Japanese from Zero! 1: Proven Techniques to Learn Japanese for Students and Professionals

Japanese From Zero! #1

by George Trombley, Yukari Takenaka

Japanese From Zero is an innovative and integrated approach to learning Japanese developed by professional Japanese interpreter George Trombley and co-writer Yukari Takenaka. The lessons and techniques used in this series have been taught successfully for over ten years in classrooms throughout the world.Using up-to-date and easy-to-grasp grammar, Japanese From Zero is the perfect course for current students of Japanese as well as absolute beginners.In Book 1 of the Japanese From Zero series, readers are taught new grammar concepts, over 800 new words and expressions, and also learn the hiragana writing system.Features of Book 1: * Integrated Workbook with Answer Key* Over 800 New Words and Expressions* Learn to Read and Write Hiragana* Easy-to-Understand Example Dialogues* Culture Points about Japan* Bilingual Glossaries with Kana and Romaji...and much more

Genres: Japanese Literature, Language, Nonfiction, Japan, Reference, Education, Textbooks

324 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2006

Reviews

[Arthur Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't be fooled by the cartoon cover! While I didn't exactly come to this workbook knowing "zero" Japanese myself, it wasn't many pages in before I'd already begun to build upon my knowledge of its vocabulary and grammar. I could see this being useful for students (self-taught or class-based) in junior high on up, provided you're not too embarrassed reading something that looks designed for children as a grown-ass man.

Unlike some other language workbooks I've seen, this one forces you to learn the written component of the language (which is tempting to skip when you just want to communicate verbally) by gradually substituting the rōmaji (Roman letters) on the page with their corresponding hiragana (Japanese syllabary). The effect is that, like it or not, you really do start to recognize the consonants and vowels these represent, as well as all the different ways in which they function when used across various constructions.

While I would recommend a more multimedia learning tool (e.g., Human Japanese) and/or a listen-and-repeat audio program (e.g., Pimsleur Method) to be used in conjunction with something like this, I have yet to find a better workbook for integrated study of the Japanese language. Highly recommended!

[Anna 'Bookbuyer' · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot praise this book enough!!!

I love how it's set up and how it ensures that you understand the previous lesson before moving on to the next!

It also progressively allows you to learn to read Hirigana by teaching you a 'row' of letters and then incorporating them into the lesson and all future lessons.

I loved the little culture clips! It really helped me to better understand why some things I found odd were used that way.

I also love how each lesson page told you exactly what you needed to know for the lesson and would urge you to go back if you didn't understand all of what was needed for the lesson.

All in all this was the best teacher I ever had and I really looking forward to reading and studying from it for years to come! :D

[Faris Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of the first books I bought when I decided I wanted to learn Japanese. It's perfect. If you're a complete beginner, this book takes you through the bare basics and really helps you progress quickly. Everything is broken down into lessons, and every lesson into more clumps. You gradually learn Hiragana and the phrases they teach you are actually ones that you would use in everyday life. After the first chapter, you will KNOW that you've learnt something. I highly recommend this. Since I finished book 1 yesterday, I'll be starting book 2 this week (waiting for it to arrive). Can't wait!

[Jasmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This textbook is absolutely worth it.

I actually forgot I owned it for 2 years but then came back to it and finished it in a few months. This is such a thorough way to learn Japanese. Some may find it slow but I look at it as thorough. Authors George Trombley and Yukari Takenaka make sure you understand the grammar points, culture points, and particles before advancing.

I love that there's workbook space in the textbook! All that practice has drastically improved my reading and writing ability. As someone who has been learning Japanese on-and-off since 2018 (but recommitted seriously in Feb 2024), this textbook was slightly below my level but going through this textbook reinforced and expanded on ideas only glossed over in my other learning methods.

The textbook itself isn't dry or hard to get through. JFZ1 is the first textbook I've encountered that makes learning Japanese feel approachable and enjoyable.

I've already started JFZ2! I'm dedicated to finishing the JFZ series!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is great and almost works in conjunction with my school text. It is helping me to learn new things, but also build on what I've learned in class.

[Furio · Rating 2 out of 5]

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George TROMBLEY Jr. / Yukari TAKENAKA - Japanese From Zero 1 - YesJapan Corporation (2014)
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Premise
The perfect Japanese coursebook doesn't exist.
No, this isn't it. Sorry.

Features
This is a Japanese self-study course for the layman, the gamer/anime fan/manga reader who wants to learn Japanese but has no experience in learning foreign languages and doesn't know how to do it.
The course is self-sufficient, you don't need anything else, but you can watch the author's videos on YouTube or on the JapaneseFromZero website.

