Planning to Learn Japanese or any other language

Are you planning to learn Japanese but not able to convince yourself why you should learn Japanese language. Or not finding enough reasons to learn language, here I will give you few reason based on my research will motivate you to learn Japanese language.

Learning language can extend your horizon – Better Job opportunity

After learning any foreign language you can search for job opportunities not only in your country but also outside your country. In case of Japanese language there are best electronic and automotive companies present worldwide with base in Japan. To coordinate with Japan headquarter these companies prefer people speaking Japanese language.

Today Japanese corporate are opening  more offices and subsidiary companies across the world. For example recently Hitachi and Panasonic, Japan's two biggest corporations, plan to invest billion dollars in India. This move will create more job opportunities for Japanese Language Specialists and engineers.

  

Make new friends and learn the culture 

After English and Chinese, Japanese has the third largest internet user community which gives the more opportunities to connect with native language speakers online. You can make new friends and learn the culture of that county. Japanese people feel more comfortable with people can speak Japanese language. 

 

 

Japan has the long and interesting history, and knowledge of language will enable you to access the Japanese language resources to know and understand the history, philosophy, society and culture of Japan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enjoy the movies and animation of different language

With the knowledge of foreign language you can enjoy the movies and animations of that county, which others can’t.  If you love watching animation and games, Japan is the haven for you. Also you can improve you language with movies, animation and comics.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Knowing a foreign language will separate you from the crowd.

Knowledge of a foreign language will add advantage in your resume. Language will pop out on your resume and differentiate you from the crowd.

You feel like star when people gather around you and ask you to speak something in Japanese and ask how do say “how are you” in Japanese.

 

 

Last but not the least - you can do this

There is no short cut to learn language to become master of any language the simple rule is regular practice and concentration. Language can help you to achieve your dreams; can bring wealth, fame and prosperity.

 The more you practice and study you do, more you learn. You will learn this language for yourself; you are the one who will get the benefits out of it so strike it hard and start it today.

Remember continuity is the most important for any initiative, if you are starting with a bang, continue with same passion. Let me tell you something about Bruce Lee the greatest master of martial arts, he used to practice for 2-3 hr a day, no matter how busy schedule he has. This passion made him greatest master of martial arts ever.

 

No doubt Japanese is one of the difficult language to learn, but if other can learn why can’t you.

 

Receiving Call from Japanese Client

Check Points while receiving a call 「電話を受ける ー チェック　ポイント」

Below are the points one should take care while receiving the call from Japanese counterpart.

1. Answer within 3 rings

 

Why - It is not good to make client wait, so always answer the call within 3 rings.

- It is always good to answer the call within 3 rings, or else if you are answering the call after 3 rings then apologies to the caller, for answering late.

 

If you answer within 4-5 rings – Omataseitashimashita  [お待たせ致しました。]

If you answer after 5-6 rings – Taihen Omataseitashimashita [大変お待たせ致しました。]

 

2. Be cautious about  the noise of surrounding

Why - If there is a noise of loud conversation in the background it will leave the bad impression on the client. 

 

- Request the people near you to keep quiet or speak slowly, while you are on the call.

 

3. Always speak in a audible and clear voice

Why - Since caller cannot see you over the phone, your voice will leave the good or bad impression on the caller.

 

- Always speak in an audible, clear and cherish voice.

 

4. Don’t do another work while speaking over the phone

Why - You won’t be able to concentrate in conversation, might miss some important point of conversation.

 

- Don’t eat, drink and type on keyboard while speaking over the phone.

5. Always put the phone on mute while confirming something within organization

Why – There would be some confidential information you would not want to pass on to the client

- Put phone on mute while confirming something or checking information in your system.

6. Make note of conversation

Why – In case you have to convey or confirm something within the company, you can brief about the conversation with client/caller.

 

- Keep pen and paper with your phone all the time
- Always ask for the caller’s company name, name, telephone no. and purpose of call.

