How should I go through both the audio and grammer lessons?

I personally hate learning via reading so I just stoped doing the grammar lessons and just do the audio lessons. I was thinking of just going back to the grammar lessons after I finish the audio course but I'm not sure if the grammar lessons are its own thing or if they connect to the audio course. Is it really necessary for me to read the grammar lessons to further help me with the audio course?

Konnichiwa! I understand your dislike for reading :? If your aim to learning Japanese is only for conversation, so you can speak to your Japanese friends, or you're planning on taking a trip to Japan, then it's not entirely necessary to read the grammar lessons. However, having said that, the grammar bit may help you understand more of how the Japanese language works, and it's our wish that you may find the uniqueness of Japanese! The grammar lessons do connect to the audio courses. :D _Soredewa, nihongo wo tanoshiku benkyou shite kudasai!_ Well then, we hope you enjoy learning Japanese!

Hello there, I'm new to this course and I've just downloaded the Interactive Audio Course. I have not downloaded the rest of the component yet. I have downloaded Part 1 only, so far. Can you pls advise me whether, at this early stage, what other component should I be downloading to accompany what I'm doing at the moment ? For example, should I also download the Grammar module and/or Culture/Grammar module to accompany me at this early stage ? Would appreciate your response.

Konnichiwa Sylvian-san, Welcome to the Rocket Japanese! The Rocket Japanese Interactive Audio Course is designed especially for YOU, which means you can learn Japanese by only listening and interacting with the audio courses, or getting the grammar and cultural lessons as well at the same time. I would recommend you download the Grammar and Culture Lessons as you move along the audio course just so you can get a deeper understanding of how Japanese is composed, and what kind of culture it originates from. It will give you a broader knowledge as you learn this language. If I can help you with anything else, don't hesitate write me again! Soredewa, tanoshinde! Have fun learning! :D

Konbanwa! (Well it's night in my timezone anyways... :lol: ) I like how you guys have both the audio and grammar portions, I don't know if other language learning software does this. Regardless it is a nice thing for me becuase I love to watch anime and often times I'm sitting there wondering "What does that sign in the background say!?!, the fan-subbers didn't put a subtitle for it, argh!" Arigoto gozaimasu, Derek P.S.While I'm thanking you, that reminds me... what is the difference between gozaimasu and gozaimashita?

Konnichiwa Derek! :D We are glad to hear you are enjoying our Rocket Japanese course, surely you will master conversational Japanese in no time! :wink: The difference between *gozaimasu* and *gozaimashita*... While *Gozaimasu*, as in *Arigato gozaimasu* is used in the general way to say "thank you" for something that will be done, or something that has been already done. *Gozaimashita*- *Arigato gozaimashita*- is used to thank somebody ONLY for something that has already been done for you. Notice that *Gozaima_shita_* has the past tense of *suru* "to do" at the end - thus referring to a past event.

so arigoto gozaimasu is either present or past, and arigoto gozaimashita is strictly past? is there any "te" form of thanking then?... I don't know if a situation would occur where you are continuously thaking someone, but for the sake of my curiousity... :lol:

Konnichiwa! There is no te-form for saying thank you because "thank you" is not a verb nor an adjective. If you want to continuously thank someone, like repeating "thank you, thank you", you can use another word the Japanese people often use (even more than Arigato) which is "*Domo*". "*Domo domo*" (repeated two times) sounds more natural - and of course, shorter, than saying, "*arigato gozaimasu arigato gozaimasu*" :wink: :idea: Now, back to the difference of *arigato gozaimasu* and *arigato gozaimashita*...this is a bit tricky, because in a way, there is no clear line between the usages of each one. A person gives you a gift, _grammatically_*arigato gozaimasu* makes more sense, since you are receiving it NOW, in the present. :cry: A person gave you a gift yesterday, and you want to thank her/him for this TODAY, obviously, in this case, it's appropriate to say *arigato gozaimashita* - thanking her/him for the giving which happened yesterday. Having said that, you may hear a Japanese person saying *arigato gozaimasu* referring to something in the past.... sorry! there seems to be no clear cut rules :shock:

Well regardless I'll get their point if they use either... so hopefully when I move to Japan I won't get too confused :lol: . Yes I said that right, I plan on living in japan (possibly to teach them english, possibly to just get a technical job fixing computers over there instead of here in USA... IDK but I do know that I will live there at some point in time). Luckily I have 3 years before I"m 18 and then 4 years or more to get a college degree so really I have 7 years to plan this out... if you have any adobaisu for me that'd be awesome. (assuming I spelled the romaji for advice right). Also do you know how exactly do they type over in japan? and possibly if there is a way to use an english keyboard to type katakana, hiragana, and kanji?

Derek-san! First - yes, you spelled ADOBAISU correctly! And, secondly, I am sure there are plenty of technical computer fixing jobs in Japan :lol: In Japan the keyboard commonly has the roman alphabet - a, b, c...and so on PLUS the Hiragana and Katakana character on each key - just next to the alphabet letters. You can either type it all in Hiragana/Katakana using these keys OR type in romaji and select a function that converts the romaji to the Japanese writing system. You can then click on the space bar - and it gives you a list of possible Kanji characters and Kanji compounds to choose from. The only trick here is that you need to know which Kanji fits with that particular word you just wrote. So... in 7 years I am sure you will be able to master not only speaking in Japanese but also writing and reading Japanese! :wink: Gambattene.

I like studying Japanese language with basic conversations for beginners and writing only two kinds of alphabet: Hiragana and Katakana without borrowing too many Kanji words (Chinese language). Also I like write word "Senkaku" in Japanese language without utilizing Chinese symbol word. If you have a website. Please, send to me. ARIGATO GOZAIMASU.