My wife is searching for a textbook suitable for a beginner’s course (students, 2 x 1,5h per week). Any recommendations (pros & cons)?

So far she worked with “Japanisch im Sauseschritt“ (Japanese for busy people). Well, simply because it is used quite often in Germany. Another book which is often used is Okamoto Shinichi‘s „Grundkenntnisse Japanisch“.

I guess here in Germany also any English textbook could be used as well.

It’s one thing checking out a book in a library and another having actually learned the language with the book. Therefore it would be very helpful if you could share your experiences with the textbooks you have used in classes (Japanese for busy people, Genki, Minna no Nihongo, …).


And yes, I know, classes suck – but we need the money.

Matthias Wrote:And yes, I know, classes suck – but we need the money.

Classes don't suck, they can be quite useful and fun. There are several ways to learn a subject, even if some internet gurus claim otherwise.

Good luck!

Classes can be efficient and fun if you have a decent teacher and a good book.

Well, do you know any systematic and interesting books for beginners?

We use Genki at our Uni and even though it's way below my current Japanese level I must say that it's a really good textbook. I really recommend using it together with the workbook

We used みんなの日本語 and it seemed decent enough, but that's the only beginner textbook i've ever used so i can't really judge.

Thanks for your recommendations! There are probably not so many good beginner books around. And if you have only used one it is indeed difficult to judge.

I like the videos for Genki - much better than simple tape.

My wife though is unsure whether the English in Genki might be a problem in a none English class (well for her).

Matthias Wrote:So far she worked with “Japanisch im Sauseschritt“ (Japanese for busy people). Well, simply because it is used quite often in Germany. Another book which is often used is Okamoto Shinichi‘s „Grundkenntnisse Japanisch“.

If one's serious about language learning the German title of the first book has to give you a clue already of how serious this book is about language learning - not at all. Okamoto Shinichi's book(s) are really good and I should have bought them earlier. "Japanisch im Sauseschritt" is damn expensive crap, even the kanji version, and basically nothing compared to "Grundkenntnisse Japanisch" or Genki, which I really liked, since there is a book following up and covering Intermediate/Advanced after the 2nd book.
Really, anyone who's serious about Japanese learning will chose an English textbook. But for god's sake.. not a German one, really.

Edit: Your wife should rather use these classes to do things students cannot do/learn on their own, namely communicating and doing lots of group tasks. Naturally, I know, for a beginner's course that's difficult, but the point of a course in Japanese is the one that I come to talk to Japanese directly, face-to-face, which is another feeling you might experience in Skype, whatsoever. Students should learn vocabulary and so on on their at home and get corrected by the teacher. Just my 2 cents.