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Pimsleur Comprehensive Japanese
Pimsleur Japanese Level 1 CD: Learn to Speak and Understand Japanese with Pimsleur Language Programs [Lessons 1-30]
The Easiest and Fastest Way to Learn Japanese
Whether you want to travel, communicate with friends or colleagues, reconnect with family, or just understand more of what’s going on in the world around you, learning Japanese will expand your horizons and immeasurably enrich your life.
The best part is that it doesn’t have to be difficult or take years to master. Thirty minutes a day is all it takes, and we get you speaking right from the first day. Pimsleur courses use a scientifically-proven method that puts you in control of your learning. If you’ve tried other language learning methods but found they simply didn’t stick, then you owe it to yourself to give Pimsleur a try.
Why Pimsleur?
- Quick + Easy – Only 30 minutes a day.
- Portable + Flexible – Core lessons can be done anytime, anywhere, and easily fit into your busy life.
- Proven Method – Works when other methods fail.
- Self-Paced – Go fast or go slow – it’s up to you.
- Based in Science – Developed using proven research on memory and learning.
- Cost-effective – Less expensive than classes or immersion, and features all native speakers.
- Genius – Triggers your brain’s natural aptitude to learn.
- Works for everyone – Recommended for ages 13 and above.
What’s Included?
- 30, 30-minute audio lessons
- 60 minutes of recorded Culture Notes to provide you some insight into Japanese culture
- in total, 16 hours of audio, all featuring native speakers
- a Culture Notes Booklet and a User’s Guide
What You’ll Learn
In the first 10 lessons, you’ll cover the saying hello, asking for or giving information, scheduling a meal or a meeting, asking for or giving basic directions, and much more. You’ll be able to handle minimum courtesy requirements, understand much of what you hear, and be understood at a beginning level, but with near-native pronunciation skills.
In the next 10 lessons, you’ll build on what you’ve learned. Expand your menu, increase your scheduling abilities from general to specific, start to deal with currency and exchanging money, refine your conversations and add over a hundred new vocabulary items. You’ll understand more of what you hear, and be able to participate with speech that is smoother and more confident.
In the final 10 lessons, you’ll be speaking and understanding at an intermediate level. In this phase, more directions are given in the target language, which moves your learning to a whole new plane. Lessons include shopping, visiting friends, going to a restaurant, plans for the evening, car trips, and talking about family. You’ll be able to speak comfortably about things that happened in the past and make plans for the future.
One hour of recorded Cultural Notes are included at the end of Lesson 30. These Notes are designed to provide you with some insight into Japanese culture. A Culture Notes booklet is also included in PDF format.
The Pimsleur Method
We make no secret of what makes this powerful method work so well. Paul Pimsleur spent his career researching and perfecting the precise elements anyone can use to learn a language quickly and easily. Here are a few of his “secrets”:
The Principle of Anticipation
In the nanosecond between a cue and your response, your brain has to work to come up with the right word. Having to do this boosts retention, and cements the word in your mind.
Core Vocabulary
Words, phrases, and sentences are selected for their usefulness in everyday conversation. We don’t overwhelm you with too much, but steadily increase your ability with every lesson.
Graduated Interval Recall
Reminders of new words and structures come up at the exact interval for maximum retention and storage into your long-term memory.
Organic Learning
You work on multiple aspects of the language simultaneously. We integrate grammar, vocabulary, rhythm, melody, and intonation into every lesson, which allows you to experience the language as a living, expressive form of human culture.
Learning in Context
Research has shown that learning new words in context dramatically accelerates your ability to remember. Every scene in every Pimsleur lesson is set inside a conversation between two people. There are no drills, and no memorization necessary for success.
Active Participation
The Pimsleur Method + active learner participation = success. This method works with every language and every learner who follows it. You gain the power to recall and use what you know, and to add new words easily, exactly as you do in English.
The Japanese Language
Japanese is spoken by about 130 million people, 122 million of whom are in Japan. There are also speakers in the Ryukyu Islands, Korea, Taiwan, parts of the United States, and Brazil. Japa...
Whether you want to travel, communicate with friends or colleagues, reconnect with family, or just understand more of what’s going on in the world around you, learning Japanese will expand your horizons and immeasurably enrich your life.
