"Demystified" makes learning Japanese a no-brainer! "Demystified Japanese" provides you with a friendly, non-intimidating method that takes the confusion out of learning the language, walking you step by step through the fundamentals and moving on to more advanced topics. Each chapter concludes with a self-test that allows you to track your progress, and a comprehensive final exam at the end of the book gives you instant feedback on new language skills.

About the Author

Eriko Sato, Ph.D., is the executive director of the Japan Center and the founding director of the Pre-College Japanese Language Program at The University of New York at Stony Brook. She is the author of Contemporary Japanese and Japanese For Dummies.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments Introduction PART 1 IDENTIFYING PEOPLE AND THINGS Chapter 1 Pronouncing and Writing Japanese Words Basic Japanese Sounds and Romaji The Japanese Writing Systems Familiar Japanese Words Chapter 2 Identifying People and Things Referring to People Identifying People and Things Using Demonstratives Using Everyday Phrases Chapter 3 Asking Questions The Question Particle ' ka Asking Who is it? Asking What is it? Asking Where is it? The Japanese-Speaking World Chapter 4 Describing People and Things Some Useful Adjectives Asking How is it? Creating a Modifier Using a Noun and the Particle ' no Using Numbers 1-10 Chapter 5 Expressing Existence and Location The Verbs " imasu and " arimasu Expressing What Exists Expressing What You Have Expressing the Location of People and Things Using Numbers 11-99 TEST AFTER PART 1 PART 2 TALKING ABOUT ACTIONS Chapter 6 Expressing Coming and Going Japanese Verb Forms Verbs of Coming and Going Making Suggestions and Invitations Some Useful Particles Using Numbers 100-99,999 Chapter 7 Expressing What You Do Verb Conjugation Verbs of Activities Verbs of Giving and Receiving Colors More About Using Numbers Chapter 8 Talking About the Past The Past Tense Forms in the Polite Style Indefinite Pronouns and Negative Pronouns Some Useful Particles Talking about Experiences Describing People and Things More Specifically Some Absolute Time Expressions Chapter 9 Using the Te-Form Te-Form Listing Actions and Properties Using the Te-form Requesting with Te-form + " kudasai Giving Directions Te-Form + " iru Chapter 10 Asking for Permission Permission and Prohibition Obligation and Discretion Permissibility and Minimal Requirement Potential and Ability Sports and Hobbies TEST AFTER PART 2 PART 3 STATING FACTS Chapter 11 Stating Your Opinions The Plain Forms of Verbs and Adjectives Embedded Sentences Embedded Questions Expressing "Or" Some Useful Modals Asking Why Chapter 12 Creating Adverbs and Adverbial Clauses Adverbs Derived from Adjectives Mimetic Words Adverbials for Time Adverbials for Reasons and Causes Adverbials for Contrast or Contradiction Adverbials for Purposes Adverbials for Manner Chapter 13 Comparing People and Things Comparing Two Items Making Superlative Comparisons Chapter 14 Creating Complex Phrases and Clauses Auxiliary Verbs and Adjectives that Follow the Stem Form Creating Complex Modifiers Creating Sentence-Like Noun Modifiers Chapter 15 Indicating Changes Using the Verbs"Suru and "Naru to Indicate Change Some Useful Particles Things You Wear TEST AFTER PART 3 PART 4 EXPRESSING IMPLICATION, ATTITUDE, AND PERSPECTIVE Chapter 16 Expressing Implication Transitive and Intransitive Verbs Auxiliary Verbs that Follow the Te-form Expressing One's Desire Listing Actions and Properties Chapter 17 Expressing Attitude More Useful Modals Useful Pragmatic Particles Expressing Free Choice Plants and Animals Chapter 18 Considering and Planning Your Actions Commands Using the Volitional Form Conditionals More Terms for Occupations and Professions Chapter 19 Changing the Perspective Passive Constructions Causative Constructions Causative-Passive Constructions Loanwords Chapter 20 Using Honorifics Japanese Honorifics Honorific and Humble Verb Forms Honorific/Polite Noun Forms Honorific/Polite Adjective Forms Honorific/Polite Question Words TEST AFTER PART 4 FINAL EXAM Appendix A: Sentence Predicates in Japanese Appendix B: Verb Forms Japanese-English Glossary English-Japanese Glossary Answer Key Index