Course - Japanese 1 - JAP0501
Japanese 1
About
About the course
Course content
The course provides an introduction to the Japanese language with emphasis on pronunciation, listening comprehension, written language and basic grammar. It also presents aspects of Japanese culture and society through texts and conversations. Students planning to study in Japan are encouraged to take this course.
Learning outcome
Knowledge
Candidates who have passed this course
- know all modern Japanese characters (46 hiragana and 46 katakana) and ca. 40 Kanji (Chinese characters used in Japanese)
- know approximately 300 basic words
- have knowledge of the principles for pronunciation and intonation of simple expressions
- have knowledge of central aspects of Japanese culture related to vocabulary
Skills
Candidates who have passed this course
- can read and write simple sentences using Japanese characters and Kanji
- can construct simple, grammatically correct sentences
- can analyze the structure of simple Japanese sentences
- can talk about some simple subjects in Japanese
- can understand simple Japanese spoken slowly and clearly
- can use suitable expressions (for example greetings) in the given situations of conversation
General competence
Candidates who have passed this course
- have basic knowledge of Japanese script, pronunciation and grammar
- can read and write simple texts and have simple conversations in Japanese
Learning methods and activities
Lectures, exercises, obligatory assignments.
Compulsory assignments
- 1 written assignment
- 1 oral presentation
Further on evaluation
Assessment:
- Written exam (2 hours) that counts as 45% of the final grade.
- Oral examination (approx. 10 minutes) that counts as 55% of the final grade.
Both parts of the exam are graded, but only the final grade will be listed on official diplomas and transcripts of records from NTNU. Both the written exam and the oral examination must receive the grade E or better in order for the student to receive a passing grade. If a student fails one or both parts of the exam, they must retake both parts of the exam. If a student resits a passed exam, they must retake both parts of the exam.
Specific conditions
Limited admission to classes. For more information: https://i.ntnu.no/wiki/-/wiki/English/Admission+to+courses+with+restricted+admission
Recommended previous knowledge
The course is suitable for students without previous knowledge of Japanese. Nevertheless, it is useful to learn the Japanese letters (hiragana and katakana) beforehand, given that there is very limited time for learning them in the classes. However, it is necessary to be careful with the way of learning because it is counter productive to rely on the Roman alphabet when you learn.
Required previous knowledge
The course has restricted admission. For more information: http://www.ntnu.no/studier/opptak/emneopptak
Course materials
Course book in Japanese: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese: Genki I, 3rd. ed.(kap.1-6) and other handouts.
Subject areas
- Japanese
Contact information
Course coordinator
Department with academic responsibility
Examination
Examination
Ordinary examination - Autumn 2025
School exam
The specified room can be changed and the final location will be ready no later than 3 days before the exam. You can find your room location on Studentweb.