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Japanese is more learnable than it looks. Start with hiragana in a week, have your first conversation in a month.
A clear, week-by-week plan to get you from zero to your first real conversation.
The 46-character syllabary every beginner needs first. Master it in 7 days — this unlocks your ability to read and write Japanese phonetically.
The second syllabary for foreign loan words. If you know hiragana, katakana takes 2–3 days. Add core greetings and introduce yourself.
Learn the は/が/を particles, SOV sentence structure, and your first 50 vocabulary words. Build real sentences from day one.
Tackle JLPT N5's most common 100 kanji. Hold a 3-minute conversation about yourself, your family, and what you like.
The honest answer — it depends on what part you're asking about.
Pronunciation is simple — only 5 vowel sounds, no tones, very consistent.
3 writing systems (hiragana, katakana, kanji) feel daunting, but beginners only need hiragana to start speaking.
Once you understand SOV word order and verb endings, Japanese grammar is actually quite regular.
Japanese uses three scripts — but beginners only need one to get started. Here's what each one is for and how long it takes.
The foundation of Japanese. Every beginner starts here. Once you know hiragana, you can read and write any Japanese sound.
Used for words borrowed from other languages (e.g. テレビ = TV, コーヒー = coffee). If you know hiragana, katakana is fast.
Looks daunting, but JLPT N5 only requires ~100 kanji. Each kanji carries meaning, so learning them speeds up vocabulary too.
Learn these 12 phrases and you'll handle your first Japanese conversation with confidence.
Apps are great supplements. But for beginners, a real teacher changes the pace entirely.
Expert Japanese teachers ready for beginners. Trial lessons available — no commitment.