Thanks for your review, Chad! Please, allow me to point out some pros and cons I've found after using Minna no Nihongo and Genki series both as a student and as a teacher myself in a mini-review if you don't mind. First off, we should recap about the aim of these books and which circumstances they were designed under. Genki was devised by The Japan Times as a textbook for (mostly English-speaking) international students coming to Japan, which explains why it's written in English and relies so heavily on college life, and why it's become the preferred book for Japanese-language teaching at universities in the US, Australia, and so on. Minna no Nihongo, on the other hand, was crafted by 3A Corporation a few years earlier (it even looks a bit dated) to be used to teach immigrants from different backgrounds in a Japanese classroom setting, so the main textbooks were written fully in Japanese and contain assorted characters and topics about daily life in Japan. In fact, it's still the most widely used in academies in Japan today. That being said, both series are laid out quite differently: while Genki takes a convenient all-in-one approach, with two pairs of one textbook and one workbook, each roughly corresponding to N5-N4 levels, Minna no Nihongo is divided into a myriad of booklets per level: one for kanji, one for reading, another one for listening, etc. That's why the latter seems to be more inexpensive than the former, but not really when combined. This leads me to my next point: even though Genki looks more "fresh" and user-friendly, Minna no Nihongo is also suitable for self-teaching with the accompanying Translation and Grammatical Notes volumes, which include all vocab (and supplementary words), grammar explanations, translations for dialogues, and so on. The best part is these books have been translated into lots of languages (English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, German, Russian, Chinese, Korean...); this is great news for people out there who are not proficient in English. Plus, a Japanese teacher can easily give lessons to a multilingual group of students all following instructions together from the main text, while at the same time each student can resort to the translation book for an aid in their mother tongue. It's cumbersome until you get used to swapping back and forth one book for the other, though. EDIT: A digital edition with French and Spanish versions of the Genki series is due to be released in fall 2022 and spring 2023, respectively. As per contents, both Genki and Minna are pretty similar and reach almost the same point (N4 level), Minna being just slightly higher level with a few more words and several grammar points not covered in Genki. What's more relevant here is rather the manner these contents are taught: Minna is usually described as more "in-depth" because it's more grammar-focused with more detailed explanations (a bit too wordy at times), while Genki's are more straightforward and gradual. When it comes to characters, Mary and Takeshi are no doubt way more charismatic than Miller and company, who sound somewhat stiff and bland. The reason for all of this is probably that Minna no Nihongo is older. I'd definitely say that the strengths of the one are the weaknesses of the other. Now, a (personal) list with pros and cons of each series: GENKI +Updated and lively contents/-Too college-centric stuff +Straightforward explanations/-Some shallow grammar points +English translations all over/-Too much English for language immersion +Money-saving when bought altogether/-Each book is more expensive +High quality paperback edition/-Lower quality audio recordings MINNA NO NIHONGO +Assorted contents focusing on everyday life/-A few dated expressions and dull characters +In-depth grammar explanations/-Overly grammatical at times +Total language immersion/-Cumbersome to use two books at once +Each book is inexpensive/-Expensive when bought altogether +Good quality audio and video recordings/-Cheap paperback format
Issue with Genki I have is that the romaji is so in your face, I had to drop it for Minna no Nihongo, cause I know Hira/Kata, but cause I speak and read English I keep looking at it, and I don't want to scribble it out, cause I hate damaging books.
@@crimsonred0786 Hi, if you mean the romanization of Japanese text in Genki textbooks, that happens in the first two lessons only to help those students who have not mastered the kana syllabaries yet. From Lesson 3 onwards, all text is rendered in natural Japanese or kana-majiri (mixed writing with kanji and kana), and furigana (kana transcription) for new words. Unlike Minna no Nihongo, furigana in Genki is placed BELOW the text so that your eyes have to make an extra effort and read the kanji before moving down to the kana. If you mean there are English translations nearly everywhere, it could be a head start or a downside depending on several factors, such as: a) Do you have a foundation in Japanese and find it easy to read kana? b) Do you have a tutor or some friend proficient in Japanese who can clear your doubts up? c) How many hours can you devote to study? d) Do you feel comfortable swapping the main textbook for the translation book in Minna no Nihongo or do you prefer to have text and explanations all in one in Genki? At the end of the day, as far as certain learning materials are concerned, it's often a matter of personal taste, I guess. So, just pick the one that suits you best and go all the way down for it. P.S. I hate damaging books, too, so I'd simply photocopy the textbook to scribble, underline, and dog-ear as much as I want. Have a nice day and がんばってください! (^o^)/~♪
The minna no nihongo method requires a minimum of 2 books. The one you review in this video + the one with the translation and grammar explanations (this one you can buy it in many languajes). And the way you go is chapter by chapter with both books at the same time.
