Konnichiwa! That is your child's first word of Japanese – and by the end of this course they will have around a hundred more. Japanese has a reputation for being difficult. It doesn't have to start that way. Every new word here is said slowly, then repeated, then handed over with a pause so your child can say it out loud themselves. Nothing is assumed, nothing is rushed, and there is no grammar jargon – no particles, no conjugations, just phrases a child can actually use. Across four lessons your child will greet people at different times of day, say thank you and goodbye, introduce themselves by name, count from one to a hundred, say how old they are and ask someone else, name countries and say where they come from, and order a meal in a Japanese restaurant – ramen, onigiri, takoyaki, and how to ask for the bill at the end. They will also pick up the small politeness rules that matter in Japan: why gozaimasu makes a phrase more polite, why you add san to someone's name, and what to say before and after a meal. Taught by Anya Lewis, a language teacher and musician who has been learning Japanese for years and has travelled the country herself. About 74 minutes in 25 short tracks – easy to take one at a time, in the car, at bedtime, or whenever there's a spare ten minutes. Recommended for ages 8 and up.
