Furigana when you want it
Turn it on, turn it off, or keep it only on the kanji you haven't learned yet.
Furigana
今日は友達と京都へ行きます。
墨Kana, kanji and grammarReal conversations you can followA tutor that listens backKanji you can actually write
Your path to Japanese starts with a single stroke.
Kana, kanji, grammar, listening and speaking, all on one guided path. Follow it step by step, or wander off the moment something catches your eye.
Zero to N12,136 jōyō kanjiBuilt-in dictionaryFurigana you control
学ぶ人から、学ぶ人へ墨 (sumi) means ink. Every kanji starts with it.
000あいうえおかきくけこさしすせそたちつてとなにぬねのはひふへほまみむめもやゆよらりるれろわをん
あいうえおかきくけこさしすせそたちつてとなにぬねのはひふへほまみむめもやゆよらりるれろわをん
アイウエオカキクケコサシスセソタチツテトナニヌネノハヒフヘホマミムメモヤユヨラリルレロワヲン
アイウエオカキクケコサシスセソタチツテトナニヌネノハヒフヘホマミムメモヤユヨラリルレロワヲン
Write
Every kanji, stroke by stroke.
Watch the official stroke order, then draw it yourself. We check each stroke as you go, so you learn the right way from day one. Try it right here.
Step 1 of 3Watch墨すみink · 14 strokes
Every stroke plays in order, with its number and direction.
Try another kanji
Listen
Hear how people actually talk.
Everyday dialogues with natural voices. Follow the text as it plays, slow it down, and tap any line to hear it again. This one is real, go ahead and press play.
コンビニで偶然！
A chance meeting at the konbini
Speak
Talk from day one.
Hana listens, answers in natural Japanese and adapts to what you say. This is how a first conversation goes.
花Hana · your tutor
Press play to meet Hana.
Real voices, scripted for the demo. In the app you say your lines yourself and get a score like these.
DemoThe rest of it
Small things that make it stick.
Reading help that steps back as you improve, kana in days instead of weeks, and a dictionary that's always one tap away.
Hiragana and katakana in days
Sound, shape and stroke order, then quick drills until it's automatic.
あa
かka
さsa
たta
なna
はha
アa
カka
サsa
タta
ナna
ハha
Tap any word
Reading, meaning, kanji breakdown and examples, without leaving the lesson.
筆に墨をつけて、名前を書いた。
墨すみ · ボク
ink; ink stick; the black of a brushstroke
I dipped the brush in ink and wrote my name.
Explanations that actually make sense
Grammar notes and translations written for humans, in the language you think in. Switch any time.
en
私は学生です。
Topic versus subject. The question everyone asks.
es
私は学生です。
Tema contra sujeto. La duda de todos.
The path
From zero to N1 without getting lost.
Six stages, everything in the right order. Follow them, skip ahead, or come back whenever you like.
Stage 046 + 46 characters
かなHiragana and katakana
Sounds, writing and reading for both syllabaries.
あアん
Stage 1~100 kanji · ~800 words
N5First steps
Introduce yourself, order food, ask for directions.
日本人
Stage 2~300 kanji · ~1,500 words
N4Everyday life
Plans, routines, opinions and daily small talk.
週朝晩
Stage 3~650 kanji · ~3,750 words
N3The bridge
Real conversations, basic keigo, short texts.
政経済
Stage 4~1,000 kanji · ~6,000 words
N2The real thing
News, work, anime and dramas without subtitles.
徴犠牲
Stage 5~2,000 kanji · ~10,000 words
N1Mastery
Literature, nuance and formal language.
曖昧鬱
Rough numbers per level. The JLPT doesn't publish official lists.
Explore
Curious about something? Go straight to it.
A grammar index that actually makes sense. Every topic comes with examples, audio and exercises.
Search a topic…
⌘KEllipsis省略
「行く？」「行く！」
The subject is almost always left out.
