Free Japanese course
Learn everyday Japanese with short lessons, listening practice, and exercises.
Your progress
0 of 30 lessons completed
Start with lesson 1, or choose a lesson below.
How the course works
At your own pace. Each unit has three lessons, a review, and a checkpoint. Start at the beginning or choose a topic.
Practice and review. Incorrect exercise answers go to My review. Each lesson also includes speaking and writing tasks to try yourself.
Listening. Google voice when available; device voice as a fallback. Text and translations are available. The site does not record or grade your speech.
This course introduces everyday Japanese, kana, kanji readings, particles, and verb forms. It is not a JLPT syllabus or a proficiency certificate.
Course units
6 units · 30 lessons01Scripts, sounds, and first meetings
5 lessons · Includes review and checkpoint0 / 5 complete
Scripts, sounds, and first meetings
5 lessons · Includes review and checkpointLearn what kana and kanji do, listen for sound length, and use first-conversation phrases.
Learning outcome: Greet someone, introduce yourself, and ask for help.
- 01
Three scripts, your first greetings
Meet hiragana, katakana, and kanji through phrases you can use today.
- 02
Kana, rhythm, and sound length
Hear the differences made by long vowels, small っ, and small ゃ・ゅ・ょ.
- 03
Introduce yourself and ask for help
Use a name, a polite introduction, and phrases that keep a conversation going.
- 04
Review: a first meeting
ReviewBring Unit 1 together through a practical exchange and 6 retrieval questions.
- 05
Checkpoint: a first meeting
CheckpointBring Unit 1 together through a practical exchange and 8 retrieval questions.
02People, things, and descriptions
5 lessons · Includes review and checkpoint0 / 5 complete
People, things, and descriptions
5 lessons · Includes review and checkpointBuild noun sentences, ask questions, show relationships, and describe things.
Learning outcome: Introduce people, identify belongings, and talk about likes.
- 06
Identity, topics, and questions
Use は, です, and か to introduce people and ask simple questions.
- 07
This, that, and whose
Point to things and link people, places, and objects with の.
- 08
Describe things and say what you like
Meet い-adjectives, な-adjectives, and 好き.
- 09
Review: people and belongings
ReviewBring Unit 2 together through a practical exchange and 6 retrieval questions.
- 10
Checkpoint: people and belongings
CheckpointBring Unit 2 together through a practical exchange and 8 retrieval questions.
03Verbs, time, and daily routines
5 lessons · Includes review and checkpoint0 / 5 complete
Verbs, time, and daily routines
5 lessons · Includes review and checkpointUse verb groups and polite forms with the particles that locate everyday actions.
Learning outcome: Describe a routine, a past activity, and a future plan.
- 11
Your first verbs and particles
Put actions at the end and mark what you do with を.
- 12
Present, future, past, and not
Use the four basic polite verb endings without person tables.
- 13
When, where, and with whom
Use に, で, へ, and と to locate everyday actions.
- 14
Review: a day in your life
ReviewBring Unit 3 together through a practical exchange and 6 retrieval questions.
- 15
Checkpoint: a day in your life
CheckpointBring Unit 3 together through a practical exchange and 8 retrieval questions.
04Food, places, and requests
5 lessons · Includes review and checkpoint0 / 5 complete
Food, places, and requests
5 lessons · Includes review and checkpointUse counters, find places, and build useful て-form requests.
Learning outcome: Order something, ask directions, and understand simple instructions.
- 16
Order food and count things
Use useful counters and polite ordering phrases.
- 17
Find people and places
Distinguish あります and います, then ask where something is.
- 18
The て-form and useful requests
Build requests and learn the first sound changes in the て-form.
- 19
Review: at a café and station
ReviewBring Unit 4 together through a practical exchange and 6 retrieval questions.
- 20
Checkpoint: at a café and station
CheckpointBring Unit 4 together through a practical exchange and 8 retrieval questions.
05Plain forms, ability, and permission
5 lessons · Includes review and checkpoint0 / 5 complete
Plain forms, ability, and permission
5 lessons · Includes review and checkpointConnect plain forms to aspect, ability, wishes, and rules.
Learning outcome: Say what you are doing, what you can do, and what you would like to do.
- 21
Plain forms for everyday grammar
Learn dictionary, ない, and た forms and choose an appropriate register.
- 22
What you are doing and what you can do
Separate ています from ability expressions.
- 23
Permission, rules, and wants
Ask whether an action is allowed and say what you would like to do.
- 24
Review: actions, abilities, and rules
ReviewBring Unit 5 together through a practical exchange and 6 retrieval questions.
- 25
Checkpoint: actions, abilities, and rules
CheckpointBring Unit 5 together through a practical exchange and 8 retrieval questions.
06Experiences and connected conversations
5 lessons · Includes review and checkpoint0 / 5 complete
Experiences and connected conversations
5 lessons · Includes review and checkpointDiscuss experiences, compare choices, explain reasons, and agree on a plan.
Learning outcome: Sustain a practical conversation with follow-up questions and clarification.
- 26
Talk about past experiences
Use たことがあります for experience and connect a short sequence.
- 27
Give reasons and compare choices
Use から, けど, より, and ほう to make a preference clear.
- 28
Make a plan together
Bring invitations, times, preferences, and polite repair into one conversation.
- 29
Review: a conversation from start to finish
ReviewBring Unit 6 together through a practical exchange and 6 retrieval questions.
- 30
Checkpoint: a conversation from start to finish
CheckpointBring Unit 6 together through a practical exchange and 8 retrieval questions.