Free Japanese Lessons for Beginners

Whether you know a little bit of Japanese or none at all, these beginner Japanese lessons are for you. I’ll also list the best resources you can use to help you improve your Japanese. When you master these lessons, be sure to check out our intermediate level and advanced lessons too! Or you can check our all of our lessons/resources.

If you are just starting to learn Japanese, go though our absolute beginner’s guide below. You’ll learn the fundamentals of Japanese that is essential for becoming good at the language.

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New to Japanese? Get Started Here:

The Step-By-Step Guide to Learning Japanese for Absolute Beginners

Best Resource for Learning Natural Japanese

JapanesePod101 Review: An Awesome Way to Learn Japanese Fast

How to Read and Write Japanese: Hiragana & Katakana

The Complete Guide to Reading and Writing Hiragana (With Video)

The Complete Guide to Reading and Writing Katakana (With Video)

Beginner Japanese Lessons

Learn Japanese Part II:  Beginners (prerequisite: can read hiragana)	How to Count in Japanese – Numbers You’ll Actually Use Every Day
How To Use Desu , Da, & Deshō in Japanese	How to Use ある (Aru) and いる (Iru)
Colors in Japanese: A Complete Guide	How to Tell Time in Japanese: A Step-by-Step Guide
The Days of the Week in Japanese	Days of the Month in Japanese
Japanese Verb Conjugation for Beginner’s	Mastering Japanese Past Tense Verbs
Japanese Adjectives & Conjugations	Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How in Japanese

Japanese Particles

An Introduction to Japanese Particles: (は, が, に, へ, で, を)

Best Japanese Books for Beginners

Absolute Beginners

Beginners

How to Say ~ in Japanese

How to Say Hello in Japanese	How to Say Goodbye in Japanese
How to Say Thank You in Japanese: Expressing Gratitude	How to Say You’re Welcome in Japanese
How to Say Beautiful in Japanese	How to Say I Love You in Japanese
How to Say Yes in Japanese	How to Say No in Japanese
How to Say Mother in Japanese	How to Say Wife in Japanese
How to Say Father in Japanese	How to Say Husband in Japanese
How to Say Brother in Japanese	How to Say Sister in Japanese
How to Say Friend in Japanese	How to Say Please in Japanese
How to Say “I” in Japanese	How to Say “You” in Natural Japanese
How to Say Congratulations in Japanese	How to Say Happy Birthday in Japanese
How to Say Boy in Japanese	How to Girl in Japanese
How to Say Shut Up in Japanese	How to Say “Only” in Japanese
How to Say the Four Seasons in Japanese	How To Say Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner Japanese
How to Say Wear in Japanese: 6 Different Ways to Put Things On	How to Say Family in Japanese (And Names of Family Members)
How to Say Sorry in Japanese: 7 Different Ways	How to Say Cat in Japanese: A Complete Guide
How to Say “I’m Hungry” in Japanese	How to Say Snow in Japanese and More: A Guide to Winter in Japan
“Are You Okay?” in Japanese	How To Say “Stop” in Japanese
How to Say Rice in Japanese	How to Say Because in Japanese: 5 Ways
How to Say “No Problem” in Japanese: 7 Different Ways	How to Say Flower in Japanese: Words and Expressions
How to Say Moon in Japanese: Words and Related Expressions	How to Say Poop in Japanese: 7 Ways to Be An Expert in Excrement!
How to Say Sun in Japanese: Words and Related Expressions	8 Ways to Say “What’s Up” in Japanese
How to Say I Miss You in Japanese: 3 Natural Ways	How to Say Good Luck in Japanese: 4 Different Ways

Learning Japanese Tips & Tricks

The Best Way to Learn Japanese: Tips and Tricks	Top 5 Mistakes Everyone Makes Learning Japanese
How Long Does it Take to Learn Japanese?	The 5 Best Things I Did to Learn Japanese
How to Practice Speaking Japanese by Yourself	How to Speak in Japanese if You’re Shy
How to Learn Japanese Fast

Learn to Speak Natural Japanese: Useful Words

13 Amazingly Useful Japanese Words	20 Cool Japanese Slang Words Being Used Right Now
Daijoubu in Japanese:  The Most Useful Word Ever	Sugoi in Japanese: Amazing! Awesome! Wow!
Itadakimasu and Gochisousama Deshita: Eating in Japan	Coming & Going: Ittekimasu, Itterasshai, Tadaima & Okaerinasai
Naruhodo: I See, I Got It, and More!	The Most Useful Kanji for Tourists Traveling in Japan
Yoroshiku Onegai Shimasu in Japanese	What Does Chotto Matte Mean?
What Does Mendokusai Mean?	Shitsurei Shimasu: Essential Japanese Etiquette
How to Use Sumimasen Naturally	Ganbaru & Ganbatte in Japanese
Kakkoii in Japanese: What it Really Means	Urusai: Does It Really Mean “Shut Up?”
Dame! An Essential Word to Know in Japanese	Yabai! in Japanese: A Useful Word with Many Meanings
Super Useful Japanese: What Does Kimochi Mean?	What Does Oishii Really Mean?
100 Essential Japanese Phrases and Words You WILL Use	40 Useful Japanese Anime Phrases
What Does Moshi Moshi Mean in Japanese? Does It Really Mean “Hello?”	What Does 助けて (Tasukete) Mean in Japanese?
What Does Doki Doki in Japanese Mean?	What Does しょうがない (Shōganai) Mean?  A Guide to Shōganai and Shikata Ga Nai
What Does お久しぶり (Ohisashiburi) in Japanese Mean?	What Does どうも (Dōmo) in Japanese Mean? 7 Ways to Use it Naturally

Living in Japanese: Useful Japanese

How to Order Food in Any Restaurant in Japan like a Pro	Useful Phrases for Meeting People in Japan
Going to the Doctor in Japan: A Quick Guide	Japanese Phrases for the Doctor’s Office
How to Introduce Yourself in Japanese: The Complete Guide to Jikoshōkai

Fun Japanese Lessons

21 Cool Japanese Words That Are Hauntingly Beautiful	10 Useful Japanese Proverbs to Sound Like a Pro
10 Japanese Tongue Twisters That Will Challenge You	The Best Japanese Pick-Up Lines For Guys and Girls
10 Funny Japanese Phrases That You Can Actually Use in Conversation	Japanese Names For Boys: Crazy, Popular, and Traditional Names
Japanese Names For Girls: Common, Popular, and Unconventional Names

Resources for Learning Japanese

JapanesePod101 Review: The Easiest Way to Learn Japanese?	Rosetta Stone Japanese Review: Does it Really Work?
Pimsleur Japanese Review: Is It Worth It?	iKnow Japanese Review: Is It Worth Paying For?
Best Resources for Learning Japanese	The Best Apps for Learning Japanese
Free Websites to Learn Japanese: Reading, Writing, & Speaking