Japanese Language Program
Course Descriptions

Just Getting Started (Pre 101-1)
Students learn:

  • Basic expressions for:

    • Greetings

    • Self-introduction

    • Communicating with front desk clerks at hotels

    • Communicating with salesclerks

    • Communicating with taxi drivers, bus drivers, etc.

    • Buying over-the-counter medication

101-1 | Japanese for Busy People Vol 1 (4th Ed.) | Lessons 1-3
Students learn:

  • Japanese Phonetic Symbols: Master the basics of Hiragana

  • Greeting and Self-Introduction Expressions: Acquire common expressions for greetings and self-introductions

  • Numbers 1 through 10: Learn numbers from 1 to 10

  • Demonstrative and Interrogative Pronouns: Understand demonstrative pronouns and interrogative pronouns (who, whose, what, what time, how much)

Goals:

  • Achieve proficiency in recognizing and using Hiragana

  • Gain insight into Japanese culture

  • Comprehend the distinctions between Japanese and English syntax

101-2 | Japanese for Busy People Vol 1 (4th Ed.) | Lessons 4-7
Students learn:

  • Japanese Loan Words: Learn Katakana symbols used for loan words

  • Large Numbers: Understand numbers greater than 10

  • Counters: Familiarize yourself with counters for solid items, floppy items, and rod-like or cylindrical items

  • Interrogative Pronouns: Grasp interrogative pronouns such as "how much," "where," "when," and "with whom"

  • Verbs of Movement: Learn verbs for "go," "come," and "return"

  • Vocabulary for Destinations: Expand your vocabulary related to destinations

  • Particles に: Understand the use of the particle に for direction and time reference

  • Japanese Currency: Familiarize yourself with Japanese currency

  • Days of the Week and Month: Learn the days of the week and days of the month

Goals:

  • Able to recognize Katakana symbols proficiently

  • Can identify and understand vocabulary related to transportation and destinations

  • Capable of communicating effectively with salesclerks

  • Can recognize and understand the prices of merchandise

  • Destination Arrival Inquiries

102 | Japanese for Busy People Vol 1 (4th Ed.) | Lessons 8-11
Students learn:

  • A variety of verbs and their conjugations (affirmative, negative, present, and past tense)

  • Two types of adjectives and conjugations (i-adjective and na-adjective)

  • The time reference words and means of transportation

  • The interrogative pronouns (where, with whom, when)

  • Counter for people

Goals:

  • Can talk about daily activities

  • Can talk about activities that one is frequently engaged in

  • Can talk about the plan on weekends

  • Can ask and answer the time, days, or dates for a meeting or a business appointment

  • Can express impressions about experiences

  • Can place an order at Izakaya (Japanese-style bar)

201 | Minna no Nihongo Vol 1 | Chapters 12, 13, 16
Students who have finished Minna no Nihongo Vol. 1 or at the equivalent level learn:

  • Comparatives

  • Superlatives

  • Temporal Clause: Te Form + から　after doing

  • Te Form for adjectives

  • …は~が　Construction （が for specifier）

    • …が　ほしい

    • …が　すき

    • verb masu form stem + たいです

202 | Minna no Nihongo Vol 1 | Chapters 20-22
Students who have finished Minna no Nihongo Vol. 1 Chapter 19 or at the equivalent level learn:

  • Plain negative Form

  • Dictionary forms

  • Ta-form for past tense

  • Grammar Patterns for:

    • Expressing obligations 　　…なければ　なりません

    • Expressing no obligations　…なくてもいいです

    • Describing someone’s abilities　…ことができます

    • Describing something happens before…　　…まえに

    • Describing experiences …ことが　あります

    • Describing changes　I-adjective stem＋くなります／Na-adjective＋になります

Goals:

  • Can talk about duties and responsibilities

  • Can talk about hobbies and interests

  • Can talk about experiences and weekend activities

204 | Minna no Nihongo Vol 1 | Chapters 23-25
Students who have finished Minna no Nihongo Vol. 1 Chapter 22 or at the equivalent level learn:

  • Temporal clause   とき

  • Giving and Receiving benefits

    • ～てあげる

    • ～てもらう

    • ～てくれる

  • Conditional Form　　たら　＆　と

  • Expressing to present contrasting conditions  ～ても

303 | Minna no Nihongo Vol 2 | Chapters 32-34
Students who have finished Minna no Nihongo #2 Chapters 29-31 or at the equivalent level learn:

  • Giving advice　Ta-Formほうがいい　　Negative Plain Formほうがいい

  • Speculation　でしょう　だろう　かもしれない

  • Imperative Forms

  • Expressing “the same way as~” …とおりに

  • Expressing ”without doing…”　…ないで

  • Compare and Contrast 　…てから and …たあとで

Goals:

  • Can offer advice or make a strong suggestion

  • Can understand the expression used in the weather forecast

  • Can express one’s speculation appropriately according to the level of uncertainty

  • Can use the appropriate imperative form according to various circumstances

  • Can give instruction with various grammar patterns

  • Can explain information in a chronological order

Intermediate 6 | Marugoto Intermediate-1 | Topic 6: Let’s Read Manga

  • Can understand the content of someone’s talking about a manga and make a comment in simple terms

  • Can talk about a story of manga

  • Can read and understand the contents of the posts on SNS

  • Can write comments about the posts on SNS