Pro
- Trombley knows his Japanese. He was an interpreter, he's worked in Japan, he's married with a Japanese lady (the co-author).
- the author never forgets the book is aimed at self-learners.
- explanations are basic and clear, there's no jargon.
- although a separate booklet for kana is available, you don't need it. You can learn kana with the book.
- there's enough exercises and they are in the book, there's no need for a separate workbook.
- the learning curve is low.
- the cover looks good, but the paper is common. No guilt-trip when writing in the book 🙂

Contra
- be prepared for rote learning.
800 new words are introduced by .a number of vocabulary lists. A minority of that vocabulary is actually used in readings and exercises.
- be prepared for rote learning (2).
The method is not always enlightened.
How do they deal with numbers (numbers, in Japanese, are complicated)? With charts. Glorified lists. There are not enough exercises to memorise them the sweet way.
Personally, I used Elon.io. Much better!
- the method is not always enlightened (2).
Introducing the colours in a beginner's book is not a good idea.
Why not? Because they are highly irregular (don't ask) and have a lot of quirks.
Trombley introduces those but he doesn't talk about regular adjectives. Why? Oh, why?
Later in the books, counters are introduced.
Once again, with a chart. Good luck with that. And thank you Elon.io for allowing me to memorise them.
- the book is simply not good for those with an analytical mindset or much experience with language learning. Explanations are never fulfilling, not even for a beginner's level course.
- by completing the first volume, you're NOT ready for the JLPT N5.

Conclusion/Should you buy it?
-you're not used to language learning?
-you want a self-contained, self-study tool?
-you don't need to pass an exam in the near future?
-you have no problem with rote learning?
Go for it.

[Jason Cihelka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome first steps into learning the Japanese language. It really gives you bite-sized pieces of information, while the integrated workbook is great for solidifying what you've learned. As well, George's companion Youtube series is awesome - there are so many resources that go along with the book, and it's clear the authors have spent a lot of time thinking about how to teach Japanese.

My only complaint would be that it's a little too slow (especially if you're using multiple resources to study, and already learned a concept in the book), but it's not a big deal- I'd much rather have something too slow than too fast.

[Emily Hartley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good to start off with. If it's not the only resource you're using though it can become slow paced. I'd still recommend it for people starting out.

[Chan Fry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was quite helpful (I was using it as a companion to my Duolingo lessons), and explained things well that the popular app didn't even mention or glossed over. I didn't use the writing practice pages, because I likely won't physically write Japanese (ever), since I've figured out how to type the characters on my phone and PC. (Example: 日本語.)

[Agnese Vēze · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not a language people und learn new language is hard for me, but this book was excellent for me! I get my first steps in Japanese and can't wait to start 2nd book! Step by step grammar, hirigana and practice! Easy to understand!

[Em's Adventures · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've tried a lot of textbooks in my life (admittedly I wasn't a very dedicated person), but this book is by far the best textbook I've ever come accross. I'm a slow learner, I don't pick things up easily and I am easily confused, especially when it comes to grammer, but these lessons were clear, easy to understand, and the accompanying youtube videos were so entertaining to watch.
I liked how George built on concepts slowly so as not to overwhelm the student, and I was impressed how he kept repeating vocabulary and phrases in the exercises so that you don't forget them. I'm not going to lie and say that I understood every grammatical point, but to have gotten through an entire textbook with only ONE thing I couldn't grasp was incredible for me!
Congratulations George Trombley this was the first textbook I've ever managed to finish!!!

For those who are interested I've built a flashcard deck with all the vocabulary. It works best with the Japanese keyboard app and I apologize for some typing glitches that I can't seem to fix but there it is: https://app.memrise.com/course/615373...

[Luna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished my 12th standard and I want to learn something new in meanwhile. since I love Japanese anime and cartoon, i thought why not try learning japanese and watch their anime and cartoon in Japanese. so my suggestion to a very beginner is , don't directly start from this book . take 4 days or a week time to learn hiragana and katakana completely, about kanji- you can learn it slowly. learn hiragana and katakana from youtube 1 hour video. i know it takes time but don't worry it's pretty simple. don't skip hiragana and katakana, it's important. and practice daily. after you finished learning hiragana and katakana then you can start learning from these series. In this book they will also explain hiragana and katakana but you should know how to pronounce so youtube is best.
Tip: use google translate to know pronounciation for some sentences (only pronounciation because google translations are not accurate)
Tip: have a hiragana and katakana chat saved in your gallery
don't rush yourself, it takes time. be patient. english is my second language and i know many of yours second language is English. don't give up . it's actually fun learning japanese. All the best

