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10 Useful Apps To Learn Japanese For Travel 2024

Discover the 10 best apps to learn Japanese for travel, navigate with ease, and unlock authentic experiences.

Prepare for your Japanese odyssey with indispensable apps designed to unravel the language barrier as you travel.

These user-friendly platforms offer practical vocabulary, essential phrases, and cultural etiquette tips to enhance your journey. Dive into the local scene with confidence and embrace the full vibrancy of Japan with every interaction.

Page Contents

Useful Apps To Learn Japanese For Travel

A quick glance at best apps To learn Japanese for travel:

Best Apps To Learn Japanese for Travel: Your Digital Language Toolkit

Duolingo: gamified learning for beginners.

Duolingo’s playful approach makes learning Japanese fun and engaging, especially for beginners. Its bite-sized lessons and game-like elements keep motivation high, while its focus on basic vocabulary and everyday conversations aligns perfectly with travelers’ needs.

• Free, accessible, and gamified approach
• Bite-sized lessons and focus on practical language skills
• Limited depth of instruction and lack of grammar explanations
• Limited speaking practice and repetitiveness of exercises

Related: Best Books To Learn Japanese for Beginners

Memrise: Memorization Made Easy

Memrise utilizes spaced repetition and mnemonic techniques to help you effectively memorize Japanese words and phrases. Its extensive vocabulary and phrase collection will equip you with the linguistic tools to navigate various travel scenarios.

• Effective memorization techniques and extensive vocabulary collection
• User-generated content and gamified elements for engaging learning
• Limited grammar instruction and quality concerns with user-generated content

LingoDeer: Structured Learning for Grammar Enthusiasts

LingoDeer offers a structured approach to learning Japanese, with a strong emphasis on grammar. Its comprehensive lessons cater to beginners and intermediate learners, providing a solid foundation in Japanese language structure.

• Structured approach with a strong emphasis on grammar
• Suitable for beginners and intermediate learners
• Variety of exercises to engage different learning styles
• Limited speaking practice and less emphasis on cultural context
• Limited free content and less gamified elements compared to other apps

Drops: Visual Vocabulary Building

Drops’ visually appealing interface and gamified approach make vocabulary building a breeze. Its focus on visual cues and quick learning sessions is ideal for travelers seeking to expand their Japanese vocabulary on the go.

• Visually appealing interface and gamified approach
• Focus on visual cues and quick learning sessions
• Limited grammar instruction and speaking practice
• Repetitive exercises and limited free content

Busuu: Interactive Conversations and Native Speaker Feedback

Busuu immerses you in real-life conversations, simulating the interactions you’ll encounter during your travels. Its community features and feedback from native speakers provide valuable insights into authentic Japanese usage.

• Interactive approach with real-life conversations
• Community features and feedback from native speakers
• Structured lessons covering various language aspects
• Limited free content and quality concerns with community feedback
• Limited speaking practice and grammar explanations could be more in-depth

Pimsleur: Audio-Based Learning for Pronunciation Mastery

Pimsleur’s audio-based approach hones in on pronunciation, a crucial aspect of Japanese communication. Its emphasis on listening and speaking skills makes it ideal for auditory learners.

• Emphasis on pronunciation and gradual progression
• Focus on listening and speaking skills, suitable for auditory learners
• Limited visual aids and grammar instruction

Rosetta Stone: Immersive Language Acquisition

Rosetta Stone replicates the natural language acquisition process, immersing you in Japanese through interactive exercises and real-world scenarios. Its comprehensiveness caters to dedicated learners seeking a deep dive into the language.

• Immersive language acquisition and comprehensive curriculum
• Variety of exercises and suitable for dedicated learners
• Limited free content and steep learning curve
• Limited grammar explanations and speaking practice

HelloTalk: Real-Time Conversations with Native Speakers

HelloTalk’s language exchange feature connects you with native Japanese speakers for real-time conversations. This app is a gem for practicing speaking and improving fluency, allowing you to gain confidence in communicating with locals.

• Real-time conversations with native speakers and cultural exchange opportunities
• Community features and free to use
• Quality of language exchange partners can vary
• Limited structured lessons and potential for distractions
• Limited grammar instruction

italki: Personalized Lessons with Professional Tutors

italki offers personalized lessons with professional Japanese tutors, providing structured guidance and personalized feedback. This app is perfect for those seeking a more traditional learning approach with expert support.

• Personalized lessons with professional tutors and a wide range of tutor options
• Flexibility in scheduling and focus on conversational skills
• Cost and the need for careful tutor selection
• Limited structured lessons and requirement for self-discipline

JapanesePod101: Podcast-Style Lessons for Listening Comprehension

JapanesePod101 delivers podcast-style lessons, catering to those who prefer audio-based learning. Its focus on listening comprehension and natural conversation makes it ideal for improving your understanding of spoken Japanese.

• Podcast-style lessons and focus on listening comprehension
• Variety of lesson formats and structured learning paths
• Limited free content and limited speaking practice
• Grammar explanations could be more in-depth and mobile app limitations

What to look for in an app to learn Japanese for travel?

When choosing an app to learn Japanese for travel, consider these key factors:

• Focus on practical language skills: Prioritize apps that emphasize everyday phrases, travel vocabulary, and essential expressions for navigating common situations like ordering food, asking for directions, and making polite requests.
• Emphasis on pronunciation: Choose apps that provide clear audio examples and pronunciation guides to help you develop accurate and natural-sounding Japanese pronunciation.
• Cultural context: Look for apps that incorporate cultural insights and explanations to enhance your understanding of Japanese customs, etiquette, and social norms, making your interactions more respectful and enjoyable.
• Variety of learning methods: Opt for apps that offer a mix of learning methods, including interactive exercises, gamified elements, and engaging audio or video content to cater to different learning styles and keep you motivated.
• Offline accessibility: Choose apps that allow for offline access to lessons and practice materials, ensuring you can continue learning even without an internet connection during your travels.
• Travel-specific content: Prioritize apps that provide travel-specific content, such as phrasebooks, location-based vocabulary, and cultural tips tailored to travelers’ needs.
• User-friendliness and interface: Consider the app’s user interface and overall design. Choose an app that is easy to navigate, visually appealing, and provides a seamless learning experience.
• Cost and value: Evaluate the app’s pricing model and compare it to your budget. Consider free trials or introductory offers to assess the app’s value before committing to a paid subscription.
• Reviews and user feedback: Read reviews and user feedback to gauge the app’s effectiveness, identify potential drawbacks, and determine if it aligns with your learning preferences.

Advantages of Japanese learning apps

• These Japanese apps are easy to use and learn the language. Most of the apps are free so if you’re keen on learning just for fun, you can do it easily. 
• Most Japanese learning apps include all three Japanese writing systems- Hiragana, Katakana as well as Kanji which is important to become fluent in the language. 
• You can use these apps to learn the Japanese language from anywhere and at any time. Most of the apps also have offline access which makes it a lot more convenient. 
• It will teach you grammar as well which is the most crucial part of learning a language.

Best Apps for Learning Japanese: FAQs

Are japanese learning apps good.

Japanese learning apps are an excellent way to up your grammar as well as language skills. Most of them are free and have a lot of features like pronunciation audios, free tests, and quizzes, etc.

Is Duolingo good for learning Japanese?

Duolingo is one of the best-rated free apps to learn Japanese for beginners. It makes learning fun by adding games and quizzes. However, if you’re an advanced learner, Duolingo might not be the best choice.

Which app is best for learning Japanese for free?

There are various apps to learn Japanese for free like Obenkyo, Duolingo, Lingodeer, HiNative, etc. However, some of the apps only have the basic version free and there’s a minimal fee for advanced learning.

Erika is the main author of the website. She is obsessed with Japanese products and always looks for an opportunity to share her love for Japanese products with everybody around her! She combined her love for writing, research and testing products to create Best Japanese Products. When she’s not reviewing latest Japanese products, you’ll find her pampering her cats. Erika is the definition of ‘The Crazy Cat Lady’.

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10 Best Apps for Learning Japanese for Beginners in 2024: Duolingo, LingoDeer, and More

• October 17, 2022

Japanese is one of the top ten most spoken languages in the world. Whether you are a tourist, a businessman, or a student, Japanese is an essential skill for many.

Here are some of the best apps to learn Japanese for beginners starting their language-learning journey on their own and for those wanting to sharpen their Japanese skills.

Duolingo Japanese

Duolingo is one of this guide’s most popular free language learning apps. It has been in the language teaching market for years, but it wasn’t until a couple of years ago that the Duolingo team launched a Japanese course.

This course is designed to help you learn the basics of the Japanese language through several interactive lessons. Each lesson covers a different topic and introduces relevant Japanese vocabulary.

For those learners that already know some Japanese, you can take a proficiency test to jump ahead to later lessons.

This application offers different language practice exercises, varying from translating vocabulary or phrases from Japanese to English and vice versa, writing or rearranging sentences to filling in the blank activities.

The great thing about Duolingo is that the creators have ensured that with the Japanese course, you can obtain a basic Japanese vocabulary and grammar equivalent to an upper beginner level (JLPT N5).

• It starts teaching from the building blocks of the Japanese language; Hiragana and Katakana. In the beginning, romaji is mainly used, but as you progress more, Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji are introduced.
• The audio is clear. You can repeat it as often as you want, which makes for excellent shadowing practice.
• Topics introduce vocabulary. When learning a new language, the amount of vocabulary to learn can feel overwhelming. Duolingo teaches words and phrases based on a range of topics.
• Achieving streaks on the Duolingo app is a fun way to stay consistent with your learning. It encourages you to make language learning a daily habit! Setting aside 15 minutes a day for language learning is a much more effective way to study and retain new information.
• You can compete against friends or other learners on the Duolingo leaderboard. The competitive side of me loves this feature!
• Grammar explanations are lacking. Duolingo relies on an inference to learn grammar (by seeing a sentence pattern repeatedly, you will eventually determine what it means). This method does not work with Japanese grammar since it’s completely different from English. Full explanations are available on the Duolingo website but not on the app where it’s needed most.
• Regarding hiragana, katakana and kanji, the focus is on recognition. On top of that, most of the questions are multiple-choice, so it is easy to think that you have learned all the kana despite knowing it on a surface level.
• The introduction of katakana and kanji feels abrupt with the lack of explanation. This is confusing to learners without any background on how the various Japanese writing systems work.

Download Duolingo on  iOS  /  Android

Meet Duolingo’s lesser-known cousin, LingoDeer! LingoDeer is one of the newer language learning apps on the market and has taken the Duolingo model and enhanced it for Asian languages, specifically Mandarin, Korean and Japanese.

The interface of this application will feel familiar with Duolingo with its segmented and themed lessons. Like many other language learning apps, LingoDeer gamifies the learning experience.

Users receive experience points upon completing goals and lose turns for wrong answers during test portions. But that is where the similarities end. From there, this app only enhances what its competitors have on offer.

LingoDeer users can practice newly-learned Japanese vocabulary and grammar in a wider variety of exercises, from matching, fill-in-the-blanks, spelling, writing, listening, and speaking to much more.

Japanese grammar is explained far more thoroughly. Tips and notes can be found on the lesson’s plate and brought up in the middle of exercises by simply clicking on the Japanese particles.

This difference alone sets LingoDeer above the rest with almost textbook-like grammar explanations.

But the best feature of this app is its comprehensive lessons covering the 3 Japanese writing systems: Hiragana, katakana, and kanji.

The lessons go in-depth in pronunciation, including word stress, exceptions, and explanations on how to make the sound.

There are even words accompanying the Japanese characters where you can click to hear the pronunciation.

LingoDeer has taken the model of a successful language-learning app and brought it to another level. With its comprehensive content and numerous unique features for Japanese language beginners, this might be one of the best apps available.

• Clear Audio. Native Japanese speakers record the example sentences!
• It has a great review system. The application offers in-house flashcards to review Japanese vocabulary, grammar, and kanji that you encounter throughout the course. The flashcard system takes inspiration from Anki (one of the best SRS review systems available) in its design.
• Japanese grammar is explained well and in detail. Grammar is not treated as an afterthought. Compared to other competitors, LingoDeer excels at explaining clearly and concisely with many example sentences.
• There are different exercises and stories to practice reading, listening, and pronunciation. Variety is essential when it comes to studying a language!
• It also has a customizable interface. You can magnify or shrink text size, choose your background color, and toggle romanized script on/off.
• It costs money after the first half of the course. The price ranges from $3.49/mo to $8.99/mo, depending on how long you want to sign up. There is also a lifetime option for $69.99, which gives access to all language courses on the app.
• The order in which the topics are taught doesn’t make sense. For the most part, LingoDeer does an excellent job of teaching useful language and structuring Japanese lessons that build upon each other well. But sometimes, the lessons include language that’s not useful for their level.
• There are a few bugs in the app. While the app works well and looks great since it’s a new app, there are still some tiny kinks in the gameplay, such as lessons loading slowly or hearing random audio during another practice exercise.

