Start speaking Japanese before you can read it
Japanese has three writing systems, which is why many learners stall before they ever say a sentence. The good news is that spoken Japanese is far more approachable than the writing: only five vowel sounds, few consonant clusters, and very regular verbs. Bliss lets you start with speech and build the scripts alongside.
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What makes Japanese worth it — and what makes it hard
Pronunciation is simpler than it seems
Japanese has five vowels, pronounced the same way every time, and syllables that are mostly a consonant plus a vowel. English speakers can be understood surprisingly early.
Anime, games, travel — and work
For many learners the motivation is culture: films, anime, manga, games, and trips to Japan. Understanding even a little changes the experience completely.
Politeness is built into the grammar
Verbs change depending on who you are talking to: "taberu" with a friend, "tabemasu" with a stranger. Choosing the right level is part of speaking Japanese well.
A tutor you talk to, focused on what trips Japanese learners up
In every language, your Bliss tutor explains in the language you already speak, has you say the Japanese out loud, and corrects the sentence you just said. For Japanese specifically:
Rōmaji after every Japanese line
Every Japanese phrase your tutor gives you is followed by its rōmaji, so you can say it before you can read hiragana, katakana or kanji.
Polite Japanese first
You start with the polite -masu / desu forms that are safe with anyone. Your tutor shows you the casual forms when you ask or when the situation calls for them.
Explained in your own language
Japanese word order is the reverse of English in many ways — the verb comes last. Your tutor explains it in the language you already speak, one short sentence at a time.
Bliss recommends Alex for Japanese: calm, methodical and patient — useful for a language that rewards small, steady steps. Every other Bliss tutor can also teach Japanese.
Japanese phrases for your first week
Ten polite phrases that work anywhere in Japan, with rōmaji.
- すみません sumimasen Excuse me / Sorry The most useful word in Japan: to call a waiter, to get past, to apologize.
- ありがとうございます arigatō gozaimasu Thank you (polite)
- これをください kore o kudasai This one, please
- いくらですか？ ikura desu ka? How much is it?
- お会計お願いします okaikei onegaishimasu The check, please
- もう一度お願いします mō ichido onegaishimasu One more time, please
- わかりません wakarimasen I don’t understand
- 大丈夫です daijōbu desu I’m fine / No thank you Often used to politely decline an offer.
- いただきます itadakimasu Said before eating There is no real English equivalent; it expresses thanks for the meal.
- 日本語を勉強しています nihongo o benkyō shite imasu I’m studying Japanese
Learning Japanese with Bliss: questions, answered
Do I need to learn hiragana before speaking Japanese?
Not to start speaking. Every Japanese line in Bliss comes with rōmaji, so you can practise out loud from the first session. Learning hiragana early is still a good idea if you plan to read.
How long does it take to learn Japanese?
The US Foreign Service Institute places Japanese in its hardest group for English speakers, at about 88 weeks of full-time study for professional proficiency — mostly because of the writing system. Simple spoken exchanges come much earlier.
Will I learn polite or casual Japanese?
Polite first, because it is safe with anyone. Ask your tutor for the casual version any time and it will explain when each one fits.
Who teaches Japanese in Bliss?
Bliss recommends Alex, a patient bilingual tutor. You can pick any of the eight tutors instead and switch whenever you like.
Learning more than one language?
Bliss teaches ten languages with the same tutors. Switch language whenever you want — no second app, no restart.
Start speaking Japanese today
Download Bliss free on the App Store, pick Japanese, and say your first sentence to Alex.