 

Above points can help you to leave the good impression on your Japanese clients. By taking care of these basic points you can create a good impression of your company.

For basic conversation read article電話を受ける - Receiving Call

 

JLPT Exam - Best Practice to Prepare Vocabulary

In any language vocabulary has the important role to play.  If you don’t have the sufficient vocabulary to express you view, idea and thoughts, you can’t speak that language. With the help of strong vocabulary a person can express his view, idea and opinion in more clear and expressive way. A good vocabulary leaves a good impression on listener. 

Native Japanese language speaker develop the vocabulary over the period by listening, reading and learning the surroundings. But for a non-Japanese language speaker it is difficult to develop the vocabulary level up to the level of native Japanese language speaker.

Now the question is how a non-language speaker can develop the vocabulary outside Japan. Here I am sharing few good tips to develop the vocabulary.

1. Memorize 5 words daily

2. Revise the last day words 2-3 times before starting for today’s words

3. Revise all the words you memorize in a week, 2-3 times once in a week

4. Now take a test once in a month with help of your friends or teacher, and revise all the words you memories in a month

5. Start using these words in your conversation and writing        

Memorize 5 words daily

Pick any 5 words from any vocabulary list of JLPT exam or words related to your day to day job. Read the words 2-3 times, if possible write and practice. No matter how busy you are but once you start the exercise, don’t stop the practice. After one moth you would be having 150 new words and 900 new words in six months, in your vocabulary list. Always start with the small number, don’t go for 10-20 words per day in the starting. Once you feel you are able to practice every day and you can memorize more words, than increase the number of words per day. 

My friend, who has cleared his JLPT N1, told me that he practice 5 new words every day, and he has been doing this exercise from past 4 years. You can imagine his level of vocabulary (5*30*12*4= 7200) and he is still doing this exercise.

Revise the last day words 2-3 times before starting for today’s words

Revision is most important part of this exercise. Because whatever you memorize today, you will   forget 70% of that tomorrow, but when you revise you saving these words in your permanent memory.

Revision will not take much time; with revision you making sure that are not losing any word. 

Revise all the words you memorize in a week, 2-3 times once in a week

Revision of all the words you memorize in a week will help you to saving all the words in your permanent memory. Also you feel confident and motivated with you progress. 

Now take a test once in a month with help of your friends or teacher, and revise all the words you memories in a month

By taking a test in a month you can assess how much you are able to memorize, and whether your effort are going in right direction or not. 

Start using these words in you day to conversation and writing

Using these words in your day to day conversation and writing, will help you in improving your speaking Japanese. You would be able to convey your idea, thought and opinion clearly. 

Finally when people praise your speaking Japanese, you feel more confident and motivated.

In this exercise continuity is more important, people start with a bang that they will memorize 10-20 words in day but they stop this exercise after few days. Because they set high goal, when they are not able to achieve their target, they feel demotivated. So always start with a small goal and these small goals will lead you to a bigger goal.

The above exercise is very much tried and tested by me and my friends, if you know better techniques. Please feel free to share with us.

Cushion Words (クッション言葉)

One can make the conversation soft, impressive and smart with the use of cushion words. Speaker can use cushion words for polite decline, request and something may not like by listener. With the help of these words speaker can convey the massage softly and smartly. For example if speaker want to say;

Tanaka is out of office. 田中は外出しております。

With cushion words we can make this sentence more polite;

I am sorry, but Tanaka is out office. 申し訳ございません。あいにく田中は外出しております。

With the addition of申し訳ございません。あいにくsentence become more polite and soft. It will leave the good impression on listener.

Let’s take another example;

Would you repeat it once more? もう一度繰り返してください。

Now add cushion words

I am sorry / I am afraid, but would you repeat it once more? 恐れ入りますが、もう一度繰り返してください。
恐れ入りますがhas made the request more polite.

