Post #3849870

2026-07-16 00:00 UTC

Well, I deleted my Duolingo account. They did another rearrangement of the Japanese course so my listed progress no longer matches up with what lessons I've actually done. And they're an awful company I wasn't happy about using anyway. Which means I need a new way to learn Japanese. I'm already using WaniKani, which is great for learning to recognise readings and meanings of vocab including kanji. And Bunpro for grammar, which I'm not very enthusiastic about but should probably do more with. What I really want is something that's good for learning/practising translation of complete sentences, in both directions. Ideally including typing in Japanese, not picking the right words from a list. Practice understanding spoken Japanese too would be a bonus. And no AI slop. Any suggestions? Edit: Preferably web-based. I can use Android apps, but I'd much rather type on an actual computer. Using a phone would be better for hand writing practice, I guess, but that's not my top priority.

Replies (1)

@muddle@infosec.exchange 2026-07-16 02:06

@substandard@chaosfem.tw For kanji, I would recommend Heisig's Remembering the Kanji. In combination with that, use the free https://www.kanji.koohii.com/ site. You don't have to buy the book if you understand the method and can get a list of the "primitive elements" contained in it. This won't help you at all with readings, though, and the "meaning" that Heisig picks for each kanji is just a single dictionary entry which may not be the best for you to remember it. In addition to kanji kouhii, use flashcard software so that you can supplement each kanji with extra notes. Anki is great and it has an option to sync your local decks to their servers. There are Android and desktop versions. I can probably recommend more sites and books, depending on your level. Also, are you thinking of taking the JLPT? Anyway, I do recommend learning all the kanji using the Heisig method. I studied Japanese in college (and in Japan) as well as by myself for quite a while but I hit a wall with kanji (constantly forgetting old kanji, getting things mixed up, not using flashcards, etc.) until I used this method. You might think that it's overkill, but trust me---you'll thank yourself later. Anyway, even if you're not thinking of doing the JLPT, it does give you a graded way of learning the language. Search for JLPT and you'll find plenty of sites covering grammar, especially from N5 (the lowest level) to N1 (the highest). For a free book for entry level, check out Nihongo Kantan by Ursula Zimmermann. Link: https://ppli.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/481096_Nihongo-Kantan_HiRes.pdf There are also audio files for that. A web search should find them easily enough. You probably prefer online/interactive stuff. I've never used them very much beyond kanji kouhii and Anki. I've written some tools for my personal use, but they're not really release quality. Anyway, I'll bookmark your post so that I remember to come back to it.

Open ##3849868