Japanese Verbs and Essentials of Grammar : A Practical Guide to the Mastery of Japanese [Paperback]

R. Lampkin (Author), Rita L. Lampkin (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0844284068 | ISBN-13: 978-0844284064 | Publication Date: January 11, 2001

Unlike similar books, "Japanese Verbs and Essentials of Grammar" presents in one manageable volume what is generally in two books...a complete guide to Japanese verbs and a compact guide to the basics of Japanese grammar. Both verbs and the essentials of grammar are covered in-depth in one book.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Contemporary Books (January 11, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0844284068
• ISBN-13: 978-0844284064
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,265,688 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #45 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Reference > Foreign Languages > Instruction > Japanese

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rich understandings in a concise book at a great price!, February 2, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Ithaca, New York, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Japanese Verbs and Essentials of Grammar : A Practical Guide to the Mastery of Japanese (Paperback)

If you look at a new language like a big puzzle to be fit together, you will love this book!

This is not a phrase book (though it contains hundreds of excellent examples), nor a dictionary. Instead, it is a revealing yet amazingly concise summary of how Japanese is assembled. For me, it has been a huge aid toward understanding.

Every page here contains a big "Ahah!". The completely logical discussion of verbs helped me hear and recognize elements of tense and nuance that I had not understood earlier (e.g. How do the Japanese construct a complex form like "If I had not had breakfast, I would be tired while eating lunch").

These are short chapters, but *packed* with information, each piece illustrated by an example. The sections on noun expressions, particles (a troublesome subject for english-speakers), conjunctions, adjectives and adverbs were very clear.

Much of the information is organized in tables where it makes sense to do so: relative times, demonstrative forms, counters, numbers, times, seasons/weather, etc. These were well-ordered and enlightening. There are also useful summaries of common expressions, honorifics, holidays, etc.

This book is not centered on vocabulary. There is a brief vocabulary list, but no pictures; you won't learn your colors or the names of kitchen appliances. You will definitely want a good dictionary as a companion volume. However, the biggest single benefit I got was a new appreciation of how to use my dictionary effectively. Now I can recognize the root ("dictionary") forms of verbs, noun expressions, adjectives, etc. that I didn't get before. This helps me go right to the appropriate word when I hear something new. Even more, I can imagine interesting new forms built from the "raw material" therein.

This book will have you appreciating the richness of the Japanese language without being overwhelmed by it. Japanese is, after all, an orderly and expressive language that just follows different rules. Ms. Lampkin reveals the rules in a tidy and accessible way. A great bargain.

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I wish I had found this book first, May 30, 2000

By 

Linda Spetter (Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi, Japan) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Japanese Verbs and Essentials of Grammar : A Practical Guide to the Mastery of Japanese (Paperback)

I only wish I had found this book when I first came to Japan four years ago. I have bought maybe 30 textbooks, but this is the first one that really helped me start making sense of the noise around me.

Everything is explained so clearly and compactly, but the book is thin enough to carry around in my purse. The book has all the essentials, but the best feature is in the examples with translations that follow each principle. They are such practical and useful models-and so familiar! I've heard them before in real life but just did not understand, until now.

Some people may not like the omission of Japanese writing in the examples, but as for me, it has been useful to learn the grammar first. I have struggled through the books with Japanese writing-and usually gave up. But this book made everything so easy. Having learned the grammatical principles, and having improved my ability to understand what is being said around me and to respond, I now feel I can start learning the writing with confidence.

Bottom line: Buy this book first. I wish I had.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Book for Learning Japanese Verbs, May 30, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Japanese Verbs and Essentials of Grammar : A Practical Guide to the Mastery of Japanese (Paperback)

Simply put, this book is a life saver. Im an exchange student and was completely lost on the subject of Japanese Verbs. I found this book and my Japanese improved almost overnight. Great Book. 8)