Japanese Beginner 1

If you have little or no previous knowledge of Japanese, this is the right level for you. Start by learning the Japanese sound system and its pronunciation. You learn basic structure and vocabulary that allow you to function in everyday settings such as greetings, introducing yourself, sharing information about yourself and asking simple questions of those around you. You begin to understand foundational language structures including verb forms and their uses. Native-speaking instructors provide you with insight into the culture, traditions and etiquette of Japan. One of the Japanese writing systems, Hiragana, is introduced at this level.

Course outline

This is not a prescriptive list. Exact course outlines are determined by the instructor to best meet the needs of the class. This is meant to serve as a guideline and suggest what may be covered at this level. It is often necessary to repeat levels in order to become completely comfortable with the skills at each stage with a different teacher and style.

Course objectives

In this course you will learn the structure and vocabulary to function in everyday situations such as exchanging basic information about yourself and others, describing daily activities, ordering food in a restaurant, and describing your likes and dislikes.

Course content

• Sound system and pronunciation
• Greetings and daily expressions
• Introducing oneself: name, occupation, hobby, nationality, etc.
• Sharing the names of things and describing ownership
• Telling time, naming days and months
• Shopping, ordering food in a restaurant
• Describing daily activities and asking questions: Non-past and past tense, interrogative questions
• Expressing likes and dislikes: food, sports, music, etc.
• Hiragana: Learn to read and write the Japanese phonetic characters, Hiragana

Expected Effort

You can expect to spend about three hours per week attending live, virtual classes and completing course work on your own time. Expect double this amount during the intensive summer term.

Textbook

This course does not require the purchase of a textbook. Course materials are provided by the instructor.

Course Format

This course is offered online and/or in-person. See Available Sessions for details on the course format.

Our online conversational courses offer a virtual classroom experience where you can see and interact with your teacher and classmates over Zoom. Log in at a set time to participate in individual, pair and group work, ask questions and receive feedback from your instructor.

Outside of class time, access course materials online at your own pace for up to three weeks after the course ends.

In-person classes are offered at UBC Robson Square in downtown Vancouver. 

Learn more about online learning at Extended Learning.

How am I assessed?

This is a non-credit course without letter or numerical grades. You receive verbal feedback on your conversation and grammar skills from your instructor during class. Written homework is typically corrected in class. Some lesson modules may include quizzes.

Record of completion

A record of completion will be emailed to students who participate and satisfy the course requirements within two weeks of the course end date. Course completion means 80% attendance and/or 80% completion of mandatory assignments.

Technology requirements

For all languages classes, you’ll need access to the internet, a personal email account and an up-to-date web browser.

For online classes, you will also need a video camera and a microphone on your device.

The day before your course starts, you will receive an email with instructions on how to access the course.