Course Information
PLEASE NOTE: These courses will be conducted online via Zoom. To participate fully, you will need the use of a device with internet access, microphone, and camera (such as a laptop, smartphone, or tablet). Please note that all times listed are New York time (ET).
These concentrated courses are designed to teach beginners Japanese and emphasize conversation, listening, reading and writing. These courses are great for people who need to learn basic Japanese at an accelerated pace. They are also useful for people with weekday schedule conflicts, those who missed the start of the 10-week semester, or for students who need some review before proceeding to the next level. Students can easily progress from these courses into our weekday courses.
These courses are structured for adults age 16 or older. (For younger students, please see Japanese for Youth: Ages 12 to 15.)
For a printer friendly version of these courses, please click here: 2023 Fall Intensive Japanese Weekend Courses (PDF).
Course Descriptions
Intensive Weekend Japanese Level 1-A
Saturdays & Sundays, November 4—12, 11 am-4:30 pm ETONLINE·4 Classes·Yumi Mori
* There will be an hour break for lunch from 1 to 2 pm and a short break during the afternoon period.
(for beginning students with no previous background in Japanese)
The course is designed to introduce elementary Japanese to students with no previous background in the language. Basic vocabulary, grammar and sentence structures will be taught in romaji (Japanese written phonetically in the Roman alphabet) so students can carry on a simple conversation. Hiragana and some introductory kanji will be introduced.
Students will be introduced to the following:- X wa Y desu.
- Question sentences
- This/that/which
- Here/there/over there/where
- Verb conjugation (present tense)
- Sentence particles
Required textbook: Genki I (3rd Edition) (Ch. 1, 2 & 3)
CLASS FULL; to be added to the waitlist, please email [email protected] or call 212-715-1269.Intensive Weekend Japanese Level 2-A
Saturdays & Sundays, November 4—12, 11 am-4:30 pm ETONLINE·4 classes·Yukie Yamaguchi
* There will be an hour break for lunch from 1 to 2 pm and a short break during the afternoon period.
(Prerequisite: Japanese 1 or equivalent; recognition of hiragana is expected.)
Students will continue to develop their beginners’ level language skills in basic Japanese as they begin to apply the past tense and are introduced to new words, grammar, and expressions. Recognition of hiragana is expected as less romaji will be used. Katakana and a few more kanji will be introduced.
Students will be introduced to the following:- X ga arimasu/imasu.
- Location description
- Adjectives (present and past tense)
- Suki (na)/ Kirai (na)
- -shimashou ka
Required textbook: Genki I (3rd Edition) (Ch. 4 & 5)
Tuition
Japan Society members: $290
Non-members: $330
To purchase or renew a membership, please visit the Membership page and pay online. Or, call 212-715-1270 and leave a message; they will get back to you.
How to Register
To guarantee a seat in the class, please register as soon as possible.
Registration is accepted online (preferred), or by phone at (212) 715-1269 or (212) 715-1293, or in-person on select days.
New students with no previous background in Japanese should enroll in a Level 1 course. Students with some background should refer to the Japanese Level Guide or course textbooks to determine the most appropriate class. (The Level Guide can also be found on the Language Center homepage.) There is no placement exam. If you are still not sure of your level, it may be possible to schedule a level assessment by phone with the Director. Please email [email protected] to schedule.
Registrants will receive a Welcome Email and Zoom link from [email protected] on:
- the afternoon of Fri., Nov. 3, 2023 (the business day before courses begin)
Questions? Please email us at [email protected], or call (212) 715-1269 or (212) 715-1293.
Additional Information
Cancellation Policy: Cancellations are accepted until 12 pm ET, the business day before a course or workshop begins. After this deadline, cancellations are not accepted and tuition is not refundable or transferable for any reason (including for credit). Upon cancellation, the tuition paid minus a service charge ($20 for courses, $5 for workshops) will be refunded. Cancellations are only accepted via phone.
Japan Society also reserves the right to cancel any course or workshop if sufficient enrollment is not obtained. In such cases, students already enrolled will receive full refunds (no service charge).
By registering for a course, you accept and agree to the above terms of the cancellation policy.
Students must be age 16 or older.
We do not record these classes, and recording of these classes is prohibited.
Required Textbooks
Textbooks are available for purchase and pick-up at Japan Society during select hours. Please contact the Language Center office (preferably in advance) for purchase and to arrange pick-up.
Otherwise, please purchase your book in advance from an outside vendor. Either a digital or print textbook is fine.
GENKI I (An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese), 3rd Edition
published by The Japan Times | ISBN: 978-4789017305
Price at Japan Society: $45
*We strongly recommend purchasing the 3rd Edition. Please note that the 2nd Edition has some differences, including page numbers, examples, etc., and is not recommended for this reason.
Instructors
Japan Society programs are made possible by leadership support from Booth Ferris Foundation and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. Support for Japan Society’s Language Center is provided, in part, by Mark F. Goldfield and Mary E. Hatch; Christopher Hong; Steven Giordano; and Dr. Bic Kanayjorn.