The best part is that it doesn’t have to be difficult or take years to master. Thirty minutes a day is all it takes, and we get you speaking right from the first day. Pimsleur courses use a scientifically-proven method that puts you in control of your learning. If you’ve tried other language learning methods but found they simply didn’t stick, then you owe it to yourself to give Pimsleur a try.
Why Pimsleur?
- Quick + Easy – Only 30 minutes a day.
- Portable + Flexible – Core lessons can be done anytime, anywhere, and easily fit into your busy life.
- Proven Method – Works when other methods fail.
- Self-Paced – Go fast or go slow – it’s up to you.
- Based in Science – Developed using proven research on memory and learning.
- Cost-effective – Less expensive than classes or immersion, and features all native speakers.
- Genius – Triggers your brain’s natural aptitude to learn.
- Works for everyone – Recommended for ages 13 and above.
What’s Included?
- 30, 30-minute audio lessons
- 60 minutes of recorded Culture Notes to provide you some insight into Japanese culture
- in total, 16 hours of audio, all featuring native speakers
- a Culture Notes Booklet and a User’s Guide
What You’ll Learn
In the first 10 lessons, you’ll cover the saying hello, asking for or giving information, scheduling a meal or a meeting, asking for or giving basic directions, and much more. You’ll be able to handle minimum courtesy requirements, understand much of what you hear, and be understood at a beginning level, but with near-native pronunciation skills.
In the next 10 lessons, you’ll build on what you’ve learned. Expand your menu, increase your scheduling abilities from general to specific, start to deal with currency and exchanging money, refine your conversations and add over a hundred new vocabulary items. You’ll understand more of what you hear, and be able to participate with speech that is smoother and more confident.
In the final 10 lessons, you’ll be speaking and understanding at an intermediate level. In this phase, more directions are given in the target language, which moves your learning to a whole new plane. Lessons include shopping, visiting friends, going to a restaurant, plans for the evening, car trips, and talking about family. You’ll be able to speak comfortably about things that happened in the past and make plans for the future.
One hour of recorded Cultural Notes are included at the end of Lesson 30. These Notes are designed to provide you with some insight into Japanese culture. A Culture Notes booklet is also included in PDF format.
The Pimsleur Method
We make no secret of what makes this powerful method work so well. Paul Pimsleur spent his career researching and perfecting the precise elements anyone can use to learn a language quickly and easily. Here are a few of his “secrets”:
The Principle of Anticipation
In the nanosecond between a cue and your response, your brain has to work to come up with the right word. Having to do this boosts retention, and cements the word in your mind.
Core Vocabulary
Words, phrases, and sentences are selected for their usefulness in everyday conversation. We don’t overwhelm you with too much, but steadily increase your ability with every lesson.
Graduated Interval Recall
Reminders of new words and structures come up at the exact interval for maximum retention and storage into your long-term memory.
Organic Learning
You work on multiple aspects of the language simultaneously. We integrate grammar, vocabulary, rhythm, melody, and intonation into every lesson, which allows you to experience the language as a living, expressive form of human culture.
Learning in Context
Research has shown that learning new words in context dramatically accelerates your ability to remember. Every scene in every Pimsleur lesson is set inside a conversation between two people. There are no drills, and no memorization necessary for success.
Active Participation
The Pimsleur Method + active learner participation = success. This method works with every language and every learner who follows it. You gain the power to recall and use what you know, and to add new words easily, exactly as you do in English.
The Japanese Language
Japanese is spoken by about 130 million people, 122 million of whom are in Japan. There are also speakers in the Ryukyu Islands, Korea, Taiwan, parts of the United States, and Brazil. Japa...
30 pages, Audio CD
First published October 1, 2000
19 people are currently reading
52 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
November 15, 2018
Had no idea these were on GR, haha. But I finished Level 1 not too long ago. The tl;dr is, if your library has this, or better yet, the revised version, I'd say pick it up. If not, I'd try the free trial versions first before you commit.
PROS:
-Native speakers speaking at near or at native speed.
-You are able to say things from the get-go, even just after one lesson. (Albeit, they are very simple and basic, but it's a start!)
-The lessons are short, only 30 minutes each, which makes it easy to fit into your schedule.
-It forces you to recall and actually speak, so it constantly tests you at your knowledge.
