what's the best way to learn Japanese seriously I'm asking what is it because one look at YouTube and you'll get a hundred different answers I mean it's absurd not only is the language learning Journey itself difficult but you also have to navigate the best way to learn in an ocean of answers that's why I'm making this video to cut through the noise and genuinely try to answer that question for you what's the best way to learn Japanese and so I've gathered what I think are the best five apps for learning Japanese but who am I to talk talk about this well I have a decade of language learning experience and I've hadit a decently respectable accomplishment in the area admittedly I've made a lot of mistakes along the way but that's why you should watch this video to the end so you can learn the most common beginner mistakes which methods are a waste of time and how to find your own path to fluency I want to start by discussing the elephant in the room du lingo an app that's gotten so big that it's essentially synonymous with language learning with its iconic and possibly murderous mascot it appeals to the idea that that if you chip away at some amusing games eventually you'll be fluent but does it actually work or is it just a slightly productive waste of time well the way I see it is this you can break down any language learning process into a simple formula efficiency times consistency equals progress or to put it in other words the progress you see when learning Japanese is a factor of how efficient your method is and how consistently you're putting in the work but how exactly does that tie in with Duolingo well let's consider plugging the app into the formula dual lingo does a good job at exposing new Learners to their target language giving you a sense of how the language sounds how to form basic sentences and some starter words and phrases but that's what any language exposure would do for you so for anyone that's not a complete beginner dual lingo gets a very low rating in its consistency it does a good job of emphasizing streaks while providing fairly engaging content that brings the app to an overall low rating for progress is it good for getting people in the door learning a new language yes should you use it as a tool to make substantial progress in Japanese for that I give it a strong no and listen if you're worried about your time on du lingo going to waste if you've been using it consistently then you already built yourself a language learning habit so congratulations that's the Bedrock to you succeeding on your journey and while having a habit streak can be helpful if you really want to reach your language goals then it's time to finally ask what apps will get you real progress and so I've got a list of five such apps today and I think that no matter who you are where you are in your journey you'll gain the tools to make some real progress and if your goal is to pass a jlpt then toss out your textbooks because migi jlpt is your path to success it also happens to be the sponsor of today's video as someone that's passed a jlpt at the N2 level I can tell you this app is the real deal coming up with your own study plan can be a headache filled with uncertainty so migi jlpt clears all that up for you with its variety of convenient features you see passing the jlpt ultimately comes down to Proficiency in its four sections reading grammar vocabulary and listening so the app makes things simple you provide your abilities with a short proficiency test and select your time frame for passing and the app creates a road map customized to your needs giving you seamless access to the different kind of questions you'll see on each section of the jlpt admittedly the app's English can be iffy at times but the Japanese it teaches you is legit and no matter your current level migi's got you covered with features like full explanations of vocabulary and grammar and regular custom reminders it's like having a personal tutor in your pocket and with 42 mock tests upgrading the premium is equal to unlocking a jlpt cheat code seriously put in the work with this app you'll be passing the jlpt in no time a surprisingly powerful tool for language learning YouTube It's a site with a vast array of content there are some real gems on the platform if you know where to look and to save you the trouble there are some excellent resources for listening practice grammar and textbook study that I have listed in the description and don't worry if you're a complete beginner cuz I've got you covered so by all means give them a shot and see which series or creators click with you the most once you found your favorites try building them into your study routine and stick with that until you reach the next level of ability whether you're a social butterfly or just needs speaking and Writing Practice I recommend hello talk hello talk is a language exchange app that allows users to interact with native speakers of their target language no need to be intimidated because the app allows you to enter your level of ability on your profile so regardless of your level you'll be able to find partners of similar ability it also has some fun social media features that allow you to share some of your life and where you're from while giving you a peek into the lives of those that speak your target language and don't worry if you're an introvert hello talk allows users to enter their personality types on the app that way you can find and chat with fellow introverts or you can skip that entirely just enter the chat rooms and sit on the sidelines as a listener with these features at your disposal you'll be able to create meaningful connections across the globe expand your perspective and grow your language abilities and at the end of the day isn't that what this is all about you never know you might meet a new friend and join a whole Community providing yourself a place to learn and have more fun while doing it or hey you may be able to even find a special someone best not to treat it like a dating app though please please don't treat it like a dating app overall I recommend this app to people that want to get a grasp of daily conversations and how to interact with real people in Japanese who doesn't love a good story with sat reader you'll have access to an extensive Library of curated content written in Japanese with different levels of ability in mind so as you level up your ability there's always another story to read and there are plenty of genres to choose from so no matter your taste there will always be fun content for you to enjoy many stories also include audio readalong as well as immersive sound effects allowing you to fully dive into the world of the story I especially loved kona's big adventure it's about a cat that leaves the comfort of home only to face the Wilderness and the challenges that it brings with the built-in flashcard system this app is perfect for those that want to learn vocab words within context satto reader is also particularly good for those that want to learn kanji giving you instant translations with the tap of a button and having adjustable kanji levels based on various common metrics you'll be able to have a seamless reading experience regardless of your level honestly I think reading is an excellent way to acquire the language so I recommend this to everyone but particularly I think this is a great entry point for people that are interested in Japanese media like manga or video games ranking in high for Pure efficiency is the flashcard app Anki Anki is powered by a space repetition system which is considered to be a powerful method for memorization they've developed a system that shows you flashcards right before the moment you'd naturally forget them allowing you to reinforce that knowledge without unnecessary study an is also nice because it's very flexible flashcard decks you can build and share decks online that you can download and customize it also has plenty of add-ons that make using it a whole lot more convenient and Powerful if you want me to make a video on how to use Anki and it's add-ons please let me know in the comments now who will get the most out of this app well I recommend it to anyone that's serious about their language learning goals it's pretty good at reinforcing your consistency through heavily punishing you when you don't show up which is great for those that are highly motivated or have a strong learning habit but can be rough for those with consistency issues for that reason I wouldn't rely too heavily on this app for a language acquisition instead I'd use it to learn the Japanese characters kagana Katakana and kanji which are crucial in so many many ways for Learning and using the language and if you want to learn more about how to use Anki to learn kanji and build that Foundation of consistency for your language learning then I highly recommend you watch this next video where I teach you to do exactly that thanks for watching [Music]