Download LingoDeer on  iOS  /  Android

Kanji Study

Learning kanji is one of the most challenging aspects of studying Japanese. Not only are there thousands of characters, but each one often has more than reading, making it an overwhelming process for learners.

The Kanji Study app makes the Japanese alphabet learning process interactive and enjoyable!

Kanji Study breaks down the daunting task of learning over 2000 kanji into manageable chunks. There’s detailed information for each kanji, from its definition, readings, and Japanese vocabulary examples to small animations showing the correct stroke order and much more.

Kanji Study takes a more serious approach to learning through drilling practice exercises for optimal retention. Users can assign a rating to each character based on their knowledge, narrowing down the kanji they need to focus on. But the best feature of this app is the kanji writing exercises.

Japanese language learners can improve their kanji recognition by challenging themselves to recall and draw the characters. With this powerful feature, learners can not only use this app as a study tool for the  JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test)  but also for the Kanji Kentei Test.

• Clean Design. This app is packed with valuable content, and its straightforward layout makes it easy to find what you are looking for.
• Customized learning. You can also make custom sets to match your textbooks or focus on the kanji you struggle with the most. You can also test yourself via adaptive quizzes that you can customize to your needs.
• Practice writing kanji. This app takes you beyond the recognition stage of learning, and you can practice the kanji you’ve learned by writing it out.
• Quick kanji lookup. You can search over 6000 kanji in one text field using readings, radicals, stroke counts, levels, and more.
• This is one of the most comprehensive kanji study tools available. Suitable for beginners to advanced learners. Because it is highly customizable to your learning needs, any Japanese learner, no matter their level, can take away something from this app.
• It is not free. Though the beginner level is free of charge, if you want access to the full content of the app (access to over 6,000 kanji), you’ll have to pay.

Download Kanji Study   on  iOS  /  Android

Imiwa has been the best free mobile dictionary app for Japanese learners for the past ten years, and it’s still going strong. If you haven’t been using this dictionary yet, download it immediately!

With over 170,000 Japanese-English entries, a variety of kanji resources, and a Japanese sentence analyzer, Imiwa is packed with valuable content.

You can also search by example sentences. Due to the many unique customs and Japanese culture , the Japanese language often uses concrete terms for specific situations, such as 三日坊主 (みっかぼうず). You are literally saying ‘a 3-day monk,’ but it means an unsteady worker who cannot stick to anything!

Imiwa has an excellent search system; both kanji and Japanese vocabulary can be searched via keyboard input, radicals search, or JLPT levels.

For those more advanced learners studying the JLPT, prepare to rejoice because, in this single app, you have access to all 5 JLPT levels of kanji.

No more hesitation with verbs and their irregular forms, such as 来る and 飲む. There are also Japanese verb and adjective conjugation tables.

Lastly, one of the best features of this app is a powerful tool that will help you with your translation work, the Analyse feature. Copy a Japanese text, open the app, and it will break down all the hiragana, katakana, and kanji into single dictionary entries.

Japanese becomes almost too easy.

• It’s 100% free. All features are free; there are no in-app purchases and no ads.
• Powerful Search Engine. Users can look up terms in English, Japanese, or romaji.
• Analyzer Feature. Analyze Japanese text and have it broken down into individual dictionary entries.
• Verb and adjective conjugation tables. Never doubt your conjugations again with these handy tables.
• Extensive kanji resources. Organizes kanji by JLPT, Jōyō Kanji list, and SKIP. There are also animations built into the app found in the kanji terms so you can learn the correct kanji stroke order.
• Multilingual support is also available. Definitions are available in English, French, German, Italian, Korean, Russian, and Spanish.
• Large size. Since the app can be used entirely offline, there’s a large size of 323 MB.
• It’s still only a dictionary. Though this app is handy, it can’t be used as a primary resource for Japanese study as it doesn’t fully cover grammar points.
• Imiwa has been on the market for years, and unfortunately, it doesn’t look like they will be making an Android version that you’ll find on the Play Store anytime soon. Imiwa is one of the few learning Japanese apps that has stayed with me throughout the years I’ve studied Japanese. It’s an oldie, but it’s a goodie! Not available for Android users.

Download on:  iOS

May IOS users have Imiwa? But Android users have the best range of Japanese-English dictionaries to choose from in Google Play, with gSho being one of the most reliable dictionary apps available.

Looking up terms and phrases is simple using gSho, featuring a search-as-you-type function, providing users with lightning-fast results. In just a couple of taps, gSho can provide definitions, conjugations, and examples of sentences.

Example sentences can also be broken down into detailed explanations by tapping on them. The key Japanese words in the sentence are highlighted and can be tapped to bring up information about that particular term instantly.

If this wasn’t enough, each kanji character is also broken down by its radical, difficulty, JLPT level, stroke count, and animated stroke order.

With its robust and fast search engine, gSho is a comprehensive and handy study tool for Japanese learners of all levels.

• Lightning-fast searches. With its search-as-you-type function, looking up terms take zero time and effort.
• Detailed entries. gSho displays clear explanations for terms and detailed kanji information and verb conjugations. All words have contextualized examples.
• Kanji stroke order diagrams. As well as breaking down the radicals that make up the kanji compounds, difficulty, and JLPT level, the app also displays animated stroke order diagrams for over 6,600 kanji!
• Kana Tables. This app includes comprehensive hiragana and katakana tables, which are great for Japanese beginners. With a tap, you can switch between either for a quick reminder on the difference between ソ and ン or whether you’re reading ぬ or ね.
• It is optimized for all devices. Tablets like the Nexus 7 and up will take advantage of the additional screen space with a two-column layout that doubles the number of visible search results.
• Advertisements in the app. You can upgrade to the No Ads version for $2.99 and never see an in-app ad again.
• Large size. Since the app can be used entirely offline, there’s a large size, 3.1 M.

Download on:  Android

This is where it all comes together. HelloTalk is a language exchange app that allows you to take everything you have studied and apply it to a real conversation with native Japanese speakers.

These native speakers will help correct and provide real-time feedback via text, voice, or video conversations.

HelloTalk has a very supportive community. You start by writing a summary about yourself on your profile, choose your native language, and select the language and level you’re currently learning.

After that, you can search for native language partners worldwide!

You can talk about the latest Makoto Shinkai film with other Japanese speakers, who will make sure to edit your messages and correct your Japanese grammar.

Another feature of this app is the ability to transcribe a voice message so that you can also practice speech and comprehension!

This app is highly recommended for intermediate to advanced learners that want to meet and have genuine interactions with native Japanese speakers to become better and more confident at speaking Japanese.

• The community is vast, meaning you’ll never have a problem finding someone to chat with.
• The interface is very intuitive. Despite being feature-rich, the app is straightforward to use. It provides a tutorial that you can revisit at any time. It has a very clean, uncluttered design.
• The app is free to use. It’s free. There are some in-app purchases, but the app is beneficial without them.
• It’s like having a Japanese teacher in your pocket. You can receive advice on your Japanese pronunciation and have a native correct your grammar!
• The number of messages can get overwhelming. Because it is such an active community, you may find yourself getting 20+ messages an hour when you are online.
• Using the condensed keyboard when writing long messages can be painful for some. The keyboard can’t be used in the landscape. The app doesn’t let you rotate to the landscape; instead, you’re stuck with portrait.
• Leaving the app running in the background does have a massive drain on the battery.

Download on  iOS  /  Android

Tsurukame for WaniKani

If you’re serious about learning Japanese, thoroughly learning kanji is one of the most valuable steps you can take toward fluency. Long-time learners of Japanese will know about Wanikani but may not be aware of the app Tsurukame.

Created by a long-time Wanikani user, Tsurukame is not the official Wanikani app, but it should be! With its simple and effective layout and user-friendly features, now it’s easier than ever to review kanji and Japanese vocabulary!

The app syncs up to your Wanikani account, and you can burn through your reviews and Japanese lessons in no time!

A subscription to Wanikani will set you back $9/month or $89/year (keep in mind that there’s an annual sale at the end of the year for lifetime access), but it will surprise you by the number of kanji you can learn over just a couple of weeks.

Based on a spaced repetition reviewing system, learners are motivated to depend on memory recall to ascend through the various levels.

As well as this, memorizing tricky characters is made a breeze by using mnemonics, making WaniKani an active learning process.

Offline reviews sync up when connected online. This is a fun, interactive, on-the-go review language learning app.

• Native speaker’s pronunciation. A native speaker has recorded vocabulary words and kanji, and there is the option to have them pronounced when reviewing them. The audio helps memorize the correct pronunciation.
• You can do reviews and lessons offline. Your progress will be synced when you’re online again.
• Easy to use interface. Much like the original Wanikani website, the app is user-friendly and colorful.
• See your progress with charts. The app displays a pie chart graph showing your progress on current-level radicals, kanji, and vocabulary.
• No more typos. You can turn on a feature on the app to ignore typos and synonyms during reviews.
• You need to have an account with Wanikani to use this app. The Tsurukame app is 100% free, but a Wanikani subscription will pay you back $9 monthly. However, you’ll be way ahead in the kanji game within a few weeks. You can go up to level 5 on the free version of Wanikani.
• You can’t begin on your desired level. This can be the most frustrating for intermediate to advanced learners of Wanikani and Tsurukame. Fingers crossed that the team at Wanikani deals with this issue soon!
• It’s not the official Wanikani app. This app was developed by a third party, a long-time user of Wanikani.
• Not available for Android users.

Download on iOS

Daily NHK Japanese News Reader

NHK (日本放送協会 Nippon Housou Kyoukai) is the national public broadcasting network in Japan and a leading news outlet.

They publish articles daily in Japanese on domestic and international issues. NHK Japanese is an excellent app for intermediate learners that seek to apply their knowledge to real-world situations.

Being able to read a Japanese newspaper is a goal many serious learners aim for as it’s one of the most challenging aspects of the language to learn.

However, NHK has done a fantastic job of simplifying articles to one or two paragraphs, allowing language learners to enjoy the latest news in Japan.

There’s the option to read the articles with furigana, or those that want to challenge their reading skills can turn off this feature.

More complex Japanese vocabulary is marked in green and underlined; if you click on this, the meaning is explained in Japanese (great for comprehension practice).

The names of cities, people, and institutions are also marked in pink so that you’re not constantly looking up terms in the dictionary.

To take advantage of this app, learners must have an excellent Japanese language base to read and understand the news.

• Short and simple Japanese news. Current affairs articles are short and straightforward, ideal for light and quick reading practice.
• Furigana Feature. There is the option to read the articles with furigana or without furigana.
• Vocabulary is marked. Each news article’s complex vocabulary is marked with an explanation of its meaning in Japanese.
• Integrated translator included. This is handy for searching for the meaning of specific Japanese words .
• Audio and video content are also available. Each news includes the audio of the text and a small related video, which is ideal for practicing our listening comprehension.
• Users must have a solid Japanese language foundation to make the most of this app. This app is not for beginners. It is recommended for intermediate to advanced learners, especially those studying at a language school .
• Limited content is available daily. One to three news articles are published daily, so the amount of new content is limited.
• Not available for IOS users.

Download on  Android

So, what is the best Japanese learning app?

Learning Japanese is a marathon, not a sprint, especially if you are learning on your own. There isn’t a single app out there that can overnight make you a better speaker of Japanese.

It’s about your effort, but fluency is within reach by using various Japanese learning apps!

Common Questions About Mobile Apps to Learn Japanese:

Duolingo is a great mobile app for learning Japanese, though, DuoLingo is really about vocabulary, so you would probably need other resources to learn grammar.

Yes, this is possible. Japanese language learners can find roughly everything you can find on the internet or in books on apps; it all depends on how you use them.

Duolingo might be a good one to start. It would be best if you read our guide to compare all the Japanese learning apps we reviewed so you can pick the right one.

Like Tsurukame for iOS, Flaming Durtles is the Android app for accessing your Wanikani lessons/reviews, and I’d highly recommend it.

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Learn Japanese for Travel

Prepare for your next trip with busuu’s japanese travel course. learn essential japanese travel vocabulary and phrases to open new doors.

If you’re planning a trip to Japan, it’s smart to learn Japanese for travel. But where to start? It can be overwhelming to tackle a whole new language!

Fortunately, you’ve come to the right place. In this guide, we’ll take a closer look at why it’s important to learn basic Japanese for travel before you jet off to Tokyo, the best way to learn Japanese, and start to tackle some important Japanese words and phrases for travel.

