Do you want to learn Japanese but are wondering if you can learn it for free first? In this article, we will introduce you to some free Japanese conversation methods and resources that you may want to know about before you travel. First, we explain the free Japanese conversation resources, and then we summarize how you can continue learning at your own pace. Read to the end and you will be able to continue learning free Japanese in your own way! Take advantage of free Japanese conversation resources (Free Japanese Speaking Resources) First, we will introduce some free Japanese speaking resources and explain how to make use of them. These are the two we will introduce here. Learn basic conversational phrases on the website Improve your listening skills with videos Let's take a look at each of them! Learn basic conversational phrases on the website First, we will introduce websites that provide Japanese conversation phrases for beginners and explain how to learn them effectively. For example, the website of Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs has compiled a list of greetings that can be used in a variety of situations. https://tsunagarujp.bunka.go.jp/level02/b09 This site, also from the Agency for Cultural Affairs, has a similar collection of phrases that can be used in everyday conversation. There are many items, so you can learn from the ones you are interested in. https://tsunagarujp.bunka.go.jp/level00?lang_id=EN Also, on this NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) site, many lessons are available for situations in which you are traveling to Japan. https://www.nhk.or.jp/lesson/en/lessons/ You can use these sites to learn basic conversational phrases. Improve your listening skills with videos Next, we will explain how to improve your listening skills by using videos to learn Japanese conversation. The most popular way to find Japanese conversation videos is on YouTube. You can listen to real conversations, and many of them have subtitles. You can also find video materials on the websites of the above-mentioned Agency for Cultural Affairs and NHK. These are attractive in that they are designed for learning Japanese and are put together in an easy-to-understand manner. It is a good idea to first watch videos on websites for learning Japanese, and then watch YouTube, dramas, and animations to be exposed to live conversations. By watching these repeatedly, your ears will become accustomed to them, and you will be able to hear sounds that you did not hear at first. Practice Japanese conversation for free  Next, we would like to introduce you to a couple of ways you can practice Japanese conversation for free. Here are two of them. Find a free online chat partner Get a chance to actually speak at a language exchange event These are two ways to practice speaking Japanese. Finding a free online chat partner The first way to find free Japanese chat partners online is to find Japanese study buddies on social networking sites and forums. You can use hashtags like "I'm studying Japanese." Second, you can use chat apps to practice your Japanese, such as Hellotalk, a language exchange app that has a chat function. Third, you can join online groups such as Facebook Groups or Meetup, where you can chat with people in Japanese. We would like to increase our exposure to the Japanese language by keeping in touch with our online connections. Get a chance to actually speak at language exchange events (Japanese Language Exchange Platforms) Next, we will show you how to practice speaking Japanese by participating in language exchange events. First, you can participate in online language exchange events. Online events are flexible in terms of location, date, and time, so you can participate from anywhere in the world at any time. On the other hand, if you are looking for a local language exchange event, we recommend that you try using local community centers. You will have a chance to be introduced to other events related to international exchange. The benefit you can get from a language exchange event is that you can have a relationship where you teach and learn from each other, and you can output without hesitation. Since you can relate to each other on a flatter level than in a classroom, you will probably get to know each other like friends. Find ways to learn continuously at your own pace. Here are some tips on how to take advantage of free resources and find a way to learn Japanese that works for you. Here are two key points Keep yourself motivated by setting goals Make it a habit to learn effectively Let's learn how to keep learning Japanese! Keep yourself motivated by setting goals First, we will show you how to set goals and a study plan to help you achieve them. To stay motivated, it is important to set short-term and long-term goals. To do this, first think about your ultimate goal and when you want to achieve it. Once you have decided, break them down into yearly, half-yearly, three-monthly, monthly, and finally weekly or daily goals. To create a study plan that meets your goals, it is important to break down your goals into the elements necessary to achieve them. For example, pass the JLPT Level 3 in two years! you need to think about what you need to study in order to pass the test, and set goals for each element, such as grammar, vocabulary, listening, and so on. If you achieve your goals, congratulate yourself by rewarding yourself. By even thinking about your reward list in advance, it will motivate you to study. Make learning effective by making it a habit Next, we will show you how to make studying Japanese a habit and give you some tips for effective learning. The best way to find a study time that you can continue every day is to set it up with something you are already in the habit of doing. For example, listen to a Japanese podcast while taking a bath, memorize three words while brushing your teeth, or play a Japanese YouTube video while washing dishes. Be sure to set it up with something you have to do in your life. This way, you can take advantage of free resources and continue to learn. In addition, keeping a record of your learning will increase your motivation. When you summarize what you've done today in a notebook or app, you can look back on your progress and feel a sense of accomplishment. Try using your favorite notebook or a nicely designed app so that you can enjoy keeping track. We have introduced a number of free resources to help you become conversant in Japanese. Make good use of websites, videos, online chats, and language exchange events to find a learning method that works for you and keeps you going! If you are not sure which one to start with, we recommend Ohanasi Kagawa, which hosts free online language exchange events on weekends. English learners and Japanese learners are paired one-on-one and switch the language they speak for 15 minutes at a time. The rules are designed to make it easy for those new to online events to participate, so please check out the details of this event.