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading “Japanese From Zero,” by George Trombley and Yukari, I realised how easy it could be to learn a fouriegn language. The authors did an astounding job, and I was pleased to find such a good resource that would help me learn Japanese. Most language learning Programs, like Duolingo, Bunpo, and Hiragana plus, teach in a one sided manner. But “Japanese From Zero” informed me of many things besides language. The authors included things like how to bow respectfully, how to set up devices so I could type in all three forms of Japanese, and Japanese culture. The book was structured in a way that I could easily retain information. It also had review sections after every chapter, which helped me study before I continued. I learned an unprecedented amount of Japanese with the help of this book. Finally, “Japanese From Zero” synergized well with the previously mentioned programs to help me learn content quickly and effectively. I can recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn Japanese, and in fact I already have. ありがとうございます。

[Dina Mancini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! I tried both Minna nihongo and Genki but only this book helped me move forward and progress although those 2 are still good. There were too many materials in those books, which was intimidating while here you only have 1 book and George's free YouTube videos. I'm learning Japanese on my own now and this course is just perfect for me. Absence of audio might be a drawback but no, youtube videos that go to all the lessons are so great and helpful, and fun as well))). Maybe It's just personal taste, I liked George very much, his laid-back, yet professional and friendly approach that learning Japanese has turned into a real pleasure like learning a language from a very good friend, so kind and motivating. Look forward to passing through all the other books (have already purchased Kindle versions up to the last 5th book). I'm planning to combine this course with James Heisig course on kanji + trying to
listen to simple Japanese radio or watch youtube videos for better practice

[Lang · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the most user friendly (compared to Genki and Japanese for Busy People). It seems to go slowly at first, but then halfway you zip through. So much of Japanese is decoded for you and told to you straight.

No it isn't comprehensive and it isn't a grammar book. But if you go through the lessons methodically and just do it, you learn with ease. (Reminds me of the gold list method, but fun.)

I recently moved to Japan and I found myself learning a grammar point and immediately using it within 24 hours.

With the bite size nature of the grammar points, you get small wins everyday. Versus normal Japanese course books that overload and baffle so you are flustered and get no wins.

I already started book 2 and it picks up right where the last book left off. Immediately more useful and usable information.

[Rumy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Living in Japan has its own struggles as you have to learn the language that its native people are speaking in. Japanese is hard. From as simple as hiragana to kanji, they're way too much of them are too hard for a beginner. Grammar makes no sense to a non-native speaker sometimes and this book helps you with it. I was reading it at least for like a couple of hours per week and I saw a significant amount of difference as I started using them in my everyday conversation with friends. One thing I learned from this is that you can't be afraid to make mistakes if you want to learn a new language. Your friends will correct you and help you along the way. That's the only way to learn a language efficiently.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is honestly the best tool for learning Japanese. I have used a couple of different tools including watching his online YouTube videos which I started on first. I found them very helpful but always felt like there was something missing.

I finally purchased these books and they were amazing! I like that they have little cultural facts along the way so you learn more about Japan then just the language. I also like that each new lesson will tell you what you are expected to know before proceeding and what to expect to get out of the next lesson.

If you haven’t watched the YouTube videos I highly recommend them also but the books are the most important. I also recommend downloading a little game whether it be on your phone or Nintendo ds to help memorise hiragana and kitana.

[Layla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll 100% recommend it for absolute beginners. Some people might find it slow, especially with its progressive method that introduces new hiragana in each lesson. However, I would say it's perfect for those who haven't mastered kana yet and don't want to feel overwhelmed by the language.
It includes vocabulary and phrase lists, a small conversation at the end of each lesson (which is my favorite part), clear grammar explanations with examples, writing practice, and exercises with an answer key.

Thanks for your hard work! I bought the second book, and I'm excited that it doesn't include romaji for hiragana anymore.

Note: It was my main resource for learning, and I later added other apps to complement it.

[Marek · Rating 3 out of 5]

Biggest advantage of the book is that it has the video support on Youtube. This way, you can practice not only using the book but even with the videos.
On the other hand, the videos are way too lenghty full of random talk and fixing mistakes on the run. And so is the book. It also teaches many unnecessary words while skips important conversations. Hence I ended up knowing 60 animals but I was not able to book a hotel.
Last but not least, if you want to review your knowledge, the book is a bit useless due to its "progressive" kana learning method. All the phrases will be written using a hybrid of English and Japanese.

