Learn Japanese, for free, from zero to fluent.
A curated path through the best free Japanese learning resources on the web. No subscriptions, no email walls — just the textbooks, video courses, and tools that have actually taught hundreds of thousands of learners. From hiragana to JLPT N1.
See the roadmapSix stages from your first character to fluency.
Estimated study hours follow the Japan Foundation's JF Standard guidelines. Most learners reach N5 in 3–6 months and N1 in 3–5 years of consistent study.
The two alphabetsひらがな・カタカナ
Before anything else, learn hiragana and katakana — the two phonetic alphabets that unlock every other resource on this page. Use mnemonics, not flashcards. It should take days, not months.
Beginner foundations入門レベル
The level Japanese language schools require for entry. You'll cover basic greetings, self-introductions, simple questions, particles (は・が・を・に), and the two main verb forms. Most students reach this in 3–6 months of daily study.
Upper beginner初級レベル
You can now hold a basic conversation, read short texts, and follow simple instructions. This stage adds て-form, casual speech, conditionals, and the bedrock of polite Japanese — keigo basics. The jump from N5 is the biggest you'll feel.
Intermediate threshold中級レベル
The level where Japanese starts feeling usable. You can navigate daily life, read menus and signs without help, and follow simple TV. Many language schools place new students here after the entry test. This is where consistent immersion pays off most.
Upper intermediate中上級レベル
The minimum level for most Japanese university entrance and for many full-time jobs in Japan. You're now reading regular news, following dramas without subtitles, and writing emails in keigo. This is where grammar studied formally starts becoming intuition.
Advanced fluency上級レベル
The highest JLPT level — and the threshold for most professional and academic work in Japanese. Beyond this, learning becomes less about courses and more about consuming native material: novels, podcasts, papers, business writing. Let the language teach itself.
Four tools you'll use at every level.
No matter where you are on the path, these are the utilities that turn passive study into active learning. Set them up early and they'll serve you for years.
Consistency, not intensity, is what carries you to fluent.
Pick one resource from each stage. Study daily. Don't optimize endlessly between options. Every learner who reached fluency did it with worse tools than the ones on this page.
Back to japanese-kanta.com