Japanese Elementary - Level 2

Already learned the basics? Our Elementary Japanese course will help build on your skills and grow in confidence when using everyday Japanese.

You’ll revisit familiar topics while improving your pronunciation, grammar and fluency, with a strong focus on real-life communication.

You’ll learn to use the conditional expression and to understand the difference between direct and reported speech. Your reading and writing skills will also improve as you learn over 100 kanji.

You’ll also explore elements of Japanese culture, with video clips, listening to audio materials and even song lyrics, helping bring the language to life.

By the end of the course, you’ll feel more comfortable handling everyday conversations—whether you’re travelling, socialising or exploring new opportunities.

Who is it for?

Join us here if you already know some Japanese. You may have completed our Beginners Japanese course, or studied Japanese formally for at least 60 hours. See the eligibility section for more details.

Timetable

The course includes 60 hours of evening classes, taught across three modules.

Benefits

• Work towards JLPT N5 level– ideal if you are preparing to sit the exam
• Learn with a supportive native tutor
• Build confidence in a relaxed and friendly setting.

The course is designed to help you build confidence and keep progressing. You will learn all the relevant N5 grammar, vocabulary, including Kanji, and listening comprehension.

By the end of the course you will be able to

• talk about the characteristics of things and people
• use numbers and counters
• use expressions of how often you do something
• talk about what you want to do
• ask someone to do something for you
• understand over 100 kanji
• talk about weekend plans and travel arrangements
• ask permission to do something at someone's house
• forbid someone from doing something
• express ability or possibility
• describe what you have experienced in the past
• use basic conversation in the plain style
• express your opinion
• understand direct speech and reported speech
• express ‘when’
• Use noun modification by sentences
• talk about getting on and off means of transportation
• learn statements involving receiving or giving actions
• start to use conditional expression.

Grammatical structures including

• Verb conjugation / Verb groups / Verb て-form
• N は どうでしたか。
  大学の日本語のべんきょうは、どうでしたか。
  How was studying Japanese at University?
• N はadjective です。
  すこしむずかしかったです。でも、おもしろかったです。
  It was a little bit difficult, however it was interesting.
• Vます-formたいです。 
  すしを　食べたかったです。でも、時間がありませんでした。
  I wanted to eat Sushi, however I didn’t have time to.
• Verb て-formください。
  東京駅で山手線に乗って、秋葉原で中央線に乗り換えて、お茶の水で電車を降りてください。
  Please take the Yamanote Line at Tokyo Station, change to the Chuo Line at Akihabara, and get off at Ochanomizu.
• Verb て-form はいけません。
  ここでタバコをすっては、いけません。
  You must not smoke here.
• Verb て-formいます。
  今、家で日本語のべんきょうをしています。
  Now I am studying Japanese language at home.
• Vない-formなければなりません。
  明日の朝、6時に起きなければなりませんか。
  Do I have to wake up at 6am?
• Vない-formなくてもいいです。
  いいえ、タクシーで行きますから、6時に起きなくてもいいです。
  No, I am going by taxi, so you do not need to wake up at 6am.
• V dictionary form ことができます。
  漢字を200字書くことができますか。
  Can you write 200 Kanji?
• V dictionary form 時間 / 約束 / 用事
  友だちに会う時間がありません。
  I do not have time to meet friends.
• How to use とき
  寝るときに「おやすみなさい」と言います。
  When you go to bed, you say “Good night”.
• Verb て-form＋あげます / もらいます / くれます
  友だちに本を貸してもらいました。
  I borrowed some books from a friend.
• Plain past form ら、~
  雨がふったら、家でDVDをみましょう。
  If it rains, let’s watch a DVD at home.
• Verb て-formも、~
  雨がふっても、海に釣りに行きます。
  Even if it rains, I am going sea fishing.

You will receive a Certificate of Completion from City St George’s, University of London, along with a digital badge for your LinkedIn profile.

To qualify, you must attend at least 70% of classes.

Teaching

Classes are highly interactive and include:

• Small group work and role-play
• Listening to audio materials (e.g. radio clips)
• Reading articles and texts
• Watching video content
• Digital learning tools to support your progress

You’ll also explore Japanese culture, current affairs and traditions alongside language learning.

Every lesson is designed to make learning practical, enjoyable, and social, so you can use Japanese confidently in everyday situations.

You’ll need some basic Japanese knowledge to enrol on this course. Join us here if you have:

• completed our Japanese Beginners syllabus, or equivalent elsewhere
• studied formally for 60 hours.

You should already be able to:

• write and read Hiragana and Katakana
• describe things and locations
• ask and tell the time and tell telephone numbers
• use basic greetings when visiting people and receiving guests
• talk about where you live
• speak about what you are doing now.

Still unsure where to start? Reach out to the team and we can help you to find the right level.

Additional requirements

To enrol onto the Elementary Japanese course, you must:

• be age 18 or over
• have basic IT skills and a reliable internet connection to access lessons and course materials.

English requirements

You will need a good level of spoken and written English to enrol on this course.