 

Here is the list of few cushion words;

クッション言葉	Example (例文)
あいにく「ですが」、 Sorry, Unluckily, Unfortunately  あいにくではございますが、	相手が残念に思うことがあった時 When you feel disappointing for other person 例：「あいにく、田中はただいま外出しております。」 [Here you are feeling sorry for other person because, Tanaka is out of office and can’t receive the call]
申し訳ございませんが、 I beg your pardon	相手に申し訳ないと思う時 When you make excuse [apology] 例：「申し訳ございませんが、明日は別の予定が入っております。」 [Due to different engagement, you won’t be able meet the other person]
恐れ入りますが、 I am afraid	分からないことを質問する時 何かをお願いする時 When request the other person to repeat something , you don’t know or you don’t understand 例：「恐れ入りますが、本日は何時ごろまで事務所にいらっしゃいますでしょうか？」 [You want to know till what the other person available in the office, and you are afraid in asking the same from other person]
お手数ですが、 Sorry to have troubled you	相手の仕事を増やす時 When you think you action will increase the other person’s work 例：「お手数ですが、お電話頂けますでしょうか？」 [Here you want other person to call you back, and increasing his/her work]
お差し支えなければ、 If it is not inconvenient for you	自分の行動が問題ないか相手に確認する時 When you want to confirm from other person, whether listener is ok with your action. 例：「お差し支えなければ、今晩伺います。」 [Here you are asking if other person is ok, you visiting him/her this evening]
失礼ですが、 I beg your pardon	相手が名乗らない時 When you miss what other person just said. 例：「失礼ですが、お名前を伺いてもよろしいでしょうか？」 [Here you are asking for name again]
お言葉を返すようですが、 I am sorry to contradict you	目上の人に反対の意見を言う時 When you have different opinion from your senior 例：「お言葉を返すようですが、私の言った意味はちょっと違うのです。」 [Here speaker has the different meaning]

 

Practice these words and start using in you conversation with client and seniors and make your conversation more effective and smart. Please feel free to share your thought on cushion words.

Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) / 日本語能力試験

The Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) has been conducted by the Japan Foundation (国際交流基金) and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services (日本国際教育支援協会) since 1984. This test has gain the popularity among the Japanese language learner as a reliable means of evaluating and certifying the Japanese proficiency for non-native speakers. This test conducted in 238 cities in 62 countries around the word. At the beginning, in 1984 there were approximately 7,000 students appear for the test worldwide. In 2011, there were as many as 610,000 students appear for the test around the globe.

Till 2008 the test was offered once in a year, but from 2009 the test was offered twice in a year. There were 4 levels in the test (Level 1:１級, Level 2:２級, Level 3:３級, Level 4:４級). Level 1 being the advanced level and level 4 being the entry level, broadly test is divided in three sections Vocabulary / Grammar (文字・語彙・文法), Reading (読解), Listening (聴解).

In 2010 the test structure has been changed and one new level introduced in the test N5. Now the test has 5 levels, N1, N2, N3, N4, and N5. 

Today students appear for JLPT for various reasons, including admission to advanced education in Japanese universities, finding employment in Japan and overseas and testing one's own abilities.

With the increasing popularity of this exam, many institutes has come up with specialize courses for different levels.  Publishers offering range of books for all the levels, for vocabulary / grammar, reading and listening. Websites are offering free course material to download; discussion forums are available to discuss the language problems.

One can easily clear this exam with focused approach and dedication. Regular study with strategic planning can help the students to clear all the levels easily.

