You’ve been watching anime lately and probably love the language. Still, you might be looking for the best Android apps for learning Japanese to connect with your favorite anime character.
Well, I have already done the hard work for you. The Japanese language is notoriously challenging.
On the other hand, thanks to the media, anime, and a general rise in interest in the culture, it is becoming increasingly common among those who are not native speakers.
Because of the recent influx of people interested in learning Japanese, most traditional Japanese techniques still need apps.
Nevertheless, there are some excellent ones that you may use to start. Here is a list of some of the best Android apps for learning Japanese
Best Android Apps for Learning Japanese
1. Ameba
It is a famous blogging website in Japan. Like many other social networking sites, Ameba has a mobile version you can use on your phone.
Whether it be your favorite music, fashion icons, or video games, you can keep up with them all with the help of this app.
Users worldwide can download Ameba, although the application is only available in Japanese. It’s a fantastic opportunity to submerge yourself in the language!
The most significant advantage of utilizing Ameba is that you will be able to have a blog written in Japanese and locate native speakers who have interests that are comparable to your own.
Discovering new activities, making friends with native speakers, and picking up internet lingo are all possible benefits of this method.
Both the subject matter of your writing and the amount of writing you produce are entirely up to you.
You can write about anything that you find fascinating, or you could even maintain a diary in Japanese and check back on it later to see how much you’ve improved.
You can also encourage readers to point out any flaws in your writing. Using the best Android apps for learning Japanese will ensure you continuously improve your writing skills. Free is the price.
2. Drops
At some point, we have all been guilty of spending too much time playing mobile phone games.
Imagine if you could study Japanese while playing a mobile game at the same time. That is the core concept of the game Drops.
Drops is a Japanese language learning app designed as a game. As you swipe and tap to match images to words, you will spend five minutes daily immersed in Japanese.
You only have five minutes to spare throughout the next 10 hours, so you’d better make the most of every available minute! (There are no longer any time limits when you purchase a subscription.)
Try out this straightforward software if you’re starting to establish a study regimen or are looking for something to add to one you already have.
3. Easy Japanese News
Never before has it been this simple to stay abreast of current developments in Japan.
Easy Japanese News is one of the best Android apps for learning Japanese that aggregates sources from a wide variety of major news outlets, including NHK, CNN, TBS, and Asahi.
It places them all in one location for the user’s convenience. Every article is interactive, allowing visitors to look up any word with only a fingertip.
Additionally, the app provides Japanese news podcasts and videos, ensuring your educational needs are met.
This app is also fantastic for students of all levels preparing to take the JLPT. Each word is highlighted according to its difficulty level on the JLPT.
You can store this information in a personal notebook for further review. There is also the option to take practice exams, which cover information from the reading as well as the listening sections of the examination.
No matter how proficient you are in Japanese, you will be able to find items here that are not only intriguing but also present an interesting challenge.
4. LingQ
LingQ is a mobile application that completely submerges users in written and spoken content in their target language.
With this application, you can read original Japanese content, such as news articles and tales, and listen to podcasts, audiobooks, and other types of content.
As you continue to read, you come across new “lingQs,” or words you aren’t familiar with.
If you add these lingQs to your flashcard deck, the SRS application that comes with the app will allow you to go back and study them.
You can save new vocabulary words from any content because all of the content comes with a transcript. This applies to both audio and video content.
After determining your current level of expertise, you are free to explore their collection of podcasts, stories, and other media.
You are even able to import your content so that you can gain knowledge from the things that most interest you.
5. Italki
Talking to a person fluent in Japanese is, without a doubt, the best way to develop your Japanese speaking abilities.
You can discover a tutor in any language you want to study using the website italki.com (including Japanese).
The most exciting part? There are no enormous up-front costs; rather, payments are made on a per-lesson basis.
Lessons, whether given by a professional teacher or a casual tutor, are customized to you and geared to enable you to work on whatever you wish to do.
