This page is a work in progress: expect regular updates to content and format.
NihonGo Now!
NihonGo Now! Click to explore high-quality beginning- and intermediate-level courseware packages (4 volumes including video and audio). These lessons take a performed-culture approach (PCA) to learning Japanese. You will learn the basics of Japanese by rehearsing and performing scripts in Japanese.
This link will take you to the NihonGo Now! Youtube Channel where you can access audio and video content.
NihonGo Now! textbooks (Levels 1-2) are available in eBook form through the BYU library website:
Level 1, Volume 1: Activity Book
Level 1, Volume 2: Activity Book
Level 2, Volume 1: Activity Book
Level 2, Volume 2: Activity Book
Mango is a language learning software database BYU students can use to supplement coursework, maintain and improve language skills, or learn a new language in ways that can be playful and fun. Mango lessons include language learning through movies, poetry and music. You can also improve your pronunciation through speech-recognition software.
Mango offers courses in 70 different languages. Type "Japanese" into the "Pick a Language" box to see what resources are available. You can explore the site as a guest or create a free individual account to save your progress. Log in, choose your level of language proficiency and conversational topic. You can also get a Mango APP for your handheld device.
Pronunciator is a language learning software database BYU students can use to supplement coursework, maintain and improve language skills, or just learn a new language in ways that can be playful and fun. This includes language learning (for the most common languages) through movies, poetry and music -- and a virtual tutor. You can engage with the computer and improve pronunciation through speech-recognition software.
Try it with "instant access" then type Japanese in the "I want to learn _________." box.
After connecting to the database using the link above, sign up for your own individual account to save your progress, then log in, choose your level of language proficiency and conversational topic, and enjoy your language-learning experience! Once you are a registered user, you can go directly to www.pronunciator.com
You can also download the Pronunciator APP for your handheld device.
Online Resources
Katakana and Hiragana (Charts for Learning the Japanese Writing System)
Freely available tadoku books to read onsite, download as PDFs or print to make your own books. Level 0—Level 5.
多読 日本語学習読本. Freely available tadoku books designed to encourage fun reading. Click the links below to access reading materials in different levels of difficulty: Level 0, Level 1, Level 2.
Excellent Dictionary Apps for Your Mobile Device
Shirabe Jisho Includes the ability to write text with your finger, multiple grammatical forms, and sample sentences for each entry
Jisho Japanese Dictionary Includes finger writing lookup and besides the dictionary it provides a ton of short news articles to practice your Japanese reading skills and some materials for working on your Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) N levels.
Mondo Includes many short magazine and news articles about various aspects of Japanese society, culture, politics, etc. There is also a listening feature that allows you to hear the texts read by a native Japanese speaker.
Reverso translation tool. Similar to Google Translate.
These books are located in the Japanese Section of the Asian Collection on HBLL Level 4. (Click images for details).
The Asian Language Reading for Fun Shelves are locate on Level 4 in front of the Asian Collection. We have a growing collection of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean materials that are divided into different levels of difficulty. Level 0 is the most simple, Level 6+ is native level reading.
The purpose of this collection is to help you find materials at your reading level that you can read widely without the aid of a dictionary. As your reading skills improve, you can move up to higher levels.
Many of these materials are relatively short and can be read in a single sitting. To make them available to as many patrons as possible we encourage you to read them onsite. However, 5 items can be checked out at a time for a period lasting one week (except for Level 6+ which can be checked out for the regular amount of time).
