How the lessons work
- Made for walkingPress Play and put your phone away. You hear the English, try it in Japanese, then hear the answer twice with time to repeat.
- Furigana everywhereEvery kanji has its reading above it, in every sentence, table and tip.
- Real voicesNative-speaker recordings are being added. Until a line is recorded, your phone's Japanese voice reads it.
Everyday Japanese
毎日の日本語The core course, in seven parts. Take them in order: each part adds the grammar for more natural conversation, with everyday vocabulary all the way through.
Everyday Japanese 1
Core verb forms
The verb forms behind most everyday sentences: requests, "don't", "have you ever", adjectives, and what's happening now.
6 of 6 lessons readyEveryday Japanese 2
Numbers, time and money
Prices, counting things and people, the time, dates and how often. The words you need at every shop, station and school notice.
8 of 8 lessons readyEveryday Japanese 3
Wants, abilities and plans
Saying what you want, what you can do and what you're going to do, and linking actions together.
8 of 8 lessons readyEveryday Japanese 4
Giving, receiving and favours
Who gives what to whom, doing things for people, and asking for favours at the right level of politeness.
7 of 7 lessons readyEveryday Japanese 5
Reasons, conditions and opinions
Because, if, when, maybe and even though: the words that turn short sentences into real conversation.
8 of 8 lessons readyEveryday Japanese 6
Polite Japanese you'll hear
Understanding keigo in shops, stations, offices and letters from the school, and using enough of it yourself.
8 of 8 lessons readyEveryday Japanese 7
Natural spoken Japanese
How people really talk: contractions, sentence endings, quoting, hearsay, and things done to you.
8 of 8 lessons ready
Life in Japan
日本の暮らしVocabulary for each part of adult life in Japan. Start any of these after Everyday Japanese 1, in whatever order you need them.
Home and family
Family words, the house, chores, cooking, rubbish rules, repairs and deliveries.
9 of 9 lessons readyShops and eating out
Supermarkets, convenience stores, clothes, returns, restaurants, izakaya and the hairdresser.
11 of 11 lessons readyGetting around and travel
Trains, buses, taxis, directions, driving, hotels and day trips.
10 of 10 lessons readyHealth and emergencies
The body, symptoms, clinics, pharmacies, the dentist, disasters and calling for help.
10 of 10 lessons readySchool and children
The school year, letters home, teachers, parents' meetings, homework, clubs and events.
9 of 9 lessons readyPaperwork and money
The city office, insurance, banks, bills, the post office, contracts and taxes.
9 of 9 lessons readyNeighbours and community
Neighbours, the neighbourhood association, invitations, small talk, festivals and gifts.
8 of 8 lessons readyWork and the phone
The workplace, schedules, asking for help, phone calls, appointments and messages.
7 of 7 lessons readyFeelings, opinions and stories
How you feel, what you like, agreeing and disagreeing, describing people and telling stories.
7 of 7 lessons readySpring festivals
Festivals and holidays from March to May: what they are, how people in Japan celebrate them, and what you'll say and hear.
8 lessons · from 1 February 2027Summer festivals
Festivals and holidays from June to August: what they are, how people in Japan celebrate them, and what you'll say and hear.
6 lessons · from 1 February 2027Autumn festivals
Festivals and holidays from September to November: what they are, how people in Japan celebrate them, and what you'll say and hear.
7 lessons · from 1 August 2027Winter festivals
Festivals and holidays from December to February: what they are, how people in Japan celebrate them, and what you'll say and hear.
8 of 8 lessons readyCars and driving
Owning and running a car in Japan: licences, the roads, parking, petrol, maintenance and what to do when something goes wrong.
9 lessons · from 1 March 2027Cycling
Bikes in everyday life: buying one, the rules of the road, parking, repairs, theft and insurance, and cycling for fun.
7 lessons · from 1 March 2027Banking, mortgages and pensions
Money matters beyond the basics: bank apps, credit card applications, cashless payments, sending money abroad, mortgages and buying a home, and pensions.
8 lessons · from 1 March 2027Mobile phones
Everything about your phone in Japan: choosing a plan, switching, the phone shop, everyday apps and settings, and sorting out problems.
6 lessons · from 1 March 2027
Sports and Hobbies
スポーツと趣味Japanese for the things you do in your free time: 23 sports, as a player and as a fan, and duplicate bridge at Japanese clubs.
Baseball
Playing, watching and talking about baseball: the rules, Japanese pro teams, high-school baseball at Kōshien, and Ohtani and the Japanese players in America.
6 of 6 lessons readyFootball
Football in Japan as a player and a fan: the rules, playing and coaching, the J.League and the national team.
5 of 5 lessons readyRugby
Rugby as a player and a fan: the rules, school and club rugby, League One and the national team.
4 of 4 lessons readyHorse racing
Horse racing in Japan: horses and jockeys, betting tickets, a day at the racecourse and the big races.
4 of 4 lessons readyBoat racing
Boat racing in Japan: how a race works, reading the programme, betting and a day at the stadium.
4 of 4 lessons readyKeirin
Keirin track cycling: how a race works, lines and tactics, betting and a day at the velodrome.
4 of 4 lessons readyAuto race
Japan's motorcycle track racing: how it works, handicaps, betting and the tracks.
3 of 3 lessons readyMotor racing
F1, rallying and motor racing in Japan: Suzuka, Rally Japan, Super GT, and watching and talking about races.
4 of 4 lessons readyGolf
Golf in Japan as a player and a fan: the course, the practice range, a round with friends or colleagues, and the pro tours.
5 of 5 lessons readySumo
Sumo as a fan: ranks, techniques, the six tournaments, watching on TV or in person, and talking about results.
4 of 4 lessons readyJudo, kendo and karate
The martial arts many Japanese people do: the dōjō, grades, training and competitions, for adults and children.
4 of 4 lessons readyRunning, marathons and ekiden
Running for fitness, entering a marathon, and watching the ekiden relays, including Hakone at New Year.
4 of 4 lessons readyVolleyball
Volleyball as a player and a fan: the rules, school and community teams, and watching the national teams and the SV.League.
4 of 4 lessons readyBasketball
Basketball as a player and a fan: the rules, school and pick-up games, the B.League and the national team.
4 of 4 lessons readyTennis
Tennis as a player and a fan: scoring, booking courts, lessons, soft tennis, and watching the big tournaments.
4 of 4 lessons readyTable tennis
Table tennis as a player and a fan: the rules, playing at school or the community centre, and watching the top players.
4 of 4 lessons readyBadminton
Badminton as a player and a fan: the rules, playing at school or the community gym, and watching the top players.
4 of 4 lessons readySwimming
Swimming in Japan: the rules at public pools, lessons for children and adults, and watching swimming.
4 of 4 lessons readyGym and fitness
Getting fit in Japan: joining a gym, workouts, classes and personal training.
4 of 4 lessons readySkiing and snowboarding
Winter sports trips in Japan: resorts, rentals and lift passes, lessons, and life on the slopes.
4 of 4 lessons readyCycling
Cycling as a sport and hobby: bikes and kit, group rides and events, and watching races.
4 of 4 lessons readyHiking and mountains
Hiking in Japan: planning a walk, gear and weather, on the trail, mountain huts and climbing Mt Fuji.
4 of 4 lessons readyGateball and ground golf
The neighbourhood sports many older people play: rules, equipment, and joining in with neighbours.
3 of 3 lessons readyBridge in Japanese
For playing duplicate bridge at a Japanese club: the cards, bidding, asking what a bid means, play, scoring and talking to the director.
14 lessons plannedSupport these lessons
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