You can browse teachers based on user evaluations and prices, talk about what you want to get out of your classes and discover a teacher who is a good fit for you.
Most teachers have a lot of enthusiasm and are excited to teach you! If you’d rather keep things casual, using one of the best Android apps for learning Japanese also allows you to connect with other people learning a language and form language exchanges for free.
6. Kanji Senpai
Because it employs a technique known as spaced repetition or SRS, Kanji Senpai ensures that once a character is ingrained in your memory, it will be forever.
Because the same characters appear in multiple levels of instruction, you will remember the kanji you’ve already learned.
This application includes characters you will test on all Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) levels.
It also provides multiple study methods for various characters. Users can practice writing the characters, build and download their customized vocabulary lists, and review vocabulary through various tests.
Suppose you’re interested in tracking how much and how frequently you study.
The app even provides some amazing statistics to establish daily goals and monitor your progress in this area!
7. Japanese Kanji Tree
You can improve your ability to read and write Japanese characters with the help of the Japanese Kanji Tree program.
The three components of this app’s innovative approach to teaching the language are recognizing, reading, and writing kanji.
Users can learn by JLPT level or grade level, and if they upgrade to the Pro version, they can design their personalized learning lists.
The radicals of the kanji are separated for easier comprehension, and the processes for writing them down are laid out straightforwardly.
Users are guided through overcoming one of the scariest parts of the Japanese language in a manner that is made easier for them by the application’s user interface, which is designed to be straightforward.
You can learn new information or go over what you already know if that is what you like to do.
The price is free, but a paid pro version is available if you use one of the best Android apps to learn Japanese.
8. Obenkyo
Obenkyo provides an environment conducive to the acquisition of Japanese language skills.
This application’s straightforward yet well-organized courses will walk you through the fundamentals of the Japanese language, from hiragana and katakana to vocabulary and particles.
It also works well with Tatoeba’s particle test and the Tae Kim book, a great resource for learning the principles of the Japanese language and was mentioned earlier in this list.
Because it disassembles the Japanese language into all its component pieces, Obenkyo is an excellent resource for novices who wish to acquire a fundamental understanding of the language.
The software contains a reference manual for the kana, the kanji, the vocabulary, the particles, the numerals, and the grammar.
Thanks to the handwriting recognition software in those sections, you can practice writing correctly and legibly in the kana and kanji parts. Free is the price.
9. JA Sensei
Using JA Sensei, among the best Android apps for learning Japanese, this application teaches users everything they want to know about Japanese, including reading, writing, listening, and speaking. It boasts that it is an “all in one” solution.
The syntax and vocabulary of the Japanese language are presented in each session alongside real-world examples, and you will be tested on your knowledge after each section.
The SRS technique, used in the quizzes included in this program, directs your attention to the topics you need to study the most.
You can also record your pronunciations and compare them to those of native speakers after you’ve recorded them.
JA Sensei features an extensive library of language learning materials, including kana, kanji, vocabulary, a phrasebook, grammar, and native-recorded audio, amongst many others.
In addition to guided classes, quizzes, checks for listening comprehension, and a drawing tool for practicing writing.
This single program can teach you everything about Japanese you want to know about the language.
What makes JA Sensei even more interesting are the cultural details it includes. These facts offer a glimpse into the traditions of Japan.
They are certain to be of assistance to any person considering traveling there. Free is the price.
10. Takoboto
This concise and convenient dictionary app is among the best Android apps for learning Japanese.
Because you can use Takoboto offline, you can search for Japanese terms whenever and anywhere.
No matter what you’re looking for, Takoboto can find it and provide plenty of example sentences.
You may conduct searches in either English or kana, and results can be displayed in simple or conjugated forms.
You can search for single words and phrases in widespread use and grammar.
Suppose this does not satisfy your need for knowledge. In that case, Takoboto provides more explanations on grammar issues through its website and connections to the entry for that topic on renshuu.
