6 Best Japanese Language Learning Apps for Beginners!

The best way to study Japanese effectively—or to find the right app—is to ask experienced Japanese learners, or “senpai.” With that in mind, I reached out to a diverse group of learners, including business professionals from English-speaking countries, high school students from overseas, international students, technical interns, moms, and more. Many of my current and former students, who happen to be app enthusiasts, shared their insights as well.

Today, I’m introducing apps recommended by these senpai Japanese learners, along with their honest reviews. Whether you’re looking for a reliable free app or a paid option for more intensive study, I hope you’ll find one that fits your learning style!

This app is highly recommended and particularly popular among female international students from Europe. It’s a gamified Japanese learning app, ideal for those who love cute anime characters and games. With guidance from the main character, Riko-chan, users can learn hiragana, katakana, kanji, vocabulary, and grammar at the JLPT N5 level.

“The characters on the app, like Riko-chan, are adorable, and the illustrations for the learning cards are stunning. The mini-games are also fun to play. The storyline really immerses you in the app. A big plus is that the voiceovers aren’t done by AI but by real native Japanese speakers.”

“I learned most of the N5-level kanji on this app. In the grammar section, they show you the cards you’ve already studied, making it easier to remember because you’re visually retaining the information.”

“Without being locked behind a paywall, all the lessons are free as long as you watch ads. The ads are short, so they don’t bother you at all.”

kawaiiNihongo – Landing page – kawaiiNihongo

For those studying Japanese while living in Japan, kanji can be very challenging. You’ll encounter a large amount of kanji without furigana. By using this app’s camera function, it shows furigana above each kanji along with translations. It seems very convenient. My vegan student uses this app to check the ingredients of food items by taking pictures of food labels.

However, upon closer inspection, I’ve noticed that sometimes the furigana is incorrect (e.g., the kun-yomi is used instead of the correct on-yomi), and some translations are missing. But, I think it’s excellent for getting the general meaning of what’s written instantly. The ability to know things “immediately” is a big plus!

“When you come across a word you don’t know, you can look it up on the app immediately by using the camera, voice, or handwriting functions. It’s very useful in daily life. One downside of this app is that you’re only allowed to take 3 pictures a day unless you opt for the paid version. However, it still works well for reading long sentences, so I make good use of it!”

“They provide multiple examples and phrases for each word, making it easier to remember words and kanji. In the ‘Yasashii Japanese News’ function, you can practice reading comprehension.”

“The app offers a wealth of content, including dictionary functions, kanji study, reading comprehension practice, JLPT exam preparation, and community interactions.”

Mazii – Rated #1 Japanese English Dictionary Online

Personally, I also love using this app and recommend it to my students all the time. When I ask my students, especially those with high Japanese skills like business Japanese learners or N1 level holders, they say, “There are too many options, so I’ve only used this app from the beginning.”

“I immediately look up words I don’t understand, save them to my favorites, and study them with flashcards. Repeating this process helps me steadily build my vocabulary.”

“Since it works offline, I can easily look up words I come across while watching Japanese movies on a plane. It’s also helpful when I have a bad internet connection.”

“As a free dictionary app, it’s excellent, and I’m very satisfied. If I had to mention a downside, it’s that the voice is AI-generated, so I’m a little uncertain about the pronunciation and accent of some words.”

Shirabe Jisho

This app is suitable for those trying to strengthen their listening and speaking skills, pronunciation, accent, and intonation. With instructions given by an English-speaking host, a native Japanese speaker, and speech recognition software, you can steadily and effectively improve your speaking abilities. The app features interactive exercises where you speak according to the instructions given.

“It’s great that the voice is by native speakers. You can practice speaking one by one by mimicking the sounds. It also gives you immediate feedback on whether your pronunciation is correct or not.”

“It gives you explanations in English depending on your Japanese level, so it’s helpful for beginners.”

“I feel like I’ve become more fluent in speaking Japanese. There is a lot of practice for reading, writing, and listening, and I tend to put off speaking practice. However, thanks to this app, I no longer hesitate to speak out loud.”

Learn A Language Online – Rocket Languages

This is the most famous kanji and vocabulary learning app among English-speaking learners. It breaks down kanji into components like “tsukuri” and “hen”, and includes mnemonics to help with memory retention. One of my students showed me the app, and I was impressed by how well thought-out it is, especially in terms of learning efficiency and memory techniques.

“It’s a well-designed app, and I’m happy with all its content and features.”

“The mnemonics for remembering vocabulary are excellent. For example, for “tomodachi” (friend), the mnemonic is ‘My friend is Tom Cruise. I can touch him.’ ‘Tomu touch’→ ‘Tom tacchi’ → ‘Tomodachi’
It’s easy to remember without even trying.”

“It’s great that the app allows you to thoroughly check your mistakes when you get a question wrong. Also, being able to listen to both male and female voices is a big plus.”

WaniKani, a kanji learning application by Tofugu

It covers all levels, from hiragana to JLPT N1. The grammar explanations are detailed with plenty of example sentences, and you can reinforce your knowledge through practice exercises. There’s also a chart to help you identify which JLPT level you’re studying at.

“The grammar explanations are easy to understand, with plenty of examples. It also shows both standard and polite versions of sentences, making it more practical.”

“For the grammar points I’ve already studied but forgot, or for those that sound too similar and I can’t tell the difference, I can easily look them up in the app and learn the usage of each one. I don’t even buy grammar textbooks randomly anymore—this app is good enough.”

“You can also study along with textbooks like ‘Minna no Nihongo’ and ‘Genki.’ I use it to review vocabulary and grammar that I learned in private lessons.”

Bunpro

You can try multiple apps until you find your favorite, or stick to a study style like “All I need is a dictionary app.” However, one thing that was common among all learners is that apps should be supplementary, and that learning at a language school or in private lessons is essential.
Let’s use TCJ as a place to output the new knowledge you’ve gained through apps in our classes or online lessons!