How to learn Japanese for travel

Learning basic Japanese for travel is actually easier than you might think.

Sure, the language as a whole is considered one of the hardest languages for English speakers to learn, thanks to the three Japanese writing systems and the complexity of formal Japanese and honorifics . But if you’re simply heading to an onsen in Hokkaido for a week, you’re probably not looking to do business in Japanese or read entire novels.

Instead, you can focus on Japanese phrases for travelers and other elements of basic Japanese, which is not nearly as challenging.

Discover the best way to learn Japanese for your next trip

Lessons on your schedule

Learn at your own pace with Busuu! Whether you have a free hour to study or just a few minutes, you can make progress toward your goals with bite-sized lessons designed by experts.

Tackle basic Japanese for travel first

Start learning with Japanese basics in the Complete Japanese Course or focus on the Japanese travel vocabulary you’re most likely to need first with our Japanese Travel Course.

Learn Japanese from anywhere

Study on the go with the Busuu app, and download lessons to learn offline! With Busuu Premium , you can keep learning even when your adventures take you out of WiFi range.

Why learn Japanese before you travel to Japan?

Before taking a closer look at how to learn basic Japanese, you might want to know why you should! After all, learning a language can be tough. You might be wondering what the benefits are of learning Japanese at all and whether it’s worth the bother.

Well, there are many excellent reasons to learn Japanese if you’re heading off to Japan! Learning a language makes your travel experiences so much better. Here are our top 5 reasons you should learn Japanese for travel.

1. Simplify your trip

When you take a Japanese Travel Course ( like this one! ), you’ll learn essential Japanese phrases for travel. The ability to ask for directions, buy train tickets, find a restroom, or order at a restaurant in the local language can make a huge difference in your experience of Japan. When you understand more, you can navigate new places and experiences more smoothly and with less stress.

2. Take roads less traveled

Another good reason to learn Japanese for travel? Many Japanese people simply don’t speak English. It’s not as common to learn English in Japan as it is in other countries that rely more heavily on tourism or that have had long relationships with English-speaking nations. If you don’t speak any Japanese, it may be hard to navigate the country unless you stick to more touristy locations. And what fun is that?

3. Connect with locals

In Japan, a little politeness can go a long way. Even if mastering advanced Japanese grammar isn’t in the cards for you, a few basic Japanese travel phrases – like learning to say yes and no in Japanese or understanding Japanese table manners – can help you better connect with the people you meet on your travels. Learning basic Japanese can help you learn to introduce yourself, ask other people basic questions about themselves, and so much more.

4. Understand more

If you’re heading off to Japan, one of the best things you can do to prepare is learn hiragana and katakana – two of the three Japanese writing systems. While the third system, kanji , can take years to master, hiragana and katakana alone can give you a huge boost when it comes to navigating around Japan. Reading these two syllabaries can help you sound out Japanese menus, signage, and product labels, which can be a huge help when it comes to getting around day-to-day.

5. Get a sense of accomplishment!

The simple truth is, learning to speak a new language and putting it to use can be fun!

Even if your Japanese isn’t perfect by the time the plane lands, it’s thrilling to buy a snack or check into a hotel in a new language and be understood.

Everyone needs a win sometimes! And the local Japanese folks you encounter will likely appreciate the effort you made in learning.

Pro tip : When you go into a store in Japan, you’re likely to hear someone call out, “Irasshaimase!” Find out what it means – along with 17 other Japanese greetings – right here .

In short? Learning to speak Japanese before traveling to Japan is sure to improve your experience!

There are tons of good reasons to learn a little Japanese before you go, and – since you can start learning with Busuu for free – it’s hard to find a reason not to.

Best of all? When you learn with Busuu, you can focus on learning the Japanese travel phrases you’ll need most, right from day one.

Why is Busuu the best app to learn Japanese for travel?

Busuu’s Complete Japanese Course is the perfect entry point to start learning Japanese. When you supplement it with Busuu’s Japanese Travel Course, you’ll learn the basics you need plus most useful Japanese phrases for travel. And if you want to keep learning, once the Travel Course is through, you can work on learning hiragana and katakana, or continue at your own pace from the basics all the way up to Upper Intermediate (B2) Japanese.

Actually speaking a new language out loud in the real world can be daunting! That’s why Busuu’s courses encourage you to practice speaking Japanese out loud from the first lessons. In Busuu’s Japanese courses, you’ll get exercises that challenge you not just to listen and repeat but to come up with your own answers to prompts based on what you’ve learned. That means you won’t just learn Japanese for travel – you’ll practice actually putting what you’ve learned to use.

One of the things that makes Busuu the absolute best app to learn Japanese for travel? The Conversations feature! You’ll share some of your exercises with native Japanese speakers on the app for encouragement and feedback. Learning from native speakers can help with your pronunciation, show you how the language is actually used in practice, and lift your confidence so you’re ready to say "konnichiwa" from the moment you land.

Learn Japanese phrases for travelers

Why not get started right now? Let’s take a look at some of the vocabulary and phrases you’ll learn in your first few lessons with Busuu’s Travel Course!

Pro Tip : There are many different ways to say no in Japanese – learn which one to use and when right here .

10 Essential Japanese words for travel

Learn more japanese for travel with busuu premium.

With Busuu Premium, you can set goals with a Study Plan, connect with Japanese speakers through Conversations, and so much more. Premium makes learning to use Japanese travel vocabulary a breeze, so you’ll be saying, Konnichiwa / こんにちは– “Hello!” with confidence to the people you meet on your travels!

3 Basic Japanese phrases for travel

1. Hajimemashite

Hajimemashite (始めまして) is a Japanese greeting that means “Nice to meet you”. We say this phrase when we meet someone for the first time.

2. Itadakimasu

Taken literally, itadakimasu (いただきます) means, “I humbly receive.” It’s good manners to say this before you eat and is a way to say thank you for the whole preparation of the meal.

3. Onegai shimasu

Onegai shimasu (お願いします) is a polite Japanese phrase that translates to "please" or "I humbly request." It is commonly used in various contexts to make a request or ask for a favor politely.

And now you’ve learned a few handy Japanese phrases to know when traveling!

Of course, you’ll need to learn a bit more Japanese before you can strike up a conversation in an izakaya or seamlessly order gyoza – but don’t worry, you’ll learn all that and more when you learn via Busuu’s Japanese Travel Course.

Start learning with Busuu

Don’t wait, start to learn Japanese for travel now and discover all the doors that learning Japanese can open for you.

Japanese for Beginners

• Japanese alphabet: The 3 writing systems explained
• Japanese numbers
• Time in Japanese: Your guide to telling time

Japanese Grammar Topics

• Japanese verb conjugation made easy
• 14 Useful Japanese phrases you need to know
• Japanese pronunciation for beginners

New Articles

• 5 Top tips on how to learn Japanese
• 18 Ways to say hello in Japanese like a native speaker
• How to say “No” in Japanese

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6 Best Apps to Learn Japanese and Advance Your Language Skills in 2024

For this post, I sifted through app stores and websites to find the best apps for learning Japanese .

I tested dozens of apps to see which were the most relevant and had the highest-quality learning materials.

Below are six of my absolute favorite Japanese learning apps that will allow you to swipe and tap your way to greater Japanese fluency.

Of course, the best app to learn Japanese for you may depend on your circumstances—so I’ve labeled each entry and included a shortlist of honorable mentions for specific language skills, too, so everyone can find what works best for them.

1. Best for Short Lessons: Busuu

2. best for immersive learning: fluentu, 3. best for structured courses: lingodeer, 4. best for audio-based lessons: pimsleur, 5. best for long-term learning: rocket languages, 6. best gamified app: duolingo, honorable mentions: japanese apps for specific skills, how to choose the best app to learn japanese for you.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Available for: iOS | Android

Price: Free; subscriptions available

Busuu is an all-around Japanese learning app with quick, daily lessons that emphasize speaking . 

This app aims to teach you Japanese in just 10 minutes per day, so it’s easy to use if you’re crunched for time. It emphasizes vocabulary and even has a section dedicated to travel phrases .

Aside from vocab, it also teaches grammar, pronunciation, writing, reading and conversation skills. The app even helps you create a personalized study plan so you can maximize your study time.

With Busuu, you can easily track how much progress you’ve made. The program is best suited for beginner and intermediate learners. 

See our full review of Busuu here .

Price: Subscription-based; free trial available

FluentU offers authentic Japanese videos like movie clips and inspirational talks with interactive captions in English and Japanese:

You’ll be able to take a quiz after each video with speaking and listening exercises included, and you can create personalized flashcards for any new words you come across.

Rather than showing you only the definition of a word, FluentU’s multimedia dictionary will show you the word’s meaning in context, with sentence examples. You can even find other videos that use that word for additional practice.

Full transcripts with audio and definitions at a hover accompany each video, as well as a word bank of key terms used in the clip.

Available for: iOS  | Android

This beginner- to intermediate-level resource teaches the Japanese language and grammar in a step-by-step manner that continuously builds on what you already know.

LingoDeer’s Japanese courses are carefully structured to offer vocabulary lessons, detailed explanations on grammar points and contextual dialogues.

You move through lessons compiled into units, though the app also has other learning options like flashcards, stories, phrasebooks and more .

The structured format of LingoDeer can take you from knowing nothing about Japanese to being able to form your own sentences at an intermediate level.

See our full review of LingoDeer here .

Pimsleur’s teaching approach centers on audio-based lessons , leveraging spaced repetition to reinforce vocabulary, pronunciation and conversational skills.

Lessons immerse learners in real-life scenarios, encouraging active participation by prompting users to listen, repeat and engage in interactive conversations .

Pimsleur’s portability allows for on-the-go learning, making it ideal for people with busy schedules or those who prefer auditory learning methods.

The app’s structured lessons gradually build language skills, so it’s suitable for beginners as well as students seeking to enhance their speaking abilities.

See our full review of Pimsleur here .

If you’re really serious about studying Japanese, Rocket Languages can help you from beginner to intermediate to advanced levels.

The holistic learning experience covers vocabulary, grammar, speaking, writing and listening skills . Its interactive lessons are designed to fit into your schedule, allowing flexible learning at your own pace.

The app’s strength lies in its diverse array of learning tools, including interactive audio lessons, language and culture lessons, quizzes, and progress tracking features .

Rocket Languages offers an unlimited free trial, meaning you’ll get access to a small part of the Japanese course forever. If you decide to purchase the whole course, you get lifetime access.

See our full review of Rocket Languages here .

Available on: iOS | Android

Who hasn’t heard of this popular language learning app? It’s well-known for a reason!

Duolingo uses game-like features and fun challenges to encourage you to study and keep you motivated.

The quick and immersive Japanese lessons are based on pictures and intuitive learning. The app also provides quizzes to help you remember vocabulary and kanji . 

Lessons are short and light, so you can study Japanese whenever you have a few free minutes throughout the day.

See our full review of Duolingo here .

Above are the best apps for learning all the Japanese language skills. If you’re looking to improve a certain area of your Japanese, however, one of these apps might suit your specific needs:

• Best for Grammar Lessons: Bunpo ( iOS / Android ). This app covers all of the grammar points in the JLPT. It also includes a complete Japanese grammar dictionary and over 8,000 quiz questions.
• Best for Building Vocabulary: Drops   ( iOS / Android ). For five minutes a day, Drops immerses you in Japanese as you swipe and tap to match images to words. See our Drops review here for more information.
• Best for Effective Studying: Anki ( iOS / Android ). A classic flashcard app that uses spaced repetition for efficient studying. You can see community-created Japanese decks here , and more information about studying with Anki here .
• Best for Practice with Natives: HelloTalk ( iOS / Android ). HelloTalk is a language exchange app that connects you with native Japanese speakers. Your language partner can edit your texts to correct your grammar, and you can even share voice messages! See our HelloTalk review here for more information.
• Best for Kanji: Japanese Kanji Tree Pro ( Android ). Though only available for Android users, this app helps with kanji recognition, reading and writing. You can learn based on JLPT or grade level and, with an upgrade to Pro, you can create your own learning lists.

Looking at this list might be a little overwhelming. There are so many great apps to choose from. But how do you know the best one(s) for you? 

There are a few things to take into account when choosing a Japanese learning app:

• Your Japanese level. If you’re a beginner, you might want to focus on apps designed specifically for new learners. If you’re more advanced, you can select an app that will support that—or even one that focuses on something you want to improve upon.
• The time commitment. Some apps work best if you log in every day to refresh your memory or earn rewards. But if you’re trying to learn while working full-time, or have major family commitments, try using apps that allow you to pop in and learn a little whenever you can. 
• Specific Japanese skills. Have you signed up for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test and need to target skills like kanji or grammar? Or do you want to improve your listening comprehension? If so, focus on apps that cater to a specific skill or teach a certain skill particularly well.