-Great for capturing correct pronunciation and accent.
-Each lesson builds on top of the last one, and the flow in conversations is quite natural feeling. There's no set topic per lesson, as with typical conversations IRL.
CONS:
-The price. I got mine years ago for free through my dad's business, so I lucked out here. But often local libraries have copies that you can check out. (There are other alternatives too, but I won't be mentioning them here ;))
-The hand-holding. They do tell you exactly what to say, when to say it, etc. There isn't too much freedom in this set, and if you make a mistake, it's easy to say "oh well" and keep going. (It's later advised in the series to grasp at least 80% before moving on to the next lesson.)
-There are little to no explanations of grammar. You basically have to figure out everything on your own. Which isn't too bad for /some/ things, but for other things it can get complicated and confusing fast.
-It can get boring, and you can't skip around. A lot of the topics are aimed at tourists or business travelers, so they discuss family, directions, drinking, etc. Was kind of funny talking about the wife and four kids I don't have, haha.
-This particular version is dated. While not entirely a /bad/ thing, since it's still Japanese and people would understand you, it's just that the language is a little old. But if you pass as a 外人 then it doesn't really matter much, haha. But if you want to know phrases and vocab that's more modern, I'd look for the revised version.
Also keep in mind, this is entirely audio. So you will not be learning reading, writing, kanji, etc., with this set.
If you are using/decide to use this and know some kanji, I'd look up some of the vocab they use, as there are times where I can't remember a word, and after I look up the kanji I'm like "OOOHH", haha.
I think this can be a nice set for beginners, especially if you're coming from next to no knowledge at all. If you're a little more knowledgeable, this could act as a nice refresher, a good check of your pronunciation, etc.
As far as JLPT level goes, if anyone is curious about that, this is definitely not even N5. I'm currently going through Level 2, and it still feels N5-ish thus far. Though if you're wanting some listening practice, this might not be a bad choice, since it is so basic. :)
All-in-all, I think this can entirely depend on the person as for if it works for them or not. I definitely recommend trying any libraries first before paying the full price, just to see if it does mesh with you.
PROS:
-Native speakers speaking at near or at native speed.
-You are able to say things from the get-go, even just after one lesson. (Albeit, they are very simple and basic, but it's a start!)
-The lessons are short, only 30 minutes each, which makes it easy to fit into your schedule.
-It forces you to recall and actually speak, so it constantly tests you at your knowledge.
-Great for capturing correct pronunciation and accent.
-Each lesson builds on top of the last one, and the flow in conversations is quite natural feeling. There's no set topic per lesson, as with typical conversations IRL.
CONS:
-The price. I got mine years ago for free through my dad's business, so I lucked out here. But often local libraries have copies that you can check out. (There are other alternatives too, but I won't be mentioning them here ;))
-The hand-holding. They do tell you exactly what to say, when to say it, etc. There isn't too much freedom in this set, and if you make a mistake, it's easy to say "oh well" and keep going. (It's later advised in the series to grasp at least 80% before moving on to the next lesson.)
-There are little to no explanations of grammar. You basically have to figure out everything on your own. Which isn't too bad for /some/ things, but for other things it can get complicated and confusing fast.
-It can get boring, and you can't skip around. A lot of the topics are aimed at tourists or business travelers, so they discuss family, directions, drinking, etc. Was kind of funny talking about the wife and four kids I don't have, haha.
-This particular version is dated. While not entirely a /bad/ thing, since it's still Japanese and people would understand you, it's just that the language is a little old. But if you pass as a 外人 then it doesn't really matter much, haha. But if you want to know phrases and vocab that's more modern, I'd look for the revised version.
Also keep in mind, this is entirely audio. So you will not be learning reading, writing, kanji, etc., with this set.
If you are using/decide to use this and know some kanji, I'd look up some of the vocab they use, as there are times where I can't remember a word, and after I look up the kanji I'm like "OOOHH", haha.
I think this can be a nice set for beginners, especially if you're coming from next to no knowledge at all. If you're a little more knowledgeable, this could act as a nice refresher, a good check of your pronunciation, etc.
