Take Japanese lessons in Manchester with a private tutor

“The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.”

Ludwig Josef Johann Wittgenstein - Austrian-British philosopher

You wish to learn a foreign language while in Manchester but you are still hesitating? You are fond of Japanese culture and customs (Japanese cooking, Japanese calligraphy, …)?

To learn a new language is never easy but if you have made up your mind, and Japanese won’t be the easiest language to learn. But it is not impossible. Thanks to our Superprof classes in Manchester you will be to learn this language in no time.

Japanese Classes in Manchester and in the World

The Japanese language, or nihongo 日本語, is the mother tongue of about 130 million Japanese people but it is not officially the language of Japan by law. According to linguistic experts, Japanese is a language isolate, a natural language with no demonstrable genealogical (or "genetic") relationship with other languages, one that has not been demonstrated to descend from an ancestor common with any other language.

The land of the rising sun, home to 127 inhabitants, of which 99% of them speak Japanese has their first language. However, millions of Japanese people have emigrated in the last century, for economic, political or social reasons. You may encounter Japanese speakers in Latin America, Europe, Asia and Oceania.

Several millions of Japanese expats - nikkeijin, 日系人- mainly in Brasil, Peru and the US but also in other western and Asian countries: China, Taiwan, Australia, Philipines, the UK, Canada, Thailand, Germany, France, South Korea or Singapour.

Cities such as London have seen attracted millions of Japanese tourists every year and nearly 30,000 Japanese citizens live in the capital city. And according to tourist surveys, Japanese tourists will only increase. Spending £250 million last year, Japanese tourists represent a major part of the British tourism market.

As the third economy in the world, Japan is a major player in market exchange, international business and is on the board of most of the biggest international institutions (UN, G8, ASEAN and OMC). Japan is also an 8.3 billion dollars trading partner for the UK.

With 127 million native speakers and a 3 million people diaspora around the world, learning Japanese could be a great edge for your resume as Japan is a major player on the world stage.

Why should you learn Japanese in Manchester?

If you are planning a trip to Japan, you probably want to learn some useful phrases and sentences to get by.  Learning simple words and vocabulary will be a great way to break with ice with your Japanese hosts. The best way to go from beginner to advanced Japanese speaker is to travel to Japan.

Apart from the younger Japanese generation, who have been exposed to American culture and had the choice of learning English has their second language, Japanese islanders are not known for their English skills and Japan is one of the rare countries where speaking English won’t be so useful.

With Superprof teachers, intensive classes before a linguistic stay will give you the basics of the Japanese language:

• Learn how to say hello and good evening ( ohayô - good morning, kon nichiwa - bonjour, konbawa - good evening)
• Learn about the respectful and polite ways of the Japanese people (gozaimasu), hierarchy and respect are very important on the Nippon island.
• Learn some of the Japanese alphabet (kanji and hiragana and katakana)
• Learn how to read and write Japanese.

Another reason to study Japanese apart from is its very unique writing system and grammatical structure: changing careers. Japan is the world third-biggest economy and cost of living there is amongst the highest on the planet, especially in Tokyo. If you intend to stay for an extended period of time of the island you will have to find some kind of work.

Even though the British have a good reputation in the worldwide business market, the Japanese work market is pretty saturated.

However one of the most common and straight forward job to get in Japan would be in teaching languages and notably English: teaching English as a foreign language in Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka or Sapporo will give you a great opportunity to get immersed in the Japanese culture, History and to build up an extensive vocabulary and grammatical repertoire.

You can also give English courses to Japanese students or tourists staying in Manchester, not necessarily for the money but the cultural and linguistic exchange.

To learn Japanese and becoming bilingual, even though you will always remain a gaijin “foreigner” in the eyes of the Japanese people, will open the doors to many Anglo-Japanese associations and might land you a job as an English-Japanese translator.

How to Study Japanese In Between Two Private Lessons?

When studying Japanese you will have to start with the Japanese phonetic alphabet know as hiragana. These represent the sounds of the Japanese language.

Then comes the kanji (with more than 50,000 in the Japanese language, it is estimated that one only needs to know roughly 2,000 to be fluent). These symbols have been borrowed to the Chinese language system through thousands of years or interactions with the continent. Kanji are very useful to determine the root of Japanese words.

Lastly, are the katakana used to describe words from foreign origin.

To really memorise your Japanese lessons, it is recommended to read it out loud every evening by going through a list of words and vocabulary.

Living in the 21st century also has its perks as many language apps will help you to learn a foreign language. Dualingo, Babel, Busuu or Mosalingua are only a few of the most famous language apps out there but you could also stick to a method that has proved to work for thousands of Japanese learners: the Minna No Nihongo technique.

However, using these on your own means that you won’t have the dedicated help of a private teacher to correct you and to adapt the lessons to your level and pace of progress.

Do you still want to learn Japanese with no private lessons? You can fill your room or your apartment with thousands of post-its with the Japanese symbols and translation for everything you own.

You can also change your language setting on your phone, TV or computer, listen to Japanese radio or watch Japanese movies and animes. These are also great additions on top of private lessons to improve your language skills even faster.

Our Japanese Classes with Superprof In Manchester

Japanese teachers are rare in the UK and even more in Manchester. However, most of our Superprof teachers are willing to give online lessons via Skype or FaceTime.

Using the knowledge and skills of an experienced teacher will mean that you will progress efficiently and quickly.

In the UK most Japanese teacher will charge around £20 an hour even though prices can go up quickly especially in the bigger cities.

But before recruiting a private teacher, it is important to set your goals and expectations for the coming sessions: are you looking to learn the Japanese language from scratch or you would like to brush up your skills? Are you looking for an intensive teaching pace or are you going for the long run? Are these lessons for a short business trip in Japan or an extended family holiday?

Wherever you live in the Greater Manchester area, you will be able to follow private Japanese lessons thanks to our online teachers. Price is often a key factor when it comes to choosing a private tutor but you should also consider their level of experience and your own level before making a decision.

Most tutors offer the first lesson for free. Use this time to see if their method and style fit your own and take it from there.