With these six apps for learning Japanese (plus the honorable mentions, of course), you can make the most of your downtime and tap your way to fluency!

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Learn Japanese

I want to learn Japanese!

If you follow the instructions in this over the top, step-by-step guide, you will reach your goal of Japanese fluency.

However, this journey is going to take a lot of effort and hard work on your part. Anyone who tells you learning a language is going to be easy is either misinformed or trying to sell you something. And eventually, after the honeymoon phase of learning wears off, progress feels slower. You burn out. Sh*t hits the fan. If you've ever tried learning something new, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

Instead, you need to do things the hard way (i.e. the correct way) right from the start.

Just because we're doing it right doesn't mean it has to be inefficient.

This method for learning Japanese starts at the very beginning. I assume you have zero knowledge of the Japanese language and guide you through each step. I'll cover reading, writing, speaking, and listening. And we explain what you should use, when, and why.

This should be everything you need to progress, that way you don't use all of that fresh enthusiasm you're feeling on planning how to learn, and instead spend it on actual learning.

Make like those famous shoes and just do it.

Our goal is to reach Japanese fluency as directly as possible. Unlike a teacher or a textbook, we have the freedom to be ruthless in the path we take to get there.

There are no tests or quizzes to take. You don't have to move at the speed of the slowest learner in your group. All you need to do is follow each step, do the work, and progress.

Just keep in mind that because of this, some steps may seem counterintuitive. They may even seem slow compared to other methods, but everything has been carefully selected to get you to the finish line faster and more efficiently. We'll talk more about that later.

A bit of housekeeping first: This is a living document, meaning it will be updated from time to time. Check back, subscribe to our email list , or follow us on Twitter to know when these updates happen. And, if you already have experience with Japanese, I still recommend you give it a read. There's a good chance you'll find something important to help you on your own Japanese language journey.

Table of Contents

Learn to read hiragana, basic japanese pronunciation, learning to type hiragana in japanese, understanding the concept of "kanji", beginning kanji & stockpiling kanji knowledge, learn to read katakana, learning to type katakana, learning to type kanji, 1. collecting vocabulary, 2. processing, 3. adding the words to your srs, beginning japanese grammar, a beginner's japanese textbook / program, answering your japanese language questions, order of learning, fact checking / cross referencing, do the work, sometimes, you'll just get stuck, optional: finding a japanese language tutor, suggested books and resources, intermediate level japanese, zero knowledge of japanese.

Welcome to learning Japanese! This section is for the true beginner. You know little-to-no Japanese. Maybe a "konnichiwa" here and a "baka" there. These first steps you take are especially important because they're going to set a foundation you can build off of.

The more deliberate your steps, the easier everything that follows will be.

Carefully completing this section is going to be necessary if you want to avoid the thing that takes down most learners: the intermediate wall. Instead, take your time on these foundational steps. What feels slow now is actually speed later on.

Estimated Time: 1 day to 1 week

Hiragana is Japan's version of the alphabet. It is one of three Japanese writing systems you need to learn to be able to read. The other two are katakana and kanji, but hiragana is where everything starts.

The ability to read hiragana is going to be a prerequisite for most beginner Japanese textbooks and resources. It's the first thing you learn in a traditional classroom. Surprisingly, I agree with everyone else. This is a good place to start.

Most Japanese classrooms spend an entire month learning how to read and write hiragana. That's too long! Instead of writing out each hiragana character over and over to memorize them, use the guide below and you may be reading hiragana later tonight. It uses mnemonics and worksheets that are designed to help you learn and be able to recall hiragana faster than you thought possible.

Do it: Learn How to Read Hiragana

It's important to note that this guide is going to teach you how to read hiragana and not how to write it. This has a purpose! While it is important to learn how to hand write Japanese eventually, right now it will slow you down immensely with very little payoff. Typing covers 99% of modern day writing so you will learn how to type hiragana (and katakana and kanji) instead.

This, in combination with mnemonics and worksheets, will allow you to learn how to read hiragana in a day or two instead of a month.

Remember: You're not in a class. You don't have to move at the speed of the slowest 10%. There is no speed limit .

In order to complete this section and move on, you need to get to the point where you can read all of the hiragana. Even if you're slow, as long as you can recall each character, as well as the contractions, without cheating, that's enough. You're about to get plenty of practice and your reading speed will naturally increase over time as you move on.

Note: Read "Japanese Pronunciation, Part 1" (below) before you start learning hiragana.

Estimated Time: n/a

Good pronunciation starts with hiragana. While hiragana alone won't teach you everything, it is the key to understanding how and why Japanese words sound the way they do. It will also help you get the foundation you need for a native-sounding accent. At the very least, hiragana will get you 80% of the way there.

For the remaining 20%, we wrote a guide covering the basics of Japanese pronunciation. Before you begin learning how to read hiragana, you should read up to the "Japanese Sounds and Your Mouth" section.

Once you've finished learning how to read hiragana, go though that section again, but this time read about "Important Differences" as well. This section will cover all of the sounds that don't exist in English, giving you a head start. Make sure you can pronounce all of the hiragana characters correctly before moving on.

Read: Basic Japanese Pronunciation Guide

With pronunciation, it's best to put the time and work in now, at the beginning. Don't ignore it because it's hard. When things get more difficult, it's very important that you've spent time speaking and hearing these sounds so that you can learn about all the differences and exceptions headed your way.

Okay, now go ahead and get back to learning how to read hiragana . Get to the point where you can read and recall everything, then move on to the next section.

Estimated Time: 1-2 days (or less) Prerequisite: Able to read hiragana

Now that you can read and pronounce hiragana (remember, slowly is okay!) it's time to learn how to type it on your computer or smartphone.

First, you need to install a Japanese keyboard. Luckily, you don't have to buy a special piece of hardware or computer to do this thanks to a type of software called an IME (input method editor). You can add an IME onto almost any kind of computer, phone, or operating system. Just follow the instructions in this guide to add them to your devices:

Read: How to Install a Japanese Keyboard

After you’re done installing, it’s time to learn how to actually type. Use the following guide, and only focus on the hiragana portion (since that’s all you know how to read right now):

Read: How to Type in Japanese

Assuming you are able to read hiragana, typing in hiragana is surprisingly straightforward. Once you feel confident in your typing abilities, including trickier things like contractions, small tsu, and dakuten, move on to the next section. It's time to talk about the elephant in every Japanese learner's room: kanji.

In our Japanese learning method, you're going to learn to read kanji characters very early. As soon as you can read and type hiragana it's time to start tackling kanji.

Here is our reasoning:

The most difficult thing about learning Japanese is kanji. At least, that's what people say. But trying to save it or brush it off until later isn't going to help you learn Japanese. Almost everything uses kanji, making it one of the most important aspects of learning this language. Your learning quality of life will drop drastically if you choose to ignore it.

A lot of a beginner’s time when using a textbook is spent looking up kanji and vocabulary. This takes your focus away from the grammar you're trying to learn and makes progression slow and frustrating. Learning (some) kanji and vocabulary first makes learning grammar a lot faster and, more importantly, easier. Think of it this way: you're losing a little time now to save a ton of time later.

Kanji leads to vocabulary, vocabulary aids communication, and grammar is like the glue that holds vocabulary together. Without vocabulary there's nothing for the grammar glue to stick to and everything gets messy. It makes grammar abstract and difficult to learn, when it doesn't have to be.

Like hiragana, we have a way for you to learn kanji that's way more effective than the traditional methodology (rote memorization). Thanks to that, it won't be as difficult as everyone says. It may even *gasp* be a pleasure to learn! Maybe.

This kanji-vocabulary-first route will get you to the point where you can use Japanese quickly. It feels slow at first, but soon you will rocket past your fellow Japanese learning compatriots. You'll also be able to get over that "intermediate wall" easier and quicker than if you were to use a traditional method. This lowers your chances of burnout and giving up all together.

If you're on board with this philosophy, you need to start at the very beginning: understanding what kanji is and how it's used. For that, we have another guide for you to read:

Read: On’yomi vs. Kun’yomi: What’s the Difference?

Once you understand how Japanese kanji readings work, you’ll be ready to learn some actual kanji.

Estimated Time: 1-3 months

Important note about this section: You should start to learn katakana (the next section) at the same time as this step. "Beginning Kanji & Stockpiling Kanji Knowledge" will take 1-3 months. In fact, you can complete all of the steps up to "The Beginner of Japanese" while you work on this one!

Okay, so it's time to actually learn kanji. Let's define what "learn kanji" means before you get started. That way you know what is expected of you.

When I say "learn kanji" I mean learn the kanji’s most important (English) meaning(s), and their most important (Japanese) reading(s). As you know from reading about on'yomi and kun'yomi, some kanji have a lot of readings. And, unfortunately, English meanings are just translations and can't always match the Japanese meaning one-to-one. That means there can be many correct English meanings for a single kanji that you'll need to deal with. We'll narrow those down so you only learn the most important meanings and readings first—the ones used 80-90% of the time. The remaining meanings and readings will come via vocabulary and other practice.

As you learn kanji you will also learn vocabulary that use those kanji. Not only will this help solidify those kanji concepts in your mind, but it will also be where you learn the remaining kanji readings. Plus, as you know, this vocabulary will be used to give you something to glue together with grammar later.

By the end of this guide, your goal is to know around 2,000 of the most important kanji as well as 6-7000 vocabulary words that use them. With this groundwork you should be able to read almost anything—or at least have the tools to easily decipher the rest on your own.

Your goal should be to learn 20-30 kanji and ~100 vocabulary words that use those kanji (and only those kanji) each week. If that seems like a lot, don't worry: there is a method for memorization that will speed things up considerably. Please read up on the Radicals Mnemonic Method. As a bonus, you will learn some important foundational knowledge about how kanji works in here as well.

Read: Learn kanji with the radicals mnemonic method

In this guide you will learn how to narrow down kanji meanings and readings to the most important ones. You will learn how to use radicals and mnemonics and how to create an effective routine.

You should be able to use these techniques to create a weekly study plan on your own for free, as long as you put in the work. But, if you would like all of the above (and then some) in one, complete package, we recommend the kanji learning program, WaniKani .

We'll be referencing it going forward, but just know that creating your own content and schedule is totally fine and doable. You'll just need to make sure you maintain your pace to keep up. Or, for some of you, make sure you slow down so you don't burn out!

Once you begin learning vocabulary in WaniKani (or your own system) read the Basic Japanese Pronunciation Guide from the Pronouncing Vocabulary section all the way through to the end. You will learn about long and short vowel sounds, double consonants, dropping sounds (all common stumbling blocks for beginners), and more. You will also learn about pitch accent. Although it may be difficult now, just knowing pitch accent exists and how it works in Japanese will give you a leg up.

Okay! Make sure you get started now. Do the work, don't just plan to do it! Sitting down and starting is the hardest part.

Estimated Time: 2 days to 2 weeks Prerequisite: Able to read hiragana

Learning katakana is about the same as learning hiragana, with a few Shyamalanian twists. We have yet another mnemonic-based guide for you, and chances are you'll be able to read katakana within the next few days if you're willing to put in the work.

You should get to the point where you can read all of the katakana, however slowly, by the time you start unlocking vocabulary in WaniKani (or by the time you start vocabulary in your own kanji method). Although katakana words won't show up a lot right from the start, there are enough to make it worthwhile. It's also a good way to spend your extra time while the number of kanji you're learning is still quite low.

Do it: Learn to Read Katakana

Note: Katakana tends to give learners more trouble than hiragana. This is because it seems to be used less than hiragana and kanji, especially at the beginning stages. Later on, katakana will appear more frequently, but for now simply being able to read katakana is enough. There will be plenty of opportunities to get better at it—just know that reading katakana may not come as quickly as it did with hiragana. And that's okay. Hiragana and kanji are just more useful right now, so spend your limited time and energy there.

Once you can read each katakana character—no matter how slowly—move on to the next section about typing katakana.

Estimated Time: 1-2 hours Prerequisites: Able to type hiragana, able to read katakana

Katakana is similar to hiragana in many ways, and thanks to this, learning how to type it should be fairly easy. There are a few differences to figure out, but you will be able to apply your hiragana knowledge to it and progress quickly. Jump to the katakana section of our typing guide and get started.

Read: How to Type Katakana

Note: Make sure you keep working on your kanji! If you’re using WaniKani, just do your reviews as they become available. It's important to make this a habit. Because WaniKani is a spaced repetition system there must be spaces between reviews. Longer and longer ones, in fact (though it will depend on how well you're doing). Do your reviews on time and you’ll get through this initial "slow" phase in a week or two. That's a drop in the bucket compared to your entire Japanese-learning career, so try to be patient. The waiting time is critical to testing your ability to recall information.