As far as JLPT level goes, if anyone is curious about that, this is definitely not even N5. I'm currently going through Level 2, and it still feels N5-ish thus far. Though if you're wanting some listening practice, this might not be a bad choice, since it is so basic. :)
All-in-all, I think this can entirely depend on the person as for if it works for them or not. I definitely recommend trying any libraries first before paying the full price, just to see if it does mesh with you.
April 23, 2021
I have lessons 1-10 from Audible so my review reflects those rather than the whole 30 lessons.
Overall, I found this a quick and easy introduction to the Japanese language. It's a little eerie how with just 30 minutes a day, Japanese phrases started popping up in my dreams.
Each lesson runs about 30 minutes, and it is recommended that you complete a lesson every day. The program recommends moving on to the next lesson if you feel you've been able to respond correctly to 80% of the prompts. While I probably could have sped up my pace, I found that I needed to complete each lesson three times to feel really confident in what was taught.
Of course, you are only listening and repeating with this program. It won't help you read or write Japanese. However, for those traveling to the country, it seems like this provides enough basics for simple interactions. Or at least, I feel like I would know enough to ask for directions and order a few beers. I'm not so confident that I would be able to understand native speakers. That could be, though, since all the words seem to run together when speaking in Japanese.
My only criticism is that sometimes it can be a bit difficult to decipher some sounds. For instance, the program has a male and female speaker. When the male says "little," it sounds like "skosi." When the female says the same word, it sounds like "skoshi." I had to ask a friend who studied Japanese in college which was right (it's "skoshi").
If the pandemic ever ends, I'd love to take a trip to Japan. But for now, I picked up this audiobook in the hopes it might stretch some little-used parts of my brain. In that regard, I think it was a success.
Overall, I found this a quick and easy introduction to the Japanese language. It's a little eerie how with just 30 minutes a day, Japanese phrases started popping up in my dreams.
Each lesson runs about 30 minutes, and it is recommended that you complete a lesson every day. The program recommends moving on to the next lesson if you feel you've been able to respond correctly to 80% of the prompts. While I probably could have sped up my pace, I found that I needed to complete each lesson three times to feel really confident in what was taught.
Of course, you are only listening and repeating with this program. It won't help you read or write Japanese. However, for those traveling to the country, it seems like this provides enough basics for simple interactions. Or at least, I feel like I would know enough to ask for directions and order a few beers. I'm not so confident that I would be able to understand native speakers. That could be, though, since all the words seem to run together when speaking in Japanese.
My only criticism is that sometimes it can be a bit difficult to decipher some sounds. For instance, the program has a male and female speaker. When the male says "little," it sounds like "skosi." When the female says the same word, it sounds like "skoshi." I had to ask a friend who studied Japanese in college which was right (it's "skoshi").
If the pandemic ever ends, I'd love to take a trip to Japan. But for now, I picked up this audiobook in the hopes it might stretch some little-used parts of my brain. In that regard, I think it was a success.
April 25, 2023
Material was outdated and / or used a lot of phrases that are more "formal" making using this difficult to use course material directly in daily use without alternate current guides for day to day conversations. However, learning the basic sentence structure and vocabulary definitely helped alot initially! ども
May 15, 2024
Great learning to begin learning Japanese with lot of iterative listening and speaking. I had to take a break in the middle of the book after around 20 days hence I took more than 30 days, but I retained good enough information. I will have to redo some chapters but unfortunately there is no fast tract that just reminds you of the new words without any repetition or unnecessary information. I will there is a chapter dedicated to all the words recap. Otherwise I liked it a lot.
October 8, 2017
Probably the best and most fun learning method in the world :)
Read
May 29, 2021Didn't finish at 25%. It was fine, but not as interactive as I would've liked.
March 31, 2023
Go through at 0.75x for retention otherwise you'll end up repeating everything as it gets more complex
March 26, 2024
Pimsleur Japanese (Levels 1-5) Review (cross posted on each level of the course.)
The Pimsleur courses, resting on the pioneering work of Dr. Paul Pimsleur, emphasize practical vocabulary and grammar. This method, focusing on high-frequency words and essential grammar through practical situations, has been the backbone of my language learning journey—not just with Japanese, but previously with Spanish as well.
My introduction to Pimsleur was quite unique. Living in a bilingual household challenged by a language barrier, I turned to Pimsleur Spanish to bridge the gap. Unlike my structured approach to Japanese, my Spanish learning was driven by immediate necessity, enabling direct, meaningful communication within my living environment. This experience was invaluable, laying the groundwork for my engagement with Pimsleur Japanese.
