I recently spent some time going through Dekiru Nihongo 1 (Beginner Level). Is it a worthy alternative to the big names? Here is my honest review.
Foreign residents in Japan, international students, and serious self-studiers who want to bridge the gap between "classroom Japanese" and "real-world Japanese". Structure of a Typical Chapter dekiru nihongo 1
If you are the type of learner who loves repetitive substitution drills ("I eat an apple / I eat a banana / I eat a car"), this book might frustrate you. It has practice sections, but it assumes you will pick up the patterns through context and use, rather than endless drilling. If you need drills, you’ll need to buy the separate Exercise Book . I recently spent some time going through Dekiru
| Best for | Not ideal for | |----------|----------------| | Classroom learners with a teacher to facilitate tasks | Complete beginners without any hiragana/katakana knowledge | | Students who want to speak from day one | Learners who prefer explicit, step-by-step grammar rules | | People preparing to live/work in Japan | Those strictly preparing for JLPT grammar sections (though it helps with listening) | | Learners who enjoy role-plays and pair work | Self-studiers without access to a partner or tutor | If you need drills, you’ll need to buy
I would recommend for:
If you Google "Genki Chapter 5 help," you will find thousands of YouTube videos, flashcard sets, and blog posts. If you Google "Dekiru Nihongo Chapter 5 help," the results are much slimmer. You are mostly on your own, or reliant on your teacher.
Often overshadowed by its famous cousin Minna no Nihongo , Dekiru Nihongo (published by A3 Books) has been quietly gaining a cult following among teachers and serious students.