JAPANESE COURSES

THE JAPANESE LANGUAGE: GATEWAY TO YOUR FUTURE

Japanese, known as "Nihongo" in its native form, is a language that stands out as a fascinating anomaly in East Asia. It belongs to the Japonic language family (often treated as a language isolate), a classification that sets it apart from the Indo-European languages dominating much of the world.

Japanese is primarily spoken in Japan, where it is the official language, and by diaspora communities in countries such as Brazil and the United States, as well as elsewhere worldwide. With approximately 125 million speakers, Japanese is one of the world’s major languages.

Unlike its regional neighbors, Japanese is not mutually intelligible with Chinese or Korean due to deep historical divergences, despite long-standing contact.

Japanese’s distinctive features can be found in its Vocabulary, Grammar and Pronunciation: an agglutinative structure with particles and honorifics (keigo), a pitch-accent system, and a mixed writing system combining kanji with the syllabaries hiragana and katakana. It has evolved independently while incorporating significant influences from Chinese (Sino-Japanese vocabulary) and later borrowings from Portuguese, Dutch, English, and other languages.

Japanese is deeply tied to the Culture and History of Japan, helping to preserve the nation’s identity through periods of transformation and upheaval. Of particular note is its rich literature, from classics like The Tale of Genji and haiku poetry to modern authors such as Natsume Sōseki and Haruki Murakami; notably, Yasunari Kawabata and Kenzaburō Ōe were awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.

NATURAL METHOD TO LEARN JAPANESE

Our language courses are based on the Natural Method, also known as the Natural Approach, developed by linguist Stephen Krashen and language educator Tracy Terrell. This approach focuses on creating an environment that mimics how individuals naturally acquire their first language, emphasizing comprehension, communication, and a stress-free learning experience.

While other language courses rely on rote memorization and drills, a heavy academic approach to grammar, repetitive exercises, expensive and time-consuming formal tutoring sessions or ineffective and shallow phone apps, we will have you gradually build your language skills like a child learning his/her mother tongue.

There are essentially 5 Core Principles in the Natural Method:

1. Comprehensible Input (i+1)
   Learners acquire a language when they are exposed to materials slightly beyond their current level of understanding (represented as i+1). By hearing or reading content they mostly understand, learners can gradually internalize new vocabulary and grammar structures.

2. Focus on Communication
   The Natural Method prioritizes fluency and the ability to communicate over grammatical perfection. Errors are seen as a natural part of the learning process and are not heavily penalised, reducing anxiety and encouraging learners to express themselves.

3. Emotional Element
   Emotional factors like anxiety, motivation and enjoyment greatly influence language acquisition. When learners are in a relaxed state, achieved by removing the anxiety linked to the pressure to produce perfect grammar, it is easier for them to get through the initial phase which is arguably the hardest and where most give up. It is also proven to be easier for the brain to absorb and retain new information if the learner is actually interested in the language and its underlying culture, which is why he have included extensive cultural insights, historical and modern pop culture elements in our language course.

4. Stages of Language Acquisition
   Scholars have identified the following stages in the language acquisition process of young children:

   • Pre-production: The "silent period," where learners focus on listening and understanding without speaking.

   • Early Production: Learners begin using simple words and phrases.

   • Speech Emergence: Learners can construct longer sentences and express ideas more freely.

   • Intermediate Fluency: Learners develop more complex language skills and can engage in meaningful conversations.

   • Advanced Fluency: Learners achieve near-native proficiency.

     The goal of our courses is thus to mimic the natural language acquisition process without overwhelming the learner with long and tedious lessons but ensuring gradual gains so that he/she remains committed to his/her fluency goal. 

5. Meaningful Interaction
   Instead of rote memorization of single words and grammar rules over and over, the Natural Method encourages activities that involve real-world communication to help retain information. This is why we have included storytelling and role-playing scenarios that simulate everyday situations, with exercises that allow the learner to understand his/her current level and thus improve upon specific elements.

EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE

If you are serious about learning Japanese, we recommend that you download the Complete Japanese Master Course.

You will receive all the information available on the website in a convenient portable digital format as well as additional contents: over 15.000 Vocabulary Words and Useful Phrases, in-depth explanations and exercises for all Grammar Rules, exclusive articles with Cultural Insights that you won't in any other textbook so you can amaze your Japanese friends thanks to your knowledge of their country and history.

With a one-time purchase you will also get over 10 hours of Podcasts to Practice your Japanese listening skills as well as Dialogues with Exercises to achieve your own Japanese Master Certificate. Start speaking Japanese today!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The top 5 reasons to learn the Japanese language are:

It's Fun! Join a Unique Club
Japanese is a fascinating and unique language that challenges learners with its three-script writing system (hiragana, katakana, and kanji), pitch accent, and rich honorifics (keigo). Unlike Indo-European languages, it offers a fresh way of thinking about grammar, politeness, and context—making the learning process both exciting and rewarding. Japanese is spoken by over 120 million people, and relatively few non-native learners reach advanced levels, so mastering it feels like joining an exclusive club.