Estimated Time: 1-2 hours Prerequisite: Able to read 20-30 kanji

Before starting this step, make sure you can read a handful of kanji. Twenty or thirty will do just fine. If you're using WaniKani, this is when you start unlocking vocabulary or are around level 2.

Okay, are you done?

Typing in kanji is a little more complicated than typing in hiragana or katakana, but it still follows similar rules. Learn how to type in kanji using the kanji section of our guide then read to the end. There are some additional tips and tricks in there (punctuation, symbols, etc.) that may come in handy.

Read: How to type kanji

Now you know how to type everything there is to type in Japanese (that is, unless you count kaomoji )! If you can type in English, typing in Japanese is surprisingly easy. With practice, you'll be able to type it as naturally as you type in your native language.

To continue using this typing knowledge, you'll need to know more kanji and vocabulary. Once you get there though, you'll be ready for "The Beginner of Japanese" section!

Before moving on, you should reach level 10 on WaniKani (or around 300 kanji and 1,000 vocabulary words using your own method).

This is an important time in terms of pronunciation too. Make sure you consciously mimic the vocabulary audio. Think about pitch accent as you do it. This work will prepare you for sentences later.

With this kanji knowledge (and good pronunciation, to boot!), grammar is going to come quickly to you. You won't be spending your grammar study time looking up every other word. Instead, you'll be able to focus solely on grammar, and you'll know the contents of 80% of every sentence you see for the first time. When you say these sentences out loud, you won't be tripping over your tongue because you'll already be intimately familiar with Japanese sounds and pronunciation. The time you put into kanji, vocabulary, and pronunciation will begin to pay off.

Put your head down, trust in this, and do the work each day.

Go on, get to it, and come back here when you're done.

The Beginner of Japanese

Being a beginner of anything is great. Everything is new, everything feels like real, tangible progress, and even if you're bad at something, you can't really tell because you don't know enough yet anyway.

Enjoy it while it lasts.

At this point, you have a strong base of kanji and vocabulary. If you are using WaniKani , you should be at level 10 or above. If you are doing kanji on your own, or using another resource, you should know the most common meaning and reading of around 300 kanji and 1,000 vocabulary words. If you are using a resource that only teaches you the meaning of a kanji (and not how to read it), that doesn't count . You need to be able to do the whole thing, not just the easiest 20%.

With this assumption about your knowledge in place, we're going to go through some options for how you can learn Japanese grammar. This includes using a textbook as well as creating your own grammar program from scratch. We offer some of our own material as well. Most likely, you'll end up doing a hybrid of the above. No matter what you choose, your foundation of kanji, vocabulary, and pronunciation will make everything much easier. Without it, even the best Japanese textbook will be a frustrating experience.

Using a Spaced Repetition System For Vocabulary

Estimated Time: 2-4 hours + ongoing

You will learn a lot of vocabulary purely from your kanji studies. As long as you have a good kanji system in place, you shouldn't worry too much. However, you will definitely need to learn all of the words that do not use kanji too. In the beginning, this will largely be grammatical things, and words that don't use kanji, from your textbook. Later it will be vocabulary you pick up from signs, manga, and other real life sources.

It's time to learn how and when to introduce vocabulary words from outside your kanji studies into your study routine. The most important thing is to have a good system in place.

You need to be able to record and store these words so that you can study them later. You also need a good system to handle and process these words. It's a waste if you record them once and never look at them again.

At your currently level, most of the new words you encounter will probably be hiragana or katakana-only words. Once you start reading more and more Japanese, the number of new words you encounter will increase, so being able to keep track and add these to your routine becomes even more important. For now though, your goal is to develop a habit of collecting, processing, and studying vocabulary that is unfamiliar to you. This should become second nature.

Most likely, you will find most of the vocabulary that you want to learn in your Japanese textbook (we'll cover that really soon!). As I mentioned earlier, these might be words that don't have kanji, or maybe they're words that you didn't learn in WaniKani. There are a lot of words out there and no one resource will teach you all of them.

Once you've found some words that you want to learn you need to collect them. How you do this doesn't matter as much as actually doing it. Put them in a spreadsheet, a tool like Evernote or OneNote, or just write them down on a piece of paper. Make sure wherever you put these new words is easily accessible and make a trigger for yourself that essentially says " if I see a vocabulary word I want to learn, then I add it to my list."

There are plenty of list-apps and pieces of paper out there, so it's going to be difficult for me to say what you should use. I'm partial to Evernote and have my own processes built up there. And Airtable is a great spreadsheet app for people who don't think in math. But maybe you like physical pocket-sized notebooks, to-do lists, your smartphone camera (with a special folder for future processing), or something else.

Whatever you use, make sure it's easy for you . Figure out what makes sense and make it work. If this step doesn't happen, everything else will fall apart.

The next step is processing. I'd recommend you create a habit where every day, week, or month (it depends on how much new vocabulary you want to introduce to your routine) you go through this list and put them into your SRS of choice. What is an SRS? I'm glad you asked.

If you've been using WaniKani, you've been using a "Spaced Repetition System" (a.k.a. SRS) this whole time! But you'll want to use something else for the vocabulary you find out in the wild. For this, we wrote a guide. In it you'll learn how to collect vocabulary and add them to your SRS.

Read: Spaced Repetition and Japanese: The Definitive Guide

One additional piece of reading I'd recommend is this article on Keyword Mnemonics. For the non-kanji vocabulary you want to learn this is a surprisingly simple (and effective) mnemonic method which will allow you to learn more vocabulary in one sitting, and be able to recall it for longer.

Read: Keyword Mnemonic Method for Learning Japanese Vocabulary

As I said earlier, you won't be working with a ton of vocabulary at the start. For now, let your kanji studies give you most of your vocabulary. Then, when stray street vocabulary does start coming up, send it through the vocabulary process you've built.

Make this a habit.

Habit generally means 3-6 weeks of doing something regularly. And you should start now, because in six weeks you'll be needing to utilize this habit a lot more.

Estimated Time: It's a mystery

It’s (finally!) time to start learning grammar. If you followed this guide to the letter, you’re probably 2-4+ months into your Japanese studies. If it's more than that, don't worry about it. We all go at our own speeds and the important thing is that you kept moving forward. You should know around 300 kanji and 1,000 Japanese vocabulary words, and your pronunciation should be getting better, or at least you're being conscious about improving it. Now it’s time to kick Japanese grammar's butt.

Let's start by internalizing a philosophy. Carry this with you for the rest of your life:

When learning something new, you should already know 80% of it.

This means that each new thing you learn should be a 20% (or smaller) incremental step. A +1 from where you are, rather than a +20 or +100.

Most people go into a textbook with zero knowledge and wind up spending a large chunk of their time looking up words they don't know. How much of a sentence is vocabulary? Depending on the length, it's easy to answer "more than 80%."

So when you're learning grammar with a textbook, coming into it with prior vocabulary knowledge brings you to that 80%. Leaving you just the grammar, which you can then point your laser-like focus towards. Instead of constantly flipping to the index to look up a word or kanji and deal with context switching when you finally get back to the lesson, all you have to worry about is learning the grammar and nothing else.

That's the +1 we're talking about.

Let's assume for a moment that your Japanese vocabulary knowledge doesn't get you to 80% (or more). If that's the case, there are a few possible reasons:

You don't know enough vocabulary: If you don't know a lot of the words in a sentence before studying with it, then you don't understand 80% of the sentence before you start. In this case, go back to your kanji/vocabulary studies for a while and reconsider the level of the resource you're using. Another solution would be to pull the vocabulary from the resource, study them with your SRS method, and then come back once you've learned them.

You don't know enough grammar: Imagine you're looking at a sentence that contains three separate grammar points. If you're being taught one of the three, but you don't know the other two, you're dipping way below that ideal 80%.

The sentence is very short: If a phrase only has three parts (ex. "[vocabulary] + [particle] + [vocabulary]"), and you don't know one of them, you're going to be at 66%. In cases like this, you can make an exception. Knowing 66% of a three piece phrase, or 75% of a four piece phrase is acceptable. This will be very common in the beginning.

That's the philosophy we're working off of going forward, so double-check that you have that base of kanji and vocab before continuing with this guide. Your failure rate increases dramatically if this foundation is weak!

It's time to take our philosophy and apply it to a beginner textbook. All the things that would have normally tripped you up (the things teachers and textbooks have a tough time explaining, due to the curse of knowledge ) should now be less difficult to deal with. And with kanji and vocabulary already in your tool belt, learning grammar should be much more interesting. You won't be spending 90% of your time and energy on looking up kanji and vocabulary you don't know. Instead, you'll just be doing it.

With this base knowledge, choosing a specific textbook or program to follow becomes less important, but there are still many "good" textbooks and many "bad" textbooks out there. Most will teach you the same content one way or another, so pick one that you feel fits your learning style.

To help you with this choice, we wrote a guide:

Read: The Best Japanese Textbooks for Beginners

Whatever you end up choosing, get started right away. It's so easy for people to get trapped in a "preparation loop" where they spend all of their time planning and getting ready, only to stop before any actual work gets done.

At this point you will focus on working through your textbook of choice. Try to progress through the entire thing from beginning to end. Doing this will create a strong foundation of Japanese inside of you, something you can use to base other knowledge off of.

Once all of the basic, foundational grammar is in place you'll be able to really accelerate and work toward fluency.

It will take around 2-6 months to get through most beginner Japanese textbooks. Though, this does depend on how much time you have to spend on your studies and what grammar method you choose. You can even go through a couple different textbooks at the same time, if you want. What one textbook doesn't teach well, another probably does. That being said, if you don't feel like you understand a concept, or you want to know more, there's plenty of ways to get your questions answered. I recommend not skipping questions—instead, follow your curiosity! Learning is supposed to be fun, though school may have "taught" you otherwise.

Read the next section as you start your textbook studies. You'll eventually run into something you don't know that your textbook doesn't explain. You might as well be ready for it.

As you're going through your textbook, you're going to run into things you don't understand. Or, you'll find you don't know 80% anymore. It's not necessarily a failure of your textbook, it's just that many of them were designed for teachers to use in a classroom. They expect someone to be there to answer questions for you. Or, there just isn't enough paper in the world to cover everything.

Not to worry. When you run into something you don't understand you can look it up. No matter what kind of question you're asking or answer you're searching for, we wrote up a guide that will tell you how to find anything Japanese language related:

Read: How to Answer your Japanese Language Questions

Note: You should continue to use WaniKani (or whatever kanji learning method you chose) as you continue on. You should keep going until you finish, and/or you reach the end of this guide. It is important to keep your kanji-vocabulary knowledge ahead of your grammar knowledge at all times. If you don't, that 80% ratio will tick down until your studies no longer feel sustainable or fun.

Alternative: Learning Japanese Grammar On Your Own

By gathering all that kanji and vocabulary knowledge you’re making it possible to learn grammar on your own. Learning grammar is easy comparatively. That being said, if you decide not to use a Japanese textbook as your main resource, there are some things you'll want to consider:

This is a topic we'll be writing a big guide on. But, it's quite complicated so I haven't gotten around to it yet. We'll fill in this section with that guide in the near future, but for now don't use my slowness as an excuse. Just get started. If you do, ordering will, for the most part, naturally fall into place if you follow the "know 80% of all new things" philosophy.

Don't just trust any ol' thing you read on the internet. The same goes for textbooks and teachers, too. When you learn a new piece of Japanese grammar, make sure to read explanations from multiple sources. Some will be complicated with hard linguistic language while others will be overly simplified. And a few here and there will be just right! Making a habit out of using multiple explanations and resources for one thing will feel like it's slowing you down at first, but it's much faster overall. We'll list some really good reference books at the end of the Beginning Japanese section, so make sure to take a look.

If you're studying Japanese grammar on your own, it's even more important to do the work . It's not hard to study and use what you've learned. It's hard to sit down and start . Even more so than a class or textbook, you'll need to make sure you actually sit down and make progress. Measurable progress, preferably, though you'll have to figure out just how to measure it.

With a textbook, you can just say, "I could answer all the questions," or, "I made it through twelve pages this week." Doing grammar on your own makes it harder to see and feel yourself moving forward. You are, but it's a bit hidden.

If this is happening a lot—and no amount of research gets you through it—you might want to consider finding a professional to help. Speaking of professionals…

This may be the time to consider finding a Japanese language tutor, especially if you feel like you're not able to answer your questions about Japanese on your own. With a foundation of kanji and vocabulary already in place, you will be able to focus on the things that a tutor can help you with the most: speaking, listening, and answering questions.

