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Products that do what A Japanese learning app focused on efficient vocab/grammar acquisition does

Hey HN, it’s been 8 years since I posted on here about the launch of my Japanese dictionary app Nihongo [0] and I’m finally back with a new app: Nihongo Lessons! Think of Nihongo Lessons as the textbook to Nihongo’s dictionary. It’s an app for learning Japanese, specifically made for learners who are serious about becoming fluent, and want a guided set of content that will help them efficiently acquire vocabulary and grammar. The project came about when Adam Shapiro of Japanese Level Up (Jalup) [1] announced last April that he was shutting Jalup down. As a fan of Adam’s work I was bummed to…

  1. 1NS
  2. 2GA

    I've been fascinated by the Japanese language and culture for a while now, and I wanted to create a simple, no-fuss way for beginners to get started. So, I built *[Nihongo](https://nihongo.site/)*, a free and open-source web app designed to help you learn the fundamentals of Japanese in about a month. The name of the app, Nihongo (日本語), is the Japanese word for the "Japanese language." You can check it out here: *[https://nihongo.site/](https://nihongo.site/)* And for those who like to tinker, the code is available on GitHub:…

    2025 · nihongo.site

  3. 3
    Fluently976

    Start speaking English as well as your native language

    2025 · getfluently.app

  4. 4IM

    The idea is actually quite simple. As a Japanese learner and a coder, I've always wanted there to be an open-source, 100% free for learning Japanese, similar to Monkeytype in the typing community. Unfortunately, pretty much all language learning apps are closed-sourced and paid these days, and the ones that are free have unfortunately been abandoned. But of course, just creating yet another language learning app was not enough - there has to be a unique selling point. And then I thought to myself: why not make it crazy and do what no other language learning app ever did by adding a gazillion…

    Sep 2025 · kanadojo.com

  5. 5

    Learn languages with AI, spaced-repetition flashcards

    2024

  6. 6
    Hablo.pro169

    Learn a language by speaking

    2025

  7. 7
    YiChi94

    Learn to speak fluent Chinese Mandarin

    2021

  8. 8
    Lingocat437

    Become fluent faster through conversational practice

    2025

  9. 9LC

    Hey folks! I'm Callum, and I'm working on a way to practice a new language with an AI powered tutor. I've always found that the hardest part of learning a new language is finding someone to actually converse with. Even if a partner can be found, the pressure can mean that you are more focused on not making mistakes than on actually learning new grammar or vocabulary. The service that I have been working on allows you to practice with a language tutor via online chat messages, or you can have a turn-based voice conversation. I'm working on a number of other features that will be coming out…

    2023 · learnlingo.dev

  10. 10LJ

    Hi HN, Just wanted to share a tool i've been working on to help with my own study routine. It’s a browser extension called Lingoku. The idea is simple: we spend hours browsing the web in English every day. This tool replaces some of the english words with Japanese vocabulary based on your japanese level (Similar to Toucan, but with a better user experience). It’s basically an attempt to make the "i+1" method actually passive, you understand the sentence because it's mostly english, but you pick up Japanese words naturally from the context. It uses an LLM in the backend to make sure the…

    Dec 2025 · lingoku.ai

  11. 11GA

    Hi HN, For over two years I've been working on an App to learn languages (currently French, Italian and Spanish), together with my partner, a language teacher. I think it is finally ready to share with this community! The idea is to introduce vocabulary and grammar whilst you read eBooks in your own language. I've found that it is easier to remember vocabulary 'in context' and with regular repetition. Plus you don't have to carve out dedicated time for language learning. Other apps require you to build a habit around various exercises or ‘games’, whereas lots of people already read books.…

    2024 · glossarie.app

  12. 12
    Kann173

    Master Japanese vocabulary you care about!

    2024

  13. 13PD

    Hi! Wanted to share the project I really wanted to have. TLDR; this app lets you create your own list of words and you get a Duolingo-like experience (kind of, still needs a lot of features) practicing those words in their context. My English is not the best but not the worst either. But I realized I can't boost it up after a certain level! In my belief, in order to truly learn a language, you need to be exposed to that language often. Vocabulary is the key factor here if you really want to improve in any language. My experience is that when I read a book to improve my English vocabulary, I…

    2025 · github.com

  14. 14
    Learnji181

    Learn a new language using emoji 😊

    2017

  15. 15
    LangLime289

    A language learning app that doesn’t actually suck

    Oct 2025

  16. 16AF

    I'm a long time lurker that recently quit my job to work on my own projects, a lot due to the inspiration from Hacker News. Now I have published my first serious project, an app for learning how to write Japanese characters. It's the app I always wanted but couldn't find when I was studying. It tries to be simple to use, you just start the quiz and go with the flow. There's no need to plan and manage your studies, and it uses spaced repetition for better retention. There's a promo page with more details up at http://www.kanjibyhand.com. It's only for Android so far. The free version includes…

    2012

  17. 17

    Actually learn a new language without any of the fuss

    2024

  18. 18AD

    Hi HN, I watch A LOT of educational YouTube videos but wasn't forgetting a good chunk of the details because I was only really passively watching. So I made a tool that generates quiz questions/flashcards from YouTube videos, and uses spaced repetition like Anki or Duolingo to keep it in memory. Let me know if you find it cool/useful (or terrible ) or if you want to know a bit about the details!

    2024 · platoedu.org

  19. 19

    Language learning anywhere: from Apple Watch to the Mac

    2020

  20. 20
    Mainichi133

    Learn Japanese, one prefecture at a time.

    Jul 2026 · mainichiapp.com

  21. 21
    Douzo127

    Free Japanese typing practice organized by JLPT level

    Mar 2026

  22. 22
    Fujiyama192

    Practice natural Japanese conversation in real-time with AI

    2024

  23. 23
    Iago100

    Speak Practical Japanese from Day 1

    2024

  24. 24
    YAP141

    YAP teaches you to speak a language, not tap it.

    Feb 2026

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