Curriculum
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Course Study Path
0% overall complete · ~171 hrs total study time
Modules
Japanese Foundations and Pronunciation
Submodule 1 — Japanese Language Orientation
Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji: What Each Script Is For
This lesson introduces you to Japan's three writing systems, explaining when and why each is used. You'll understand how hiragana functions as the native phonetic script, katakana handles foreign words, and kanji conveys meaning and vocabulary, setting a foundational roadmap for your script-learning journey.
Japanese Word Order Foundations
This lesson introduces the core SOV word order in Japanese, explaining how particles mark grammatical roles and providing practice in constructing basic sentences that differ from English patterns.
Topic vs. Subject: Why は and が Confuse Beginners
This lesson introduces the fundamental distinction between 'wa' and 'ga' through simple, intuitive examples. You'll practice recognizing when to use each marker without diving into complex grammar rules, building a practical feel for topic vs. subject.
How Particles Work in Japanese
This lesson introduces the concept of particles (joshi) as the core mechanism for marking subjects, objects, and other grammatical roles. You will understand why Japanese relies on particles rather than strict word order, and see how they function in simple sentence structures.
Polite and Casual Language: A First Look
Learners will get a first look at how Japanese uses different speech styles—primarily polite (desu/masu) and casual (plain) forms—to reflect social context and relationships. The lesson sets expectations for future study without diving into complex grammar, focusing on awareness and recognition.
How to Use This Curriculum
This introductory lesson explains the overall lesson flow, the spaced repetition review system, and the recommended daily practice cadence, helping you build a sustainable study habit from the start.
Submodule 2 — Pronunciation Foundations
The Five Japanese Vowels
This lesson introduces the five pure vowel sounds that form the core of Japanese pronunciation. You will learn to produce each vowel clearly and consistently, focusing on mouth position, length, and pitch. Accurate vowel pronunciation is essential for being understood and for correctly perceiving words in context. Practice with native audio examples and repetition drills to solidify your control over these fundamental sounds.
Japanese Mora and Rhythm
This lesson introduces the concept of mora as the basic rhythmic unit in Japanese, explaining how consistent timing creates natural pronunciation. You'll practice distinguishing mora from syllables, identify long vowels, double consonants, and the nasal /n/ as independent morae, and train your ear to maintain even spacing between sounds.
Long Vowels (Chōon)
This lesson focuses on the concept of chōon, or long vowels, where a vowel sound is held for twice the duration of a short vowel. In Japanese, vowel length is phonemic, meaning that swapping a short and long vowel can completely change a word's meaning (e.g., obaasan vs. obaasan). You will practice identifying and producing the five long vowel sounds (ā, ī, ū, ē, ō) using hiragana and common vocabulary, building a solid foundation for listening and speaking accuracy.
Small っ and Double Consonants (Sokuon)
This lesson focuses on the small っ, a critical element of Japanese pronunciation that indicates a double consonant, producing a noticeable stop or lengthening before the following consonant sound. You will practice identifying sokuon in written text and producing the correct pause in words like かった (katta) and いっぱい (ippai).
The Pronunciation of ん
This lesson covers the contextual pronunciation of ん (the syllabic nasal) in Japanese. You will study the five main allophones: [m] before p, b, m; [n] before t, d, n; [ŋ] before k, g; [ɴ] at the end of a word; and a nasalized vowel before vowels, y, w. Practice listening and producing these variations for natural speech.
は, へ, and を as Particles: Special Pronunciation
This lesson focuses on the special pronunciation rules for the particles は (pronounced 'wa' instead of 'ha'), へ (pronounced 'e' instead of 'he'), and を (pronounced 'o' instead of 'wo'). You will learn to recognize these spelling-pronunciation mismatches and practice using them correctly in sentences.
Beginner Pitch-Pattern Awareness
This lesson introduces the basic idea of pitch patterns in Japanese words, helping beginners develop an ear for the rise and fall of pitch without diving into complex rules. Through simple examples and listening practice, learners start to notice how pitch can change word meaning, building a foundation for more detailed study later.
Common English-Speaker Pronunciation Mistakes
This lesson targets the most common pronunciation pitfalls for English-speaking learners of Japanese at the N5 level. It covers issues like distinguishing short and long vowels, proper articulation of 'r' sounds, avoiding voiced/unvoiced confusion, and understanding basic pitch accent patterns to improve clarity and naturalness.