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 lessons plannedEveryday 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 lessons plannedEveryday Japanese 5
Reasons, conditions and opinions
Because, if, when, maybe and even though: the words that turn short sentences into real conversation.
8 lessons plannedEveryday 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 lessons plannedEveryday Japanese 7
Natural spoken Japanese
How people really talk: contractions, sentence endings, quoting, hearsay, and things done to you.
8 lessons planned
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 lessons plannedShops and eating out
Supermarkets, convenience stores, clothes, returns, restaurants, izakaya and the hairdresser.
11 lessons plannedGetting around and travel
Trains, buses, taxis, directions, driving, hotels and day trips.
10 lessons plannedHealth and emergencies
The body, symptoms, clinics, pharmacies, the dentist, disasters and calling for help.
10 lessons plannedSchool and children
The school year, letters home, teachers, parents' meetings, homework, clubs and events.
9 lessons plannedPaperwork and money
The city office, insurance, banks, bills, the post office, contracts and taxes.
9 lessons plannedNeighbours and community
Neighbours, the neighbourhood association, invitations, small talk, festivals and gifts.
8 lessons plannedWork and the phone
The workplace, schedules, asking for help, phone calls, appointments and messages.
7 lessons plannedFeelings, opinions and stories
How you feel, what you like, agreeing and disagreeing, describing people and telling stories.
7 lessons planned
Bridge in Japanese
ブリッジの日本語A separate course for bridge players at Japanese clubs.