VocavoyLearn Japanese and actually speak it
A trip through 24 Japanese-speaking cities, from Tokyo to Ishigaki. Five minutes a day of lessons, an AI tutor and an Accent Coach that scores every word you say.
Your first Japanese words
The Japanese route: 24 cities, 3 levels
Cities 1โ6 are level A1 (survival), 7โ12 are A2 (everyday conversation) and 13โ24 are B1 (independent). Each has 3 lessons, a short story and a checkpoint.
Japanese you can use right away
โ At the cafรฉ (Kyoto)
๐ Getting around (Osaka)
A story from Tokyo
Two neighbors meet in the morning near a convenience store in Shibuya.
Accent focus: Long vowels: ใใฐใใ ยท ใใฐใใใ
A long vowel lasts twice as long, and it changes the meaning. ใใฐใใ (obasan) is "aunt"; ใใฐใใใ (obฤsan) is "grandmother".
Why learn Japanese?
Japanese opens up anime, manga, games and music in the original, and makes a trip from Tokyo to Kanazawa far richer than pointing at menus.
Pronunciation is the friendliest part: five vowels, very regular syllables and no tones. With a few hundred words and the right set phrases you can be polite and get around from day one.
Is Japanese hard to learn?
Japanese is one of the hardest languages for English speakers, mostly because of the writing system (hiragana, katakana and kanji) and a word order that puts the verb last. Vocavoy splits the load: an alphabet trainer teaches hiragana and katakana by tracing, every word comes with romaji, and the lessons stay on spoken, everyday Japanese.
The parts Vocavoy drills hardest in Japanese:
- long vowels: ใใฐใใ (aunt) vs. ใใฐใใใ (grandmother)
- particles ใฏ, ใ and ใ
- hiragana and katakana
- polite ใงใ/ใพใ forms
How Vocavoy teaches Japanese
- Lessons: new words, then real sentences you build, hear and complete, with native-speaker audio.
- Vocab Sprint: 60 seconds of spaced-repetition review a day. Why it works.
- Accent Coach: say phrases out loud and get a score for every word. How scoring works.
- AI tutor: roleplay Japanese scenes by text or on a hands-free call. Meet Croco.
- Checkpoints: a short roleplay at the end of each city before you get its stamp.
Japanese FAQ
Can I learn Japanese with Vocavoy for free?
Yes. Vocavoy is free to download and you can start the Japanese course right away, with no account.
How long does it take to learn Japanese?
To reach everyday conversations (A2), plan on about 30 days of short daily sessions in Vocavoy. Full professional fluency takes far longer: the US Foreign Service Institute estimates about 2,200 class hours for an English speaker (category IV).
Is Japanese hard to learn?
Japanese is one of the hardest languages for English speakers, mostly because of the writing system (hiragana, katakana and kanji) and a word order that puts the verb last. Vocavoy splits the load: an alphabet trainer teaches hiragana and katakana by tracing, every word comes with romaji, and the lessons stay on spoken, everyday Japanese.
What will I be able to say after the Japanese course?
The course covers say hello, cafรฉ & food, getting around, shopping & money, hotel & travel, plans & weekends, eating out, health & feelings, my daily routine, last weekend, family & friends, travel trouble, work & studies, finding a home, nature & weather, future plans, when i was little, culture & opinions, errands, giving advice, cooking, feelings & friends, comparing places, dreams & goodbyes: greeting people, ordering food, getting around, shopping, hotels, making plans, talking about your day and your last weekend, and handling travel trouble.
Do I need to know hiragana before starting Japanese on Vocavoy?
No. Every word shows romaji, and the built-in alphabet trainer teaches hiragana and katakana by tracing as you go. Kanji unlocks once hiragana is mastered.
Explore other languages
Say your first ใใใซใกใฏ today.
Pick a language, say your first hello, and get your accent scored in the next five minutes. Free, no sign-up.