Duolingo isn’t new to me, but if it is for you, don’t worry. It’s super beginner-friendly, and you’ll be signed up and learning faster than you can say “ASAP.”
I don’t speak Japanese fluently, but I’ve been using Duolingo to explore the basics and see how the course holds up.
At first, I jumped straight into the Japanese course using English as my source language—and wow, what a difference that made. You get everything you need right away: English instructions, romaji (Latin spelling of Japanese words), and Japanese characters (hiragana), all together. Before the first lesson even starts, Duolingo gives you a helpful intro explaining:
Japanese uses three writing systems
Hiragana is phonetic
Verbs go at the end of sentences
Romaji helps with pronunciation
There’s even a Characters section where you can learn hiragana and katakana step by step.
Is it perfect? No. But it’s a much more accessible way to start. If you speak English well, I highly recommend setting it as your base language for learning Japanese—your brain will thank you.
Now let’s dive into what it’s really like to learn Japanese with Duolingo—and I’ll also share two alternatives (Mondly and Memrise) in case Duolingo isn’t your style.
PROs
- Hiragana exposure from day one
- Romaji support
- Repetition to help you memorize core vocabulary
- Good audio recordings
CONs
- No grammar explanations
- No stroke order practice
- Speaking practice is weak
- No Kanji in Duolingo
Why Learn Japanese (& Why So Many Start with Duolingo)
Japanese is beautiful. It’s logical, expressive, and filled with cultural nuance. It also has three writing systems, complex politeness levels, and grammar that flips everything English speakers are used to. (Looking at you, verb-final sentence structure.)
But if you’ve ever dreamed of watching anime without subtitles, traveling through Japan, or just understanding what your favorite J-pop song is actually saying, Japanese is 100% worth it.
Why do so many people start learning Japanese with Duolingo? Simple:
It’s free.
It’s gamified.
It’s friendly and non-threatening.
It teaches hiragana from the start.
You can use it anywhere: phone, tablet, browser, emotional support owl included.
And, to be fair, it’s one of the few mainstream apps that even attempts to teach Japanese writing systems for free.
Getting Started with Japanese on Duolingo
In the English course, you get:
English prompts
Japanese characters
Romaji (hallelujah)
And you also get a gentle intro message explaining the basics:
You also get access to the “Characters” tab where you can explore and review hiragana and katakana on their own, outside of the normal lessons. This is super helpful, even if it’s buried a little too deep in the app for my liking.
What the Japanese Lessons Are Like on Duolingo
The course starts you off with survival words: sushi, water, rice, please. Can’t complain.
From there, the exercises rotate between:
Matching Japanese to romaji or English (or straight Japanese characters to German)
Listening and identifying the correct sentence
Tap-the-pair memory games
Writing what you hear (in English, German, or Japanese, depending on your settings)
Building a sentence from tiles
The lessons are short, fast, and very repetitive—which is great for memorization but not so great for understanding why you’re saying something.
And the grammar? You’ll learn “sushi desu” without knowing that desu is a copula (like “is”). You’ll get particles like “wa” and “no” thrown at you with zero explanation. You’ll eventually figure it out through context… maybe. But don’t expect any hand-holding.
The Guidebook may be of some help, but it offers basic grammar explanations at best.
And if you’re at the start of learning Japanese, you may not need more. But I know I would have been very thankful if Duolingo had proper grammar lessons and explanations.
The Good: What Duolingo Gets Right About Teaching Japanese
Let’s give Duo a little credit. The Japanese course does some things well:
Hiragana exposure from day one
Romaji support (if you’re using English as a base language)
Repetition to help you memorize core vocabulary
Good audio recordings (even though they sound animated like Duolingo’s characters) for listening practice
Microlearning friendly – You can do a lesson in under 5 minutes
Motivation features like streaks, leagues, XP quests—addictive but useful
Free—no paywall hiding the course
And I’ll admit: it is kind of satisfying to go from complete zero to being able to recognize basic Japanese characters in just a few sessions.
Interesting Facts About Languages and Cultures:
The Not-So-Good: Where Duolingo Struggles with Japanese
Okay, now the part where I air my grievances.
No grammar explanations: You’re basically doing grammar sudoku. But if you stick with Duolingo, keep Google or ChatGPT handy to help you out.
Particles come out of nowhere: You’ll see “wa,” “ga,” “no,” “o”—and you’re just expected to “feel” them.
No stroke order practice: You’ll see hiragana, and you can learn how to write and pronounce each character—if English is your source language.
Kanji? Barely there. Duolingo pretends it doesn’t exist. The app tells you that Japanese uses three writing systems, but doesn’t mention the third one, and when you use each. Mysterious much, little green owl?
Formal/informal? Politeness levels? No context. You’re just told “say this” and hope you don’t accidentally insult someone’s grandma.
Speaking practice is weak: Say “sushi desu,” mumble it even—and the mic still gives you a gold star.
Overall, it’s a good start—but not a deep one. It’s like learning how to swim by playing Marco Polo in the kiddie pool.
Who Duolingo’s Japanese Course Is (and Isn’t) For
Duolingo isn’t for everyone, and that’s okay. Here’s who’ll get the most out of it, and who might want to look elsewhere (or add a few more tools to the mix):
Use it if:
You’re brand-new to Japanese
You want to learn hiragana with help
You like gamified learning
You’re just dipping your toes in
You speak English and can use that as your base language
Skip it (or supplement it) if:
You need structured grammar explanations
You want to focus on speaking or writing
You’re already A1/A2+
You want cultural context or real-world phrases
Alternatives to Duolingo for Learning Japanese
Duolingo can be a solid start to learning Japanese, but here are two language learning apps I’ve tested that can take your Japanese a little (or a lot) further:
Memrise: Best for Real-Life Vocabulary and Listening
Memrise is all about learning from real people. Their Japanese course features native speaker video clips, spaced repetition, and real-life vocabulary—no talking owls, just useful phrases (read more: Memrise vs Duolingo Review: Which App Is Better?).
What it does well:
Native pronunciation from day one
Real-world Japanese
Lots of listening practice
Great for vocab recall
What’s missing: grammar is light, and you’ll still want to use another resource to fully understand sentence structure.
Cost: Free with paid Pro version
Best for: Learners who want real-life listening and vocab building
Mondly: Best for Thematic Lessons and Casual Learners
Mondly organizes its Japanese course into themes—travel, business, emergencies, etc. It has a clean interface, native speaker audio, and chatbot-style speaking practice.
What it does well:
Thematic vocab = more context and you can learn what you’re interested in
Daily lessons and review system
AR/VR features if you want to get fancy
Grammar notes and verb tables (a step up from Duolingo)
It doesn’t go deep into grammar either, but it has grammar-centered lessons (read more: Babbel vs Mondly: Which Language Learning App Is Best for You?).
Cost: Limited freemium version or pay $9.99/month
Best for: Beginners who want structure and practical phrases
My Final Thoughts: Use Duolingo as a Launchpad, Not a Language Plan
Duolingo’s Japanese course is fun. It gives you the basics without scaring you off. And if you use English as your base language, it’s surprisingly beginner-friendly—romaji and all.
But if you’re serious about learning Japanese, you’ll need more. A lot more. Add in Memrise for listening, grab a kana writing workbook, maybe find a tutor, and please—eventually—learn kanji.
Because learning Japanese isn’t just about vocabulary. And while Duolingo is a great place to start, it’s not where your journey ends or should end.
Just don’t start with German unless you enjoy chaos.
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Disclaimer: I select and review independently. If you buy through affiliate links, I may earn commissions that help support my testing at no extra cost to you. Please read my full disclosure for more information.
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