Japanese learning guides.
Find your next step.
Start at the beginning, untangle a difficult skill, or plan your next chapter. Every guide includes a small exercise. Pick a topic, try one idea, and take it with you.
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Search a word, choose a topic, or narrow it to something you can practise.
Getting started
8 GUIDESHow to learn Japanese
How to learn Japanese from the beginning: build kana, words, grammar, reading and listening into a practical routine, with examples and a flexible first-month route.
Japanese for beginners
Start learning Japanese with a free seven-day beginner plan: hiragana, first words, a simple introduction and a small task to try each day.
Hiragana & katakana
Understand the difference between hiragana and katakana, compare both scripts and choose a focused chart with word practice for your next step.
Choosing a learning app
A practical checklist for choosing a Japanese learning app: explanations, recall, reading, listening, offline access and honest progress signals.
Hiragana chart
Learn the 46 basic hiragana with a free chart and optional romaji. Explore marked sounds, combinations and ten reading checks with explanations.
Katakana chart
Use a free katakana chart with romaji, then read menu and everyday words. Explore extra sound charts and ten reading checks with explanations.
Japanese self-introduction
Build a beginner Japanese self-introduction with your name, interests and a simple follow-up question. Understand each phrase and practise useful variations.
Japanese travel phrases
Learn practical Japanese travel phrases for questions, directions, simple requests and clarification, with context and preparation tasks for beginners.
The language
22 GUIDESLearning kanji
Learn kanji through real Japanese words, readings and sentences. Build useful study notes, practise recall and use furigana as a reading aid.
Japanese vocabulary
Learn Japanese vocabulary in context, make clearer flashcards and plan spaced review. Try simple sentence examples and a recall self-check.
Japanese grammar
Try three free Japanese particle exercises with hints and answers. Practise に, で and を, then learn how particles connect words in a sentence.
Japanese listening
Play a short Japanese listening exercise with a transcript and explained questions, then use a repeatable beginner routine and free Japan Foundation audio.
Japanese reading
Read a short Japanese passage with optional furigana and English translation. Use the ten-word glossary and three questions to check your understanding.
Japanese particles: ni vs de
Practise Japanese に vs で with twelve questions and explanations. Compare destination, location of existence, action location, transport and time.
Reading practice: a daily routine
Read a beginner Japanese daily routine with furigana, an optional English translation, a word list, comprehension questions and seven sentence-by-sentence explanations.
Japanese sentence structure
Understand Japanese word order, predicates, particles and omitted subjects through short examples and practice with explained answers.
Japanese verb conjugation
Learn how Japanese verb groups connect dictionary forms with polite, negative and past forms. Practise common verbs with checked examples and answers.
Japanese te-form
Learn common Japanese te-form patterns, the 行く exception, requests with ください and action sequences, with examples and explained practice.
Japanese negative sentences
Compare negative verbs, nouns and adjectives in Japanese, including polite past negatives, with clear contexts and explained practice.
Japanese adjectives
Compare Japanese i-adjectives and na-adjectives before nouns and at sentence endings. Learn negatives, past forms and common beginner traps.
Japanese particles: wa vs ga
Understand beginner uses of は and が through context, introductions, descriptions and question-answer pairs, with carefully explained practice.
Asking questions in Japanese
Build beginner Japanese questions with か, 何, 誰, どこ and いつ. Practise clear question-answer pairs and avoid word-for-word English patterns.
Japanese pronunciation
Practise Japanese pronunciation with attention to long vowels, small っ, kana combinations and sound models. Includes a focused routine and self-checks.
Japanese numbers and counters
Learn beginner Japanese counting with people, objects and prices. Understand why counters change, practise useful readings and check contextual examples.
Japanese time and dates
Learn clock times, days, months and date expressions in Japanese. Practise に, everyday schedules and questions about when something happens.
Japanese at a café or restaurant
Practise beginner Japanese for café and restaurant situations, including simple orders, quantities, menu questions and requests for clarification.
Japanese shopping phrases
Practise Japanese shopping language with これ, それ, prices, colours and simple questions. Includes fictional exchanges and explained comprehension checks.
Reading: a weekend plan
Read an original beginner Japanese weekend passage, follow a changed plan and answer comprehension questions with sentence-by-sentence explanations.
Reading: a café order
Read an original beginner Japanese café dialogue, identify the final order and understand quantities, negatives and polite requests with explained answers.
Reading: a train journey
Read an original Japanese train-journey passage. Distinguish departure, arrival and meeting times, with vocabulary notes and explained comprehension questions.
The learning habit
6 GUIDESJapanese practice
Find free Japanese practice exercises for kana, particles and reading. Choose a focused task, check your answer and decide what to review next.
Learning offline
Prepare an offline Japanese study routine with downloaded lessons, transcripts, dictionary access and tested audio before travelling.
Using a Japanese dictionary
Use a Japanese dictionary to identify the right word, dictionary form and meaning, then bring the answer back into context.
Japanese shadowing
Build a manageable Japanese shadowing routine using short understood recordings, phrase repetition, transcript checks and specific pronunciation targets.
Japanese spaced repetition
Create clearer Japanese review prompts, manage new words and repair difficult cards. Learn how spaced review connects with reading, listening and active recall.
Writing a short Japanese diary
Start a beginner Japanese diary with a place, an action and one detail. Learn how to use models, check past forms and review your writing without overcomplicating it.
The JLPT path
5 GUIDESThe JLPT learning path
Compare all five JLPT levels from N5 to N1, understand how reading and listening demands change, and choose a useful next study task.
JLPT N5
Understand what to practise for JLPT N5: kana, vocabulary, grammar, reading and listening. Find a weekly overview, focused resources and official samples.
JLPT N4
Prepare for JLPT N4 by connecting basic forms, following longer exchanges and repairing gaps in earlier vocabulary and grammar.
JLPT N3
Try an original JLPT N3 reading and listening task with audio, a Japanese notice and explained answers. Then plan practice that checks meaning and evidence.
JLPT N5 study plan
Follow a flexible four-week JLPT N5 study plan with 20 checkable tasks, adjustable session lengths, review goals and linked resources. Repeat weeks as needed.
A little direction goes a long way.
A suggested order, at your own pace. Each stop gives you something to try.
Make a small start
Seven days, one manageable task at a time.
A seven-day planMeet the characters
Find a few kana, then read them inside words.
An interactive kana chartConnect the pieces
See what a particle changes in a sentence.
Three particle exercisesRead a little story
Put familiar words together in a short passage.
A supported first reading