Starting Japanese
How to Learn Japanese on Your Own

Japanese language skills are developed through several stages.​​​

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1. Get Started - Use Duolingo or YouTube videos for an introduction.​

2. Listen to Japanese - Find audio-based content to get used to listening, such as JapanesePod101 or the Michel Thomas Japanese course.​​

3. Learn Hiragana and Katakana - Optional

4. Practice Simple Conversation  - Optional​

5. Understand Sentence Structure - Use a textbook or website to grasp language structure and essential vocabulary.​​

6. Read short stories - Optional

7. Watch and listen to the content you enjoy - Highly recommended

8. Learn Kanji - Discover methods for mastering Kanji.

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Are you ready? Let's find out resources suitable for your stage!

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• Japanese Self-Study Recommendations and Programmes

 

Should I learn Hiragana and Katakana?

It is important if you want to join a class, and these scripts are phonetic so they help you match sounds to words more easily in the long run. However, memorising 46 Hiragana characters can be challenging and there's Katakana as well. If your goal is conversation or travel, it’s okay to focus on other skills first and learn them later.​​​

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How long does it take to learn Hiragana?

You will learn five characters as a unit. If you’re a working adult or in full-time education, you’re likely busy, so learning 5–10 characters per week is a realistic pace. It will take about three months to complete Hiragana, or less if you can dedicate more time to it.

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Milestones for Beginner Level and Next Stage

After about two years of studying the basics, you will be able to read short articles and write a diary. Mastering the past tense and negative forms of verbs and adjectives shows that you have completed the lower beginner level. This progress could be faster if you quickly learn Hiragana and Katakana. If you are considering taking GCSE Japanese, you should start preparing at this point and plan to study for an additional year or two.​