 

JLPT sample questions (日本語能力試験の問題例)

Try sample questions*

JLPT N1: http://www.jlpt.jp/e/samples/n1.html
JLPT N2: http://www.jlpt.jp/e/samples/n2.html
JLPT N3: http://www.jlpt.jp/e/samples/n3.html
JLPT N4: http://www.jlpt.jp/e/samples/n4.html
JLPT N5: http://www.jlpt.jp/e/samples/n5.html

 

Download sample questions*

 

Level	Language Knowledge (言語知識) -Vocabulary / Grammar（文字・語彙・文法）・Listening (読解)			Listening 聴解
	Vocabulary / Grammar 文字・語彙	Grammar 文法	Reading 読解
N1	Click here	Click here	Click here	Click here
N2	Click here	Click here	Click here	Click here

 

Level	Language Knowledge 言語知識	Language Knowledge (言語知識)（文法）・読解		Listening 聴解
	Vocabulary（文字・語彙）	Grammar 文法	Reading 読解
N3	Click here	Click here	Click here	Click here
N4	Click here	Click here	Click here	Click here
N5	Click here	Click here	Click here	Click here

 

For more details please visit The Official Worldwide JLPT - Japanese Language Proficiency Test Website operated by the Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services.

 

 

* Source: JLPT website

Japanese online radio – a good option to improve Japanese!!!

JLPT listening practice (日本語能力試験聴解)

Students in countries other than Japan always complaint about listening practice. But listening Japanese online radio can help you to solve your listing problem. Tune in to online radio and listen high quality Japanese audio and learn new words, expressions, phrases. This will improve your listening and help you in your JLPT exams as well.  In the starting you will find radio boring and irritating, because you will not be able to catch the words and sentences. But once you start practicing and your ears become use to of Japanese accent you will start enjoying the radio conversation and music. Listening online radio is a very good option to improve your Japanese.

Japanese educational radio link;

http://www.live365.com/genres/japanese

Other online Japanese radio links;

http://tunein.com/search/?id=g151&page=true&filter=!p
http://streema.com/radios/country/Japan
http://www.surfmusic.de/country/japan.html

電話を受ける - Receiving Call

ABC株式会社営業課の事務所で田中さんがXYZ株式会社の渡辺課長からの電話を受けている。

 

 

 

田中 　：   「はい、ABC株式会社営業課、田中でございます。」
                    「ビジネス電話では「もしもし」は使わないからです。」
渡辺課長：「XYZ株式会社の渡辺と申します。
                       いつもお世話になっております。」

田中　　：「こちらこそ、いつもお世話になっております。」
渡辺課長：「山本課長をお願い致します。」
田中　　：「申し訳ございません。あいにく山本は外出しております。」
渡辺課長：「そうですか。本日は何時くらいに戻られますか。」
田中　　：「本日は午後４時に戻る予定となっております。」
渡辺課長：「分かりました。では、「戻られましたら、折り返しお電話を頂きたい」　　　　　　                       とお伝え下さい。」
田中　　：「かしこまりました。
 　　              XYZ株式会社の渡辺様でございます。
 　　              念のため、お電話番号をお願い致します。」
渡辺課長：「０３－４３２１－１２３４です。」
田中　　：「復唱させて頂きます。０３－４３２１－１２３４でよろしいでしょうか？」
渡辺課長：「はい、そうです。」
田中　　：「山本が戻りましたら、渡辺様にお電話するよう伝えます。
 　　              恐れいりますが、本日は何時ごろまで
 　　             そしらにいらっしゃいますでしょうか？」
渡辺課長：「６時ごろまではおります。」
田中　　：「午後６時ごろまででございます。かしこまりました。
 　　             私、営業課の田中が承りました。」
渡辺課長：「では、よろしくお願いします。失礼致します。」
田中　：    「失礼致します。」

 

電話を受けるキーポイント

１．受信時は３コール以内で受話器を取る。
２．あなたの声で会社の第一印象がきまります。不思議な声、聞き取りにくい話し方はよくないです。
３．いつもメモをとります。
４．確認のため必ず復唱します。
５．社内で確認するときも、周りの人に何か尋ねるときも、保留にしてから声を出す。
６．長く保留にしないほうがい。
７．電話はやさしく切る。

 

Mr. Tanaka from sales department of ABC Company has receive the call from Mr. Watanabe from XYZ Company.