[Lana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Started this book knowing almost no Japanese. I just finished it (in about 3 months) and can now proudly say that I know a lot of new words and sentences, can construct sentences myself and know all the hiragana. The hiragana learning part was a bit too slow for me though, so to challenge myself I started learning all the katakana as well from other resources. Already started the second book and I can't wait to learn more. Also started learning a little kanji, but ofcourse that is much harder. Now I'll be able to speak a little Japanese/ask for things when I'm going to Japan next year. Thank you George!

[Chris Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy to understand begining to Japanese

As textbooks go, this is probably the easiest to understand, granted the concepts introduced aren't too challenging, but the book is nonetheless an excellent introduction to basic Japanese. I finished the whole thing in about two months on and off, but there is still a lot of vocabulary I've yet to memorise. The only drawback is the lack of audio accompanying the textbook, but this is made up for by George's YouTube series by the same name. Overall, it is definitely the best textbook for beginners to Japanese, and I will definitely continue using the JFZ series.

[Boyd Cothran · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book for learning Japanese with no previous experience, especially if you combine it with the online materials. George Trombley is a great teacher. He uses a progressive system for slowing teaching hiragana over the course of the lessons. I would highly recommend this to someone beginning their Japanese language adventure. I used this book along aside a classroom-based course and although they sometimes cover material in a different order, they moved at about the same pace. I think he presents too much vocabulary early on, but just learn as much as you can and loop back when possible to refresh your memory. And good luck! がんばっておください！

[Sondre · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a book for people that does not know better

While many Japanese beginner books expect you to already know your kana (hiragana + katakana), this book tries to make a softer entry into Japanese by spending more time trying to remember them as well as supplementing grammar and vocabulary. What this book wrong is literally the core idea of the book. When someone use a few days to a few weeks to remember all the hiragana and all the katakana, this book make you do it in months, but regarding how unmotivating and chaotic it is it might take years or you'll just quit. A few years back I was trying to use this book, but it didn't work. This book just got the priorities wrong.

[Gabby · Rating 5 out of 5]

There were quite a few small typos throughout the book, but nothing major enough to make anything incomprehensible. After just three months I completely grasp the entire hiragana alphabet and quite a few basic Japanese phrases and grammar rules (such as particles). The cultural facts also proved very useful. I completed 11/13 of the lessons before traveling to Japan and was surprised at how much I knew! I will absolutely be purchasing books 2 and 3 to continue learning Japanese. This series is a great resource!

[ThymeOperator · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Duolingo course, while excellent for helping you remember very foreign vocabulary via repetition, is fairly horrendous for helping you understand very foreign grammar.

I got this book to accompany the Duo course, and I feel like between the two, I'm really getting the hang of the language. I wish I'd read the section on verbs earlier, because Duo was confusing the life out of me in that area. This book lays it all out so simply that I had a lot of, 'Oh!' moments.

Onto volume 2!

[Joanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I purchased this workbook and began chapter one in Sept 2018. I marked it finished on leap day (Feb 29) of 2020. It certainly didn’t take THAT LONG, but it was something I kept coming back to. Over the past 6 months I became more serious about studying and this was a perfect supplement to my self study methods. Daily Duolingo + 2 hours of this workbook each weekend. I purchased book 2 and look forward to diving in!

[Oleg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great study material to make your first step into your Japanese language journey. Book covers Hiragana pretty well. Well enough for you to start reading some Japanese and to start using Japanese keyboard on your phone searching for translation of what you just read. Book doesn't provide much information on Japanese pronunciation though. No doubt I'm jumping on to second book of the series.

[Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I read George's Japanese from zero series when 7 years ago i would made way more progress in my Japanese. He breaks down japanese grammar and vocabulary in small chunks so that you can understand quicker and than slowly adds more complex sentences after each lesson. Also the hiragana is slowly added after each lesson. 10/10 highly recommend.

[Lucas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I prefer Genki. If you followed Japanese From Zero Hiragana and Katakana before (the orange one), this one becomes pretty tedious. Once you reach chapter 4 and 5 of Genki. You pretty much learned everything there is to learn on this book. I also didn't like the exercises too much. Also reading half romaji and half hiragana doesn't feel nice...

[Rhys · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is a fun series of learning material for learning Japanese- I would recommend this if you can remember the symbols with ease as this book doesn't seem to give basic guide, before throwing you into the deep end!