I had been learning Japanese for about 4 months now. I'm halfway through Genki 1, I'm about four lessons deep into Minna no Nihongo. I'm a big believer in using multiple sources for learning as I think your knowledge ends up being more well-rounded. At this stage, MNN is going over things I've already learnt in Genki, and completing all the tasks is a good way for me to drill them. I think they go well hand in hand, but I don't many people would be able to start with just MNN. That being said, I agree that MNN is great for immersion. I feel quite accomplished when I manage to complete a whole lesson without any help. So far I enjoy using both. When I get bored with one, I just swap over to the other! Also: yay!!!
Hi Chad. Cool review. I started Japanese using Minna No Nihongo. And my personal bias is I love Minna No Nihongo. I just want to point out that Minna No Nihongo is not only a single book. Its a set containing ６ or 7 books for Part 1 and another for Part 2. 1. 本冊 contains kaiwa, sample sentences, renshuu mondai 2. 翻訳・文法解説英語版 english translation, this is where grammars are explained in chapters 3. 聴解タスク for listening activties 3. 初級読めるトピック reading exercises 4. 漢字 for kanji 5. 標準問題集 test questions, sort of like summary test 6. 練習帳 for practice 7, I forgot the name of this 7th if there was. Hahaha As someone who is a beginner, I agree Minna No Nihongo will not be useful if you're planning on self-study. But if you're taught how to use these books Book 1(chapter 1-25) and Book 2 (chapters 25-50), then this is more than enough to pass N4 level. I've used Genki for a short time, personally its easy to use. Sort of like all in 1 book. Which one is the best? Really depends on the user. But Minna No Nihongo series definitely is not a lackluster.
I already had a feeling Minna was better in the long run simply because it forces you to read Japanese. I'm about to finish Genki 1, and now I'm getting cold feet, I don't know if I should keep going to Genki 2 or just completely switch to Minna. If I switch to Minna, would I have to start from the begining or is there a Minna no Nihongo that's equivalent to Genki II?
Great review. Just one thing: the answer key is removable. that's not the book falling apart. When you remove it you can enjoy the map as well ;) In the front is also a map of japan with all the prefectures and their capitals. I think that's a nice touch.
i have to say that there's a second book where all the words/grammar is explained. And that book does exist in English, German, .... I think it's an really good self-study book.
Because I self study I am gonna go with ganki. Also I love how you break down your videos and how detailed you get with the text books without showing to much away I really appreciate that. Thank you for doing what you do it really motivates me to keep going.
the sound recordings of Minna no Nihongo are of higher quality than those from Genki. it's not really important, but it might be useful to know if you use the included CD to create Anki flashcards or to practice shadowing.
I love mina no nihongo! It’s very challenging! Plus it forces me not rely on romaji ! Right now I’m on lesson 1, I’m slowly working through it with my online tutor :) . It’s so hard. After one set of exercises, my brain is fried but it’s totally worth because the information sticks. I love how their is no English in this textbook, it pushed to actually read the line and use what I learn during the lesson ! Great review !
I´ve been using Minna no nihongo in class, currently into unit 3, as you said I love all the working excercises since they really help you not to forget the grammar and vocabulary studied in class, but at the same time, I understand why it is better suited for a class enviorment since it is an advatange to have a teacher explained the grammar points before going into the exercises.
Oh Thank God! I am thinking of buying a Japanese textbook for my Self-Study and am very much conflicted between Genki and Minna No Nihongo. So while researching only yesterday I found your channel and was thinking "ok, this guy has reviewed Genki...but where is the Minna No Nihongo review!" But today I was surprised at the coincidence, that I got my answer literally after one day!
My daughter is doing Japanese at a U.K. university and they use minna no Nihingo. They use the book in Japanese plus another volume which is translations in English (other languages are available)
I bought Genki first because I’ve been told online it’s the best beginner book out there. I tried it out having some classroom experience and the pace was just too slow for me. When I studied abroad in Japan and took beginner classes, we used Minna no Nihongo. My experience with it was genuinely enjoyable. We were learning in a pace that was fast, but not overwhelming. I was able to maintain what I learned and gradually became able to basically communicate with Japanese people. I definitely recommend getting it as your first resource as you enter the Japanese language-learning world.
Both Minna no Nihongo and Genki have helped me a lot. Personally I like the formulaic breakdown of the grammar in Minna No Nihongo, however I didn't use the course book for a long time, I found the grammar notes book was my go to and then I worked through genki chapters when I couldn't get a handle on a topic from the Minna No Nihongo Grammar book. I'm not sure either one is "better" so much as more suited to a study style. Awesome review Chad!
As mentioned, this is not a standalone book. You need the other part which provides the translations/explanations and cultural notes to accompany the main text book.