Keep in mind that focusing on kanji and vocabulary with a tutor tends to be a poor use of this time. Most teachers don't have any idea how to teach kanji (it's just, "go learn these kanji and vocab by next week") and many tutors try to promote rote memorization because that's how they learned as a child.

When using a tutor it's important to focus on things only a tutor will be able to help you with. Those include their ability to speak, think, and explain nuances that haven't been written about or studied (yet).

You're not required to get a tutor or a teacher at this point, but if you were really looking forward to this part, now is the appropriate time to do it. Everything from here on out won't rely on your having access to a teacher, tutor, or native speaker, so you can still progress without needing to complete this step.

As you're moving along, there's always going to be more to learn. Don't be afraid to stop moving forward to indulge your curiosity. These "slowdowns" will speed you up as you strengthen past knowledge and make connections between them.

For times like this, reference books are quite good. If you're only going to buy one, I'd recommend the "Basic" book from the Dictionary of Japanese Grammar series . It is the best Japanese language reference book out there, in my opinion.

Other than that, look through the "Reference Books" section of our Beginner Japanese Textbooks, Reference Books, and Dictionaries article. There are quite a few good ones!

Read: The Best Japanese Reference Books & Dictionaries

Note: With any skill, it's important that you focus on the things you're worst at. "Raise the floor, not the ceiling," so to speak. If you do that, you'll find everything else gets elevated, and you'll be less frustrated overall. You'll have more data to reference in your brain as more unknown ideas and concepts pop up. For example, if you're bad at verbs, pick up The Handbook of Japanese Verbs and just read through it. It might take you an afternoon, but every verb you see from that day on won't be a detriment to your progress. Instead, it will positively affect all other aspects of your Japanese.

Raise the floor, because no matter how high your ceiling, you'll still be down on the ground.

The "intermediate" level of Japanese is by far the worst. Most of the people who ultimately give up on learning do it here (assuming they made it past the first few weeks).

Available resources begin to dry up, in both number and quality, and learners get stuck or plateau. Without guidance, it can feel like progressing is an impossible task.

This is the intermediate wall.

The thing that makes the intermediate level the hardest, though, is what got you here: your competence.

The beginner section was your unconscious incompetence stage. That is, you didn't realize you were incompetent, so you never felt discouraged, overly embarrassed, or stupid. But now you know a thing or two, and it's just enough to know you're not actually amazing at this thing called the Japanese language. It hurts and it's because you are now consciously incompetent, which is no fun at all.

Thankfully, a lot of the pain most learners feel at this stage comes from poor learning or teaching methods from the beginner stages. Things that you, hopefully, avoided. And although everyone will experience conscious incompetence to some degree, some people can get through it quickly and some get trapped here for years. Most, unfortunately, can't make it through at all and give up.

Be the type of person that gets through this stage quickly.

The other side of this wall is extremely fun and rewarding, so don't give up and don't let your conscious incompetence get you down.

Here's how you do it:

Recognize this stage exists and know that you're supposed to feel these uncomfortable feelings. This helps a surprising amount. You don't have to feel dumb because you know that everyone goes through this exact same situation. It's all a part of the process and if other people made it out, you can too.

You've already been preparing for this moment. This guide has prepped you to get through this fairly quickly. You're at an advantage! Most people wallow in the conscious incompetence stage for a long time because they lack two things: kanji and vocabulary. But by this point, you know more kanji and vocabulary than any intermediate level Japanese language student ought to. This is why you spent so much time on WaniKani (or one of its alternatives). It slows you down in the beginning so that you can blast through this wall.

With all that in mind, it’s time to start on some intermediate material. Make sure you are good on 100% of the previous sections before moving on. This is, by far, the most difficult portion of your Japanese education. You must have a good foundation to jump off of. When you're ready, you can start browsing our Japanese articles and Grammar pages . Good luck! 💪🏻

Japaniverse Travel Guide

• Before you go
• Japan SIM Cards

Learn Japanese

6 useful japanese language apps that can make your trip easier.

Are you having second thoughts about going to Japan on your next vacation because you do not know a lick of Japanese? Does imagining yourself asking for directions to the train station or ordering a bowl of ramen at a restaurant using only gestures or the three Japanese words you managed to learn before you left give you anxiety? To have a fun and memorable trip to Japan, it is not necessary to master the Japanese language.  Many people who do not know the language from across the world have already been and managed to survive and have a blast.

To make things less stressful and worrying for you before flying out, you can look up what available language translation apps you can download to your smartphone to help you get by while exploring the country. Below are some of the most useful Japanese language tools and apps that can make your trip a bit easier:

Google Translate

Google Translate supports a long list of languages, including Japanese, and offers a variety of functions that are easy to use. It can translate Japanese texts to English (or other languages) and vice versa in different ways:

• You type the characters, words, or phrases into the input field. The translation is then displayed in the output field.
• You take a photo of the Japanese text, and use your finger to select and highlight specific words or sentences in the photo that you want to translate.
• You point your smartphone camera at a Japanese text, and get a live translation of it.

With these features, the Google Translate app is especially useful when ordering at restaurants with menus in Japanese. Even though you can just look at the pictures and plastic food displays to decide whether you want a particular food or not, you can utilize the app to get a good translation and avoid asking for something that you might not really want. It can also help you read signs when you are out on the streets, train stations, temples and shrines, malls and department stores, and other tourist attractions.

Download links: iOs (free) | Android (free)

Imiwa? Is an offline Japanese dictionary that has more than several thousands of Japanese words and foreign language translations in store, available for iOS users. It includes more than 170,000 English translations, over 94,000 German translations, around 15,000 French translations, and at least 7,000 Russian translations.

To look up words, you simply input the romaji, kana, or kanji characters, and then get the translation that you need. It is perfect for tourists who have zero or very little Japanese knowledge. Moreover, because it is accessible even if you are not connected to the web, it allows you to search for words even if you do not have a wi-fi SIM card or if you are in an area with weak or no internet connection.

Download link: iOS (free)

Akebi is another Japanese dictionary that boasts of a huge database comprised of over 320,000 sample phrases and sentences, 200,000 words, and more than 6,000 kanji. Once you download it, you can enjoy free and unlimited access to its catalogue wherever and whenever, as it is fully available even without internet access.

Its built-in Japanese keyboard lets you input words or phrases you want to translate right away, so you do not have to tinker with your phone’s keyboard settings. It also has handwriting recognition, stroke order, and kanji test features if you plan to venture beyond the basics of the Japanese language after your trip.

Download link: Android (free)

Learn Japanese is an easy-to-use Japanese phrasebook app that contains a thousand commonly used, essential Japanese words and phrases when visiting Japan.

Its collection is divided into 21 different categories, such as greetings, general conversation, numbers, time and date, directions and places, and transportation, to allow quick and convenient search.

Even better, it offers audio files for each entry to teach you the correct pronunciation of words and phrases, as demonstrated by native Japanese speakers.

It also lets you mark and save phrases that you expect to come in handy the most to your favourites. It is accessible even without internet connection, and provides free access to the first 200 words and phrases (the rest can be unlocked if you upgrade).

Obenkyo is a good app to have to start learning hiragana, katakana, and kanji. It helps you memorize Japanese characters efficiently, so that you can recognize and read simple Japanese texts without having to whip your smartphone out every single time you encounter Japanese signs while touring Japan.

With katakana and hiragana flashcards, kanji stroke animation and drawing games, quizzes, and other features, remembering as many Japanese characters as you can before you head out to your much-anticipated vacation should not be that much of a problem.

Yomiwa is a versatile app that offers a variety of functions that should help make you less anxious of your lack of Japanese language knowledge and skills.

Its dictionary contains thousands of entries that should be able to help you look up translations for words and phrases you can use when asking for directions, ordering at restaurants, greeting and meeting people, and shopping.

With its real-time camera translation ability, you can point your smartphone’s camera at a restaurant menu, a brochure, or a sign to get a live translation of any Japanese text. It also enables the upload of photos from your camera roll that you need translated.

Available for free and accessible offline, it also has a practice drawing kanji feature for those that want to take their Japanese learning to another level.

Download links: iOS (free) | Android (free)

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Learn Japanese - Phrasebook 4+

Learn, speak japanese language, appoxis pte. ltd., designed for ipad.

• 4.6 • 255 Ratings
• Offers In-App Purchases

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Description.

Learn Japanese - Phrasebook is one of the best and easy to use Japanese language learning apps that will help you speak and write in Japanese effectively. You want to travel Japan for pleasure or work but you can't really speak a Japanese word. What do you do in such situations? The best way to learn Japanese is to get started right away. And that's where this Japanese learning app comes in. our Japanese phrasebook is a simple, easy-to-use app that lets you learn Japanese on the go. It has carefully translated lists of essential phrases to help you communicate with locals, find your way around town, and get a good idea of what it's like to live in Japan. If you've ever tried to learn new languages, you know how frustrating it can be to try to find the right resources—and then even more frustrating when they aren't exactly what you expected. That's why we created this Japanese language app, an easy-to-use app that will help you learn Japanese quickly and effectively. Japanese is a language spoken by millions of people worldwide. It is one of the most difficult languages to learn, but with this app you can learn Japanese in no time at all. Japanese language learning app contains over 900 essential words and phrases spoken in native voice, making it perfect for travelers or anyone who wants to learn Japanese. The Japanese language app will allow you to learn the new language quickly and easily. This Japanese text app has 200+ words and phrases for free, then you can decide whether or not you want to upgrade for more content. You will be able to learn Japanese vocabulary, sentences and more using this fabulous language app. If you're wondering how to learn Japanese? Try our Japanese learning app and learn to speak Japanese within a very short time. ** KEY FEATURES of Learn Japanese – Phrasebook: *Make your Japan travel effortless and fun using the Japanese learning app. Carefully translated list of essential phrases will allow you to learn, speak and write Japanese. *200+free common words and phrases in this Japanese learning app will help you learn the language swiftly. *Upgrade and unlock all 900+ phrases in 21 categories in this fantastic Japanese learning free app. Important words are highlighted with tips to make you understand easily. *Audio, recorded by native speakers will help you learn the new language flawlessly. You can also playback audios at slower speed in this easy Japanese app. *The favorites list lets you store frequently used Japanese phrases so you can use them anytime you like. *This Japanese language app lets you search words inside it. * Start to learn Japanese free of cost and offline with this amazing Japanese dictionary & phrases app. Don't think of how to speak Japanese?! Simply install this language learning free app and learn Japanese writing and speaking. Easily pronounce Japanese words by listening to audios that are created by native speakers and make your Japan travel effortless! The days of using English to Japanese translator are long gone. With new and advanced Japanese writing & learning app, you will be able to learn perfect Japanese in a few days. Learn the basics of Japanese language, use different phrases and write Japanese seamlessly. Whether you are looking for learn Japanese for kids apps or simple Japanese language learning apps for adults, trying the Japanese phrasebook app will be worth the effort. ** FREE Categories: * Greetings * General conversation * Numbers * Directions and places & more **PRO Categories: * Time and date * Accommodation * Shopping * Colors & more Install Learn Japanese – Phrasebook app for free on your iOS devices and learn the most amazing language easily from the Native speakers. • WE READ EVERY E-MAIL. We're a small company, but we reply to every support request. Let us try to help at [email protected] and we will do our best to help in any way!

Version 7.1

minor issue fix

Ratings and Reviews

255 Ratings

Great even though it’s not the full version!

So like, I wanted to learn Japanese ready for my holiday in Japan and needed an app that preferably had Romaji (Japanese words spelt out in English letters) rather than katakana or hiragana (あア like this). So this had that right away aswell as hiragana and katakana equivalents so if you are stuck reading something in Japanese then BAM you can search it up on the app! Although there are some useful words that I would love to use with pro... the free part is certainly not lacking - it has all the basic words necessary for getting round in Japan.

This app has helped quite a lot, thank you. Also I purchased the Pro-version and was even more thrilled. Although maybe make the Pro-version a lower price. From what I do understand it gives you income so don't make it free because hard work shouldn't go unpaid. Thank you and good night.

Honest opinion

I with this app for a couple of months I must say it’s a really good app it’s free doesn’t want money and you can really learn a lot from it it’s one of best Japanese apps out there but there is one problem is it’s just for people who are getting started

App Privacy

The developer, APPOXIS PTE. LTD. , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

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Boutique Japan

20 Essential Japanese Phrases for Travelers to Japan

If you’re visiting Japan and a little worried about the language barrier (or you simply love languages), we’ve got you covered with these essential Japanese phrases for travelers.

In our guide to what we believe are the most important Japanese phrases for travel, we’ll introduce you to a selection of key words and phrases — and explain why the Japanese language barrier is not as worrisome as you might think.

The truth is, you do not need to speak any Japanese to have a successful, wonderful trip to Japan (and if you’re looking for travel inspiration, check out our favorite destinations in Japan ). However, learning a few key Japanese phrases can make your trip just that much better. So let’s get into it!

