Japanese Language Learning Reviews

Speak Like Native Speakers Japanese Verb Conjugation I by Isoko Durbin

Score:
8 / 10
Pros:
pushes for a traditional Japanese way of learning verbs that clears up the difficulties in the Western way of learning Japanese verbs; clearly and easily shows how Japanese verb + auxiliary (roots + affixes) are put together; goes over a wide variety of verb constructions; tables and examples illustrate each verb construction; examples use full Japanese script (kana and kanji); solid and useful table of contents

Cons:
some explanations are less clear; no index; few exercises (a “con” if you’re looking for practice); no index; switch between romaji in explanations and script in examples will deter some eyes; really good appendix material is tied up in the first chapter

Isoko Durbin’s Speak Like Native Speakers: Japanese Verb Conjugation I aims to change the way foreign learners of Japanese study and remember Japanese verbs. Verbs have long been recognized as the trickiest part of Japanese grammar for English speakers, and the author argues that this results from a simple misunderstanding.

Textbooks traditionally teach Japanese verbs by dividing them into four classes: -ru verbs, -u verbs and the irregulars ‘suru’ and ‘kuru’. Unfortunately, a whole bunch of complexities and exceptions arise when we follow that strategy.

Instead, as the introduction explains, we learners should adopt the native Japanese way of understanding verbs. We can do this by paying attention to how two pieces – roots and affixes (verbs and auxiliaries) – fit together. This requires mastering two concepts: 1) how to make a verb stem out of any verb, and 2) how to attach any auxiliary to any verb.

The first part of this book teaches you to handle those “roots” by dealing with stems and endings. For example, you’ll learn that the stem of a verb like ‘nomu’ is ‘nom’ and that the verb takes one of five endings (noma, nomi, nomu, nome, nomo) depending on the auxiliary attached to it. An exercise here allows you to practice pulling apart verbs to find their stems and endings.

The remaining five chapters of the book tackle a rather comprehensive list of Japanese constructions involving the verb stems you learned to use plus auxiliaries. Each section deals with one construction, titled with a cue in English (like “Did Not” or “Difficult to do”) and listed alongside the Japanese construction (“Nakatta” or “Nikui”), which you will find conveniently in the book’s table of contents.

Each verb construction includes a table demonstrating the stem + auxiliary in question, with examples for each conjugation. Then, there is a paragraph explaining the construction’s use, followed by sample sentences using the construction in fluent Japanese. Unfortunately for some students, the few practice exercises are limited to the stem-forming section at the beginning of the book.

Most of the grammar rules and conjugations are given in transliterated romaji. Even using romaji, the text explains which kana to use in tricky situations like consonant-final stems. However, examples are written in full Japanese script. The use of kana and kanji is commendable for learners at the late-beginner/early-intermediate level who stand to get the most from this book. All kanji have furigana readings above them, so anyone with a knowledge of hiragana can read every example.

A reference guide needs tools for continued use, like an index and appendix. This book has neither, but don’t let that deter you. The table of contents is thorough enough to list every verb construction in the book in both Japanese and English. Additionally, some material that would make for a really good appendix is lost somewhere in the first chapter, including full tables of Japanese verbs by conjugation type. It’s not perfect, but it does make this a good at-hand grammar reference once you’re familiar with the book’s layout.

Speak Like a Native Speaker: Japanese Verb Conjugation I is eager to teach you a better way to learn Japanese verbs. Its unique non-Western approach will reward students willing to work through some of the surface complexities. The author’s eager text leaves some rough edges, exercises are scarce and the lack of a final index is soothed only somewhat by a helpful table of contents. The lack of polish in places and switching between romaji and kana/kanji will deter some learners, but it’s worth getting over that for the Japanese grammar wisdom at this book’s core.

All in all, if you’re in the market for a reference guide to Japanese grammar, particularly if you’re struggling with the way you currently understand Japanese verbs, I can easily recommend this book.