What do you think?
Rate this book
Pimsleur Comprehensive Japanese
Pimsleur Japanese Level 4 CD: Learn to Speak and Understand Japanese with Pimsleur Language Programs
The Easiest and Fastest Way to Learn Japanese
Did you know that about 122 million people in Japan, and another 8 million worldwide speak Japanese? For Americans, it’s perceived as a difficult language to learn, but in fact, it’s quite regular. Once you get the basics down, you’ll be surprised how quickly you’re able to begin speaking it. And even knowing a little bit of the language will make travel to Japan far easier, and much more fun. Whether your goal is 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 to speak 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 in Japanese 4?
- 30, 30-minute audio lessons
- Approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes of Hiragana reading instruction
- A Reading Booklet and User’s Guide
- In total, over 16 hours of audio, all featuring native speakers
What You’ll Learn
Japanese Level 4, Lessons 1-30 includes 15 hours of spoken language practice, and approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes of reading instruction, broken down into thirty convenient half-hour lessons, plus an easy-to-use guide and Reading Booklet.
Japanese 4 covers a variety of everyday topics. What if your phone’s battery is running low? What if you forgot your wallet on the bus? What if you’re late for an appointment or to meet your friends? Do you know the correct way of dipping yourself into an onsen (hot springs) at a traditional Japanese inn? We’ve got you covered! In Japanese 4, you’ll be immersed in the culture while you are leaning the language!
Some of the activities covered in Japanese 4:
- You’ll visit a Japanese garden and have tea, go shopping, try on clothes, visit Japanese hot springs.
- You’ll learn to negotiate lodging or plan a move.
- You’ll learn how to get help finding something you’ve lost, and how to ask for and understand detailed directions.
- You’ll be able to discuss the seasons, historic cities and buildings, sports and outdoor activities and hobbies like photography, express appreciation to your hosts or friends, and amazement and wonder when trying new things.
Reading and Writing in Japanese
By the 5th century AD Chinese characters began to be widely used in Japan. This early alphabet, Kanji, created new literacy, but brought many complications in pronunciation. In the 8th century, two new phonetic alphabets, or kana, were devised to bridge the gap: Hiragana and Katakana. Hiragana is used along with the Kanji to show the syllables that form suffixes and particles – “sounds” in other words, while Katakana was used for foreign loan words, like “coffee” or “computer.” Today in Japan, the three writing systems are combined, with Kanji, Hiragana, and Katakana all appearing within a single sentence.
In Japanese 4 you will begin to learn to read the Hiragana alphabet. There are forty-six basic Hiragana syllables, with additional modified syllables that represent voiced and contracted sounds. Japanese is usually written from top to bottom in vertical columns and from right to left.
This course will expand your vocabulary, encourage you to share your opinions and interests, introduce you to less formal conversations, and help you to venture out to new travel destinations in Japan. You’ll learn to share your impressions and opinions, express gratitude, describe people and places, and convey your preferences with characteristic Japanese politeness and grace.
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 Principal of Anticipation
In the nanosecond between a cue and your response, your brain has to work to come up wi...
Did you know that about 122 million people in Japan, and another 8 million worldwide speak Japanese? For Americans, it’s perceived as a difficult language to learn, but in fact, it’s quite regular. Once you get the basics down, you’ll be surprised how quickly you’re able to begin speaking it. And even knowing a little bit of the language will make travel to Japan far easier, and much more fun. Whether your goal is 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 to speak 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 in Japanese 4?
- 30, 30-minute audio lessons
- Approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes of Hiragana reading instruction
- A Reading Booklet and User’s Guide
- In total, over 16 hours of audio, all featuring native speakers
What You’ll Learn
Japanese Level 4, Lessons 1-30 includes 15 hours of spoken language practice, and approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes of reading instruction, broken down into thirty convenient half-hour lessons, plus an easy-to-use guide and Reading Booklet.
Japanese 4 covers a variety of everyday topics. What if your phone’s battery is running low? What if you forgot your wallet on the bus? What if you’re late for an appointment or to meet your friends? Do you know the correct way of dipping yourself into an onsen (hot springs) at a traditional Japanese inn? We’ve got you covered! In Japanese 4, you’ll be immersed in the culture while you are leaning the language!
Some of the activities covered in Japanese 4:
- You’ll visit a Japanese garden and have tea, go shopping, try on clothes, visit Japanese hot springs.
- You’ll learn to negotiate lodging or plan a move.
- You’ll learn how to get help finding something you’ve lost, and how to ask for and understand detailed directions.