Download our Free Japanese Phrasebook:

Originally written in 2014, this post was updated and republished on November 1, 2019.

The Most Essential Japanese Words & Phrases for Your Trip to Japan

Learning Japanese can seem daunting, but don’t worry. You don’t need to learn any of these words or phrases to have a great time (see why we love Japan ).

However, as any seasoned traveler knows, making a little linguistic effort can go a long way, and it can be helpful to learn even a little of the local language for your travels. We’ve narrowed it down to a small selection of key words and phrases, divided by category:

• The Basics: Key Japanese Words and Phrases
• Food and Drink: Eating Your Way Around Japan
• Now or Later: Time-Related Phrases in Japanese
• Getting Around Japan: Transportation-Related Phrases

Here is a quick look at the words and phrase you’ll find below:

Top 20 Essential Japanese Travel Phrases:

• Konnichiwa (こんにちは) – Hello
• Arigatou Gozaimasu (ありがとうございます) – Thank you
• Sumimasen (すみません) – Excuse me
• __ o Kudasai (__をください) – I would like __, please
• __ wa Doko Desu ka? (__はどこですか) – Where is __?
• Itadakimasu (いただきます) – An expression of gratitude for the meal you’re about to eat
• Omakase de (お任せで) – Used to order chef’s recommendation (often for sushi)
• O-sake (お酒) – General term for alcohol
• Nihonshu (日本酒) – Japanese sake
• Kinen Seki (禁煙席) – Non-smoking seat
• Ima Nanji Desu ka? (今何時ですか) – What time is it now?
• Nanji ni? (何時に？) – At what time?
• Asa (朝) – Morning
• Kyou (今日) – Today
• Ashita (明日) – Tomorrow
• __ ni Ikitai (__に行きたい) – I want to go to __
• Tomete Kudasai (止めてください) – Stop, please
• Kippu (切符) – Ticket
• Shinkansen (新幹線) – Bullet train
• Dono Densha? (どの電車？) – Which train?

If you’re concerned about memorizing all this Japanese, or want to learn even more words and phrases, download Boutique Japan’s Tiny Phrasebook for free.

And for an introduction to how to say these words and phrases, see our bonus video to help you practice your Japanese pronunciation .

Basic Japanese Words and Phrases

Let’s start with a few of the most basic-yet-essential Japanese words and phrases. Even if you only remember how to say hello or thank you , you’ll find that Japanese people will be appreciative of your efforts!

1. Konnichiwa (こんにちは) – Hello

Let’s start with one you’ve probably heard before: the word for hello is konnichiwa .

Konnichiwa is typically used during the day, and there are other phrases for good morning and good evening ( ohayou gozaimasu , and konbanwa , respectively). But when you’re starting out it’s best to keep things simple, and if you simply learn konnichiwa you can use it throughout the day to say hello !

2. Arigatou Gozaimasu (ありがとうございます) – Thank you

In Japan, etiquette is no joke, and chances are you’ll be saying thank you a lot (learn more in our guide to Japanese etiquette ).

The word for thank you in Japanese is arigatou gozaimasu (in Japanese, the u at the end of some words is barely pronounced to the point of being nearly silent). You can usually simply say arigatou , which is a little more casual but usually perfectly fine. In Japan, where politeness is such a key part of the culture, you’ll be saying arigatou gozaimasu a lot!

3. Sumimasen (すみません) – Excuse me

Excuse me is an important expression in any language, and Japanese is no exception.

The word for excuse me in Japanese is sumimasen . Chances are you’ll also be using this one quite a bit, so if you can try and memorize it! It’s a doubly useful word, as it can be used both to get a person’s attention, and also to apologize.

For example, use sumimasen at an izakaya (a Japanese-style gastropub) to get a waiter’s attention. At izakaya , it’s often called out as sumimaseeeeee~n ! On the other hand, if you accidentally walk onto a tatami floor with your shoes on (something you’re likely to do at some point) you can use sumimasen to say I’m sorry .

4. __ o Kudasai ( をください) – I would like , please

Now that we’ve covered three basic essentials, we can move onto two key sentences that will hopefully help you a lot.

First is I would like __, please . This is useful in a variety of situations: at restaurants, in stores, and on many other occasions you’ll encounter while traveling. In Japanese, it’s __ o kudasai (simply fill in the __ [blank] with the item of your choice).

To get the most out of this phrase, you may want to learn a few vocabulary words, such as water (mizu), beer (biiru) , sake , and others you think you may need.

5. __ wa Doko Desu ka? ( はどこですか) – Where is __?

Last but not least, we think it’s quite useful to be able to ask Where is the __? This is useful even if you can’t understand the answer, because once you ask, people will be able to point you in the right direction, or even help you get to where you’re going!

In Japanese, it’s __ wa doko desu ka? (simply fill in the __ [blank] with the place you’re trying to reach, such as the Ghibli Museum ). One key vocabulary word that often goes along with this phrase for travelers is eki , which means station (for example, Shinjuku eki is Shinjuku station ).

Eating Your Way Around Japan: Food and Drink Phrases

For many travelers, Japanese food is a top priority! From classic Tokyo sushi restaurants to the legendary food culture of Okinawa , there’s a lot to take in. For alcohol afficionados, Japan also offers sake , Japanese whisky , shochu , and other traditional beverages.

While you don’t need to speak any Japanese to enjoy eating and drinking in Japan, these key words and phrases will help you make the most of your culinary experiences.

6. Itadakimasu (いただきます) – An expression of gratitude for the meal you’re about to eat

Certainly not required, but if you say itadakimasu before you begin eating, whether in a restaurant or at a person’s home, they will surely be impressed with your manners.

Essentially, this phrase expresses humility and thanks for the meal you are about to enjoy. The website Tofugu does a very nice job of explaining the meaning of itadakimasu .

7. Omakase de (お任せで) – Used to order chef’s recommendation (often for sushi)

If you’re a passionate sushi enthusiast, you probably already know the meaning of omakase .

When you tell a chef omakase de , you’re letting them know that you’re placing the meal in their hands. Especially for travelers with adventurous palates, this is the best way to experience a meal at a Tokyo sushi shop , for example.

However, the phrase is not only used at sushi restaurants, and can often be used at other types of establishments as well.

8. O-sake (お酒) – General term for alcohol

Technically osake , this word has tripped many a non-Japanese speaker up! While in English the word sake means, well, sake , in Japanese the word sake — more politely, osake — refers to alcoholic beverages in general.

( Sake and osake are virtually interchangeable; the “o” is what is known as an honorific prefix, but unless you’re studying Japanese in more depth, you really don’t need to worry about this!)

So if you’re looking for sake (which in Japanese is called nihonshu) , it’s best to ask for nihonshu (see below). If you’re simply looking for an adult beverage (such as nihonshu , shochu , or Japanese whisky ), the catchall term sake will do the trick.

9. Nihonshu (日本酒) – Japanese sake

See above for the distinction between sake and nihonshu !

10. Kinen Seki (禁煙席) – Non-smoking seat

Encountering cigarette smoke is somewhat of an unavoidable aspect of traveling around Japan. This being said, most of our travelers are quite averse to smoke, and fortunately it’s possible to travel around Japan without smoke becoming too much of a nuisance.

In some places, such as restaurants, you may have a choice between the smoking and non-smoking sections. Kinen means non-smoking, and seki means seat : put them together and you’ve just conveyed that you’d like to be seated in the non-smoking area!

Time-Related Phrases in Japanese

Time-related phrases can be extremely helpful in certain travel situations, and below you’ll find a few of the most practical Japanese words and phrases on this topic.

11. Ima Nanji Desu ka? (今何時ですか) – What time is it now?

Chances are you’ll have a watch or cell phone on you, but once in a while you may need to ask a stranger for the time.

The basic phrase is simply nanji desu ka? which means, What time is it? People also commonly say ima nanji desu ka? which simply means, What time is it now? ( Ima means now.)

12. Nanji ni? (何時に？) – At what time?

This is a particularly useful phrase while traveling. It can be helpful when purchasing rail tickets (see more on getting around Japan below), making meal reservations, or arranging tickets to events.

Sure, you could just ask nanji? ( what time? ) and hope your point gets across, but by adding the preposition ni you can be assured of much more clarity!

13. Asa (朝) – Morning

This one is fairly self-explanatory: asa means morning . While it’s no surprise that a food-loving culture like Japan has multiple words for breakfast , one of the most common is asagohan ( gohan literally means rice , but is more generally used to mean food ).

14. Kyou (今日) – Today

Words like today and tomorrow can be particularly useful when buying train tickets, for example. For more on transport, see the transport-related phrases below.

15. Ashita (明日) – Tomorrow

When pronouncing the word for tomorrow, ashita , the i is virtually silent, so it ends up sounding more like ashta . If you need to express the day after tomorrow, the word is asatte .

Getting Around Japan: Transportation-Related Phrases for Travelers to Japan

For some travelers, one of the biggest concerns about not speaking the language is the prospect of getting around the country, navigating the trains, and trying to avoid getting lost.

Fortunately, Japan has an incredibly efficient and easy-to-use rail network, and you can read all about it in our guide to train travel and getting around Japan . And here are some key Japanese words and phrases to help you on your way.

16. __ ni Ikitai ( に行きたい) – I want to go to __

On its own, ikitai means, I want to go .

To express that you’d like to go somewhere, use the phrase __ ni ikitai (simply fill in the __ [blank] with the place you’re trying to reach). For example, Kyoto ni ikitai means, I want to go to Kyoto .

17. Tomete Kudasai (止めてください) – Stop, please

Tomete means stop , and is particularly useful in taxis. The kudasai here means please , and makes the phrase much more polite ( tomete on its own would come off as quite brusque).

18. Kippu (切符) – Ticket

Kippu means ticket (as in train tickets). As you can easily imagine, when purchasing rail tickets it can be very useful to be able to tell the ticket agent that you’d like a ticket to a certain place!

Made means until or to (in this case, to your destination). For example, Osaka made means to Osaka . Thus, Osaka made no kippu means ticket to Osaka . Put it all together with kudasai (for politeness) and you have Osaka made no kippu o kudasai .

19. Shinkansen (新幹線) – Bullet train

Ah, the shinkansen . One of the utter joys of traveling around Japan is the world-famous shinkansen (bullet train).

Whether you have the well-known Japan Rail Pass or not, if you’re doing any domestic travel within Japan, chances are you’ll end up on the incredible (and incredibly pleasant) shinkansen for at least one if not more of your journeys. Enjoy, and grab a bento and some nihonshu (see above) for the ride!

20. Dono Densha? (どの電車？) – Which train?

Wondering which train you need? Imagine you’re in Kyoto Station, headed for Tokyo. You’re on your shinkansen’s departure platform, but you see two trains.

You show your ticket to a friendly Japanese person, and ask, dono densha? They take a look at your ticket and the two trains, and point you to the right one. And you’re on your way – happy travels!

Download our Free Japanese Phrasebook PDF

For those of you who want to learn even more Japanese for travel, we’ve created the Boutique Japan Tiny Phrasebook.

Our Tiny Phrasebook features carefully selected Japanese words and phrases designed to help you get the most out of your trip to Japan. You’ll find all of the words and phrases featured above, and many more!

The phrasebook is a beautifully designed PDF (it may take a few moments to load depending on your internet speed).

Simply save it to your smartphone, tablet, or computer. We suggest using an app like iBooks (or another PDF reader) so you can search for words and navigate easily.

Bonus Video: Practice your Japanese Pronunciation

One of the best things about Japanese is that it’s surprisingly easy to pronounce. Unlike several other languages throughout Asia, Japanese is not a tonal language.

In the video below, we go over basic pronunciation for some of the most useful Japanese words and phrases for your trip to Japan.

Do you need to speak any Japanese to travel around Japan ?

Absolutely not. You can travel to Japan without learning any of these words and have a great time.

People ask us about the Japanese language barrier all the time, with common questions such as, Do Japanese people speak English? How much (or how little)? The language barrier is a common myth that shouldn’t get in your way. Most of our travelers don’t speak a single word of Japanese, yet come back with testimonials of how much they love Japan .

The truth is that most Japanese people speak at least a little bit of English. These days, all Japanese students study English for a minimum of six years in secondary school, and many students — as well as adults — also take English-language classes after school or on weekends.

English-language fluency is not widespread, so most people you meet probably won’t be fluent in English, but almost everyone you meet will know at least a few English words – and many will know anywhere from hundreds to thousands.

Sometimes you may find that the people you meet are hesitant to try their English on you, but you’ll likely find that you can communicate in basic English in a huge variety of situations while traveling around Japan.

