Free Japanese Self-Study Course: Zero to N3 in 128 Lessons

A free roadmap for learning Japanese on your own: start from absolute zero and work up to JLPT N3 level. 128 interactive lessons with flashcard drills, fill-in-the-blank quizzes, and instant feedback — completely free, no sign-up required.

How Do You Start Learning Japanese from Scratch?

Many people want to learn Japanese but have no idea where to begin. The right starting point is the writing system: first learn hiragana (あいうえお), then katakana (アイウエオ) — this is the foundation of everything else in Japanese. A recommended order: script → pronunciation → basic N5 sentence patterns → vocabulary and grammar studied side by side.

Study Path: From Zero to N3 (Complete 128-Lesson Course)

1. Hiragana (the gojuon): 46 basic characters covering seion, dakuon, handakuon, and yoon — aim to memorise these in 1-2 weeks
2. Katakana: used for loanwords, borrowed English words, and scientific terms; 46 characters in total, ideally learned in about a week
3. Basic N5 Grammar: the particles は・が・を・に・で・と, core sentence patterns (です・ます), and demonstratives (これ・それ・あれ) → paired with the JLPT N5 Complete Guide
4. N5 Extended: the three verb groups and their conjugations, the te-form, た形 (ta-form), ない形 (nai-form), and potential form, plus numbers, time, and directions → paired with N5 Practice Drills (1,500 questions)
5. N4 Grammar: conditionals (と・ば・たら), giving/receiving verbs (あげる・もらう・くれる), the causative and passive forms, and basic keigo → paired with the JLPT N4 Complete Guide
6. N3 Grammar: conjecture (〜だろう・〜かもしれない), cause (〜ために・〜せいで), concession (〜のに・〜くせに), and compound conjunctions → paired with the JLPT N3 Complete Guide
7. Introduction to Kanji: common N5/N4 kanji (about 300 characters), radical-based memory techniques, and on'yomi/kun'yomi readings

Daily Study Suggestions

• 20-30 minutes a day: one lesson plus 10 minutes of review each session
• After learning new grammar, reinforce it with the JLPT question bank to lock it in
• Read one travel article each week to build a natural feel for reading Japanese
• Browse the grammar explanations to look up a single point — there's no need to memorise whole articles

Common Self-Study Mistakes

• ❌ Skipping the kana and memorising vocabulary in romaji instead → learn the gojuon solidly first
• ❌ Only memorising vocabulary while ignoring grammar and particles → particles and word order are the heart of Japanese
• ❌ Biting off more than you can chew by rushing five lessons a day → aim for 1-2 lessons a day
• ❌ Learning without practising, assuming that memorising equals mastery → only drilling questions truly internalises it

Mapping to the JLPT Exam

• Finish hiragana, katakana, and the N5 basics → you're ready to sit JLPT N5 (held every July and December)
• Finish N5 Extended and N4 grammar → you're ready to sit JLPT N4
• Finish N3 grammar → you're ready to sit JLPT N3 (a common bar for jobs and study abroad)
• Advanced study beyond N3: N2 Guide・N1 Guide・Study in Japan

Companion Resources

660 Grammar Explanations (N5-N1)・JLPT Prep Center・N5-N1 Question Bank (9,000+ questions)・Japan Travel Articles・Quick Travel Japanese Guide