You can learn Japanese now, it is well within the realm of your abilities. With focus, commitment, and especially enthusiasm, you’re setting yourself up for a good beginning. Aside from those traits, it is, of course, important to know the basics. Japanese is written using three different writing systems:
* Kanji
* Hiragana
* Katakana
Chinese characters, called Kanji, have been borrowed and incorporated into the language.
More like Western alphabets, but based on Chinese characters, Katakana and Hiragana are syllabic scripts. Kanji and Hiragana, in combination, are the most used writing systems in modern Japanese. Katakana is used chiefly to depict the sounds of borrowed foreign words, or when there is a need to depict other sounds, like the howl of a wolf.
A running joke is that Asians do things backwards; well, Japanese scripts is written vertically, as opposed to the Western horizontal, and from right to left, as opposed to the Western left to right. The Western style has been adapted to scientific writing and for computer display, but the familiar method remains in use in practically all other Japanese publications.
The Japanese language incorporates different manners of speaking depending on the class of who is speaking or spoken to, and there are different levels of politeness used as well. Going even further, the language used within Japanese can indicate the gender of the speaker as well as the gender of the listener, this is done through the use of vocabulary, grammar, and even the pitch or tone of voice.
As expected, the sort of teaching and learning available from certain language schools is always promoted as the easiest and quickest way to pick up another language. Budget, interest level, time you have, these are three important considerations when you set about to determine how and where you’ll take up your language lessons. To learn Japanese now, you have to determine whether or not the curriculum or method of teaching is suitable for your needs. What do you want or need to do? Do you want good reading and writing skills? Will you need it facilitate your ease of travel and communication with native speakers? If your interests are academic, involving a lot of reading and writing, your needs are a lot different than those necessary for getting around, eating, getting hotel rooms, or enjoying the life of the locals.
Anyway, if you want to learn Japanese now, your first goal should be to engage the spoken language, it’s much easier than the reading or writing. Pronunciation and choice of wording is paramount when learning a new language, get audio files that employ native speakers to help you with this task. (Even if your focus will be on reading and writing, most books teaching those skills also contain CD-ROMs.) A subtle language, Japanese depends on various intonations, listening carefully and imitating them is very important.
Grammar and vocabulary are two important considerations – how much do you need of each? Practice words and phrases that you will use most often so they are easy to recall, you can flesh out your vocabulary as you proceed from there. As with vocabulary, learn more as you go along but master the basics of grammar enough to set yourself at ease as you tackle the necessities of getting around and getting along.
Of course, as with any language, make sure patience and perseverance are both in your learning toolbox. Textbooks, teachers, and drill exercises are important, but what you bring to the process is most important. Personal study is very convenient, your classroom can be anywhere, open at any hour, and conducted with a curriculum set to your own pace.