If you want to learn Japanese, where should you start? In this article, we will introduce the basics of learning Japanese for beginners and recommended resources, perfect for you if you are a fan of anime and manga. Read to the end and you will know how to enjoy learning Japanese! Acquire basic knowledge of Japanese language learning This section explains the basic knowledge you need to know before you start learning Japanese. We will introduce two of them here. Types of characters and how to read them Understanding basic grammar Let's take a look at these two essential points for beginners of Japanese! Types of Characters and How to Read Them Japanese is written in hiragana, katakana, and kanji. We will explain the differences between each and the basics of how to read them. Hiragana is the basic character for the Japanese language. Hiragana is also the first character to be studied when learning Japanese. The basic way to read it is to pronounce it with consonants as well as vowels. The same is true for katakana in terms of reading, but it is often used for foreign words. It's much easier to read than if everything were written in hiragana. And the key point of kanji is that the characters themselves represent a specific meaning, and the meaning can be recognized at a glance. Although it is based on Chinese, it has evolved uniquely in Japan. There are often multiple readings, but it is easier to guess the meaning and reading if you learn the "radical," which is a component of kanji. Understanding Basic Grammar This section provides a brief explanation of important Japanese grammar points for beginners. The structure of Japanese sentences is SOV-type. English is SVO-type, which may seem a little confusing until you get used to it. A particle is attached to the end of a word to supplement the meaning or connect words. It is also important to note that verbs and adjectives change form depending on the word they are attached to. For example, "書く" becomes "書かない" when the negative "ない" is added. Did you notice the one-character change? If you look at another example of how to make a question sentence as one of the basic sentence patterns, you will see that you can add "か" to the end of the sentence." I understand." is "わかります," and "Do you understand?" is "わかりますか" Please enjoy learning about the profound world of Japanese grammar. Recommended Learning Resources for Beginners This section introduces resources and tools recommended for beginners of Japanese language learning. These three are introduced here. Learn the basics with online learning materials Learn practical skills at language exchange events Use apps to learn efficiently All of these methods are easy for beginners to learn, so let's look at them in order! Learn the basics with online materials This section introduces online teaching materials and websites for beginners and explains how to make use of them. First of all, let's learn what kind of grammar there is in Japanese at grammar explanation websites. It is difficult to learn just by reading, so we recommend practicing on free material websites. If you practice repeatedly, you will be able to consolidate your grammar. Furthermore, if you use video materials, you can deepen your understanding by seeing how grammar is used in actual conversations. You can also train your listening skills at the same time. Acquire practical skills at language exchange events This section describes how to participate in language exchange events and how to make the most effective use of them. Language exchange events are held both in person and online. To find online language exchange events, we recommend the app Meetup or Facebook groups. Also, when communicating at events, it is a good idea to do active listening and take notes instead of being passive. By participating regularly, rather than just once, you will get into the habit of learning and improve your learning. Use apps for efficient learning This section introduces and explains how to use Japanese language learning apps for beginners available on smartphones and tablets. Grammar practice apps such as Duolingo are effective for making steady progress in your spare time. How about replacing the time you usually spend casually looking at your smartphone with grammar practice apps? In the case of vocabulary and kanji learning apps, it is also recommended to review them repeatedly over a certain period of time. Even if you think you have learned them once, look back every week or month in order to retain them in your long-term memory. Furthermore, to consolidate these inputs, it is recommended to practice your practical skills with a conversation practice application. You can get feedback during the interaction, and the sense of accomplishment when you get the message across will help keep you motivated. Even beginners who are interested in Japanese from anime and manga can learn Japanese while having fun by acquiring basic knowledge of the language and using effective resources. Let's make good use of online materials, language exchange events, and apps to continue learning Japanese. Ohanasi Kagawa offers free online language exchange events on weekends. Japanese and English learners are paired one-on-one and switch the language they speak every 15 minutes, so even beginners can practice their conversation skills. We have various rules in place to ensure that everyone can enjoy the event comfortably, so even those new to online events can participate with confidence. This is a great chance to make friends online with Japanese people who are learning English, so please check it out!

