Foundation 1
Japanese Writing Systems
Understand how hiragana, katakana, kanji, and romaji each support written Japanese.
Lesson library
Japanese Lessons for Beginners
Begin with the writing systems and vowel sounds. Build Kana recognition, then start using short Japanese expressions while adding beginner Kanji gradually.
Foundations
Start with writing and sound
First understand what each writing system does. Then learn the five vowel sounds that organize both Kana charts.
Foundation 2
Japanese Vowel Sounds
Meet the five basic Japanese vowels and practise saying them clearly without adding extra sounds.
Kana study
Build recognition with Hiragana and Katakana
Start with Hiragana, then add Katakana without waiting for perfect recall. Keep the complete reference nearby for sound marks, combinations, and timing rules.
Step 3
Learn Hiragana
Review all 46 basic characters, then practise voiced variants and small-y combinations.
Step 4
Learn Katakana
Review basic katakana, extend the sound rows, and compare commonly confused shapes.
Reference
Hiragana and Katakana reference
Compare both scripts and review sound marks, combinations, special timing rules, and foreign-sound Katakana.
Beginner Japanese
Use words and patterns in context
The thirteen live lessons move from first conversations and pointing out things into numbers, polite actions, locations, transport, and a few simple directions.
Course lesson 1
Japanese Greetings for Everyday Moments
Choose a useful Japanese greeting or polite expression for a familiar moment, then recall it without romaji.
Course lesson 2
Simple Japanese Classroom Requests
Understand three useful classroom requests and give a simple response before studying how the verb form is made.
Course lesson 3
Introducing Yourself in Japanese
Build a short first introduction with your name, role, nationality, and a polite closing expression.
Course lesson 4
Ask Simple Questions About People and Places
Turn a familiar polite statement into a question, then ask what, who, and where with a small set of useful words.
Course lesson 5
Add Personal Details with の, も, and から
Add one useful detail at a time: say “also,” connect two nouns, and state where someone came from with one fixed expression.
Course lesson 6
これ・それ・あれ: Talking About Things
Build one clear distance map for three Japanese thing words, then use the same map before a noun.
Course lesson 7
Japanese Numbers, Age, and People
Read one through ten, then use checked whole forms for counting people and talking about age without guessing counter readings.
Course lesson 8
Tell the Time in Japanese
Ask what time it is, read checked hour and minute forms, and use 午前, 午後, and 半 in complete clock times.
Course lesson 9
Japanese Weekdays and Month Expressions
Recognize 今日 and 明日, read the seven weekdays, ask 何曜日ですか, and learn all twelve checked month expressions.
Course lesson 10
Make Your First Japanese Action Sentences
Build polite action sentences with を, ask 何を, and add a specific clock time or weekday with に.
Course lesson 11
Say Where People and Things Are
Point out places with ここ・そこ・あそこ, use basic position words, and say where familiar people and objects are with あります and います.
Course lesson 12
Destinations and Transport in Japanese
Say where someone is going with destination に or へ, then say how they travel with transport で while keeping each particle inside its sentence job.
Course lesson 13
Follow Simple Directions in Japanese
Recognize entrance, exit, right, left, and straight ahead, then follow two checked Japanese direction phrases and one safe floor expression.
Beginner Kanji
Add Kanji through useful words
Once basic Kana feels familiar, begin Kanji through useful words. This strand can run alongside the new beginner-language lessons.
Kanji hub
Learn Kanji for Beginners
Start with a clear introduction, then follow the structured 120-kanji study path.
Kanji foundation 1
What Is Kanji? A Beginner's Guide
Learn what kanji do in Japanese, how they work with kana, and why words—not isolated reading lists—are the best place to begin.
Kanji foundation 2
On'yomi and Kun'yomi: Kanji Readings Explained
Understand the two broad kinds of kanji reading and learn why whole vocabulary words matter more than rigid guessing rules.
Kanji foundation 3
Japanese Kanji Stroke Order for Beginners
Learn practical stroke-order principles without relying on unverified diagrams or trying to make every character fit one simple rule.
Not sure where to begin?
Use the beginner roadmap
See the same writing, sound, Kana, and beginner Kanji sequence with a manageable first-week routine.