I’ve used MNN myself and I found one biggest no no for it is that its vocabs are introduced in masu form. I think it’s very problematic. Maybe it’s easier that way in early stage but later on when you learn dictionay form it’s like you have to do double work. Misa sensei in Japaneseammo explains very well on why you definitely should not do that. I think you guys might want to consider thoroughly before using this book, other that than I love its content, it’s full of daily life related topic rather than just college life as someone had said in this comment, however somewhat stiff. Besides, if any of you hesitate to use this book just because its enormous accompanying books you think you have to learn to acquire the same level as with genki: you only need to study the main book and the translation book if you need ( you def do anyway), that’s all! Wishing you the best in learning Japanese ╰(*´︶`*)╯♡
My みんなの日本語 books have been used a lot and I don't have any issues with pages becoming loose. I guess a bad print, or you are too powerful hahaha Edit: Yay
Chad, what's 'hanging there by a thread' is the answer key and it's actually very common for Japanese textbooks to do it this way, so you can take the answer key out, as a separate booklet and use it more conveniently to check the answers :) Kanzen Master does it, obviously, but so does Somatome and Nihongo Challenge (though Somatome uses just a bit of glue to stick it to the back rather than stapling it like Kanzen and Minna no Nihongo do). In Try! series they put the answer key at the back without attaching it so you risk losing it or, unfortunately, some people taking it without purchasing the book.
Again, I cannot thank Zyhon enough for this! They even killed the game and hooked me up with a Japanese learning VIDEO GAME to review! :D A first in channel history! So that will be out soon enough! Let's hear it for him!
I have a copy of the book and the part that is coming out is the answer key. Not sure if it's the same on yours but could it maybe be so that you can take it out for easier use (no flipping back and forth).
As a series, I personally prefer Minna no Nihongo shokyu, but I can certainly see why people prefer to use Genki, especially for self study. So before going on, I am not hating on Genki. I think that Genki is a perfectly acceptable intro textbook, especially for self studiers and people on a budget. There is a reason why it is so popular. I started with Yookoso as a university student. A couple years after I graduated I went to an intensive Japanese summer program. My Japanese was rusty so I got put into a level that started off with Genki 2. I bought Genki 1 before I went to try to familiarize myself with the difference and such. A couple years after that (once again my Japanese had gotten rusty from a lack of use), I lived in Japan and attended a Japanese language school that used Minna no Nihongo. Comparing just the Genki book and just the Mina no Nihongo Shokyu 1 Honsatsu I can see why people would prefer to use Genki for self study. It is an inexpensive, (relatively) easy to follow all in one intro to Japanese that is much more user friendly. For Minna no Nihongo, if you want English vocab list and explanations of grammar, you need to buy the English translation/grammar guide. This adds cost but it makes sense since this seems to be the most popular book used in language schools in Japan. Thus not everyone is a native English speaker, and they can buy the translation guide in their own native language if they want/need to. If you can afford to buy ALL the books related to Shokyu 1, it will be quite expensive, but it is a ton of supplemental material to work on to really reinforce things. The full Shokyu 1 is 11 "books" this includes a Kanji book and kanji workbook, a set of CDs, and even a novella about Miller-san (for those who are not sick of him and want more reading). But it also includes grammar workbooks, listening task textbook, a textbook of simple readings, a textbook of simple essays to read and basics of writing an essay in Japanese yourself, and others. The down side to all this supplemental material is the cost (and this same amount of material pretty much for Shokyu 2, but it is decreased in the intermediate level). Minna no Nihongo is rough to start off with as a self studier with no Japanese experience, and is best if you are working with a teacher in some capacity, or already have some Japanese ability and want something that is more immersive. Sorry for the long comment, that is just my 2¥ opinion.
You buy that book with another book with the language you do speak. Not everyone is going from English to Japanese so books like Genki don’t work for everyone.
i was literally researching this topic and came across your channel this morning and was confused why you didnt have a review of Minna no Nihongo and now you uploaded it
I am using Minna no nihongo in my language school it's really good and actually the first japanese book and only that I have. The biggest complain I have about the books is the vocabulary you have to study like why do I have to learn how to say tape recorder or cassette and others like you don't even used that. Also the translation and grammar book they have doesn't really help without a teacher. Looks like genki it's cheaper because with Minna no nihongo you have to buy the kanji workbook, the translation and grammar notes. And you end up paying more
I've had Minna for a month and my book is coming apart at the exact same place! At first, I thought it's so that a teacher/instructor could remove the answer section of the book so that the student doesn't cheat. Is that dumb?
MNN main textbook + translation book are great for self-study. I find the explanations in GENKI vague and imprecise. This video is misleading because with the way MNN series is structured, you’re supposed to use at least 2 books…
Wait....there is a version of this book with English explanations. I use it myself for my Japanese classroom. Currently, it's all virtual and through zoom. This book is pretty good, but I'm more of a Genki fan. LoL
I bought both Genki 1 and Minna no nihongo. My idea is to learn through Genki enough to be able to fluently read and revise from Minna so I have lots of native reading practice.
As most of the english speaking people who prefers Genki you are totally missinforming the viewers of the video. You are not supposed to learn with just the Minna No Nihongo, you have to use also the grammar guide book in your languaje. Even when I had a teacher we used the grammar guide in my class. You are not giving a fair review cause you are not using Minna No Nihongo properly.
great overview, bought the genki books recently cause you I saw your videos on them, was really considering buying みんなの日本語 just cause my native language is spanish and there's a spanish version of it. But anyways, great video
Te podés conseguir el minna no nihongo, el libro de traducciones y notas gramaticales en español y seguir el curso del canal kira teachings acá en UA-cam, explican los contenidos del libro.
