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Japanese

Build a foundation in Japanese writing, pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, and everyday communication.

For: Learners at any starting point, from first-time learners to returning students.

After this page you can: Choose a suitable study path and practise reading, listening, and forming simple Japanese expressions.

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Part of: Language

About Japanese

Japanese is studied through its writing, sounds, vocabulary, grammar, and use in communication. A useful first map is to learn how hiragana, katakana, and kanji appear in written Japanese, then connect those forms to spoken words and sentences. The University of Tokyo offers materials on writing systems, verb forms, and kanji, while Japan Foundation materials connect language study with communication.

Study in small cycles: listen or read, notice a pattern, practise it, and review what you can understand or say. Beginners can start with kana and simple expressions; returning learners can focus on a goal such as kanji, listening, or sentence building. Free Japan Foundation materials include lessons, downloadable audio, vocabulary, and practice sites, so you can choose a path that matches your current level and needs.

Start here

route

I’m new to Japanese

Begin with Irodori Starter, whose first lessons cover greetings and introducing yourself.

Start with: Irodori: Starter

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I’m returning to Japanese

Use the University of Tokyo’s materials to revisit hiragana, katakana, verb conjugation, or kanji.

Start with: Japanese Language Learning Materials

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I want to improve listening and speaking

Try MARUGOTO Plus for conversation practice with video, or use OJAD to explore Japanese pitch accent.

Start with: MARUGOTO Plus

Learn the foundations

1.Learn the writing systemsJapanese uses hiragana, katakana, and kanji.

Japanese uses hiragana, katakana, and kanji. Practise reading and writing kana, then build familiarity with kanji in words.

Hiragana

The most basic of Japanese’s three writing systems.

Katakana

A writing system based on the same phonetic system as hiragana, mainly used to transcribe foreign words.

Try it

Write the sounds a, i, u, e, o in hiragana, then write them in katakana.

Hiragana: あ、い、う、え、お. Katakana: ア、イ、ウ、エ、オ.

2.Listen for pronunciation and accentUse listening and repetition to connect written forms with spoken Japanese, and consult word-accent references when you want a closer pronunciation study.

Use listening and repetition to connect written forms with spoken Japanese, and consult word-accent references when you want a closer pronunciation study.

Try it

Choose one short audio line from an Irodori Starter lesson. Listen twice, note a word you recognize, then repeat the line aloud.

Example: I recognized おはようございます and repeated おはようございます.

3.Build sentences with grammarStudy sentence patterns and verb forms, then practise changing familiar sentences to express a new time or intention.

Study sentence patterns and verb forms, then practise changing familiar sentences to express a new time or intention.

Verb conjugation

Changing a Japanese verb ending to make forms such as the dictionary, -masu, -nai, -ta, and -te forms.

Dictionary form

One of the main forms of Japanese verbs listed in the University of Tokyo’s conjugation materials.

Try it

Name the main verb forms listed in the University of Tokyo’s verb-conjugation material.

Dictionary form, -masu form, -nai form, -ta form, and -te form.

4.Grow vocabulary through communicationLearn words and expressions in topics you care about, then use them in short exchanges and review them in context.

Learn words and expressions in topics you care about, then use them in short exchanges and review them in context.

Vocabulary

Words and expressions that learners can recognize or use; MARUGOTO Words features vocabulary from its Starter and Elementary materials.

Can-do objective

Irodori calls its real-life Japanese communication objectives “Can-dos.”

Try it

Pick a topic you care about, list three Japanese words for it, and use one in a short sentence or question.

Example topic: food. Words: すし, みず, おいしい. Sentence: すしはおいしいです。

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Books

Glossary

Every free Japanese course and book on RedLectern

Free Japanese online courses

  1. Gender and Japanese Popular CultureMIT 21G.039J · Browse materials
  2. Japanese IIIMIT 21G.503 · Browse materials · Video
  3. Japanese VMIT 21G.S55 · Browse materials
  4. Japanese VIMIT 21G.S56 · Browse materials · Video
  5. Kanji Learning Any Time, Any Place for Japanese VMIT RES.21G-505 · Browse materials · Video
  6. Kanji Learning Any Time, Any Place for Japanese VIMIT RES.21G-506 · Browse materials · Video
  7. Linguistic Theory and the Japanese LanguageMIT 24.946 · Browse materials
  8. Advanced Japanese IMIT 21G.505 · Open on OCW
Show all 12 coursesShow fewer courses
  1. Japanese IMIT 21G.501 · Open on OCW
  2. Japanese IIMIT 21G.502 · Open on OCW
  3. Japanese IVMIT 21G.504 · Open on OCW
  4. KanaMIT RES.21G-01 · Open on OCW
How these courses are chosen

Listed as Japanese courses: every course with the “Japanese” topic tag.

Free Japanese textbooks and books

Show all 11 booksShow fewer books

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