Five great Apps and Website for Learning Japanese
Learning Japanese can be very exciting but also challenging. There are some amazing apps and websites that can help you improve kanji, grammar, vocabulary, and more! You can work on Japanese anytime, even while enjoying holidays! Here are some apps we recommend:
1. Wanikani
Wanikani is a great web-based app for learning Kanji and Vocabulary. It uses a system called “spaced repetition,” which shows you kanji and words at the right time to help you remember. You can learn step by step and feel your kanji knowledge growing every day. But if you stop studying for a while, the number of kanji and vocabulary you need to review will quickly pile up, and it will be hard to resume it again. So try to study consistently! The whole app is colorful, and the characters are cute. The blog from Tofugu, the company behind Wanikani, is also very popular! Be sure to check it out!
2. Bunpro
Bunpro is a useful app for studying Japanese grammar and vocabulary. This one also uses spaced repetition to help you review and remember. The example sentences are well thought out and very useful. It also shows the JLPT level (like "This grammar is N3 level."), which makes it super convenient! The app is available on your browser or phone, so you can study anywhere!
3. Kanji Study
Kanji Study is a perfect app to support your kanji learning. It has a simple and easy-to-use design. The app includes writing challenges, flashcards, and even multi-choice quizzes. The free version is great for beginners, but if you want to unlock all kanji levels and create custom sets, there’s a one-time upgrade. On the Google Play Store, it has over 1 million downloads and an amazing ★4.9 rating from 55k reviews! The app is often updated and keeps getting better and better. Please note, the app is only available on Android.
4. NHK News Web Easy
NHK News Web Easy is perfect for practicing reading in Japanese. The articles are written in simple Japanese so it’s great for learners. You can listen to the audio, and you can also add or remove furigana. It’s a great way to learn real news and improve your vocabulary at the same time. And the best part is, it's completely free!
5. Context
Context is a great app for saving words you find in your daily life together with sentences as context. It has both flashcard and dictionary functions. Available for iOS and Mac as a desktop app, and currently, everything is free. The design is very clean and stylish!
Another great tool: Anki
Anki is an app where you can make flashcards to study not only Japanese but for any subject! It’s available on iOS, Android, as well as on the web and the desktop.
You can also download decks (sets of flashcards) made by other users, so if you are new to Anki, try finding some useful decks to start with! And don’t forget to check out the original decks created by Nihongo Picnic. And we are planning to add more decks in the future!
Special Discount for Nihongo Picnic Students! 🎉
We have partnered with Bunpro and Wanikani to offer discounts for Nihongo PIcnic students. If you don’t know about these offers, please feel free to contact us!
We hope these tools help you continue your Japanese learning into the new year. Thank you for your support this year. We wish you a wonderful holiday season and look forward to connecting and growing together in the year ahead!
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