The Japanese Written Language

You may also be worried about the written language. The good news is that you don’t need to be able to read or write Japanese to enjoy Japan.

Japanese people don’t expect you to be able to read the Japanese language, and you’ll find English-language signage throughout the country. This is especially true in places frequented by travelers, such as sightseeing spots, shopping areas, train stations, airports, and often even on the street.

As for at restaurants, though it’s not always the case, in some cases you will find English-language menus. When English-language menus are not available, photos are often included to make pointing and ordering possible.

Despite Japan’s travel-friendliness, every visitor to Japan at some point finds him or herself in a situation in which linguistic communication is simply not possible, and sign language and gesturing are required.

Getting lost in a foreign country where you don’t speak the language is a fear of many would-be travelers, but if you had to pick a country in which to get lost, you couldn’t do much better than Japan! Japan is by far one of the safest countries in the world, with crime rates that are astonishingly low compared to places like the US and most of Europe. And Japanese people will often go to surprising lengths to help tourists.

Back when I first moved to Japan I spoke very little Japanese, and on my first visit to Kyoto I accidentally took the wrong train and ended up wandering around a neighborhood with no idea how to get where I wanted to go. Luckily, an older gentleman with his wife spotted me looking confused and came up to me with perhaps one of the only English phrases he knew: “ Are you lost? ” I said yes and showed him the name of the place I wanted to go.

If he had simply pointed me in the right direction it would have been helpful, but instead he started walking me in the right direction. After a few minutes of walking his wife split off, presumably to go home, and we continued. After 15 minutes of walking he had dropped me off at exactly the spot I needed to be, and – as is typical in Japanese culture – expected nothing in return. I thanked him profusely and we had a good laugh despite our inability to communicate linguistically.

Why Learn Any Japanese if You Won’t Need it?

Almost everyone who has visited Japan has a similar story of a random act of kindness and generosity from a Japanese stranger (or a tale of a camera or passport left on a train being miraculously returned). So you can rest assured that even if you forget all of the words and phrases we’ve shown, you’ll be in good hands with the wonderful people of Japan.

But aside from the fact that it’s a rich and fascinating language, learning even just one or two Japanese words or phrases will help endear you to the Japanese people you meet during your trip, and enhance your overall travel experience.

Japanese people tend to be extremely appreciative of visitors who take the time to learn even just a word or phrase or two, and if you try then chances are you’ll be greeted with oohs and aahs of encouragement.

We hope you’ve found our guide to Japanese words and phrases for travelers helpful. Arigatou gozaimasu!

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How to prepare for JLPT

Learning Japanese for Travel: Essential Resources for Communication

Introduction

Planning a trip to Japan can be an exciting adventure, and learning some Japanese before your journey can greatly enhance your travel experience. While it’s not necessary to become fluent in Japanese, having a basic understanding of the language can make communication easier and allow you to navigate through various situations. In this blog post, we will explore essential resources that will help you learn Japanese for travel and effectively communicate during your trip.

1. Phrasebooks and Travel Guides

Phrasebooks and travel guides are handy resources for learning essential phrases and vocabulary specific to travel situations. Look for pocket-sized phrasebooks like “Lonely Planet Japanese Phrasebook” or “Rick Steves’ Japanese Phrase Book” that include common phrases, pronunciation guides, and useful cultural tips.

2. Language Learning Apps

Language learning apps provide a convenient and interactive way to learn Japanese for travel. Apps like Duolingo, Memrise, and Pimsleur offer lessons focused on practical travel phrases and vocabulary. These apps often include audio recordings, quizzes, and interactive exercises to enhance your learning experience.

3. Online Language Lessons

Online language learning platforms and websites like italki, Verbling, and Preply offer one-on-one lessons with professional Japanese tutors. Taking a few lessons before your trip can help you learn basic conversational skills, improve your pronunciation, and gain confidence in speaking Japanese .

4. Online Travel Phrase Resources

Websites such as Japan Guide and Japan Talk provide useful travel phrase resources. These resources offer common phrases and expressions for various travel scenarios like ordering food, asking for directions, or making reservations. They often include audio recordings to help you practice pronunciation.

5. Language Exchange Meetup Groups

Participating in language exchange meetup groups in your local area or using language exchange platforms like ConversationExchange.com or Tandem can provide opportunities to practice speaking Japanese with native speakers. Meeting locals who are learning your native language can create a mutually beneficial environment for practicing conversational skills.

6. Travel-related Language Learning Podcasts

Listening to travel-related language learning podcasts, such as “Survival Japanese ” by JapanesePod101 or “Learn Japanese Pod” can improve your listening skills and provide valuable travel-specific vocabulary and phrases. These podcasts often include dialogues, cultural insights, and practical travel advice.

7. Travel Apps and Online Resources

Utilize travel apps and online resources specifically designed for navigating Japan. Apps like Google Translate, Japan Official Travel App, and Hyperdia (for train schedules) can help you communicate, find your way around, and access useful travel information in Japanese .

Learning Japanese for travel can greatly enhance your experience in Japan. By utilizing essential resources such as phrasebooks, language learning apps, online lessons, travel phrase resources, language exchange meetups, travel-related podcasts, and travel apps, you can effectively communicate and navigate various travel situations. Remember to practice regularly, be open to making mistakes, and enjoy the process of learning a new language. Have a wonderful trip to Japan!

For an in-depth review of Japanesepod101, you can check out this link .

My Recommendations for your Japanese learning

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The Best Language Learning Apps to Download Before Your Next Trip

These apps can help you get the most out of traveling abroad — and many are free or low cost.

While arriving in a new country is beyond exciting, it can also pose challenges — especially if you don't speak the local language. Even leaving the airport can be difficult when you can't communicate where you need to go. And while many of us learn a second language in school, we don't always retain that knowledge later in life. So, whether you need to brush up on a language you once knew or you're looking to learn a brand-new one, a language learning app may be useful as you plan your next trip.

"When you're preparing to visit a foreign country, learning the language of your destination can go a long way," Michaela Kron, a spokeswoman for the free language app Duolingo, told Travel + Leisure by email. "Not only will it help you better understand your surroundings and get around more easily, but it'll also make a big impact in helping you connect with the people you encounter while there. In general, it's a great sign of respect and empathy when you make an effort to say even a few words in the local language — and the effort will not go unnoticed."

Matt Hulett, the president of language for Rosetta Stone, echoed the sentiment, adding that locals will appreciate it if you learn the basics. "Learning even a few words in a new language can help when you travel because you'll find confidence in being able to communicate about basic things," he told Travel + Leisure by email. "[You can] say hello and thank you, order food and drinks, ask how to find the bathroom, etc."

There are many tricks to learning a new language, but flexibility is a major advantage of using an app. Unlike a class that takes place at a set time, you can fit learning sessions around your daily schedule, dipping in during a commute or whenever you have downtime. Plus, many apps are free or inexpensive, making them a budget option.

We've rounded up seven of the best language learning apps on the market, so not only will you be able to read the menu at that quaint little restaurant abroad, you'll know how to thank the waiter.

This free app includes more than 40 languages and is set up like a game, with users earning points for lessons. You can take a placement test or start as a beginner, but no matter which you choose, you decide how much time you want to dedicate to learning each day. After you master the basics, you can learn vocabulary for topics like travel and food.

Download it : Duolingo

This app first asks you to choose your skill level in the language you want to learn, then it drills you on key words and phrases using videos and text. You earn points for things like accuracy and speed, and you can set goals for how long you want to spend working on the language each day. There's even a leaderboard for competitive learners. The basic app is free with ads, but if you want to access all language courses and features, you may want to pay for the ad-free Memrise Pro. Annual subscriptions start at around $131.

Download it : Memrise

Rosetta Stone

This is one of the oldest language-learning programs on the market, and it comes with a variety of subscription tiers. A monthly fee of around $15 gets you lessons in a single language (offered on a quarterly or yearly schedule), while a lifetime subscription (around $400) comes with permanent access to all 25 of the app's languages. Rosetta Stone doesn't use any English, instead conducting lessons exclusively in the language you are learning — with pictures to help. If you're going to opt for this app, set aside some time each day, as core lessons tend to take about 30 minutes each.

Download it : Rosetta Stone

This subscription-based app offers 10- to 15-minute lessons that focus on matching up phrases and mastering spelling. Users are asked to repeat basic phrases and to fill in the blanks to test their vocabulary (in whichever of the app's 13 languages they choose). App subscriptions start at under $10 per month, but those seeking intensive learning may want to choose the pricier Babbel Live. For a monthly fee of $50 and up, this program allows you to take online group classes with a teacher in real time.

Download it : Babbel

Whether you want to learn Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, or one of the app's other 11 languages, Busuu promises to teach you in just 10 minutes a day. You start by determining your goal: for instance, do you want to feel like a local when you travel, or are you hoping to communicate better with friends and family? From there, the app encourages you to pick a regular time of day to practice (it'll even send you a reminder when the time comes) and provides you with a study plan. You can study one language for free with limited access, or pay for a subscription to access more features.

Download it : Busuu

This app offers users five minutes of learning every day. Why only five minutes? The app says that it helps people maintain focus and is an easy habit to maintain. Users can choose from over 40 different languages and perform gamelike exercises like dragging words to a matching photo and connecting letters like a word search. The basic app is free to use, but the paid version comes with various perks, like an ad-free interface and the ability to opt into longer lessons.

Download it : Drops

This app offers a whopping 51 languages, including some with variations (like Latin-American Spanish and the version spoken in Spain). It's an offshoot of the Pimsleur method, a language-learning program that's been around for decades — long before apps and smartphones. Pimsleur asks learners to commit to 30 minutes a day in its app iteration, but the lessons are audio-based, making it easy to tune in during your commute or at the gym. Learners can choose between monthly subscriptions or packs of courses to purchase.

Download it : Pimsleur

• , November 28, 2022

30+ Basic Japanese Phrases For Travelers

Are you looking forward to your long-awaited trip to Japan? Unfortunately, excitement comes with a bit of tension, too. You may be concerned about the inconveniences that may arise as a result of language differences. Don’t worry because we got you! The basic Japanese phrases for travelers that we will cover below will help you enjoy your trip to Japan stress-free. 

Let’s look at some basic terms that will help you navigate Japan and overcome any challenges you may encounter as a tourist. Are you interested? 始めましょう！

Basic Japanese Phrases For Travelers

In every interaction, a greeting is a sign of courtesy and respect. Japanese people appreciate the efforts of foreigners to communicate in their language. So, when you take the time to greet the locals in Japanese, you can open the door to their hearts that might otherwise remain closed.

Key Japanese Phrases And Vocabulary For The Airport

日本へようこそ！ (Welcome to Japan). If you arrive in a big city like Tokyo, it is almost certain that the signs will be translated into English, but what if they are not? You need to know what your next steps are going to be. Are you staying in the city? or do you have to take another flight? Are you going to pick up your bags? Perhaps you need to change money.

Let’s check out some words and phrases you might need to navigate and successfully exit a Japanese airport .

Japanese Phrases To Ask For Directions

やった! (Yay!) You are already out of the airport. Now you need to know how you will get to your destination. If this is your first time in Japan, you may find the transportation system confusing. So it would be helpful to ask Japanese people how to get to X place. Now we will look at some essential phrases for asking directions in Japanese.

Ordering Food In Japanese

What is a trip without food? And if you are in Japan, chances are you want to enjoy as many Japanese delicacies as possible. In a previous article, we covered all the details you need to know about ordering food in Japanese . So this time, we’ll look at a simple formula that will get you all you need in a Japanese restaurant.

( Dish/drink + quantity + please )

Phrases To Buy Gifts In Japanese

In Japan, it is customary to bring おみやげ(Omiyage- souvenirs) after a trip. It is a way to show others you thought of them during your vacation. The souvenir culture is so ingrained in Japanese culture that you can find stores that offer you the region’s specialty prepared to be gifted.

If you want to buy gifts for your loved ones, the following phrases will allow you to shop おみやげ and have them ready to hand out as soon as you meet your family or friends.

Enjoy Japan With Ling!

To enjoy your vacation in Japan to the fullest, you must understand the Japanese language . And what better way to learn than having fun? Ling offers you an interactive learning experience that will keep you wanting more. By signing up for a free account, you’ll have access to engaging activities (such as games and puzzles) that will help you intuitively learn and practice Japanese vocabulary. 

Don’t have much time? No problem! Ling also has bite-size lessons you can complete anywhere in 15 minutes. You can also combine your Ling lessons with our weekly blogs , where you will learn vocabulary, grammar, and everything you need to speak Japanese fluently.

So to put it simply, Ling will put the Japanese language at your fingertips! What are you waiting for? You can download it for free from the App Store or Play Store and start to level up your Japanese today!

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