Minna no Nihongo is the most popular textbook in Japanese language schools, by an overwhelming margin. Genki seems to be the most popular textbook in western universities; it is designed for westerners.
I’ve been to 4 different language schools in Japan and none used minna. 2 used genki, 1 used their own materials and one used Japanese for busy people.
Interesting. Overall, a large percentage of students in Japanese language schools are Chinese and Korean, so Genki and JFBP might not be used due to English content and focus. That is where MNN might be more popular.
@@ThatsMyChad BTW your detailed book reviews are awesome. Even better than thumbing through the language learning section in a large Tokyo bookstore, which I enjoy doing. In these videos, we get to flip through a lot of pages to get a feel for the content, plus get deeper insight than we could ever get standing in a bookstore or reading some review online.
I find this book perfect for self-taught introduction to the language. The translation and grammar notes book that goes with it it's perfect, and I wouldn't buy one without the other. The kanji series of this same collection is also quite good. 👍
Minna no nihongo is very good and you do need someone to explain certain things to you, but the pros of minna no nihongo is that is available in a lot of lenguages (you have to buy the normal book, and the "translated" one). I know spanish and english, so Im using both genki an minna no nihonho, both are great. If your main language is not english go for minna no nihonho 100%
I wanted to add one point "Translation and Grammar Notes" in the MNN series isn't the best explanation for beginners It does not bother me as I can access a lot of better study material for MNN in Mandarin - my native language However I find the grammar explanation material for it somewhat lacking - I hope to be proved wrong English native speakers may want to take that into account when choosing a textbook
I’ve never understood people’s hostility to different learning methods. I’ve had people who studied at University have this sort of “I’m better than you” attitude because I’m not learning with genki or in a classroom setting... but I’m having fun so who tf cares?
Honestly, for me, because I like to learn by myself I didn’t choose the minna one, I ended up buying the Genki book which is great, but when the new tobira was launched I decided to buy it and compare it, I really like it. Better than Genki, in my opinion, all the vocab has pictures so it’s easier to memorize it. Maybe you could review the new Tobira book, I know you have reviewed the intermediate one, but the one for beginners is a little different than that.
Wait a second... Minna no Nihongo has the Japanese book, but you need to also have the English notes with the explanation and vocabulary. Well, the bad thing is it feels outdated and gets a little boring at times.
As someone who is a month or so in someone recommended this for me which is well advanced to where I am… kind of disappointing. But something to look forward to i suppose
Thanks for your review, Chad!
Please, allow me to point out some pros and cons I've found after using Minna no Nihongo and Genki series both as a student and as a teacher myself in a mini-review if you don't mind.
First off, we should recap about the aim of these books and which circumstances they were designed under. Genki was devised by The Japan Times as a textbook for (mostly English-speaking) international students coming to Japan, which explains why it's written in English and relies so heavily on college life, and why it's become the preferred book for Japanese-language teaching at universities in the US, Australia, and so on. Minna no Nihongo, on the other hand, was crafted by 3A Corporation a few years earlier (it even looks a bit dated) to be used to teach immigrants from different backgrounds in a Japanese classroom setting, so the main textbooks were written fully in Japanese and contain assorted characters and topics about daily life in Japan. In fact, it's still the most widely used in academies in Japan today.
That being said, both series are laid out quite differently: while Genki takes a convenient all-in-one approach, with two pairs of one textbook and one workbook, each roughly corresponding to N5-N4 levels, Minna no Nihongo is divided into a myriad of booklets per level: one for kanji, one for reading, another one for listening, etc. That's why the latter seems to be more inexpensive than the former, but not really when combined.
This leads me to my next point: even though Genki looks more "fresh" and user-friendly, Minna no Nihongo is also suitable for self-teaching with the accompanying Translation and Grammatical Notes volumes, which include all vocab (and supplementary words), grammar explanations, translations for dialogues, and so on. The best part is these books have been translated into lots of languages (English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, German, Russian, Chinese, Korean...); this is great news for people out there who are not proficient in English. Plus, a Japanese teacher can easily give lessons to a multilingual group of students all following instructions together from the main text, while at the same time each student can resort to the translation book for an aid in their mother tongue. It's cumbersome until you get used to swapping back and forth one book for the other, though.
EDIT: A digital edition with French and Spanish versions of the Genki series is due to be released in fall 2022 and spring 2023, respectively.
As per contents, both Genki and Minna are pretty similar and reach almost the same point (N4 level), Minna being just slightly higher level with a few more words and several grammar points not covered in Genki. What's more relevant here is rather the manner these contents are taught: Minna is usually described as more "in-depth" because it's more grammar-focused with more detailed explanations (a bit too wordy at times), while Genki's are more straightforward and gradual. When it comes to characters, Mary and Takeshi are no doubt way more charismatic than Miller and company, who sound somewhat stiff and bland. The reason for all of this is probably that Minna no Nihongo is older.
