Learn Japanese Online – The Best Courses for Every Level

Japanese is spoken by over 125 million people – and it opens doors that few other languages can: to one of the world’s most fascinating cultures, to a major global economy, and to a completely different way of thinking about language itself. If you’ve been wondering how to actually get started, or how to move past the basics, you’re in the right place.

I’ve spent over 20 years learning languages through self-study – Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, French, and currently Spanish. What I’ve learned is this: the method matters more than the motivation. In this guide, I’ll break down the best online Japanese courses available right now, explain what works at each level, and give you a realistic picture of what to expect.

Why Learn Japanese? (And Is It Really That Hard?)

Let’s be honest: Japanese is one of the more demanding languages for English speakers. Three writing systems – hiragana, katakana, and kanji – plus a sentence structure that’s essentially the reverse of English. I won’t pretend otherwise.

But here’s what I’ve found from my own language learning: difficulty is mostly a question of method. When I started Norwegian from scratch in 2005, I tried a lot of approaches that didn’t stick. What eventually worked was a systematic vocabulary method with spaced repetition – and that same principle applies to Japanese. The writing systems look intimidating, but hiragana (46 characters) can be learned in a week with the right focus. Kanji comes later, and gradually.

The reasons to learn Japanese are genuinely compelling: Japan is the world’s third-largest economy, Japanese pop culture (anime, manga, gaming) has global reach, and Japanese is the gateway to a literary and cinematic tradition unlike anything in the West. If you work in tech, automotive, or finance, Japanese language skills are a concrete professional differentiator.

For a solid overview of Japanese language structure and official learning resources, NHK World’s free Japanese lessons are a trustworthy starting point alongside any course you choose.

The Best Online Japanese Courses – A Practical Comparison

I’ve looked at what’s available for English-speaking learners and narrowed it down to the platforms that actually deliver results. Here’s what each one offers and who it suits best.

17-Minute-Languages – Structured Vocabulary Learning with Long-Term Retention

This is the course I recommend most consistently for people who want a systematic, measurable path from beginner to solid A2. The core method is spaced repetition: vocabulary is repeated at precise intervals until it moves into long-term memory. It sounds simple, but it’s the closest thing to a proven formula that exists for vocabulary acquisition – and it’s the approach I’ve used myself across multiple languages.

What makes 17-Minute-Languages stand out is the structure. Every day, the software tells you exactly what to practice. You don’t have to decide – you just show up for 15 to 20 minutes. After roughly three months, you’ll have covered the most important 1,300+ words at A2 level. That’s a genuine foundation.

• Daily learning time: 15–20 minutes
• Level reached in ~3 months: A2 (Common European Framework)
• Exercise types: Multiple choice, writing, listening comprehension
• Access: Smartphone, tablet, PC – progress saved automatically
• Free trial: 2 days, no credit card required

One aspect I particularly appreciate: you control the pace. If you have more time, you can type answers and practice spelling. If you only have five minutes on the train, multiple choice keeps the streak going. The course adapts to your life rather than demanding you adapt to it.

*

Mondly – Gamified Japanese for Everyday Learners

Mondly takes a different approach. Where 17-Minute-Languages is systematic and structured, Mondly is intuitive and conversational. The app leads you into real-life scenarios from the first lesson – ordering food, asking for directions, navigating a hotel. It’s designed to feel less like studying and more like practicing.

The adaptive learning environment is genuinely smart: Mondly tracks where you struggle and adjusts the exercise frequency accordingly. Combined with short daily lessons and a points system that keeps momentum going, it’s one of the better options if your motivation tends to fluctuate.

Mondly offers a free version with access to basic lessons – enough to get a real feel for the method before committing. The premium version unlocks the full course library, specialized vocabulary modules, and an ad-free experience.

• Best for: Conversational practice, commuters, learners who need variety
• Strengths: Realistic dialogue simulations, adaptive exercises, strong app experience
• Languages covered: Japanese plus 40+ others – useful if you’re learning multiple languages
• Free version available: Yes

*

Rosetta Stone – Immersive Japanese Without Translation

Rosetta Stone’s philosophy is immersion: you learn Japanese through Japanese, without translation as a crutch. Images, audio, and context do the teaching. For learners who find themselves over-relying on their native language when processing new vocabulary, this approach can be genuinely liberating.

It’s not the fastest route to A2, and the lack of explicit grammar explanation frustrates some learners. But for those who process language visually and want a more naturalistic experience, Rosetta Stone is worth considering – especially as a complement to a more structured course.

*

Preply – Learn Japanese with a Private Tutor Online

All self-study tools have one limitation: they can’t respond to you. If your goal is genuine speaking confidence – for travel, for work, for living in Japan – at some point you need real conversation practice with a real person.

Preply connects you with qualified Japanese tutors for one-on-one video lessons. You can filter by price, availability, teaching style, and native vs. non-native speaker. It’s more expensive than an app, but the accelerating effect on speaking and listening is hard to replicate any other way.

My recommendation: use a structured course like 17-Minute-Languages to build vocabulary, then add Preply sessions once you’re at A2 to push into real conversational territory.

*

Which Japanese Course Is Right for Your Level?

The biggest mistake I see language learners make is choosing a course that doesn’t match where they actually are. Too easy and you plateau. Too hard and you quit. Here’s how to think about it.

Japanese for Beginners (A1–A2)

If you’re starting from zero, the most important thing is to build a vocabulary base before anything else. Grammar explanations without vocabulary to apply them to are useless. Start with hiragana (one to two weeks of focused practice), then move directly into a structured vocabulary course.

17-Minute-Languages’ beginner course is well-suited here: over 1,300 words, daily structure, 15–20 minutes a day. After three months, you’ll have a genuine A2 foundation – enough to navigate basic conversations and read hiragana confidently.

One early topic that trips up many beginners: the Japanese number system. Japanese actually has two systems running in parallel, and knowing which one to use when matters from day one – for prices, dates, and basic counting. I’ve put together a full guide on this: Numbers in Japanese: The Complete Guide (1–10, 1–100, Kanji & Counting Words).

Intermediate Japanese Course (B1–B2)

Once you have A2 behind you, the intermediate course is the logical next step. I’ve seen this pattern with my own language learning: the jump from A2 to B1 is where most self-learners stall, because they stop adding vocabulary systematically and assume exposure alone will carry them. It doesn’t. You need structure at this stage just as much as at the beginning.

The 17-Minute-Languages intermediate Japanese course picks up exactly where the beginner course ends. It adds over 1,800 new words across topics that go well beyond tourist vocabulary: job and career, social interactions, technology, culture, travel, emergencies, and academic contexts. All content is recorded by native speakers, so you’re training your ear to authentic pronunciation from the start.

What’s particularly useful at this level is the audio trainer included free of charge. It’s designed for exactly the moments where you can’t look at a screen – commuting, gym, walking. You hear the English prompt, produce the Japanese mentally, then hear the native speaker version. It’s one of the most underrated tools for building listening comprehension.

• Over 1,800 new words across a wide range of real-life topics
• Authentic dialog texts recorded by native speakers
• Audio trainer included – perfect for on-the-go learning
• Multi-platform: smartphone, tablet, PC
• 31-day money-back guarantee – no risk

*

Advanced Japanese (C1–C2)

At C1–C2 level, the goal shifts from acquiring language to mastering nuance: formal registers, written Japanese, specialized professional vocabulary. 17-Minute-Languages’ proficiency course covers 2,100 additional words at this level – a solid top-up for those who already have B2 and want to push further.

At this stage, Preply tutors become especially valuable: a native speaker can give feedback on register, naturalness, and the kind of cultural subtleties no app captures.

View the C1–C2 Japanese Proficiency Course*

*

How to Learn Japanese Effectively – From Experience

After testing dozens of courses and methods over two decades, here’s what I’d tell someone starting Japanese today.

Start with hiragana, not vocabulary. Hiragana is 46 characters that can be learned in five to seven days with consistent practice. Without it, you’re reading romanized Japanese (romaji), which is a crutch that slows you down later. Katakana comes next – another week. Then you have the tools to actually read what you’re learning.

Treat vocabulary as infrastructure. This is the lesson from my own experience that I repeat most often: vocabulary is the foundation everything else is built on. Grammar without vocabulary is architecture without bricks. The long-term memory method – repeating words at increasing intervals – is the most efficient way to build that foundation. I used this approach for Norwegian and it took me to business fluency. It works.

Fifteen minutes a day beats two hours once a week. Consistency is what language learning research consistently supports, and it matches my own experience. The courses I recommend are built around this. If you miss a day, don’t double up – just continue.

Don’t delay speaking. Japanese learners often postpone speaking because the language feels too different. But the earlier you practice producing sounds and sentences – even badly – the faster your brain builds the necessary pathways. Mondly’s conversation simulations are useful here; Preply tutors are better.

For more on systematic vocabulary learning, I’ve written about the methods that worked for me here: Learning vocabulary successfully.

Common Questions About Learning Japanese

How long does it take to learn Japanese?

The US Foreign Service Institute classifies Japanese as a Category IV language – the hardest tier for English speakers – estimating around 2,200 hours to professional proficiency. That sounds daunting, but A2 conversational ability is achievable in three to four months with 15–20 minutes of daily structured practice. The key is consistency, not marathon sessions.

Can I learn Japanese on my own?

Yes – with the right tools. I’ve learned five languages through self-study, and Japanese is structurally learnable solo up to B1–B2. The main challenge is speaking practice, which requires a real conversation partner at some point. For everything else – vocabulary, reading, listening – self-study works very well.

Is Mondly good for learning Japanese?

Mondly is genuinely good for conversation patterns and everyday vocabulary. It’s less systematic than 17-Minute-Languages for pure vocabulary retention, but the app experience and dialogue simulations make it a strong complement – particularly if you struggle to stay motivated with more structured approaches.

What’s the difference between the beginner and intermediate course?

The beginner course (A1–A2) covers around 1,300 core words and builds your foundational vocabulary from scratch. The intermediate course (B1–B2) adds 1,800 new words across more complex topics and introduces native speaker dialogues that go well beyond tourist situations. If you already have some Japanese, take the free placement test to find your level.

Do I need to learn kanji?

Eventually, yes – if you want to read Japanese at any real level. But not at the start. Focus on hiragana first, then katakana. Kanji can be learned gradually and in context as your vocabulary grows. Most courses introduce kanji progressively, which is the right approach.

*

More on Japanese:

• Numbers in Japanese – The complete guide (1–10, 1–100, kanji & counting words)
• The most common Japanese phrases for everyday use
• The different ways of learning languages
• Learning vocabulary successfully
• Motivated language learning
• Learning languages quickly – is it possible?

Japanese courses in other languages:

• 🇩🇪 – Japanisch lernen – Onlinekurs
• 🇳🇴 – Lær japansk – Japansk språkkurs

About the author: Sven Mancini

Sven is a published language learning author with over 20 years of hands-on experience mastering multiple languages through self-study. He has learned Norwegian to business fluency, Danish and Swedish to conversational level, and is currently working through Spanish – always testing the same systematic vocabulary methods he documents in his four published books. He founded Learn-A-New-Language.eu in 2018 to share honest, experience-based course reviews.