The key to Japanese is knowing how to use verbs, and no other book about Japanese verbs contains as much useful information as The Complete Japanese Verb Guide. Compiled and edited with the needs of the student in mind, this book is an invaluable reference guide for anyone learning the Japanese language. Besides introducing over 600 verbs and heir meanings, this authoritative reference and study aid lists each verb in romaji, hiragana, and kanji; indicates whether a verb is transitive or intransitive, and presents all the conjugated forms. Also included are explanations of polite language and lists of compound verbs and suru verbs. Conjugated forms not ordinarily used with particular verbs are denoted. Furthermore, hundreds of example sentences show how to use verbs correctly - a great help to students who must compose sentences in Japanese. The Complete Japanese Verb Guide will enable you to:

Instantly find any conjugation for hundreds of verbs

Use the right preposition for each verb

Write each verb using its Japanese characters

Improve your command of the colloquial language.

The book begins with an introduction that outlines what "onomatopoeia" means in both English and Japanese. It covers sound and meaning in general, onomatopoeia in English, sound symbolism in English and Japanese, Japanese onomatopoeia and mimesis, types of Japanese onomatopoeia, grammatical functions of Japanese onomatopoeia, Japanese written forms, and how new Japanese onomatopoeic words are formed (for example, in manga).

This introductory material is all-important, for without the overall picture it presents, students are forced to learn Japanese onomatopoeia by rote, one word at a time, as if each was unique unto itself, as if each had no logical connection with any other word, and as if Japanese onomatopoeia was a huge, ugly hodgepodge instead of the beautiful, well-organized microcosm that it is.

However, this introduction alone would not suffice to produce fluency. Onomatopoeia must be seen in action for that to happen. This is done in the second part of the book, which consists of eleven situational dialogues that allow students to eavesdrop on Japanese speaking the way they do in real life. The dialogues are given in Japanese script (with furigana over all kanji), romanization, and English translation. Each example of onomatopoeia that appears in the dialogue has its own commentary, including definitions, usage, and two or more sample sentences. Cultural notes are given when they help to clarify the situation presented in the dialogue. Each dialogue is followed by a quiz.

With its edifying introduction and lively dialogues, Jazz Up Your Japanese with Onomatopoeia: For All Levels will, without a doubt, help students come to grips with this intriguing aspect of the Japanese language, whether they be intermediate students who can benefit from seeing onomatopoeia used in a variety of situations or beginning students who, as they slowly add new onomatopoeia to their vocabulary, will profit from seeing how these words fit into a larger, fully developed scheme. The book will also, whatever the level, make Japanese much more fun to study. (More like this) (Direct link to this product)

A great way to memorize just about any information at all!