Start Japanese with a 14-day study plan

What will you study?

1. Session / step 1

   Read your first hiragana words

   Recognise eight basic sounds and write two short words.

   Open the kana chart first. This is a small first set, so return to the full chart for the other sounds.

   やま・みず

   mountain · water

   Kana chart and typingHiragana foundations

2. Session / step 2

   Katakana and longer sounds

   Read six katakana and write bus, camera, stamp and coffee.

   Small っ doubles a consonant. Katakana ー extends a vowel. Follow each question’s requested script.

   バス・コーヒー

   bus · coffee

   Small kana and long vowelsKatakana foundations

3. Session / step 3

   Identify people and things

   Use polite noun sentences and choose this, that or that over there.

   です ends a polite noun sentence. これ stands on its own; この comes before a noun. Check who is holding the object.

   これは私の本です。

   This is my book.

   Desu and daThis and that course

4. Session / step 4

   Describe where things are

   Choose あります or います and name a location.

   Use います for the people and animals in these examples. Use あります for things. A location of existence takes に.

   机の上に本があります。

   There is a book on the desk.

   Existence and locationWords for rooms and objects

5. Session / step 5

   Say what you do

   Mark an action’s object with を and its place with で.

   In 図書館で本を読みます, the library is the place and the book is what you read. Keep these roles separate.

   図書館で本を読みます。

   I read books at the library.

   The object particle woNi and de in context

6. Session / step 6

   Read times and numbers

   Tell clock times from deadlines and recognise number words.

   午前 is before noon and 午後 is after noon. 二時半 is 2:30. までに tells you when an action must already be complete.

   午後二時までに来てください。

   Please come by two in the afternoon.

   Numbers and time in the kanji guideTime, days and quantities

7. Session / step 7

   Talk about a routine

   Use polite verb endings for routines, negatives and past actions.

   食べます is non-past; 食べません is negative; 食べました is past. Read time words before choosing the ending.

   毎朝、パンを食べます。

   I eat bread every morning.

   Polite verb forms courseRead a morning routine

8. Session / step 8

   Describe a room or an item

   Use i- and na-adjectives before nouns and in short descriptions.

   大きい部屋 keeps い. 静かな部屋 needs な before the noun. In 静かです, do not add な before です.

   これは静かな部屋です。

   This is a quiet room.

   I-adjective courseNa-adjective foundations

9. Session / step 9

   Make a simple request

   Form a te-form and use it with ください.

   待つ becomes 待って; 行く becomes 行って. The verb ending matters even when both verbs are familiar.

   入口で待ってください。

   Please wait at the entrance.

   Te-form courseCheck a verb form

10. Session / step 10

    Say what you will not do

    Build plain negatives and recognise a negative instruction.

    買う becomes 買わない, while ある becomes ない. A negative sentence changes the plan even if it mentions a familiar action.

    今日は魚を買わない。

    I will not buy fish today.

    Nai-form courseRead a shopping note

11. Session / step 11

    Talk about yesterday

    Use plain past verb forms and follow past actions in a diary.

    The past forms 食べた and 行った describe completed actions here. Polite 食べました also expresses past; follow the requested style in each question.

    昨日、友達に会いました。

    I met a friend yesterday.

    Ta-form courseRead a study diary

12. Session / step 12

    Read for a place and a person

    Apply location grammar to a library text and read common place kanji.

    Read the whole location phrase before answering. A desk, a window and reception are separate landmarks.

    先生は受付にいます。

    The teacher is at reception.

    Library reading and vocabularyKanji through whole words

13. Session / step 13

    Read a changed travel notice

    Separate the usual platform from today’s platform and find the waiting deadline.

    今日は marks the exception. Read it together with the destination so you do not choose the platform for another train.

    今日は三番線から出ます。

    Today it leaves from platform three.

    Platform-change readingTransport words

14. Session / step 14

    Put the foundations together

    Read a diary, recognise who did what and review key actions.

    Use time words to connect tense and sequence. A mentioned activity may be negative, so read the ending before choosing it.

    午後は図書館に行きました。

    I went to the library in the afternoon.

    Final short readingContinue with the study mapChoose your next reading