Substitution with のの
赤いのがいい。
の stands in for the noun: "the red one".
Conditionalsと・ば・たら・なら
雨が降ったら、行かない。
Four ways to say "if", each with its own nuance.
は versus がは・が
私は学生です。
Topic versus subject. The question everyone asks.
Keigo敬語
少々お待ちください。
Respectful, humble and polite speech.
Finished, or ruined〜てしまう
全部食べてしまった。
Something got done, or went wrong by accident.
Passive and causative受身・使役
野菜を食べさせられた。
"I was made to eat vegetables."
Counters助数詞
一本、一枚、一匹
Every kind of thing is counted differently.
Onomatopoeia擬音語
ドキドキ・ペラペラ
Sounds and feelings turned into words.
Reported speech〜って
明日来るって。
"They said they're coming tomorrow."
Polite and casualです・ます
行きます → 行く
When to be formal and when to relax.
Place particlesに・で・へ
図書館で勉強する。
Where, towards where, and by what means.
901234567890
901234567890
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901234567890
901234567890
901234567890
901234567890
901234567890
We wanted to learn Japanese and had no idea where to start. So we built the app we were missing: a path that knows where you are, and the freedom to leave it.
From learners, for learners.
Pricing
Start free. Keep going when you're ready.
All of N5 is free, forever. The other plans open the full path and more time with the tutor.
Free
$0forever
Everything you need to get started.
- All of level N5
- Dictionary and grammar explorer
- 10 pronunciation checks a day
- 10 minutes with the tutor to start
PlusMost popular
$9.99a month
The whole path, N5 to N1.
- Everything from N5 to N1
- Unlimited checks and role plays
- 100 minutes with the tutor a month
- 5 custom dialogues a month
Pro
$19.99a month
For people who talk a lot.
- Everything in Plus
- 300 minutes with the tutor a month
- Unlimited custom dialogues
- Early access to new content
Classroom
Customper seat
For teachers and schools.
- Seats for your students
- Teacher dashboard with progress
- Assign dialogues and kanji
- Invoicing and dedicated support
| Compare the plans | Free | Plus | Pro | Classroom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Learn | ||||
| Hiragana and katakana | ||||
| Level N5 | ||||
| Levels N4 to N1 | ||||
| Dictionary and grammar explorer | ||||
| Explanations in English or Spanish | ||||
| Practice | ||||
| Kanji with stroke checking | N5 only | All | All | All |
| Pronunciation checks | 10 a day | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Role plays | 3 a day | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Dialogue library | N5 | Full | Full | Full |
| Speak | ||||
| Free conversation with the tutor | 10 min to start | 100 min a month | 300 min a month | Per seat |
| Custom dialogues on your topics | 5 a month | Unlimited | Unlimited | |
| Extras | ||||
| Progress synced across devices | ||||
| Early access to new content | ||||
| Teacher dashboard and seats | ||||
| Support | Community | Priority | Dedicated | |
One credit is one minute with the tutor. Plus includes 100 a month, Pro includes 300. Need more? 150 credits for $4.99.
Cancel any time, in one click. No fine print.
Questions
Things people ask.
No. The path starts from zero, with hiragana. Within a few days you'll be reading your first words.
No. The path is a guide. Jump to any topic, level or lesson whenever you like, and come back to it later.
It compares your stroke with the official order and direction of each kanji, and flags the one that's missing, out of order or drawn backwards.
Only free conversation with the tutor uses credits: one credit is one minute. Plus includes 100 a month and Pro 300. Dialogues, pronunciation checks, kanji and the dictionary never use credits.
The path follows levels N5 to N1, with the vocabulary, kanji and grammar for each one. We're not affiliated with the JLPT.
Yes, in one click. You keep access until the end of the period you've already paid for.
Yes. It runs in the browser on your phone, tablet or computer, and your progress syncs between them.
Your first stroke is waiting.
Create a free account and start with hiragana today.