- You’ll be able to discuss the seasons, historic cities and buildings, sports and outdoor activities and hobbies like photography, express appreciation to your hosts or friends, and amazement and wonder when trying new things.
Reading and Writing in Japanese
By the 5th century AD Chinese characters began to be widely used in Japan. This early alphabet, Kanji, created new literacy, but brought many complications in pronunciation. In the 8th century, two new phonetic alphabets, or kana, were devised to bridge the gap: Hiragana and Katakana. Hiragana is used along with the Kanji to show the syllables that form suffixes and particles – “sounds” in other words, while Katakana was used for foreign loan words, like “coffee” or “computer.” Today in Japan, the three writing systems are combined, with Kanji, Hiragana, and Katakana all appearing within a single sentence.
In Japanese 4 you will begin to learn to read the Hiragana alphabet. There are forty-six basic Hiragana syllables, with additional modified syllables that represent voiced and contracted sounds. Japanese is usually written from top to bottom in vertical columns and from right to left.
This course will expand your vocabulary, encourage you to share your opinions and interests, introduce you to less formal conversations, and help you to venture out to new travel destinations in Japan. You’ll learn to share your impressions and opinions, express gratitude, describe people and places, and convey your preferences with characteristic Japanese politeness and grace.
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 Principal of Anticipation
In the nanosecond between a cue and your response, your brain has to work to come up wi...
Audio CD
First published December 23, 2014
1 person is currently reading
7 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 31, 2020
I've already reviewed level one, two, and three, and as this is a series, this one is basically the same.
Content wise, this covers more informal grammar and situations. The topics are more touristy, like visiting sites, shopping, and a bit on schooling and culture. I definitely found it more engaging than how business oriented the first three levels were.
Like previous levels, the JLPT levels float between N5 and N4. It's still all very simple and introduces only a couple new words with each lesson. As I've said before, these can be nice for review or additional ways to study for the JLPT, but by itself, it's definitely not enough. There are no in-depth (or any, really) explanations on grammar, and certainly not enough vocab, which is not helpful if you're using this to study for the test.
If you're not taking the test, well, don't worry about it! Haha. But I'd still recommend using other resources alongside of this to help reinforce and explain things. No one resource can really stand on its own, and for the levels this teaches at, something like Tae Kim's book would be fantastic to partner with it.
For review, it can be pretty nice. For any words I might not know, looking up the kanji always makes it easier to remember. I've still found it helpful for my pronunciation as well, even this far in, and just getting me to speak. I use it while going on walks or when cleaning, so it's easy to just let it play through while I do something else.
The price point is definitely daunting. The website offers a 15$ per month option through their app, which is insanely cheaper if you manage to finish it through in a month, or even two. Libraries are another option. I've also heard people saving up via Audible, but I don't know enough about their system to explain that method there. If you have Audible, worth looking into.
I still recommend these if you're able to get them. If not, it's not a big loss. There are loads of free videos on YouTube that you can use to shadow native speakers, so don't feel pressured to take out your wallet.
I'm definitely happy to have gone through them, and I'll be hopefully finishing up the last level soon. :)
Content wise, this covers more informal grammar and situations. The topics are more touristy, like visiting sites, shopping, and a bit on schooling and culture. I definitely found it more engaging than how business oriented the first three levels were.
Like previous levels, the JLPT levels float between N5 and N4. It's still all very simple and introduces only a couple new words with each lesson. As I've said before, these can be nice for review or additional ways to study for the JLPT, but by itself, it's definitely not enough. There are no in-depth (or any, really) explanations on grammar, and certainly not enough vocab, which is not helpful if you're using this to study for the test.
If you're not taking the test, well, don't worry about it! Haha. But I'd still recommend using other resources alongside of this to help reinforce and explain things. No one resource can really stand on its own, and for the levels this teaches at, something like Tae Kim's book would be fantastic to partner with it.
For review, it can be pretty nice. For any words I might not know, looking up the kanji always makes it easier to remember. I've still found it helpful for my pronunciation as well, even this far in, and just getting me to speak. I use it while going on walks or when cleaning, so it's easy to just let it play through while I do something else.
The price point is definitely daunting. The website offers a 15$ per month option through their app, which is insanely cheaper if you manage to finish it through in a month, or even two. Libraries are another option. I've also heard people saving up via Audible, but I don't know enough about their system to explain that method there. If you have Audible, worth looking into.
I still recommend these if you're able to get them. If not, it's not a big loss. There are loads of free videos on YouTube that you can use to shadow native speakers, so don't feel pressured to take out your wallet.
I'm definitely happy to have gone through them, and I'll be hopefully finishing up the last level soon. :)
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.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews