Frequently asked questions

With the beginners path. The first lesson explains the three Japanese writing systems, and from there you learn hiragana a few letters at a time, each with its sound, an example word and finger-writing practice. The first lessons are free.

Most lessons take 5 to 8 minutes. One lesson a day over a coffee is enough to move forward, and spaced review brings back exactly the words you find hard.

Free: the first unit of all six paths, 3 hiragana lessons, writing practice for the first 10 letters, 6 culture articles and one conversation. A subscription opens all 98 lessons, 13 conversations and 31 articles: $14.99 a month or $149 a year.

Yes, once, with a Google account. Your progress is saved to your account and follows you between phone and computer, so it is never lost when you switch devices.

The course runs in the browser on any phone, tablet or computer, with nothing to install. You can add it to your phone’s home screen and open it like an app.

There is a whole path for travelers: restaurants, trains, hotels, shopping, signs and emergencies, with spoken conversations such as ordering at a ramen shop and checking in at a hotel. You can start it with no prior Japanese.

Yes. Tap the microphone, say the word in Japanese, and get a pronunciation score. It works in Chrome or Edge, on phone and computer.

Every word comes with romaji at first, so you never have to guess how to read it. Japanese script is on screen from the first lesson, and you can turn romaji off in the settings whenever you are ready.

In the “My account” screen, with one click. After you cancel there are no further charges, and everything stays open until the end of the period you paid for.