Tanaka: [Sales department of ABC Company, Tanaka speaking]
               In business call never start with “Moshi Moshi”.
Watanabe (Department Head): [I am Watanabe from XYZ Company, thank you for your  help/support]
Tanaka: [My pleasure, thank you for your help/support]
Watanabe (Department Head): [Could I speak to Mr. Yamamoto]
Tanaka: [I am sorry, but Yamamoto is out of office]
               For own company employee don’t use “San” or “Mr.”
Watanabe (Department Head): [It is so, what time he will return to office today]
Tanaka: [Today he will return at 4 PM]
Watanabe (Department Head): [All right, then, could you please convey him to call me back once he return to office]
Tanaka: [Sure, You are Mr. Watanabe from XYZ Company. Please tell me your phone no.]
               Always ask for contact no. before finishing the call.
Watanabe (Department Head): [03-4321-1234]
Tanaka: [I will confirm 03-4321-1234, is it correct]
               Always repeat to confirm, whether you note the no. correct.
Watanabe (Department Head): [Yes it is]
Tanaka: [I will convey to Yamamoto to call Mr. Watanabe when he will return.
                I am afraid till what time you will be available in the office.]
                It is good to ask till what time you call make call to the other person.
Watanabe (Department Head): [I will be available in office till 6 PM]
Tanaka: [All right, you will be available in till 6 PM.
                 I am Tanaka from Sales department]
                Tell your name before finishing the call so that client is aware with whom he was  interacting.
Watanabe (Department Head): [Well, thank you for your kindness, pardon me for keeping the phone]
Tanaka: [pardon me for keeping the phone]

 

Key Points when receiving call

1. Answer the call within 3 rings
2. Your tone is the first impression of the company on client, it is not good to use strange accent and difficult to hear tone.
3. Take memo of Client’s Name, Company Name, Department, Contact no. etc.
4. Always repeat to confirm
5. Put the phone on mute while confirming something within the company.
6. It is not good to put the client on hold for long time, if it is taking more than 30 seconds tell client to wait for more time. If it is taking more than 1 minute, inform client about the delay and ask client if it is ok to call back from you side.
7. Keep the phone after the clients, and without making any noise.

  

Read Japanese newspaper for Kids to improve your vocabulary!!

Reading Japanese newspaper for kids is not a bad idea. Most of us start reading books, newspapers, magazines written for adults who are above JLPT N1. Reading and understating articles in these books, newspapers are next to impossible for students preparing for JLPT exam. This exercise demotivates many students, and they start doubting their preparation. 

If our Japanese reading level is the same as Japanese kids, why not study like them? There are special newspapers for kids in Japan, and we can read these newspapers online out side Japan. Reading newspapers can help in increasing vocabulary, kanji identification and understanding grammar patterns. When we read our text books, we limit our self to same set of vocabulary, kanji and    grammar patterns, but reading these newspapers can help you understand language in much easier way. 

Starting with a single article is a good way to start the habit of reading newspaper. 

•   Read the article slowly without any help
•   Make a note of new and unknown words
•   Make a note of new and unknown kanji
•   Lookup these words and kanji in dictionary 
•   Again read the article 2-3 times
•   Save this article and word list with you and read whenever you get time 

Don’t rush to finish the article, you are doing this exercise for yourself take your time understand the meaning of words. Understanding the article is more important than finishing the article. Repeating this exercise will help you to build a strong vocabulary and kanji. You can understand the context of words and grammar patterns.

Initially, this exercise looks boring, sad and very hard to continue. But believe me or not once you start this exercise and read good quality articles it will boost you confidence level. You will see an improvement in your vocabulary, kanji recognition. Not only that this exercised will prepare you for your future jobs as well, when you start your career you need to read lots of official, unofficial Japanese documents which look familiar to you after this exercise.  

Some useful links:

• http://www.asagaku.com/article.html

• http://mainichi.jp/life/edu/maishou/index.html

• http://yomoyomo.jp/index.php

• http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/kyoiku/children/