I'd definitely say that the strengths of the one are the weaknesses of the other. Now, a (personal) list with pros and cons of each series:
GENKI
+Updated and lively contents/-Too college-centric stuff
+Straightforward explanations/-Some shallow grammar points
+English translations all over/-Too much English for language immersion
+Money-saving when bought altogether/-Each book is more expensive
+High quality paperback edition/-Lower quality audio recordings
MINNA NO NIHONGO
+Assorted contents focusing on everyday life/-A few dated expressions and dull characters
+In-depth grammar explanations/-Overly grammatical at times
+Total language immersion/-Cumbersome to use two books at once
+Each book is inexpensive/-Expensive when bought altogether
+Good quality audio and video recordings/-Cheap paperback format
There’s a UA-cam channel called “NihonGoal” that breaks down the Minna no Nihongo textbooks to a simple to understand video lessons format.
Brilliant review men! Have been looking for smth like that for ages)
Issue with Genki I have is that the romaji is so in your face, I had to drop it for Minna no Nihongo, cause I know Hira/Kata, but cause I speak and read English I keep looking at it, and I don't want to scribble it out, cause I hate damaging books.
@@crimsonred0786 Hi, if you mean the romanization of Japanese text in Genki textbooks, that happens in the first two lessons only to help those students who have not mastered the kana syllabaries yet. From Lesson 3 onwards, all text is rendered in natural Japanese or kana-majiri (mixed writing with kanji and kana), and furigana (kana transcription) for new words. Unlike Minna no Nihongo, furigana in Genki is placed BELOW the text so that your eyes have to make an extra effort and read the kanji before moving down to the kana.
If you mean there are English translations nearly everywhere, it could be a head start or a downside depending on several factors, such as:
a) Do you have a foundation in Japanese and find it easy to read kana?
b) Do you have a tutor or some friend proficient in Japanese who can clear your doubts up?
c) How many hours can you devote to study?
d) Do you feel comfortable swapping the main textbook for the translation book in Minna no Nihongo or do you prefer to have text and explanations all in one in Genki?
At the end of the day, as far as certain learning materials are concerned, it's often a matter of personal taste, I guess. So, just pick the one that suits you best and go all the way down for it.
P.S. I hate damaging books, too, so I'd simply photocopy the textbook to scribble, underline, and dog-ear as much as I want.
Have a nice day and がんばってください! (^o^)/~♪
@@JFBerenger Thank you! I didn't realise they take away the romaji. + Thanks for friendly response
The minna no nihongo method requires a minimum of 2 books. The one you review in this video + the one with the translation and grammar explanations (this one you can buy it in many languajes). And the way you go is chapter by chapter with both books at the same time.
Thank you, I was confused because I see there's a lot of different books I didn't know which to use
Yeah this youtuber is really stupid, making a review when you only have half the book lol
I had been learning Japanese for about 4 months now. I'm halfway through Genki 1, I'm about four lessons deep into Minna no Nihongo. I'm a big believer in using multiple sources for learning as I think your knowledge ends up being more well-rounded.
At this stage, MNN is going over things I've already learnt in Genki, and completing all the tasks is a good way for me to drill them. I think they go well hand in hand, but I don't many people would be able to start with just MNN. That being said, I agree that MNN is great for immersion. I feel quite accomplished when I manage to complete a whole lesson without any help.
So far I enjoy using both. When I get bored with one, I just swap over to the other!
Also: yay!!!
Hi Chad. Cool review. I started Japanese using Minna No Nihongo. And my personal bias is I love Minna No Nihongo.
I just want to point out that Minna No Nihongo is not only a single book. Its a set containing ６ or 7 books for Part 1 and another for Part 2.
1. 本冊 contains kaiwa, sample sentences, renshuu mondai
2. 翻訳・文法解説英語版 english translation, this is where grammars are explained in chapters
3. 聴解タスク for listening activties
3. 初級読めるトピック reading exercises
4. 漢字 for kanji
5. 標準問題集 test questions, sort of like summary test
6. 練習帳 for practice
7, I forgot the name of this 7th if there was. Hahaha
As someone who is a beginner, I agree Minna No Nihongo will not be useful if you're planning on self-study. But if you're taught how to use these books Book 1(chapter 1-25) and Book 2 (chapters 25-50), then this is more than enough to pass N4 level. I've used Genki for a short time, personally its easy to use. Sort of like all in 1 book. Which one is the best? Really depends on the user. But Minna No Nihongo series definitely is not a lackluster.
i do not have that money...
Where would you get all of those books for part 1? So far I’ve only seen a worksheet, translation, and the basic textbook.
I think the 翻訳・文法解説 does a poor job of explaining grammar compared to what GENKI does in its textbook
I already had a feeling Minna was better in the long run simply because it forces you to read Japanese. I'm about to finish Genki 1, and now I'm getting cold feet, I don't know if I should keep going to Genki 2 or just completely switch to Minna. If I switch to Minna, would I have to start from the begining or is there a Minna no Nihongo that's equivalent to Genki II?
