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Japanese Learning Apps That Saved Me as a Beginner
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items When I first tried learning Japanese, I thought I’d quit in a week . But these are the apps that honestly kept me going. Here is how I actually use them. Real talk: I didn’t use all at once (that’s how you burn out). I started with MochiKana + YouTub...by Hikari Matsumoto
Sections
5
Dictionary and Grammar
Listening
Speaking
Reading
Writing
Dictionary and Grammar
When I wanted to get serious about the JLPT, I found Migii JLPT really helpful. You can choose your level (N5–N1) and it has practice tests, exercises for grammar, vocab, reading, and listening, all organized by level. I like how I can check my progr...
Intensive JLPT practice test application - Migii JLPT
Purpose: Dictionary. This is the app I open whenever I hear a new word in anime or songs. I’d pause, look it up, see example sentences, and sometimes try to make my own. I literally spammed my Notes app with these mini-sentences . It became my way of...
Shirabe Jisho
Purpose: Grammar. This one focuses on Japanese grammar, providing clear explanations, real-life sentence examples, and a well-structured lesson system that helps learners progress easily from complete beginners to advanced levels. Although I feel tha...
Bunpro
Purpose: Hiragana & Katakana. This was my “morning coffee” app. I’d open it half-asleep and just do 2-3 characters. The flashcards are so cute, I didn’t even feel like I was studying. I remember one time I saw さけ (sake) on a sign at a store and w...
Mochi Kana - Hiragana & Katakana Mastery
Purpose: Kaniji. Kanji used to be the most intimidating part of learning Japanese for me. I often forgot the characters right after studying them. But Mochi Kanji has really made a difference. The spaced repetition system and fun mnemonics make kanji...
Mochi Kanji – Kanji Practice
Purpose: Conjugations. In the Japanese Conjugation City app, you're tested on conjugating various verbs into different forms. When it comes to knowing exactly why and how a verb conjugates the way it does, one of the most helpful ways to get acquaint...
Japanese Conjugation City - Apps on Google Play
This app is based on a well-known textbook series and covers all language skills, from basic to advanced. I appreciate how the lessons are logically arranged, building from foundational concepts to more complex topics. The rich variety of resources, ...
Japanese: Minna no nihongo - Apps on Google Play
Listening
The REAL MVP. I’d eat my dinner and play Japanese vloggers in the background. Sometimes I’d just mimic how they talk. At first, I felt a bit pointless, but after a few weeks I realized my pronunciation sounded way smoother.
YouTube
Purpose: Listening (Songs) This is an app to learn Japanese through songs. I use this app to practice listening. Those who like Jpop/ Anime will love to study with Pipop. The app will divide into levels for you to choose to listen to accordingly.
PiPop - Japanese Music TV - APK Download for Android
Purpose: Listening (Anime & Dramas) I watch anime and Japanese dramas with Japanese subtitles. Sometimes I try turning the subtitles off and see how much I understand. Other times I pause and replay short parts to listen carefully. It’s a relaxed...
Crunchyroll
In FluentU, real-world videos combine with interactive subtitles to create an immersive learning experience. As a result, it helps you improve your Japanese target language. The videos in this app (music, advertisements, movie trailers, and more) fea...
FluentU
Listening to native speakers is key to improving your comprehension and sounding natural. JapanesePod101 offers a huge library of audio lessons and podcasts for all levels, helping you build confidence in understanding various accents and speaking sp...
JapanesePod101
Speaking
OJAD (Online Japanese Accent Dictionary) is a free tool where you can check pitch accents, listen to audio, and even see how sentences are pronounced. If you’re learning Japanese and want to sound more natural, I think you’ll find OJAD really useful ...
OJAD - Online Japanese Accent Dictionary
I literally treated this like texting a Japanese friend. I could type in Japanese and get natural replies. It helped me learn how to build sentences and use polite forms without feeling nervous. It’s a great way to practice speaking, especially if yo...
Pingo AI - Your AI Language Practice Partner & Speaking Tutor
Scariest one ngl. I matched with a Japanese learner of English, and we started texting. At first my messages were like baby sentences, but they’d gently correct me. Over time, I could send longer texts. The best part? We started swapping memes, so it...
Tandem Language Exchange App | Find Conversation Exchange Partners
HelloTalk connects you with native Japanese speakers (and learners from around the world). You can chat by text, voice, or even video calls. There’s also a built-in correction tool, so native speakers can help fix your sentences in a friendly way. I ...
HelloTalk - Language Exchange - Learn Languages for Free
Reading
I use Todaii almost daily to practice reading. It offers short news articles written in simple Japanese, with furigana (pronunciation), English/Vietnamese translations, and tap-to-translate vocabulary. It's a great way to get used to real Japanese wh...
Todaii Japanese
This became my “morning ritual.” One short article a day with furigana + audio. I’d read along while brushing my teeth Super chill, and I noticed my reading speed picking up without me trying too hard.
Easy Japanese, free audio & text lessons | NHK WORLD RADIO ...
Writing
It's my first choice for quick lookups. Takoboto is a highly-rated, free, ad-free Japanese dictionary and grammar app known for its comprehensive features, including kanji stroke order, pitch accent, and example sentences. Key strengths are its integ...
Takoboto
This app is absolutely great for studying kanji. Not only does it let you test by writing (its forgiving enough that wonky finger phone writing is recognized) but it'll even let you know if your stroke order or direction is wrong! There are lists and...
Obenkyo - Apps on Google Play
It covers hiragana and katakana and it shows you how to write each character and then you get to try it.
Write It! Japanese - Apps on Google Play