You can also save words to your list if you have any that you particularly like. After that, you can import the lists into AnkiDroid for further analysis.
11. Kanji Recognizer
This mobile application might look like little, but its ease of use is one of its most appealing features. We’ve all been in that situation.
Trying to decipher the meaning of an unknown kanji by fixating on it as if our eyes alone could do the job.
This is precisely why Kanji Recognizer came into existence; it enables you to type the kanji by hand quickly and then provides you with information on its readings, radicals, strokes, and fundamental meanings.
Behind that, you can either export it to Anki or instantly look it up in your dictionary for examples of compounds and applications of the word.
The app is among the best Android apps for learning Japanese and identifying handwritten kanji.
Because of this, I turn to it whenever my dictionary app needs help deciphering my kanji squiggles or whenever I merely want a kanji reading, not a lengthy explanation of what the character means.
Because of its straightforward design and user interface, it also has a relatively short learning curve.
12. FluentU
Authentic Japanese films, such as movie snippets and inspirational speeches, are provided by FluentU. These movies feature interactive captioning in both English and Japanese.
After watching each video, you’ll have the opportunity to test your knowledge by taking a quiz, and you’ll also have the option to make customized flashcards for any new vocabulary you come across.
FluentU’s contextual dictionary will, rather than displaying the full definition of a word, show you what the word means in the context of the video you are currently watching.
To get even more experience with the term, search for other videos that use it in the same context.
Each video is accompanied by a word bank containing key phrases used in the clip and a full transcript that includes audio and definitions when the mouse hovers over them.
The quizzes in the program can adjust to your learning, highlighting the terms that require additional study so that you can better recall them.
To polish your language skills further, you can type or speak your responses to questions in the fill-in-the-blank format. Free of charge, both for the trial and the subscription.
13. Tae Kim’s Guide to Learning Japanese
The Tae Kim’s Guide to Learning Japanese application is a compilation of Tae Kim’s online grammatical guide that has been streamlined into a user-friendly format. It has the resemblance and feel of a digital textbook.
Tae Kim believes that conventional textbooks are in a manner that is not rational and that their primary purpose is to rapidly have students speak the language and say English words in Japanese.
Suppose you want to acquire a solid understanding of Japanese grammar. In that case, there are better ways to go about it than this, but it could help you learn conversational Japanese quickly.
This guide will instead walk you through the Japanese language’s grammar in a way that is coherent inside that language.
The result is a profound comprehension of the Japanese language’s inner workings and the motivations for its structure.
Beginners can begin by familiarizing themselves with the Japanese writing system and then progressing to fundamental aspects of the language’s grammar, such as the conjugation of verbs and adjectives.
Users with greater expertise can navigate subjects covering unique expressions, conditionals, and related topics.
14. renshuu
Are you seeking one of the best Android apps for learning Japanese that contains many educational games? Renshuu is going to become one of your closest companions quickly.
renshuu is a very entertaining software that provides in-depth explanations of vocabulary, grammar, and kanji and tests that you may customize to assess your language learning progress.
Your perseverance will be rewarded with adorably collected medals and achievements of various levels.
Crossword puzzles and Shiritori are only two examples of entertaining learning games that you can find in this app.
renshuu’s major perk is its diversity. Change the settings on your flashcards or solve a crossword problem to mix things up a bit.
If you find that there are only so many practical learning lists that Renshuu provides that are suitable for you, it is simple to create your own.
In addition, it allows you to submit your sentences through various themed writing games, where you will receive constructive criticism from an active community.
15. LingoDeer
The Japanese language and its grammar are presented in this resource at a level appropriate for beginners to advanced students in a step-by-step format that continuously builds on what you already know.
The Japanese courses offered by LingoDeer are thoughtfully organized to provide students with vocabulary lessons, in-depth explanations of grammar problems, and contextually relevant dialogues.
The primary method of progressing through LingoDeer is by working through its modules, which consist of individual courses.
