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)

103 | Japanese for Busy People Vol 1 (4th Ed.) | Lessons 12-16
Students learn:

  • The verbs for giving and receiving

  • Describing locations of things and people

  • Words for positions, things near a station, office supplies, etc.

  • The expressions for:

    • Inviting someone

    • Making suggestions

    • Offering to help someone

203 | 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:

  • Suffixes for casual speech

  • Verbs

  • I-adjectives

  • Na-adjectives

  • Nouns

  • Embedding a quote in a statement. …と思います、…と言っていました。

  • Modifying a noun by a relative clauses

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

Intermediate 8 | Marugoto Intermediate-1 | Topic 8: Convenient Gadgets

  • Can listen and understand comments about handy tools and electronic devices

  • Can describe the details and features of the handy tools and electronic devices that you are looking for

  • Can read articles about handy tools and new electronic devices from magazines, internet, social media posts, etc.

  • Can post a request for the item you want to buy on a buy-and-sell website