日本語

Podcasts For Learning Japanese

Here is a list of podcasts to help you learn Japanese in no particular order.

Japanese Pod 101
http://www.japanesepod101.com/
This is perhaps the most popular and professionally recorded podcast for learning Japanese. There is free and premium audio and video content which included lesson notes and other learning materials.

Japancast.net
http://japancast.net/
Our competitors! A good homegrown podcast done by Paul and Hitomi Griswold. They regularly update their site and have plenty of content for you get your teeth into. Nice format and examples of Japanese from everyday life conversations and anime. Well worth listening to.

Osaka dialect 大阪弁 Japanese lesson in English
http://mayumik.seesaa.net/
I enjoy listening to this podcast as I used to live in Osaka and I can get my fix of the Kansai dialect. The format is simple but effective. You can read the entire transcript of the podcast in Japanese with an English translation. A very good learning resource for learning real Japanese in context.

S-J-P Study Japanese Podcast
http://sjp.cocolog-nifty.com/blog/
From what I’ve heard so far it is hosted by native Japanese with no silly gaijin to mess things up. Minimal English so it’s quite a good immersion into Japanese. Perhaps good for low intermediate and above. Unfortunately they haven’t updated their website recently.

The Linguist on Language
http://thelinguist.blogs.com/how_to_learn_english_and/japanese_podcast/
Not exactly a podcast but you can see Steve Kauffman’s youtube videos explaining how to learn languages all in Japanese. Check out his blog http://thelinguist.blogs.com/ which is concerned on general language learning. Steve’s bio is here: http://thelinguist.blogs.com/about.html Steve Kauffman is the brains behind Japanese LingQ.  Steve Kauffman is like El Gringo, a well traveled linguist but with suits.

Japanese LingQ
http://www.japaneselingq.com/
Podacsts are 100% ( from what I’ve heard so far) Japanese so good for total immersion if you are of an intermediate level. You have to sign up if you want to read the transcripts. It has some “revolutionary learning system” a rather questionable phrase in my humble estimation however it’s worth checking out.

Survival Phrases – Japanese
http://survivalphrases.com/japanese/guest.php
Very professional – annoyingly so. It’s so produced and corporate that it sounds like a commercial. Waaay too much English. But maybe good for complete beginners in Japanese.

Nippon Voice Blog
http://www.voiceblog.jp/nippon/
Hmm…Super zannen. I opened the page to find some long transcripts about Japanese culture. Great for reading and vocabulary BUT none of the mp3s were working. That’s probably something to do with the fact that the last entry was back in 2006.

If you know of any good podcasts for learning Japanese then feel free to post the urls in the comment section below. I’ll be sure to add it to the list here.

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Tuesday, September 15th, 2009 Japan guide Comments

#94 Maji de

 

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In this week’s show, Waka sensei taught us a really useful phrase you hear a lot these days which is まじmaji. It comes from まじめ-majime which means serious. Remember that this is very casual Japanese and should only be used between friends. It’s not very suitable for work. In a more formal situation you might use 本当に – hontou ni which means “really” or “very”. Check out the show notes below or download the PDF to see how まじ is used.

Show notes for lesson#94:まじで

まじで- maji de – Seriously/Very

1.

A: 明日仕事やめるよ。

B: まじで?

A: Ashita shigoto yameru yo

B: Maji de?

A: I’m quitting work tomorrow

B: Really? (Seriously?)

2.

A:彼はどう?

B: まじむかつく

A: Kare wa dou?

B: Maji mukatsuku

A: What’s he like?

B: Really annoying

3.

A:このケーキはどう?

B: まじやばい

A: Kono keeki wa dou?

B: Maji yabai

A: How’s this cake?

B: It’s seriously delicious

Random Phrase of the week

明日は皆既日食なんだって

ashita wa kaikinisshoku nan datte

They say there’s a total solar eclipse tomorrow

Learn Japanese Pod, ©Alex Brooke, 2009

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Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009 Podcasts Comments

#88 Oku

 

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In this week’s show we learn how to use the verb おくoku.

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Thursday, May 21st, 2009 Podcasts Comments

#87 Desho

 

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“Desho” is a must know phrase in Japanese and is sprinkled liberally throughout daily conversations in Japan. Check out the MP3 and show notes to find out what it means and how to use it.

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Thursday, May 7th, 2009 Podcasts Comments

#86 Whether OR Not

 

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In this week’s lesson, Waka sensei teachers us how to say “whether or not” in Japanese. This is used a lot in daily conversation.

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Wednesday, April 29th, 2009 Podcasts Comments

#85 You Should

 

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In this lesson we learn how to say you should do something in Japanese. This is a very useful phrase for everyday conversational Japanese.

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Wednesday, March 11th, 2009 Podcasts Comments

#84 Panashi

 

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In this lesson we learn how to use “panashi”. Listen to the MP3 and check out the show notes to see what it means.

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Wednesday, March 4th, 2009 Podcasts Comments

#83 Yameru

 

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In this week’s lesson we learn how to use the verb やめる yameru which means to stop.

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Friday, January 30th, 2009 Podcasts Comments

#82 Japanese Verbs For Wearing Clothes

 

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In this lesson we’ll be studying some verbs for wearing clothes in Japanese.

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Thursday, January 22nd, 2009 Podcasts Comments

#81 Bikkuri

 

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In this lesson we learn how to use the word “bikkuri” which means surprising or I’m shocked/surprised.

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Thursday, January 22nd, 2009 Podcasts Comments

#80 Datte

 

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In this week’s lesson we learn how to use the phrase “datte” which means “but…” amongst other things. Check out the podcast to learn more.

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Wednesday, December 10th, 2008 Podcasts Comments

#79 It ain’t necessarily so

 

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Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008 Podcasts Comments

#78 It’s not like that

 

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In this week’s lesson we teach you how to say “it’s not like that” in Japanese.

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Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 Podcasts Comments

#77 Naruhodo

 

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In this week’s lesson we learn the very useful Japanese phrase “Naruhodo” which means “I see” or “I understand”.

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Wednesday, November 19th, 2008 Podcasts Comments

#76 Hisashiburi

 

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In this week’s lesson we learn how to use the word “Hisashiburi” which means long time no see in Japanese. This is very useful and well used phrase in Japanese.

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Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008 Podcasts Comments

#75 I told you so

 

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In this week’s lesson we learn how to use the phrases “I told you so” in Japanese.

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Wednesday, October 15th, 2008 Podcasts Comments