However, the app also includes various alternative learning options, such as flashcards, stories, phrasebooks, etc.
You will move from knowing nothing about the language to being able to compose your sentences at an intermediate level by following the structured framework of LingoDeer. Free, with paid subscription options also available.
16. Anki
Even though it isn’t designed specifically for learning Japanese, many people who are learning Japanese praise Anki as being among the most effective ways to do it.
Anki takes your lists of vocabulary, grammar, and even kanji and lets you sort them into various forms of flashcard decks, ranging from the more conventional flip-and-reveal format to one in which you are to fill in the blanks with the appropriate response.
Anki, one of the best Android apps for learning Japanese, maintains track of what you already know and what you need to review by employing a technique known as spaced repetition.
It will then show you words you will likely forget at carefully calculated intervals. It will continue until each vocabulary word is securely established in your long-term memory.
If you have never worked with Anki, it may seem complicated and difficult to use initially.
But don’t be concerned! The community has produced many excellent decks you can download and use for free.
17. Lang-8’s HiNative-Language Learning
In the community known as HiNative-Language Learning, native speakers read and correct the work submitted by those studying their language.
Your content can consist of whatever you choose, which can be as long or as short as you feel comfortable with.
It’s a community founded on reciprocation, so if you’re not stingy, you’ll get great feedback and suggestions if you participate (and even some friendships).
If you are more comfortable with a full keyboard, try the group’s full browser version in addition to using HiNative because it was developed by the same people who developed Lang-8, a website quite popular in language acquisition.
18. HelloTalk
HelloTalk is among the best Android apps for learning Japanese that facilitates the exchange of languages and enables users to communicate with people from around the world.
The plan is to locate a native Japanese speaker who is also learning English (or your original language) and then “exchange” languages with them, which means you will each assist the other in acquiring your target language.
HelloTalk operates similarly to social media websites: You create a profile and describe yourself succinctly.
You can select both the level of the language you are studying and the language you are learning.
After that, you’ll be able to seek people who speak Japanese as their native language in any part of the world!
The platform that you can use to chat is similar to other applications that are for messaging. In contrast to other messaging apps, HelloTalk gives native speakers the ability to edit their messages and fix their language.
At the same time, you discuss the next concert by AKB48 (or anything else that interests you).
A function that corrects your grammar as you type means that you can improve your skills without leaving the discussion!
You may also share modifications to your profile and even voice messages with other users, allowing them to criticize your grammar, vocabulary usage, and pronunciation.
Since HelloTalk has over 30 million users worldwide, you can connect with someone who shares your interests.
19. DuoLingo
The first thing that Duolingo will do is give you a quick placement test so that they can adjust your Japanese classes to suit your specific requirements better.
Lessons on Duolingo emphasize immersion and teach Japanese in a manner analogous to how one would have learned a language as a youngster.
It functions much like Rosetta Stone, which is one of the best Android apps for learning Japanese. It provides quizzes designed to help you remember vocabulary and kanji.
This software will motivate you to study by providing you with game-like features, and it will also present you with exciting challenges to complete.
You may study Japanese whenever you have a few spare minutes during the day by using the app’s brief and simple courses, which you can access whenever you want to study Japanese.
The program claims that you may become more proficient in Japanese in as little as five minutes daily, which is great news if you only have a little extra time to devote to the endeavor.
These are ideal for short lessons you can complete during your break at work or while traveling home.
20. Pocket Colony
Pocket Colony is a popular program in Japan that enables users to construct a miniature “pockatar” character that inhabits a digital environment.
You and your pockatar can work together to complete tasks, play games, dress up, and construct a house for yourself, similar to how other comparable applications, like LINE PLAY, work.
Also, You can meet and make friends with potential language partners by chatting on the message boards or traveling through the “worlds” created by other users.
You also have the opportunity to improve your reading abilities by using the Japanese interface. Currently, support for the English language is only available on the iOS version.