Gain a Deeper Understanding of Japanese History and Culture
Learning Japanese opens a window onto a deep and complex cultural heritage—from the Heian court and samurai era to the Meiji Restoration and contemporary design, film, and technology. You’ll connect more directly with Shintō and Buddhist traditions, classical poetry and theater (haiku, tanka, Noh, Kabuki), and modern pop culture (manga, anime, video games), experiencing Japan’s history and arts without relying on translations.

Japanese People Appreciate When You Speak Their Language
Japanese speakers take pride in their language, which is central to identity and social harmony. Even a few words can transform interactions: “Konnichiwa” (Hello), “Arigatō gozaimasu” (Thank you), “Sumimasen” (Excuse me), and “Onegai shimasu” (Please) go a long way. Showing effort earns warmth, patience, and often deeper connections in everyday life, travel, and work.

Business Opportunities in a High-Tech Powerhouse
Japan is a global leader in advanced manufacturing, robotics, automotive, electronics, and precision engineering, with growing fronts in green tech, biotech, and hospitality. Knowing Japanese helps you build trust, navigate meetings and contracts, understand nuance in emails and proposals, and access opportunities across the Asia-Pacific supply chain. It’s a tangible edge for partnerships, market entry, career growth, and research collaborations.

Visit Japan for an Unforgettable Experience
Japan offers striking contrasts—neon cityscapes and quiet shrines, alpine trails and subtropical beaches, ryokan inns and cutting-edge architecture. Soak in onsen hot springs, ride shinkansen bullet trains, savor regional cuisines, and time your trip for cherry blossoms (sakura) or autumn leaves (kōyō). From Tokyo and Kyoto to Hokkaidō, Okinawa, and the Seto Inland Sea, you’ll find options for every budget and interests, making each journey memorable.

Why learn Japanese?

How difficult is Japanese?

The Foreign Service Institute (FSI) of the United States Department of State classifies Japanese as a Category V “super-hard” language, meaning it is among the most challenging languages for native English speakers to learn.

Several factors contribute to the difficulty of learning Japanese for English speakers:

Unfamiliar Vocabulary — While modern Japanese contains many English loanwords (gairaigo), the core everyday lexicon shares few cognates with English. For example:
Tomodachi (friend) — no resemblance to “friend” in English
Doyōbi (Saturday) — looks completely different from other European equivalents
Kyō (today) — again, no direct link to familiar words

Complex Writing System with Three Scripts — Japanese uses hiragana, katakana, and thousands of kanji. Kanji often have multiple readings (on’yomi and kun’yomi), so learners must acquire both characters and context-dependent pronunciations.

Politeness Levels and Honorifics — Beyond a simple formal/informal split, Japanese distinguishes plain, polite (-masu/-desu), honorific (sonkeigo), and humble (kenjōgo) speech. Choosing the right level is essential in everyday interaction.

Agglutination and Conjugation — Verbs and adjectives build meaning by stacking endings for tense, polarity, aspect, mood, and politeness (e.g., the te-form with auxiliaries). This agglutinative structure can create long, information-dense predicates.

Pitch Accent and Pronunciation — Meaning can change with pitch patterns and length: hashi (bridge) vs hashi (chopsticks), kite (come [and…]) vs kitte (postage stamp), ojisan (uncle) vs ojiisan (grandfather). Mastery of pitch accent and vowel/consonant length takes focused listening.

Counters and Numbers — Nouns pair with specific counters (hon, mai, nin, dai, satsu, hiki, etc.), adding an extra layer to expressing quantities naturally.

Our Japanese language course is designed to maximize your learning efficiency, helping you achieve conversational fluency in just 30 days. Instead of overwhelming you with complex grammar all at once, our method builds skills gradually—so you can speak, understand, and engage in real-life conversations from day one.

Why can't I improve in Japanese?

One of the biggest obstacles to learning Japanese isn’t necessarily the grammar—it’s the jump between beginner-friendly materials and authentic, real-world content. Many learners stall after mastering hiragana/katakana and basic grammar because the next steps often feel either too fragmented or too advanced: kanji acquisition is daunting, pitch accent and politeness levels (keigo) add complexity, and “intermediate” resources vary wildly in difficulty. Paradoxically, while there are countless books, apps, and videos, they don’t always form a clear, graded pathway from zero to fluency. Global pop culture—anime, manga, J-pop, and games—has created huge international interest, but it can give the impression that comprehension will come quickly; in practice, native media ramps up fast, and learners need carefully scaffolded content to bridge the gap.

Another challenge is immersion. Japanese is primarily used in Japan, with diaspora communities in places like Brazil and the United States that, while significant, are small compared to major world languages. Unlike Spanish or French, which have millions of speakers across multiple continents, it can be harder to find everyday practice partners and consistent real-world exposure outside Japan.

