How to Jump in as a Beginner

Use an online dictionary, an e-dictionary for words. Don't try to memorize every single new word as a beginner. This is the fastest way as a beginner to jump up to a high beginner or even low intermediate level. Check out Link.com who have 60 mini stories in lots of languages. For Japanese, you could do my wife's really easy, total beginners. And then you could do the link ones after that.