Beginning Japanese 2

Beginning Japanese 2 is designed for those who have completed Beginning Japanese 1 or similar (approximately 20 hours of study) and wishing to extend their conversational, written and grammatical understanding of the Japanese language as well as learning about Japanese culture.

Course outline

• Week 1: konnichiwa! Ogenki desu ka? You will review greetings and daily verbs but then extend to learning about introducing yourself and the Japanese classroom
• Lesson 2: watashi wa 7 ji ni okimasu: The focus will be on posing different questions and daily activities
• Lesson 3: ashita eiga wo mimashou: You will learn how to tell others what you would like to do, ask people out to functions or your house and how to say no. You will also learn about origami.
• Lesson 4: watashi no sensei wa yasashikute kawaii desu: The focus will be on the family unit and how to describe others.
• Lesson 5: watashi wa nihongo wo hanasu koto ga dekimasu: You will learn how to tell others your likes and dislike, what skills you have and how to book a restaurant.
• Lesson 6: kanji wo kaku no ga suki desu: You will be working on “te” verbs, the present progressive tense, making requests and calligraphy
• Lesson 7: toire ni ittemo iidesu ka: Further work on verbs will be done as well as learning how to ask for permission, how to make comparisons and telling others what they can’t do. There will also be information on Japanese annual events.
• Lesson 8: mouichido itte kudasai: The focus will be on planning a holiday in Japan and how to ask and give directions. You will also learn “ta” verbs.
• Lesson 9: onaka ga itai desu: You will learn “nai” verbs while focussing on how to see a doctor in Japan. You will also learn how to give advice and how to ask others not to do something.
• Lesson 10: saigo no jugyou? Following further work on “nai” verbs you will learn about Japanese manners in visiting other people’s homes, how to give and receive and about obligations.

Learning outcomes

Students should:

• have a fundamental understanding of everyday Japanese.
• have a basic understanding of grammatical patterns, Japanese characters, and a range of everyday vocabulary

Who should enrol

This course is suitable for those who have completed Beginning Japanese 1 or similar – approximately 20 hours of study.

Course Materials

Japanese IIPAI – ISBN 978-4-89476-449-1. This textbook may be purchased from the ANU Coop bookstore.