You have given me so much hope in learning Japanese AND...you even inspired me to go out and purchase those plane tickets to JAPAN!!
how was japan?
@@bottamayo26 unfortunately Japan was closed and they canceled my tickets 💔 it is still closed but hopefully we can go soon
Great review. Just one thing: the answer key is removable. that's not the book falling apart. When you remove it you can enjoy the map as well ;)
In the front is also a map of japan with all the prefectures and their capitals. I think that's a nice touch.
i have to say that there's a second book where all the words/grammar is explained. And that book does exist in English, German, .... I think it's an really good self-study book.
Because I self study I am gonna go with ganki. Also I love how you break down your videos and how detailed you get with the text books without showing to much away I really appreciate that. Thank you for doing what you
do it really motivates me to keep going.
You can do it Benjamin! Get fluent then come back and tell me all about it!
update?
the sound recordings of Minna no Nihongo are of higher quality than those from Genki. it's not really important, but it might be useful to know if you use the included CD to create Anki flashcards or to practice shadowing.
I love mina no nihongo! It’s very challenging! Plus it forces me not rely on romaji ! Right now I’m on lesson 1, I’m slowly working through it with my online tutor :) . It’s so hard. After one set of exercises, my brain is fried but it’s totally worth because the information sticks. I love how their is no English in this textbook, it pushed to actually read the line and use what I learn during the lesson ! Great review !
I´ve been using Minna no nihongo in class, currently into unit 3, as you said I love all the working excercises since they really help you not to forget the grammar and vocabulary studied in class, but at the same time, I understand why it is better suited for a class enviorment since it is an advatange to have a teacher explained the grammar points before going into the exercises.
Are you aware that there is a supplementary grammar book that goes with this? It has translations in multiple languages.
Oh Thank God! I am thinking of buying a Japanese textbook for my Self-Study and am very much conflicted between Genki and Minna No Nihongo.
So while researching only yesterday I found your channel and was thinking "ok, this guy has reviewed Genki...but where is the Minna No Nihongo review!"
But today I was surprised at the coincidence, that I got my answer literally after one day!
My daughter is doing Japanese at a U.K. university and they use minna no Nihingo. They use the book in Japanese plus another volume which is translations in English (other languages are available)
this is the work book they have a supplement book which is for grammar translation in English and other languages
I bought Genki first because I’ve been told online it’s the best beginner book out there. I tried it out having some classroom experience and the pace was just too slow for me.
When I studied abroad in Japan and took beginner classes, we used Minna no Nihongo. My experience with it was genuinely enjoyable. We were learning in a pace that was fast, but not overwhelming. I was able to maintain what I learned and gradually became able to basically communicate with Japanese people.
I definitely recommend getting it as your first resource as you enter the Japanese language-learning world.
any advice for people whom are self studying from it?
Both Minna no Nihongo and Genki have helped me a lot. Personally I like the formulaic breakdown of the grammar in Minna No Nihongo, however I didn't use the course book for a long time, I found the grammar notes book was my go to and then I worked through genki chapters when I couldn't get a handle on a topic from the Minna No Nihongo Grammar book.
I'm not sure either one is "better" so much as more suited to a study style.
Awesome review Chad!
As mentioned, this is not a standalone book. You need the other part which provides the translations/explanations and cultural notes to accompany the main text book.
I’ve used MNN myself and I found one biggest no no for it is that its vocabs are introduced in masu form. I think it’s very problematic. Maybe it’s easier that way in early stage but later on when you learn dictionay form it’s like you have to do double work. Misa sensei in Japaneseammo explains very well on why you definitely should not do that. I think you guys might want to consider thoroughly before using this book, other that than I love its content, it’s full of daily life related topic rather than just college life as someone had said in this comment, however somewhat stiff. Besides, if any of you hesitate to use this book just because its enormous accompanying books you think you have to learn to acquire the same level as with genki: you only need to study the main book and the translation book if you need ( you def do anyway), that’s all! Wishing you the best in learning Japanese ╰(*´︶`*)╯♡
My みんなの日本語 books have been used a lot and I don't have any issues with pages becoming loose. I guess a bad print, or you are too powerful hahaha
Edit: Yay
Chad, what's 'hanging there by a thread' is the answer key and it's actually very common for Japanese textbooks to do it this way, so you can take the answer key out, as a separate booklet and use it more conveniently to check the answers :) Kanzen Master does it, obviously, but so does Somatome and Nihongo Challenge (though Somatome uses just a bit of glue to stick it to the back rather than stapling it like Kanzen and Minna no Nihongo do). In Try! series they put the answer key at the back without attaching it so you risk losing it or, unfortunately, some people taking it without purchasing the book.
Again, I cannot thank Zyhon enough for this! They even killed the game and hooked me up with a Japanese learning VIDEO GAME to review! :D A first in channel history! So that will be out soon enough! Let's hear it for him!
I have a copy of the book and the part that is coming out is the answer key. Not sure if it's the same on yours but could it maybe be so that you can take it out for easier use (no flipping back and forth).
Anytime Chad.
