Japanese for dummies

Japanese is a wonderful language, very different from European languages. It is also the gateway to the rich culture of the exciting and complex island nation of Japan. Some people get intimidated by the prospect of speaking Japanese-worried that it's just too complex and different-but these fears are unfounded. While you can devote a lifetime to the study of this or any language, picking up the basics of Japanese doesn't require any more than an interest and a willingness to try something new. Japanese For Dummies has everything you need to get off the ground with speaking the langua.

Includes index.

Japanese For Dummies®, 2nd Edition; Contents at a Glance; Table of Contents; Introduction; About This Book; Conventions Used in This Book; What You're Not to Read; Foolish Assumptions; How This Book Is Organized; Icons Used in This Book; Where to Go from Here; Part I: Getting Started; Chapter 1: Japanese in a Nutshell; Discovering Basic Japanese Sounds and Script; Getting a Grip on Basic Grammar; Easing into Common Expressions; Counting on Numbers; Speaking Japanese around the House; Using Japanese in Social Scenarios; Tackling Travel-Related Topics.

Chapter 2: Checking Out the Japanese Sounds and ScriptsPronouncing Basic Japanese Sounds; Sounding Fluent; Introducing the Japanese Scripts; Chapter 3: Warming Up with Japanese Grammar Basics; Using Appropriate Speech Styles; Forming Sentences; Asking Questions; Getting a Handle on Pronouns; Working with Verbs; Introducing the Verb Desu, to Be; Describing People and Things with Adjectives; Using Adverbs to Describe Your Actions; Expressing Moods and Attitudes; Chapter 4: Starting with Simple Expressions; Beginning (And Ending) Conversations; Making Introductions.

Finding Out About Your New FriendExpressing Gratitude and Regret; Spea…