What do you think?
Rate this book
Pimsleur Comprehensive Japanese
Pimsleur Japanese Level 3 CD: Learn to Speak and Understand Japanese with Pimsleur Language Programs
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
- One hour and twenty minutes of reading practice of the Japanese hiragana and katakana scripts, plus an introduction to select kanji characters
- in total, over 16 hours of audio, all featuring native speakers
- a Reading Booklet
What You’ll Learn
Builds upon skills taught in Pimsleur’s Japanese Levels 1 and 2.
In the first 10 lessons, you will expand your vocabulary and increase your fluency to an even higher level. You’ll gain experience participating in many informal and some formal discussions on practical, social, and semiprofessional topics. You’ll skillfully form longer, more complex sentences, and most importantly, you’ll find yourself being understood, even by native speakers unused to dealing with foreigners. You’ll be able to join in conversations eagerly, confident of being understood.
In the next 10 lessons, your skills will demonstrate ever-increasing mastery of Japanese. Speaking with grace and complete naturalness, you’ll enjoy fluid conversations on many new subjects. Delving deeper into cultural norms and situations, you’ll find yourself responding effortlessly, and able to choose from a wide accumulation of vocabulary and structures.
In the final 10 lessons, you’re nearing fluency with agile responses, and a natural sounding, near-native accent. You’re able to utilize the language in subtle ways, and speak using past, present, and future tenses. Self-confidence soars as you no longer experience the language and culture as a foreigner, but as someone with a deepening insight into the Japanese-speaking world.
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 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 often appearing within a single sentence.
Twenty reading lessons are included in this program. In these lessons, you'll continue to practice reading hiragana and katakana, and learn to recognize and “read” some kanji characters of familiar words.
Learning the sound of each letter alone and in culturally distinct combinations allows your brain to process what you’re hearing in the audio lessons from a new and different perspective. It’s a powerful combination that makes Pimsleur different from every other method on the market.
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 Rec...
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
- One hour and twenty minutes of reading practice of the Japanese hiragana and katakana scripts, plus an introduction to select kanji characters
- in total, over 16 hours of audio, all featuring native speakers
- a Reading Booklet
What You’ll Learn
Builds upon skills taught in Pimsleur’s Japanese Levels 1 and 2.
In the first 10 lessons, you will expand your vocabulary and increase your fluency to an even higher level. You’ll gain experience participating in many informal and some formal discussions on practical, social, and semiprofessional topics. You’ll skillfully form longer, more complex sentences, and most importantly, you’ll find yourself being understood, even by native speakers unused to dealing with foreigners. You’ll be able to join in conversations eagerly, confident of being understood.
In the next 10 lessons, your skills will demonstrate ever-increasing mastery of Japanese. Speaking with grace and complete naturalness, you’ll enjoy fluid conversations on many new subjects. Delving deeper into cultural norms and situations, you’ll find yourself responding effortlessly, and able to choose from a wide accumulation of vocabulary and structures.
In the final 10 lessons, you’re nearing fluency with agile responses, and a natural sounding, near-native accent. You’re able to utilize the language in subtle ways, and speak using past, present, and future tenses. Self-confidence soars as you no longer experience the language and culture as a foreigner, but as someone with a deepening insight into the Japanese-speaking world.
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 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 often appearing within a single sentence.
Twenty reading lessons are included in this program. In these lessons, you'll continue to practice reading hiragana and katakana, and learn to recognize and “read” some kanji characters of familiar words.
Learning the sound of each letter alone and in culturally distinct combinations allows your brain to process what you’re hearing in the audio lessons from a new and different perspective. It’s a powerful combination that makes Pimsleur different from every other method on the market.
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 Rec...
Audio CD
First published September 1, 2005
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 24, 2017
Probably the best and most fun learning method in the world :)
July 26, 2019
I've already reviewed level one and level two, and this one is basically the same.
This third level focuses a LOT more on business talk. Things like meetings, travel, organizing meeting locations, etc. Things are still pretty formal, in terms of speech, which makes sense in a business environment. This probably isn't a bad introduction to keigo, but studying on the side to learn the constructions of keigo would be super important and helpful in understanding it.
JLPT level jumps around, but is still fairly low level. Mostly N5 and N4. Like the previous two, I think they would still make for nice practicing for the listening, but also, additional shadowing or other studies would greatly benefit too!
I don't currently have the next two levels, but I've only heard good things about them. Since they're newer, they likely have more modern vocabulary as well. (This old series has a few outdated terms like "traveler's checks".) From what I've been told, the JLPT level of the next two float around most of the way through N4, and cover more informalities as well. I'd like to try and get them some time, we'll see. They aren't the cheapest, haha.
All-in-all, this has been a really nice edition to my studies and I'm happy I went through them. It got me speaking, had me thinking, and made me feel more confident and comfortable when practicing with my tutor. (Even a couple phrases from this series made an appearance when speaking with her! ;)) If you have access or ability to get these, I do recommend them.
This third level focuses a LOT more on business talk. Things like meetings, travel, organizing meeting locations, etc. Things are still pretty formal, in terms of speech, which makes sense in a business environment. This probably isn't a bad introduction to keigo, but studying on the side to learn the constructions of keigo would be super important and helpful in understanding it.
JLPT level jumps around, but is still fairly low level. Mostly N5 and N4. Like the previous two, I think they would still make for nice practicing for the listening, but also, additional shadowing or other studies would greatly benefit too!
I don't currently have the next two levels, but I've only heard good things about them. Since they're newer, they likely have more modern vocabulary as well. (This old series has a few outdated terms like "traveler's checks".) From what I've been told, the JLPT level of the next two float around most of the way through N4, and cover more informalities as well. I'd like to try and get them some time, we'll see. They aren't the cheapest, haha.
All-in-all, this has been a really nice edition to my studies and I'm happy I went through them. It got me speaking, had me thinking, and made me feel more confident and comfortable when practicing with my tutor. (Even a couple phrases from this series made an appearance when speaking with her! ;)) If you have access or ability to get these, I do recommend them.
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 - 3 of 3 reviews