As a series, I personally prefer Minna no Nihongo shokyu, but I can certainly see why people prefer to use Genki, especially for self study. So before going on, I am not hating on Genki. I think that Genki is a perfectly acceptable intro textbook, especially for self studiers and people on a budget. There is a reason why it is so popular. I started with Yookoso as a university student. A couple years after I graduated I went to an intensive Japanese summer program. My Japanese was rusty so I got put into a level that started off with Genki 2. I bought Genki 1 before I went to try to familiarize myself with the difference and such. A couple years after that (once again my Japanese had gotten rusty from a lack of use), I lived in Japan and attended a Japanese language school that used Minna no Nihongo. Comparing just the Genki book and just the Mina no Nihongo Shokyu 1 Honsatsu I can see why people would prefer to use Genki for self study. It is an inexpensive, (relatively) easy to follow all in one intro to Japanese that is much more user friendly. For Minna no Nihongo, if you want English vocab list and explanations of grammar, you need to buy the English translation/grammar guide. This adds cost but it makes sense since this seems to be the most popular book used in language schools in Japan. Thus not everyone is a native English speaker, and they can buy the translation guide in their own native language if they want/need to. If you can afford to buy ALL the books related to Shokyu 1, it will be quite expensive, but it is a ton of supplemental material to work on to really reinforce things. The full Shokyu 1 is 11 "books" this includes a Kanji book and kanji workbook, a set of CDs, and even a novella about Miller-san (for those who are not sick of him and want more reading). But it also includes grammar workbooks, listening task textbook, a textbook of simple readings, a textbook of simple essays to read and basics of writing an essay in Japanese yourself, and others. The down side to all this supplemental material is the cost (and this same amount of material pretty much for Shokyu 2, but it is decreased in the intermediate level). Minna no Nihongo is rough to start off with as a self studier with no Japanese experience, and is best if you are working with a teacher in some capacity, or already have some Japanese ability and want something that is more immersive. Sorry for the long comment, that is just my 2¥ opinion.
Thx
I literally used both minna and genki.
You buy that book with another book with the language you do speak. Not everyone is going from English to Japanese so books like Genki don’t work for everyone.
Thanks for the great video Chad! And by the way Yay!
Dude says get titred of miller san lol. They even dedicated a book on him
Minna no Nihongo supplement at the back of the book is meant to come out by design, よ!
i was literally researching this topic and came across your channel this morning and was confused why you didnt have a review of Minna no Nihongo and now you uploaded it
Same here!
I am using Minna no nihongo in my language school it's really good and actually the first japanese book and only that I have. The biggest complain I have about the books is the vocabulary you have to study like why do I have to learn how to say tape recorder or cassette and others like you don't even used that. Also the translation and grammar book they have doesn't really help without a teacher. Looks like genki it's cheaper because with Minna no nihongo you have to buy the kanji workbook, the translation and grammar notes. And you end up paying more
I've had Minna for a month and my book is coming apart at the exact same place! At first, I thought it's so that a teacher/instructor could remove the answer section of the book so that the student doesn't cheat. Is that dumb?
I recently got my copy of Mina and I think that that section which is falling out is actually meant to be torn out as an answer booklet
MNM is perfect for class environment and for grasping and exercising basic Japanese, Genki can be used additionally as a practice and review book.
MNN main textbook + translation book are great for self-study. I find the explanations in GENKI vague and imprecise. This video is misleading because with the way MNN series is structured, you’re supposed to use at least 2 books…
Wait....there is a version of this book with English explanations. I use it myself for my Japanese classroom. Currently, it's all virtual and through zoom. This book is pretty good, but I'm more of a Genki fan. LoL
Had my minna no nihongo for over a year and haven't had issues with pages breaking. Maybe just a publishing issue for your copy
I think the booklet at the last part is really detachable.
YAY...I haven't been around much but another book review!!!
I bought both Genki 1 and Minna no nihongo. My idea is to learn through Genki enough to be able to fluently read and revise from Minna so I have lots of native reading practice.
As most of the english speaking people who prefers Genki you are totally missinforming the viewers of the video.
You are not supposed to learn with just the Minna No Nihongo, you have to use also the grammar guide book in your languaje. Even when I had a teacher we used the grammar guide in my class.
You are not giving a fair review cause you are not using Minna No Nihongo properly.
5:45 :0
great overview, bought the genki books recently cause you I saw your videos on them, was really considering buying みんなの日本語 just cause my native language is spanish and there's a spanish version of it. But anyways, great video
Te podés conseguir el minna no nihongo, el libro de traducciones y notas gramaticales en español y seguir el curso del canal kira teachings acá en UA-cam, explican los contenidos del libro.
@@imnobodywhoareyouu Gracias por la recomendación, definitivamente le echaré un vistazo
@@kevincandelario2510 de nada, suerte!
This video was really helpful. Thank you!
Minna no Nihongo is the most popular textbook in Japanese language schools, by an overwhelming margin. Genki seems to be the most popular textbook in western universities; it is designed for westerners.
