What is Japanese FAST?

A chinese lion statue

Japanese FAST is a course created by the U.S. State Department for helping their staff learn basic Japanese quickly.

The Japanese Familiarization and Short Term (FAST) Course is one of a series of similar foreign language courses produced at the Foreign Service Institute that are intended to train U.S.Government pesonnel assigned to overseas posts. The objective of the FAST Courses is to help students acquire the communication skills necessary to deal with the most common social and daily life situations they will encounter during their overseas assignments. Language forms adequate to satisfy personal needs，"how-to" information，and cultural highlights are presented in a format that will encourage students to try out and use with confidence the language skills they have developed.

Table of contents

I. First Encounters

2. Finding out where you are
3. Identifying objects
4. Asking about the availability of merchandise or services
5. Introductions

II. Getting Directions

6. Place names of interest in Tokyo
7. Some basic place expressions
8. Getting the answer you want(1)
9. Getting the answer you want(2)
10. Asking the distance 137

Review Lesson: Making It Work(1)

III. Transportation

11 Buying a train ticket
12. Taking the right train
13. Getting off at the right stop
14. Finding out the right exit and changing trains
15. Taking a taxi

IV. Shopping
16. Locating merchandise
17. Asking for service and indicating preference
18. Making a decision
19. Paying and receiving change
20. Daily greetings

ReviewLesson: Making It Work(2)

V. Eating Out

21. Seating and asking for service
22. Placing an order
23. Placing an order and paying

VI. Telephoning

24. Opening a telephone conversation
25. Making and receiving a business call
26. More telephone calls

VII. Emergencies and Problems

27. Emergencies
28. Getting things fixed

VIII. Useful Expressions
29. Going out for entertainment
30. Expressing appreciation，regret and other sentiments

Review Lesson: Making It Work(3)
Japanese-English Glossary
English-Japanese Glossary
Table of Months，Days，Weeks and Counters

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Features

  • 516 pages
  • Hiragana, Kanji, and Roman characters
  • Good for beginners