We recognize that the lack of cohesive, step-by-step pathways is a major barrier for Japanese learners, and our goal is to close that gap with structured materials that carry you beyond the beginner plateau. If you have suggestions for future lessons or articles, feel free to write to pr@japanese-institute.eu — we’d love to hear from you and tailor our content to your learning needs!

Is Japanese similar to other languages?

Japanese belongs to the Japonic language family, which includes Japanese and the Ryukyuan languages (such as Okinawan, Amami, Miyako, Yaeyama, and Yonaguni). Unlike Indo-European languages (e.g., English, French, Spanish), Japanese has a completely different linguistic ancestry. Within East Asia, it is distinct from neighboring Sinitic (Chinese) and Koreanic languages; its deeper genetic relationships remain debated. This makes Japanese a major non-Indo-European language with its own long, independent development.

Although Japanese retains its Japonic core, centuries of contact with other cultures have introduced a significant number of loanwords into its vocabulary. Japanese has borrowed from:

Chinese (Classical Chinese and later Mandarin) – Through writing, Buddhism, scholarship, and statecraft; Sino-Japanese (kango) forms make up a large portion of the lexicon.

Gakkō (school) – from Chinese 學校
Seiji (politics) – from Chinese 政治
Bunka (culture) – from Chinese 文化

English – Especially since the late 19th century and post-WWII, for technology, business, sports, and pop culture.

Konpyūtā (computer) – from English computer
Sararīman (salaryman) – from English salaryman
Intānetto (internet) – from English internet

Portuguese – First sustained European contact in the 16th century introduced everyday items and foods.

Pan (bread) – from Portuguese pão
Botan (button) – from Portuguese botão
Tabako (tobacco) – from Portuguese tabaco

Dutch – The Edo-period “rangaku” (Dutch learning) era contributed many science and daily-life terms.

Garasu (glass) – from Dutch glas
Randoseru (school backpack) – from Dutch ransel
Bīru (beer) – from Dutch bier

German – Meiji-era and later influence in medicine, science, and academia.

Arubaito (part-time job) – from German Arbeit
Karute (medical chart) – from German Karte
Gerende (ski slope) – from German Gelände

French – Especially in cuisine, fashion, and the arts.

Ōdoburu (hors d’oeuvre) – from French hors d’œuvre
Kurépu (crêpe) – from French crêpe
Bisutoro (bistro) – from French bistro

How to become fluent in Japanese?

These are 5 proven methods that we have developed as language learners (not only as teachers!) that will help you achieve complete mastery of any language:

• 1. Immerse Yourself Completely

  • Surround Yourself: Change the language of your phone, computer, tv, console, news sources, radio stations, song playlists and streaming apps to the language you want to learn.

  • Engaging Content: Listen to native music, watch original movies, learn about the culture and history of the country on Youtube. This will help you stay motivated and reduce the initial frustration.

  • Make Mistakes: Travel to the country where the language is spoken and don't be afraid to engage with the locals. People will be amazed at your efforts to learn their language.

  2. Focus on the Most Useful Words and Phrases

  • Study Efficiency: Learn the top 2,000 words in the language, as they often cover 80-90% of everyday conversations. Learning takes time but that doesn't mean it has to take very long to see results.

  • Real Conversations: Start by practising with common phrases you'll actually use in real-life situations, like greetings, ordering food, asking for directions, etc.

  3. Use Memorization Techniques 

  • Spaced Repetition: Our Courses are based on spaced spaced repetition systems (SRS) to help you memorize words and grammar in the long term and with miminal effort by showing them to you in progression.

  • Mnemonic Devices: trick your brain and speed up the learning process by trying to think of an example or "story" for each new word / expression you struggle to remember.

  4. Learn the Language based on the Context

  • Practice Makes Perfect: Remember that your grammar doesn't have to be perfect as long as you can be understood! There is no shame in using simple phrases to get you point across.

  • Shadowing Technique: Repeat in your head after native speakers in real-time while listening or watching videos with original subtitles to improve your comprehension. 

  5. Consistency is Everything

  • Daily Practice: Even just 30 minutes a day is more effective than sporadic, long day study sessions. Take breaks often when reading and always have fun to increase productivity.

  • Compound Results: Small, achievable goals like reading 5 pages daily, or even just watching a movie or playing a videogame every evening produce results over time if you don't see them immediately.

EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE

If you are serious about learning Japanese, we recommend that you download the Complete Japanese Master Course.

You will receive all the information available on the website in a convenient portable digital format as well as additional contents: over 15.000 Vocabulary Words and Useful Phrases, in-depth explanations and exercises for all Grammar Rules, exclusive articles with Cultural Insights that you won't in any other textbook so you can amaze your Japanese friends thanks to your knowledge of their country and history.

With a one-time purchase you will also get over 10 hours of Podcasts to Practice your Japanese listening skills as well as Dialogues with Exercises to achieve your own Japanese Master Certificate. Start speaking Japanese today!