Free, no sign-up needed
Learn Minna no Nihongo by doing.
Neko Nihongo is a free practice app for the Minna no Nihongo textbook: short exercises for every lesson, with natural Japanese voices.
How it works
One lesson, practised from every side
Open a lesson and work through it the way a teacher would: the words first, then sentences, then real conversations. Anything you get wrong comes back more often.
Words
Learn the words, then spell them yourself
Every word from the lesson, with romaji, kana and kanji, and a picture for everyday things like かさ (umbrella) and コーヒー (coffee).
- Flashcards, and Japanese ↔ English quizzes
- Spell it: build the word from kana tiles, with tricky look-alikes
- Listening: hear the word, pick its meaning
- Typing in romaji or kana
Sentences
Build sentences tile by tile
The lesson's grammar in real sentences. Put the words in the right order, fill in the right particle, and answer questions the way you would in class.
- Build: read the English, build the Japanese
- Dictation: build what you hear
- Particles: は, も, の, か, から
- Respond: choose your reply to a question
Conversations
Play your part in the conversation
Step into the textbook dialogues as one of the speakers. The other people talk to you in natural Japanese voices, and your lines use your own name, country and age.
- Choose what to say, line by line
- Listen to a conversation, then mark statements ○ or ×
- Male and female voices, played at the speed you choose
Basics
Starting from zero? Begin with kana
Drill hiragana and katakana row by row until you can read them without romaji, then practise numbers and ages, including the tricky ones like いっさい and はたち.
- Hiragana and katakana, with sounds
- Numbers from 0 to 100, and ages
-
The Dojo
Mix words and sentences from every lesson you have done, for review before a test.
-
Romaji when you need it
Show romaji while you are new to kana, switch on kanji when you are ready.
-
Hints, not answers
Stuck? A hint gives you the next piece, so you still finish it yourself.
-
Progress that follows you
Start as a guest. Sign in to keep your progress on your phone and computer.
Minna no Nihongo, lesson by lesson
Each lesson has its own page with every word in romaji and English and the grammar explained, plus its exercises in the app, in the same order as the textbook.
Questions
Is Neko Nihongo free?
Yes. Every lesson and exercise is free, and you can start right away without an account.
Do I need the Minna no Nihongo textbook?
It helps, but you can practise without it. Each lesson in the app has its own grammar notes with examples, and every word and sentence comes with an English translation.
I can't read hiragana yet. Can I still use it?
Yes. Romaji is shown under the Japanese until you turn it off, and the Kana section teaches hiragana and katakana from the first row.
Where does the Japanese audio come from?
Words, sentences and conversations are read by natural-sounding Japanese voices, with different voices for different speakers. You can pick the voice you like and slow the speed down.
Is my progress saved?
As a guest, your progress is saved in your browser. Create a free account to keep it safe and use it on both your phone and your computer.
Which lessons are available?
Lessons 1 to 2 of Minna no Nihongo Elementary I, plus kana and numbers. More lessons are on the way.
Who makes Neko Nihongo?
Neko Nihongo is an independent project, made by a learner working through Minna no Nihongo who wanted to practise each lesson the way a tutor would. It is not affiliated with the textbook's publisher.
Let's begin.
2 lessons ready, more on the way. No account needed.
Start lesson 1