I approached Pimsleur Japanese with a blend of anticipation and a clear goal: to achieve conversational fluency. With an all-audio format, the program mirrored my initial encounter with language learning, where books and grammar took a back seat to listening and speaking. Through both Spanish and Japanese, Pimsleur has proven its worth, underscoring the importance of auditory comprehension and practical communication.
Delving into the mechanics of the course, it’s designed to escalate complexity from basic dialogues to comprehensive conversations. By completing all five levels, learners like myself gain a familiarity with roughly 2,000 words and a solid grasp of conversational grammar. This parallels my Pimsleur Spanish experience, where the focus on spoken vocabulary and automated response preparation was equally effective.
Reflecting on my journey with Pimsleur Spanish, I found it instrumental in developing a quick, automated response in conversations. This foundation, emphasizing high-frequency, spoken vocab, although limiting in reading comprehension, proved ideal for spoken communication. If I were to restart my language learning, Pimsleur’s focus on practical vocabulary and grammar would be my starting point, avoiding the scattergun approach of accumulating countless resources.
My Spanish experience, leveraging Pimsleur and Michel Thomas Method for a grammatical overview, laid a robust foundation that Pimsleur Japanese only strengthened. Navigating through both languages, I was struck by the method’s consistency in fostering conversational ease and confidence, a testament to its adaptable and effective approach across linguistic boundaries.
For those embarking on their language learning journey, whether with Spanish, Japanese, or another language, Pimsleur offers a structured path to conversational fluency. Coupled with my personal narrative of overcoming linguistic challenges, this review underscores the transformative power of dedicated language learning. Your journey may vary, but the potential for growth and connection through language is boundless.
The Pimsleur courses, resting on the pioneering work of Dr. Paul Pimsleur, emphasize practical vocabulary and grammar. This method, focusing on high-frequency words and essential grammar through practical situations, has been the backbone of my language learning journey—not just with Japanese, but previously with Spanish as well.
My introduction to Pimsleur was quite unique. Living in a bilingual household challenged by a language barrier, I turned to Pimsleur Spanish to bridge the gap. Unlike my structured approach to Japanese, my Spanish learning was driven by immediate necessity, enabling direct, meaningful communication within my living environment. This experience was invaluable, laying the groundwork for my engagement with Pimsleur Japanese.
I approached Pimsleur Japanese with a blend of anticipation and a clear goal: to achieve conversational fluency. With an all-audio format, the program mirrored my initial encounter with language learning, where books and grammar took a back seat to listening and speaking. Through both Spanish and Japanese, Pimsleur has proven its worth, underscoring the importance of auditory comprehension and practical communication.
Delving into the mechanics of the course, it’s designed to escalate complexity from basic dialogues to comprehensive conversations. By completing all five levels, learners like myself gain a familiarity with roughly 2,000 words and a solid grasp of conversational grammar. This parallels my Pimsleur Spanish experience, where the focus on spoken vocabulary and automated response preparation was equally effective.
Reflecting on my journey with Pimsleur Spanish, I found it instrumental in developing a quick, automated response in conversations. This foundation, emphasizing high-frequency, spoken vocab, although limiting in reading comprehension, proved ideal for spoken communication. If I were to restart my language learning, Pimsleur’s focus on practical vocabulary and grammar would be my starting point, avoiding the scattergun approach of accumulating countless resources.
My Spanish experience, leveraging Pimsleur and Michel Thomas Method for a grammatical overview, laid a robust foundation that Pimsleur Japanese only strengthened. Navigating through both languages, I was struck by the method’s consistency in fostering conversational ease and confidence, a testament to its adaptable and effective approach across linguistic boundaries.
For those embarking on their language learning journey, whether with Spanish, Japanese, or another language, Pimsleur offers a structured path to conversational fluency. Coupled with my personal narrative of overcoming linguistic challenges, this review underscores the transformative power of dedicated language learning. Your journey may vary, but the potential for growth and connection through language is boundless.
November 28, 2012
I tried a few Japanese courses, and I really enjoy this one. I love how interactive it is.
Read
March 19, 2017I can speak
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews