Best Free Tools to Learn Japanese

Top free apps and websites to learn Japanese

Question: which free resources give you the most progress per hour? My short answer is to pick one SRS, one grammar guide, and one native content source, then use them consistently. The first time I went to Japan, I wished I'd used SRS sooner, so I can't stress this enough.

Fun fact: the 常用 (Joyo, common-use; standard-use) 漢字 (kanji, Chinese characters) list contains 2136 characters, which gives you a clear target for intermediate to advanced study. For vocabulary, look for Core 2000 or Core 6000 frequency lists as Anki decks; they save time locating useful words. Sounds good, right?

Anki (spaced repetition)

Fact: Anki is free on desktop and open source, and it's the backbone for serious memorization. Get the desktop app at Anki and search AnkiWeb for popular decks like Core 2000 and Core 6000. Pro tip: customise review limits and suspend cards you don't need yet; that keeps your daily load sane. Convinced yet?

Jisho and NHK for reference and reading

Quick detour: when you see an unknown word, Jisho.org is the fastest dictionary to check readings and example sentences, Jisho. For real-world simplified news, NHK News Web Easy publishes articles in plain Japanese, which is good for listening and reading practice, NHK News Web Easy. See what I mean?

Best kanji practice tools

It's early morning in Kyoto. You're sipping coffee while drilling kanji with spaced repetition, not scanning textbooks. That image is more realistic if you use the right tools. What most people don't know is that combining recognition, writing, and mnemonics is more effective than rote copying.

WaniKani for structured kanji learning

Unlike what we're used to with scattered lists, WaniKani offers a curriculum that ties radicals and mnemonics into kanji and vocabulary levels. There are free levels available, so you can test their method before subscribing. My tip is to use WaniKani for reading reinforcement while Anki handles targeted vocab. Sounds good, right?

Anki kanji decks and hand-writing practice

By the way, Anki has kanji decks based on Heisig's method and on JLPT frequency. If you want handwriting practice, use a tablet and apps that allow stroke order tracing, or print worksheets from KanjiDamage and similar sites. Quick detour: keep the Joyo 2136 in mind as your long-term kanji goal. Convinced yet?

Community help: HiNative, language exchange, and feedback

Let's be honest: apps can't replace native feedback. HiNative connects you with native speakers so you can ask grammar or nuance questions and get short audio replies. Check it out at HiNative. This is my absolute hidden gem!

Speaking of which, language partners on HelloTalk or Tandem let you swap corrections, but HiNative is faster for question-and-answer style learning. My tip: when you post a question, include the context, what you meant in English, and the sentence you wrote. That gets better answers.

Reddit and community threads

What I especially like is that active subreddit threads often list current free resources and honest user reviews. For example, this older thread collects app recommendations from learners: r/JapaneseLanguage thread. Use Reddit for opinions, not as a sole study plan. Sounds good, right?

Putting it together: a simple free study plan

Direct address: try this 30-minute daily routine. Ten minutes of Anki SRS for vocab and kanji, ten minutes reading NHK News Web Easy or graded readers, and ten minutes of grammar study with Tae Kim or Bunpro's free lessons. Stick with it for 90 days, and you'll notice real gains. Classic Japan, isn't it?

Oh, almost forgot: supplement with HiNative questions twice a week for feedback on natural phrasing. Pro tip: track your time and swap resources if you plateau after two weeks. See what I mean?

Sources

1. r/JapaneseLanguage thread
2. Anki
3. Jisho
4. NHK News Web Easy
5. HiNative