Start Learning - Free Japanese Lessons
By Namiko Abe, About.com Guide
- Pronunciation and Comprehension
- Dictionaries and translations
- Japanese for travelers
- Displaying Japanese characters
- Fun ways to learn Japanese
Introduction to Japanese
Are you new to Japanese? Familiarize yourself with Japanese and start learning basic vocabulary and phrases here.
- Is Japanese hard to learn?
- Characteristics of Japanese
- Japanese word order
- Greetings and daily expressions
- Useful expressions
- Introductory Lessons
Verbs, adjectives, pronouns, particles, and much more. Theses resources offer clear explanations of Japanese grammar.
- Specificity of Japanese Verbs
- The Extended Use of the Verb "Suru"
- Conversation Openers and Fillers
- Counting People and things
- Ko-so-a-do system
Learn basic expressions to expand your level of communication.
- Expressions of Desire
- Expressions of Ability
- Expressing Uncertainty
- Quantity Expressions
- Expressing One's Thoughts
- Expressing Emotions (2): Interjections and Exclamations
- Onomatopoeic Expressions
- Body Part Expressions: Head
- Expressions Used in Letters
- Expressions of Existence
- Expression for Location
Your confidence with Japanese will grow by using these day-to-day phrases.
- Greetings for Special Occasions (1)
- Talking on the Phone
- Visiting Someone's Place
- Shopping at the Department Store
Learn Japanese writing
There are three types of scripts in Japanese: kanji, hiragana and katakana.
Pronunciation and Comprehension
It is essential to hear a native speaker when practicing pronunciation. These resources include various audio files to help with your self-study.
- Japanese pronunciation
- Audio Phrasebook
- Lessons with Sound Files
- Japanese Language Videos
- Phrase of the Day
- Word of the Day
- Which syllables to stress in Japanese words?
- How to pronounce the Japanese "r"
- How to pronounce the Japanese "f"
Dictionaries and translations
Choosing the right words for a translation can be difficult. These resources give you an idea about what kind of a dictionary to get.
Japanese for travelers
If you need quick survival skills for your trip, try these resources. It makes your stay much more fun and interesting when you are able to speak with locals in their language.
- Japanese for Travelers: Getting Around
- Audio Phrasebook
- Simple Japanese Phrases
- Shopping at a Department Store
- How to order at a Restaurant
- How to order Japanese Tea
- More expressions at a Restaurant
- Japanese Culture
Displaying Japanese characters
There are several ways to display Japanese characters depending on your operating system.
Fun ways to learn Japanese
I think the most important thing when learning a language is to enjoy it. You can learn from anything you are interested in.
- Fun with Japanese
- Japanese Language Expert Quiz
- Who Wants to be a Japanese Language Expert?
- Word Search
- Toy Chest
- Kanji Challenge Reading Quiz