In this article, we will show you how to learn Japanese online and help you find the right course for you. We have compiled a list of recommended online Japanese courses, how to choose an online Japanese course, and effective ways to learn Japanese online. Read to the end and you will find the online Japanese language course that is right for you! Recommended online Japanese course First, we will introduce some popular online Japanese language courses and explain the features and ratings of each. Japanese language courses for beginners Japanese language courses for intermediate and advanced students Let's look at these two categories. Japanese courses for beginners online We will introduce online Japanese courses suitable for beginners and suggest effective learning methods. The timing of your first exposure to Japanese is when you are most likely to fall behind. To prevent this, first check the quality of the course materials and content. If a trial lesson is available, we recommend that you take it. Also  the support system and communication method are important. Please check to see if they can answer questions via Zoom, if they only use email or chat, and if you can receive real-time support during your own study time. And it's also important to find out if the cost and learning period are in line with your budget and learning goals. Take time to think about when and at what level you would like to be by. Japanese language courses for intermediate and advanced students This section introduces online Japanese courses suitable for intermediate and advanced learners, and explains how to study and proceed. Once you reach the intermediate or advanced level, you will probably have a better idea of your strengths and weaknesses. If you have skills that you particularly focus on, we recommend courses to strengthen your speaking and listening skills. Also, if you are aiming for a job or higher education using Japanese, it would be a good idea to take a course to learn business Japanese or specialized vocabulary to improve your efficiency. Those who want to enjoy Japanese culture more like a hobby may want to take a course to learn about culture and history. How to choose an online Japanese language course Next, we will introduce some points to consider when choosing an online Japanese language course. Choose a course that meets your goals and objectives Check course evaluations and reviews Check the support system of the online Japanese language course Let's check these three points. Choose a course that meets your goals and objectives The first point to consider is whether you want to focus on conversation skills or reading and writing. The second is whether you want to learn Japanese for work or pleasure, or for everyday conversation. It depends on whether you want to learn specialized vocabulary or vocabulary that is closely related to your daily life. Finally, whether you will study for a short period of time or for a long period of time. This should be considered in conjunction with the level you are aiming for. Check course evaluations and reviews Here are some ways to check ratings and reviews to help you choose a course. First, the easiest place to look is online review and evaluation sites. The advantage is that they are written by an unspecified number of people, so the population is large, but the disadvantage is that you cannot expect much credibility. A little more reliable are reviews on social networking sites and forums. At this time, we recommend looking at personal accounts, which are usually updated frequently. And if you are surrounded by people who are learning Japanese, it is a good idea to get introductions from acquaintances or friends. You can ask them for more details about what they are interested in, so you can gather more information. Check the support system of the online Japanese language course Here are some points to consider when choosing an online Japanese language course with a good support system. First, check if the environment is conducive to asking questions and asking for advice. We recommend courses that have a homeroom teacher system, a buddy system, or a system that allows students to ask questions and seek advice. Another indicator is whether there is an active online community or group activities. If there is a community of learners, you can share learning tips. And you should also look at the level of customer support and follow-up services. Online courses often have systemic problems, so it is important that there is a system in place that can be consulted immediately. Effective ways to learn Japanese online Here are some effective learning methods and habits for studying Japanese online. Get into the habit of practicing on a daily basis Find a learning method that works for you Maintain motivation for learning We will focus on these three points. Establish a daily practice habit First, We would like to suggest a daily practice habit that is effective for learning Japanese. You can either devote your study time to your commute to work or school, or you can set a reminder to set aside some time. It is also effective to use smartphone apps and websites. Why not replace the time you spend on your phone or computer with study time? Keep your study apps and websites on your computer desktop and in a prominent place on your phone's home screen. Moreover, joining a language exchange partner or study group is also a great idea. The advantage of joining these activities is that if you book ahead of time, you can ensure that you will have time to study during that time. Finding the right learning method for you Here are some tips for finding the right fit among the various learning methods. First, spend some time clarifying whether your learning goal is to focus on listening and speaking or reading and writing. If reading books is not your thing, you may find it easier to study by using online materials or videos. For example, videos allow you to study while doing housework. Also, if you prefer to focus on interaction, communicate via chat or email. If you communicate in Japanese, you will feel a sense of accomplishment when you get your message across. How to maintain motivation for learning Here are some ways to stay motivated when learning Japanese online. The most effective way is to set a learning goal or deadline. By clarifying what you want to become and setting a deadline, it will be easier to make a plan. It is also important to keep track of the progress of the plan you have made and check your achievements. Please take time to look back and visualize your growth. If you are not comfortable studying at a desk, try taking time to enjoy learning by experiencing Japanese culture, dramas, and movies. You will find that Japanese is interesting and you will be motivated to learn more!  To learn Japanese online, it is important to choose a course that suits you and to adopt an effective learning method. Please refer to the points introduced in this article to find the online Japanese language course that is right for you. Ohanasi Kagawa offers free online language exchange events on weekends. Japanese language learners and English language learners are paired one-on-one and switch the language they speak every 15 minutes so they can teach each other. It's a great chance to make friends online with Japanese who are learning English, so please check it out!