Language Guide
How to learn Japanese
a beginner guide for English speakers
Japanese has a gentle pronunciation system but a deep writing system and a grammar built on particles. The ramp-up is reading and writing, not speaking β most learners can hold a basic conversation before they can read a menu.
Why Japanese is hard for English speakers
- Three writing systems used together: hiragana (native sounds), katakana (loanwords), kanji (meaning-based characters from Chinese).
- Particles (γ― wa, γ o, γ« ni, γ§ de, γΈ e) mark the role of each word β there is no fixed word order.
- No plural forms; no articles (a/the); no grammatical gender.
- Politeness levels (casual, polite -masu, humble, honorific) change verb endings depending on who you're talking to.
- Subject is often omitted when context makes it obvious.
First 10 Japanese words to learn
Lock these in before anything else. They cover greetings, basic questions, and the phrases you reach for when you don't know what to say.
JapaneseEnglishγγγ«γ‘γ― (konnichiwa)hello
γγγγ¨γγγγγΎγ (arigatou gozaimasu)thank you (polite)
γγΏγΎγγ (sumimasen)excuse me / sorry
γ―γ / γγγ (hai / iie)yes / no
γγ―γγγγγγΎγ (ohayou gozaimasu)good morning
γ©γγ§γγ (doko desu ka)where is it?
γγγγ§γγ (ikura desu ka)how much is it?
γγγγΎγγ (wakarimasen)I don't understand
γγδΈεΊ¦γι‘γγγΎγ (mou ichido onegai shimasu)once more please
ε©γγ¦ (tasukete)help
See the full common Japanese words list for the next layer of vocabulary.
Japanese grammar pitfalls to watch for
Particle γ― (wa) vs γ (ga)
γ― marks the topic ("as for X"); γ marks the grammatical subject. "Watashi wa neko ga suki" = "As for me, cats are likeable." Native speakers feel the difference; learners need to memorize the contexts.
Verb forms β -masu vs plain
Plain forms (taberu, iku) are used with friends and in writing. -masu forms (tabemasu, ikimasu) are polite and used with strangers and at work. Picking the wrong one shifts the social register.
Keigo (honorific language)
Beyond polite -masu, formal Japanese has separate verbs for "to do" (nasaru), "to go" (irassharu), etc. Learners can usually skip mastering keigo until B1+, but be ready to recognize it.
Best way to practice Japanese daily
Mix study modes to train recall, pronunciation, and sentence building together. Short, daily, output-focused beats long, irregular, passive-only.
- Practice 10β15 minutes daily instead of long irregular sessions.
- Build a vocabulary list around your real goals, not generic word lists.
- Write short sentences and get instant corrections from an AI tutor.
- Use spaced repetition to review words before they fade.
- Track streaks and XP to keep momentum over weeks, not days.
Tip: Master hiragana in the first two weeks before touching kanji. Hiragana takes about three hours of focused study and unlocks every grammar resource you'll use later.
Find your starting level
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