I’ve been to 4 different language schools in Japan and none used minna. 2 used genki, 1 used their own materials and one used Japanese for busy people.
Interesting. Overall, a large percentage of students in Japanese language schools are Chinese and Korean, so Genki and JFBP might not be used due to English content and focus. That is where MNN might be more popular.
@@ThatsMyChad BTW your detailed book reviews are awesome. Even better than thumbing through the language learning section in a large Tokyo bookstore, which I enjoy doing. In these videos, we get to flip through a lot of pages to get a feel for the content, plus get deeper insight than we could ever get standing in a bookstore or reading some review online.
Idk about you but i take immense schadenfreude in tanaka san's story, truly it is the gift that keeps on giving
This is my favorite comment I've ever received
That's a big yay from me chief
I have it, and in the second book, the ripping pages happen again, it is a bum
I bought this book but with the English translation version
The Odd1sout reviewing Japanese books, Nice!
I find this book perfect for self-taught introduction to the language. The translation and grammar notes book that goes with it it's perfect, and I wouldn't buy one without the other. The kanji series of this same collection is also quite good. 👍
I'm reading udon and remind in the background 😂
Well to be fair みんなの日本語 is 2 books for the first half lol
Did I get it first this week?!?!
Brooke Spiker yea you did!!!!!
@@ThatsMyChad FINALLY!!! My rightful place
No I was on discord.
You only won because I let you
@@ryansanders8458 false. Just admit you lost this week bud.
Minna no nihongo is very good and you do need someone to explain certain things to you, but the pros of minna no nihongo is that is available in a lot of lenguages (you have to buy the normal book, and the "translated" one). I know spanish and english, so Im using both genki an minna no nihonho, both are great. If your main language is not english go for minna no nihonho 100%
Yay! It's wholesome af.
The most wholesome on the tubes
thanks man!
Chad me boy u inspired me to keep learning Japanese so thanka! Also a Yay from me
I just got this book 2 days ago
Please make video on synonyms and homonyms plz plz plz
I'll try my best! :D
you deserve more subscribers buddy
Well, I am the kind of odd ball who chose marugoto just because the first 3 books are free online.
..... ..... yeah. 🙃
So maybe I should use Genki as a start
Also, YAY
I wanted to add one point
"Translation and Grammar Notes" in the MNN series isn't the best explanation for beginners
It does not bother me as I can access a lot of better study material for MNN in Mandarin - my native language
However I find the grammar explanation material for it somewhat lacking - I hope to be proved wrong
English native speakers may want to take that into account when choosing a textbook
Yay!
I have bought minna no Nihongo. I have taken Japanese in school my teacher has pirated it and sent to everyone.
Wow, dope teacher!
Name sounds Indian
Which school is teaching japanese here?
Bit curious
Yay
I am a self studier who uses minna no Nihongo Mira san is the best mc
Yay!!!
Yay 😄
I’ve never understood people’s hostility to different learning methods. I’ve had people who studied at University have this sort of “I’m better than you” attitude because I’m not learning with genki or in a classroom setting... but I’m having fun so who tf cares?
This. ^^^
Yey dude!
Honestly, for me, because I like to learn by myself I didn’t choose the minna one, I ended up buying the Genki book which is great, but when the new tobira was launched I decided to buy it and compare it, I really like it. Better than Genki, in my opinion, all the vocab has pictures so it’s easier to memorize it. Maybe you could review the new Tobira book, I know you have reviewed the intermediate one, but the one for beginners is a little different than that.
which are those of nihongho beginners
Get your wardrobe accordingly.hats were made to wear accordingly.
吾はwow・ワワワと言ったから犬である
ワリオはワアアアアアアアと言うからかれはwowであるも・
there is way too much wa
Genki 1-3 + RTK + Japan Times Grammar books + Jisho dictionary
= ultimate yay combo up until native material
for me i use genki 1-3 + tobira + jlpn 2 material the native content
Wait a second... Minna no Nihongo has the Japanese book, but you need to also have the English notes with the explanation and vocabulary. Well, the bad thing is it feels outdated and gets a little boring at times.
チャド兄貴、あんたはサボってた勢いを取りなきゃスよ。 これは知っていたチャドではないス！さっと、しっかりしろ！月に作り出した1本の動画の以上は十分ではありません。
せめて、週に1本の動画が与えていいでしょうね。
だからこそ【泣く泣く】、低評価を挙げても構いません。悪いねチャド兄貴。許してくれよおおお！！！！！！！！！！
私のみなの日本語の本もバラバラになっちゃった。
Nice review man! The fact that みんなの日本語 has only japanese kinda scares me and i AM a self learner so i dont think id buy it, right now at least
I found a better way to get to Japan do you wanna know henpai
As someone who is a month or so in someone recommended this for me which is well advanced to where I am… kind of disappointing. But something to look forward to i suppose
I am a self studier who uses minna no Nihongo Mira san is the best mc
I am a self studier who uses minna no Nihongo Mira san is the best mc
I am a self studier who uses minna no Nihongo Mira san is the best mc