| Whether you are planning to work and live in Japan | | | | words to study? Probably the most important aspect |
| and are studying the Japanese language to gain | | | | of studying any language is to choose the right |
| fluency or just want to learn a few Japanese words | | | | materials. This is especially true for the Japanese |
| to help you get around when you visit on vacation, the | | | | language because there are a lot of books and |
| best place to start is learning the most common | | | | programs which contain outdated phrases and rare |
| Japanese words and phrases. | | | | and unused words. Before joining a class, choosing an |
| There are literally hundreds of thousands of Japanese | | | | audio program, or purchasing books, it is very important |
| words that make up the Japanese language. | | | | to properly evaluate them. |
| However, it is only a very small percentage of these | | | | Since your goal is more than likely to speak Japanese, |
| words that are used in everyday speech. In fact, it is | | | | you should focus on materials that cover the most |
| an even smaller percentage that makes up the most | | | | common Japanese words and phrases used in |
| commonly used Japanese words. | | | | everyday speech. If you are choosing a book then |
| The 20/80 rules states that only 20% of your actions | | | | look through it and make sure that the words phrases |
| will make up 80% of your results. This also works with | | | | sound similar to words and phrases that you would |
| languages. Only 20% of Japanese words will make up | | | | use in your own language. The phrase "I am a girl" (a |
| about 80% of the Japanese speech. This rule or | | | | common sentence to used for Japanese people |
| concept makes learning a language seem much more | | | | learning English) helps to teach a sentence structure |
| obtainable. It may sound odd, but it really does work. If | | | | and words, but it is very unlikely you will ever use it to |
| you think about your native language you will be | | | | communicate. Stay away from materials containing |
| surprised to find out that the majority of speech | | | | these types of unuseful phrases. The best method is |
| comes from reusing and remixing a small number of | | | | to get someone who is a native speaker to evaluate |
| common words and phrases. Just as an example, | | | | the materials. They will be able to tell right away if the |
| imagine that there are a thousand words used in | | | | words and phrases are outdated. The same thing |
| everyday speech. Using the 20/80 rule would mean | | | | goes for audio programs and computer programs. If at |
| that if you learned the most common 200 words | | | | all possible try to get a demo version to evaluate |
| (20%) then you would understand about 80% of | | | | before purchasing the full program. |
| everyday speech. Now this estimate of the number of | | | | Learning a language does take some time and |
| words is a little low. However, if you learned a few | | | | requires some work, but offers some great rewards. |
| hundred of the most common words in any language, | | | | Using the above methods will help save you a lot of |
| it will give you a great head start and even allow you | | | | wasted study time and learn the Japanese language |
| to communicate in basic conversation. | | | | much quicker. Ganbare! |
| So how do you decide what are the right Japanese | | | | |