practice, if you know a little watching raw dramas/movies (or even some anime with more realistic settings) will help you a lot as you gradually associate words with actions that way. For preparation it might be best just to go along with the JLPT since you'll probably want to get a certification if you're going to use Japanese professionally rather than just as a hobby or whatever.

Living in Japan does help a lot, but only if you actively speak Japanese. I know people that just wander around aimlessly and expect increasing their volume to get them whatever it is they want. It does work sometimes, but about 90% of the time I immediately feel like slapping them.

On a more technical note, make an effort to learn casual speech. Most of the textbooks I've seen only teach more formal forms, and those aren't as useful unless you're in a business setting.

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Reviews of my Work:
You are kind of boring - Blackorion
Congratulations! Ur an asshole! - tokyo_homi
Your awesome!!! - Cherelle_Ashley
NightSwan also said that she wanted to peg me, once, but I'm not sure whether to take that as a compliment or a threat...

I just watch anime and learn from there. It works. Just like going to a country and staying for a long time to learn its language. I speak 2 language and if you count japanese its 3. I understand more japanese than my family's language. Its kinda sad because noone taught me.

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a.Art is Music.
g.Art is Art.
p.Art is Me.